Address to Mayor Adrian Fenty

[Karl Rudder]

Mayor Fenty,

 

You gave a very lengthy speech in early January 2007 in respect to your intentions of addressing the DC PUblic Schools. You ended that speech by saying,

 

As we have hesitated and stopped short of real reform, we have sent thousands of kids through a school system unworthy of them.

There can be no more delay. No more broken promises.

That is why the first legislation I have proposed on the first full day of my mayoralty is one that promises to transform the educational landscape of this city.

From Anacostia to Friendship Heights and from Dunbar High School to Shepherd Elementary School. I heard loud and clear that the people in the District want a school system worthy of the nation’s capitol.

Today, I seek both the authority and the accountability – and the two must go together – to let me keep that promise – a promise to the 60,000 children who come through the DC public schools each year.

 

We owe it to them to push past the finger pointing.

To align all of our bodies of government behind student achievement

Under Dr. Janey’s leadership, we have made progress, but we need to move faster.

We need to clear a path for the Superintendent to do what needs to be done to make our students and our schools succeed.

 

People will say that Mayoral control sidelines an elected school board, vital in a city where democracy is far too scarce, but that’s simply not the case in this plan. The school board will maintain a significant role in education policy making.

 

And let’s remember democracy has not been served by a system that diffuses and confuses lines of accountability.

Democracy works best with a bright line of accountability – where voters know who’s in charge.

I have vowed that the elected Mayor and Council will put children first, ahead of a political system that has failed to meet their most basic needs.

 

That’s good government, and that’s democracy.

 

Let me be clear that Mayoral control of the schools is not an end itself, but a means for achieving better schools and a more accountable school system.

 

We have seen the evidence from other cities where Mayors have been given the responsibility for the public schools – Boston, Chicago, Miami and New York.

 

We want to invest in principals and teachers, giving them the tools to respond to parents and to prepare our children to meet the highest expectations.

 

The goal today is to allow us to marshal all of District government, behind the Mayor and Council, to create a school system in which parents can have confidence and in which all students can realize their potential.

 

As Mayor, I intend to break down the government agency silos that have worked independently and not as efficiently as they could to ensure an integrated services approach where agencies work together to provide services to our children.

 

One person in this government can do that….and that’s the Mayor of the District of Columbia.

 

This is my pledge to the residents of the District of Columbia. We will remind ourselves everyday about the gravity of our task. I will end my days thinking about the urgency required to make this happen. And finally, I commit to the children of the District—our future—to make this my top priority.

 

Thank you.

Time is valuable Mr. Mayor and DC residents deserve far more than just hearing one nice sounding speech from you or any DC City Council member in respect to improving the activities and output of the DC public schools.

I pray that your office will soon be announcing the coordination of graduate students in education presently attending Howard University, The University of the District of Columbia, American University, Catholic University, George Washington University, Georgetown University to work with many other resources at providing active tutorial workshops for DC students and parents.

The end of that long January speech of yours centered on the me of the issue and not at all on the we of the issue. The answer to this and many other issues in the DC comunity little brother is the strength of the we who are involved in addressing that issue and not just the me.

Edited March 27, 2007 by Luke_Wilbur

[Luke_Wilbur]

Amen Karl. Teachers cannot be expected to do this alone. It is really difficult to find information on what Tutoring programs are available for our children. These bright boys and girls wil be our future leaders one day.