Berkley CA, High School cuts science classes because white kids are doing too well

[shrubber]

Wow.

http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-12-17/article/34289?headline=Plan-to-Eliminate-Science-Labs-Stirs-Controversy-at-Berkeley-High

The most academically prepared kids will get by,” added Amy Hansen, who teaches chemistry and biology. “They’ll find tutors, they’ll learn the material one way or another. But the others won’t.”

 

[redlight]

They are cutting science classes because the resources are limited and that they feel the money would be better spent on helping disadvantaged kids.

 

[luvmy3]

They are cutting science classes because the resources are limited and that they feel the money would be better spent on helping disadvantaged kids.

Are the before and after school labs not open to all students including the disadvantaged ones?

 

[redlight]

Are the before and after school labs not open to all students including the disadvantaged ones?

I don't know. I think it's a shame that the science instruction was cut back, but I can see why reasonable, caring people might make that hard decision given dire circumstances.

 

[Wall-E1]

The title of this post is a very misleading. It seems like the OP is trying to start a race debate. His title - "Berkley CA, High School cuts science classes because white kids are doing well".

First of all, if you read the article, you will see that science classes are not being cut from the school day. They are planning to cut the additional lab time that they offer before and after the regular school day.

Second, the article never mentions white kids, black kids, Hispanic kids; etc. It seems the OP is trying to insinuate that white kids are being treated unfairly. Fine, that's his own biased view, but his thread title is very misleading.

That said, I would agree for the need for "equity grants" that were mentioned in the article. I also don't like the idea of the science lab times being cut. It seems that the teachers there agree with this also. It appears that the teachers have other ideas on how to fund both the science labs and equity grants, but their voices are not being heard.

 

[Golf4food]

It appears that the teachers have other ideas on how to fund both the science labs and equity grants, but their voices are not being heard.

Of course the teachers' opinions are not being heard. I dare say that if teachers had a bigger say in education our country would be much better off.

 

[Wall-E1]

Of course the teachers' opinions are not being heard. I dare say that if teachers had a bigger say in education our country would be much better off.

Absolutely. For some reason this goes on in school boards all over the nation. The teachers, who are probably the most informed in matters such as this, are the ones who board members don't listen to. People really need to take the time to learn about candidates for the school boards in their communities and vote wisely.

 

[minniecarousel]

OP, I believe that your Thread Title is incorrect. Funny, my town is mentioned in the story. The socioeconomic make-up of Danville, where I live and Hunter's Point, as mentioned, is about polar opposites. Yet, as the story explains, Berkeley has a huge level of high-achievers (coming from many academic families) and families of lower economic means.

The thing not addressed in the story is where the students taking AP Classes stand. Are they eliminating those? Or is this lab cancelling to help save those College-level classes (that some students need to get into, oh...maybe = Berkeley)?

I'm sure our local papers will be all over this in the next few days. Berkeley is known for its' penchant for controversy!

 

[shrubber]

http://http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/berkeley-high-may-cut-out-science-labs/Content?oid=1536705
The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council, a body of teachers, parents, and students who oversee a plan to change the structure of the high school to address Berkeley's dismal racial achievement gap, where white students are doing far better than the state average while black and Latino students are doing worse.
Paul Gibson, an alternate parent representative on the School Governance Council, said that information presented at council meetings suggests that the science labs were largely classes for white students. He said the decision to consider cutting the labs in order to redirect resources to underperforming students was virtually unanimous.

Science teachers were understandably horrified by the proposal. "The majority of the science department believes that this major policy decision affecting the entire student body, the faculty, and the community has been made without any notification, without a hearing," said Mardi Sicular-Mertens, the senior member of Berkeley High School's science department, at last week's school board meeting.

Sincular-Mertens, who has taught science at BHS for 24 years, said the possible cuts will impact her black students as well. She says there are twelve African-American males in her AP classes and that her four environmental science classes are 17.5 percent African American and 13.9 percent Latino. "As teachers, we are greatly saddened at the thought of losing the opportunity to help all of our students master the skills they need to find satisfaction and success in their education," she told the board.

The full plan to close the racial achievement gap by altering the structure of the high school is known as the High School Redesign. It will come before the Berkeley School Board as an information item at its January 13 meeting. Generally, such agenda items are passed without debate, but if the school board chooses to play a more direct role in the High School Redesign, it could bring the item back as an action item at a future meeting.

