You don't understand... CMS does great!

[whyCMS]

Hey, I heard about this site from the news. I am a proud African-American mother whos children are in CMS. I couldn't help wonder why somebody would think such things about CMS. In my opinion, CMS is great! Growing up in downtown Charlotte and in Charlotte's suburbs can be a hard thing, you all know that. WAIT! You don't! People who bash CMS don't understand how hard it really is to keep up such a run-down area. Sure, CMS has more crimes than other school systems, but what would you expect from such an area? I personally think that CMS does a great job protecting the children. They've got metal detectors at practically every school to keep the students and faculty safe. Do you understand how rough an area is when you have to go through metal detectors to get in? CMS makes it safe for everyone. I think that people who bash CMS could possibly be jealous because they are more than likely small town folks who think that the big city is a bad place all around. Well, it's not. I know that seems far fetched but the city is a great place and so are its schools. The African-American population is higher than in most cities all around the United States and we are all treated equally. Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, or American Indian, everyone is treated the same. Look in the mirror and ask yourself if CMS does a good job or not for the area it's in and I'll think you'll find the same answer I did... YES!

Sincerely,
A Charlotte citizen

[Dave Pinard]

Welcome to the website. While I respect your opinion, and am glad you are happy, I am not. I think if you just look at test scores and graduation rates, you will find we could do much better. I also plan on dissecting the State report on school reported violence to make it available here. I think you will agree that assault on teachers, weapons in school (guns and otherwise) sexual assault and the list goes on (there are 17 categories total), does not indicate that our schools are as safe as they should be. I understand safety is relative, but don't think our numbers are that good, and I'm sure the numbers are underreported statewide.

[Christine]

It is great to hear that your family has found a place that works. I'd love to hear more about which schools, programs, etc. are working. There are great people here and there are great stories. We want the good as well as the bad.

It didn't work so well for us. There are many kids that have to eat outside in the winter because there is no room for them in the caf. The reason we felt the need to speak up is shared in the Mecklenburg stories forum. We include the concerns of parents, news articles & success stories.

[whyCMS]

I completely understand how it works out for people who enjoy the city. I do realize test scores are low, but I think it's the best possible for the city. If you split it up in divisions that isn't going to help! CMS citizens are who they are! If you split up into divisions that isn't going to change the students! As for the cafeteria in the winter, instead of bashing the school system, raise money for expanding campuses and helping CMS grow! Dividing will not help, if you think it does, because like I said you can change the divisions, but you can't change the people in them!

[Christine]

I don't want to change people or divide the school system into areas. In business, competition is always good for the consumer. Monopolies do not have to address the needs of the consumer because there is no other choice.

CMS board officials have referred to themselves as similar to the board of a large corporation. This corporation is a monopoly. If you have a concern about the school or a bully, don't you want someone to care about your kid?
If your kid eats in the bitter cold and doesn't have the correct classes it would matter more to you.

This is a monopoly, competition to prove who can educate the children the best, is the best thing for all of us. Especially the children.

[Dave Pinard]

I completely understand how it works out for people who enjoy the city. I do realize test scores are low, but I think it's the best possible for the city. If you split it up in divisions that isn't going to help! CMS citizens are who they are! If you split up into divisions that isn't going to change the students! As for the cafeteria in the winter, instead of bashing the school system, raise money for expanding campuses and helping CMS grow! Dividing will not help, if you think it does, because like I said you can change the divisions, but you can't change the people in them!I know we can do much better. I think you are selling us short. It has nothing to do with changing the students. We should not have to raise money so kids can eat inside and not go to school in trailers. We already spend more per student than most other school systems. Look at some of the pieces Judge Manning has written about how wonderful our system is. Ans just because I chose to live North of Charlotte, does not mean I don't enjoy it. I wouldn't have moved to this are if I didn't think it was a great place to live.

[ProCharter]

Hey guys. Of course, a split will not change most students directly, however a movement toward smaller manageable districts will allow the new administrations to focus on the problems that are unique to their local areas. Overcrowding and growth in some areas versus student safety and performance in others. Rightsizing CMS to locally controlled, less bureaucratic districts will result in smaller administrations with the wherewithal to focus on each of our unique, local issues.

whyCMS said, “you can change the divisions, but you can't change the people in them”. It is true that it is hard to change the individuals (and their agendas) who are currently in the seats at the school board. However, through deconsolidation, you can build your board and administrations with new people who have agendas in line with your local requirements. That is what we need. That is what we definitely CAN change!

[whyCMS]

I wish you would all realize that CMS does it's best and you can't argue with that. CMS can't do any better because you can't motivate the students to do better. Splitting up would unmotivate me if I was a student. It makes some children feel important that they are a part of a large area. Don't take it away from them. If you think CMS is bad move to an area with less things going on. I know my children told me that they would be deeply upset if CMS split up because they would feel that they weren't a part of a big community. I know you are thinking of your kids, but I am too and others agree with me. They may not be on this site but they do agree with me. CMS does the best it can for the area it's in and I'll say it again. You can change the divisions, but you can't change the students in them. It won't change and it won't help focus on issues going on at schools better. Just because they would have less schools to look after doesn't mean it'll change what goes on at them. With my children Charlotte's overcrowdedness helps them feel more important...

[SmallerIsBetter]

I wish you would all realize that CMS does it's best and you can't argue with that. CMS can't do any better because you can't motivate the students to do better. Splitting up would unmotivate me if I was a student. It makes some children feel important that they are a part of a large area. Don't take it away from them. That's a good one! If this is the best then I want my money back. As someone else said, the goal is not to move any kids. By having manageable sized districts, the administrative staff would be able to focus more on local issues and less on the large failing bureacracy. The smaller pieces would still be 20,000+ if you split it 6 ways. That is not small. I went to a town that had 1 elementary, 1 middle school and 1 high school. The high school had 800 students. We didn't half half the issues I have read about here. And if a student got out of line, they were dealth with swiftly and everyone knew that.