School district spokesman Mark Coplan directed inquiries about the redesign to Richard Ng, the principal's assistant at Berkeley High and member of the School Governance Council. Ng did not return repeated calls for comment.

News archives »

 

[Wall-E1]

http://http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/berkeley-high-may-cut-out-science-labs/Content?oid=1536705
The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council, a body of teachers, parents, and students who oversee a plan to change the structure of the high school to address Berkeley's dismal racial achievement gap, where white students are doing far better than the state average while black and Latino students are doing worse.
Paul Gibson, an alternate parent representative on the School Governance Council, said that information presented at council meetings suggests that the science labs were largely classes for white students. He said the decision to consider cutting the labs in order to redirect resources to underperforming students was virtually unanimous.

Science teachers were understandably horrified by the proposal. "The majority of the science department believes that this major policy decision affecting the entire student body, the faculty, and the community has been made without any notification, without a hearing," said Mardi Sicular-Mertens, the senior member of Berkeley High School's science department, at last week's school board meeting.

Sincular-Mertens, who has taught science at BHS for 24 years, said the possible cuts will impact her black students as well. She says there are twelve African-American males in her AP classes and that her four environmental science classes are 17.5 percent African American and 13.9 percent Latino. "As teachers, we are greatly saddened at the thought of losing the opportunity to help all of our students master the skills they need to find satisfaction and success in their education," she told the board.

The full plan to close the racial achievement gap by altering the structure of the high school is known as the High School Redesign. It will come before the Berkeley School Board as an information item at its January 13 meeting. Generally, such agenda items are passed without debate, but if the school board chooses to play a more direct role in the High School Redesign, it could bring the item back as an action item at a future meeting.

School district spokesman Mark Coplan directed inquiries about the redesign to Richard Ng, the principal's assistant at Berkeley High and member of the School Governance Council. Ng did not return repeated calls for comment.

News archives »

Here again to clear things up.

First off, the above is not from the article that the OP originally provided a link to.

Second, lets return to the title of this thread, "Berkley CA, High School cuts science classes because white kids are doing well". I already pointed out that it is not science classes that may be cut. It is the before and after school science labs. In both articles that the OP has provided, you can read that nothing has been cut. The only thing that has happened is this. A proposal to cut science labs has been approved. So, all they have done is approved opening up discussion on this issue. Now it will be debated. Personally, I hope this proposal fails. So, the title stating that "...High School cuts science classes..." is completely false and meant to deceive the reader.

Third, OP states that these cuts are happening because white kids are doing well. He then highlights this in the article above...
Sincular-Mertens, who has taught science at BHS for 24 years, said the possible cuts will impact her black students as well. She says there are twelve African-American males in her AP classes and that her four environmental science classes are 17.5 percent African American and 13.9 percent Latino.
Obviously, the OP has just contradicted his own statement that these cuts are happening because "white kids are doing well". He has just provided proof that these cuts would hurt children of other races that are doing well also. By my calculations 17.5% + 13.9% = 31.4%. This means that almost a third of the affected students are either black or hispanic.

So, the title of this post should actually read, "Berkley CA, High School proposes to cut before and after school science labs because of the largest racial achievement gap in the state". The OP titled this thread in a very misleading way to suit his own racial views. Again, my view on this is they should try to close this achievement gap, but I feel it is wrong to cut the science labs in order to achieve this.

 

[shrubber]

From the article.....

The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council, a body of teachers, parents, and students who oversee a plan to change the structure of the high school to address Berkeley's dismal racial achievement gap, where white students are doing far better than the state average while black and Latino students are doing worse.
yes it has to approved by the school board.....

It will come before the Berkeley School Board as an information item at its January 13 meeting. Generally, such agenda items are passed without debate,

 

[disney1990]

 

[Wall-E1]

From the article.....

The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council

The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council

pro⋅pos⋅al  [pruh-poh-zuhl] Show IPA
–noun
1. the act of offering or suggesting something for acceptance, adoption, or performance.

 

[shrubber]

The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council

pro⋅pos⋅al  [pruh-poh-zuhl] Show IPA
–noun
1. the act of offering or suggesting something for acceptance, adoption, or performance.

yes, the proposal was approved.....
it was approved by the High School governance council.

ap⋅prove  /əˈpruv/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [uh-proov] Show IPA verb, -proved, -prov⋅ing.

–verb (used with object) 1. to speak or think favorably of; pronounce or consider agreeable or good; judge favorably: to approve the policies of the administration.
2. to consent or agree to: Father approved our plan to visit Chicago.
3. to confirm or sanction formally; ratify: The Senate promptly approved the bill.

 

[Wall-E1]

yes, the proposal was approved.....
it was approved by the High School governance council.

ap⋅prove  /əˈpruv/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [uh-proov] Show IPA verb, -proved, -prov⋅ing.

–verb (used with object) 1. to speak or think favorably of; pronounce or consider agreeable or good; judge favorably: to approve the policies of the administration.
2. to consent or agree to: Father approved our plan to visit Chicago.
3. to confirm or sanction formally; ratify: The Senate promptly approved the bill.

Yes, I understand this. Why don't you? This means that the proposal will be discussed.

I was trying to help you to understand the meaning of the word proposal. There is a proposal that has been approved for discussion. This is far different from your false statement the "...High School cuts science classes..."

 

[shrubber]

Yes, I understand this. Why don't you? This means that the proposal will be discussed.

I was trying to help you to understand the meaning of the word proposal. There is a proposal that has been approved for discussion. This is far different from your false statement the "...High School cuts science classes..."

You are incorrect. The Proposal was APPROVED. The Governance council has indeed cut the classes as part of it's plan.

Perhaps you missed the earlier post.
From the article.....

The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council, a body of teachers, parents, and students who oversee a plan to change the structure of the high school to address Berkeley's dismal racial achievement gap, where white students are doing far better than the state average while black and Latino students are doing worse.
yes it has to approved by the school board.....

It will come before the Berkeley School Board as an information item at its January 13 meeting. Generally, such agenda items are passed without debate,

The point of the matter is trying to narrow the achievement gap by getting rid of the classes that the kids are achieving in. It is mindboggoling stupid.

 

[NY Disney fan]

According to the article, they are voting to cut science labs before school starts and after school ends. It didn't say anything about cutting *during* school hours. This isn't totally unreasonable. (if they are looking to cut something to save money for another need).

ETA: Also, not to be nit picky but the title of this thread should be "too well", not "to well." If your child is academically on par and wants a career in science, this should not stop them from fulfilling their dreams. Give me a break!

 

[Wall-E1]

You are incorrect. The Proposal was APPROVED. The Governance council has indeed cut the classes as part of it's plan.

Perhaps you missed the earlier post.
From the article.....

The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council, a body of teachers, parents, and students who oversee a plan to change the structure of the high school to address Berkeley's dismal racial achievement gap, where white students are doing far better than the state average while black and Latino students are doing worse.
yes it has to approved by the school board.....

I'll try once more to help you understand this. You are incorrect. The proposal has been approved for debate. Nothing has been cut. The actual proposal has not been approved and put into action.

It will come before the Berkeley School Board as an information item at its January 13 meeting. Generally, such agenda items are passed without debate,

The point of the matter is trying to narrow the achievement gap by getting rid of the classes that the kids are achieving in. It is mindboggoling stupid.

I'll try once more to help you understand this. You are incorrect. The proposal has been approved for debate. Nothing has been cut. The actual proposal has not been approved for discussion.

This is from your above quote...
The proposal to put the science-lab cuts on the table was approved recently by Berkeley High's School Governance Council

What "on the table" means is that the issue has been approved for discussion and will be debated. A final decision has not been made. The governance council has not cut anything so far. Is this really so difficult to understand?

 

[shrubber]

According to the article, they are voting to cut science labs before school starts and after school ends. It didn't say anything about cutting *during* school hours. This isn't totally unreasonable. (if they are looking to cut something to save money for another need).

ETA: Also, not to be nit picky but the title of this thread should be "too well", not "to well." If your child is academically on par and wants a career in science, this should not stop them from fulfilling their dreams. Give me a break!

They are not cutting the classes simply to save money, that I get. Thay are cutting the classes to shrink the racial acheivement gap.
In order to shrink the gap, thay are getting rid of the classes that are the most disportionate.
The idea is absurd. They are punishing one group of students for achieving to make everyone seem more equal.

 

[NY Disney fan]

They are not cutting the classes simply to save money, that I get. Thay are cutting the classes to shrink the racial acheivement gap.

Um...excuse me...public school = you get what you pay for. Public schools belong to ALL US Citizens. If you are so worried about the "achievemet gap", go put your kid in a private school. EVERYONE deserves to receive a standard education.