Finally, how much of the current bureacracy is actually focused on teaching the children? Sounds like teachers want to teach but aren't getting the support they need. I reall question someone who has already given up on something saying it can't get any better. Of course it can.

[ProCharter]

No question in my mind - CMS is doing the best it can under the constraints it has been given. Unfortunately, its size is the biggest constraint. Deconsolidation won't be a silver bullet - that was the point that Lindalynn made the other night - but it can be a great first step toward broader and continuous improvement for all students and teachers in all parts of our county.

[cms20]

I don't understand how you can say that CMS is doing it's best. The sign of a poor school system is how many private schools are thriving in the area. As you well know, Charlotte's private schools are plentiful and full. If you go to many other areas of the country you will only find a handfull of private schools in their school systems. Hence, most families are happy with their school system and won't support paying private tuition. Why are so many families unhappy here? It's a complex problem. Under the busing plan, a small percentage(elementary age) of the kids bused in had severe behavior problems. It often took months to have these children removed from class. In the meantime, parents would come in and see this chaos and hear the stories and the next thing you know they were off to private school. And as I saw it, no one really cared if they did. There was no reaching out to try and fix the problem or even admit there was one. The prevailing wisdom seemed to be, that the main priority was keeping those behavior problems mainstreamed in the class as long as possible, without regards to how this would effect the other children. I think this was a critical mistake. It is still happening today.
If you combine that with the extreme overcrowding and the apparent 'laisse faire' attitude toward it, then you end up where we are today. If the parents felt their problems were being heard and addressed, we wouldn't be here. The school board has been unresponsive and unaccountable for far too long. We need to blow this thing apart and return some sanity to our kids education.

[ProCharter]

All I am saying is that I don't believe that the CMS folks are "trying" to do a bad job. They are doing the best they can under the circumstances. That is why we have to change the circumstances - and give ourselves a better chance to succeed. Clearly, the issues and bad feelings are deep rooted for many and it is understandable. However, if all we believe is that the current board and administration are doing a lousy job, then we should focus our efforts on voting new folks to the school board. I don't personally believe that alone will solve the problem. No single thing will. The district is just too darn big. First step deconsolidate.

[I.D.Number-T]

CMS is doing better? When was the last time you were in school. Before the death threat at north meck. Before kids at school were dealing drugs to eachother. Before they started buying brand new metal detectors for schools when they don't even have enough money for new books and supplies. Metal detectors as far as I know aren't rapidly seen throughout schools. And I have been to numerous schools throughout the cms district and still am in high school and havent seen a metal detector. Only place I see metal detectors is before sporting games at schools where before I have gotten through wearing metal before. So whos to say the metal detectors do work for the some schools that do have them. whos to say that a kid cant come in with a pocket knife and stick soem kid in the hall where 5 minutes later the security guards find the kid dead. I'm not suggesting or saying this will happen because it already has and is still going on. Sure the kids dont stick eachother in school but what about outside of school on campus at night. Whos to say your safe? Being a city isn't a reason it's an excuse and excuses don't help anybody. Saying that schools get poor grades because they are in a city. Well maybe thats true but when was the last time people checked in to what the teachers teach us. I'm in high school now and learning things I must've learned in 6th grade. Then when we get the tests and we are like when did we learn this? And the crime is also an excuse. Having an excuse for crime in schools isnt going to help anybody. Yeah it may be a city but so what you'll sometimes see in some "small towns" that they have the exact same kind of crime.But that doesn't make it right. This site is for people to talk about problems facing CMS schools and students not to talk about how good it is. And it's great that your happy with cms schools today, but hey it doesnt help anybody else to talk about how cms schools are so good. If most people in the cms district were as happy as you than this site would have never been made. But unfortunately for you this site is real and the crime and bad test grades and issues in schools are real too and to make these people feel happy about cms schools things gotta change first. Jealous? Ha! For people to be jealous of something they have to be resentful or bitter in rivalry and envious meaning they wish they had it. I don't think anybody could be jealous of cms schools. Because unlike you I don't think everybody in other schools is so jealous of cms' crime or bad test grades and just want all that crap to be apart of their lives and schools. :fear2:

[steveymac]

Hi there.... After reading this thread I couldn't help but laugh when I read, " I do realize test scores are low, but I think it's the best possible for the city." what i gather from this is you are ok with the status quo, is that right? ALso, you state, "It makes some children feel important that they are a part of a large area. Don't take it away from them." Does this mean CMS should stay the same just because some students feel important because they are in overcrowded schools? This is all the more reason why the system should be split up, if some parents and students like overcrowded schools, then they should keep them. Where as the ones that don't should feel free to address the problem. In closing, I'd like to know what part of the county/city you are from(whyCMS?) Thanks! Steve....

PS... does anyone know if the school board has looked into using some of the closed big box stores as schools? I've read that some school systems do that to save money.... thanks again!

[nick]

I completely understand how it works out for people who enjoy the city. I do realize test scores are low, but I think it's the best possible for the city. If you split it up in divisions that isn't going to help! CMS citizens are who they are! If you split up into divisions that isn't going to change the students! As for the cafeteria in the winter, instead of bashing the school system, raise money for expanding campuses and helping CMS grow! Dividing will not help, if you think it does, because like I said you can change the divisions, but you can't change the people in them!


The test scores could be better if disipline was better. Children could actually learn. CMS does not do their best,they just shove their problems under a rug. I could say worse stuff but I am just wasting my time because you will not listen. How could you be proud CMS is doing bad?:rolleyes: