Letter to the Editor: Chameleon Schools Scam

 
I have to agree with this Buffalo News letter writer from Depew. Don't be fooled by the Chameleon Schools Project and local scam artist Stephen Polowitz. This snake oil salesman would have you think he was going to go into the Waterfront School and East High School and turn them around.


Here's what his group would do: They would get rid of all second language students and send them to nearby Buffalo Public Schools. They would get rid of all students with behavior problems and send them to other Buffalo Schools. They would get rid of all well behaved students with low test scores and send them to, you guessed it, other Buffalo Public Schools. The word would get around that the two "new" schools were now decent and a better class of citizenry would apply.Guess where the new students would come from? You guessed it:Other Buffalo Public Schools. In three years, the student body makeup would be completely different than it is today. All the students rejected from the Chameleon Schools Scam would be somebody else's problem (specifically PS School #31 and Burgard HS, among others).


The only winners in this would be Polowitz and his band of thieves. Have you ever seen the salaries of the people in charge of the Charter Schools? They treat their staff like garbage, strip them of all their benefits, and replace them with people desperate for work. However, they are very generous to themselves. In their world, it doesn't matter who the teachers are. If the students come from better home environments (which they will), the test scores will go up and they can tell a misinformed public that they "turned around a failing school". We're all on to your greedy scam Polowitz. Why don't you go on TV and sell get rich quick schemes at 2AM?


As one school rises another will decline


Would the Waterfront School be a better school as a magnet? Absolutely, yes. But why and at what cost to the district as a whole?


Would Waterfront Magnet continue to accept recently arrived emigrant children despite their poor grasp of the English language? Or would these students be directed to other city schools? These students take standardized state tests as soon as they enter the system. One school's rise in the ratings would probably be another's demise.


It's obvious that if you are building something, the better the raw materials, the better the product. If you can select the student base, you should produce better results.


David W. Teloh


Depew
Plan turns East High, Waterfront into charters

Don't trust this guy

The sad part is, this idiot lawyer probably thinks the reason charter schools do so well is because of people like himself....

Some of Buffalo's lowest-performing schools should be turned into charter schools, a local attorney told the Common Council's Education Committee on Wednesday.

Such a move would provide more flexibility to bring needed "structural" change to the troubled schools, said Steven H. Polowitz, a co-founder of Tapestry Charter School.

Yes, Steven. The reason charter schools outperform traditional public schools has nothing to do with the fact they pick and choose which students to keep. If they have a student doing poorly or causing problems in class, they send them back to the public schools. Most people know the main objective of weasels like Polowitz has nothing to do with education and everything to do with profit. You're not fooling anyone Stevo. Stick to something you're good at(ie. chasing ambulances).

Council committee hears debate over turning low-performing schools into charters

www.buffalonews.com

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New school in South Buffalo?

On the same day the Buffalo News revealed Dr. Williams' excessive $100,000 administrative club, it was also revealed that a new charter school is in the works for the South Buffalo/Lackawanna area. So when this school gets built and the Buffalo Public Schools lose more students, does that mean Dr. Williams will hire even more do-nothing administrators?...

Southwest Key Charter School,which would target students in South Buffalo and Lackawanna.

The project is driven by Juan J. Sanchez, the founder of Southwest Key Programs, Inc., a non-profit group serving youth in Texas for more than two decades. For 14 years, Southwest Key has been running Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs, alternative schools in Texas.

If Southwest Key Charter School is approved, the school would open with with 50 students each in kindergarten, first grade and sixth grade. By 2017-18, the school would serve 1,034 students in kindergarten through tenth grade. The school's founders hope to eventually expand it through twelfth grade.

The school would replicate the Yes Prep School model, a five-campus program in the Houston area. Key features: two hours of homework each night for middle and high school; one Saturday a month devoted to community service; a mandatory three-week summer session; and teachers who are on call for students on weekends and as late as 9 p.m. on weeknights.

Two hours of homework each night? Teachers on call for students on weekends? WTF! Sounds like Nazi Germany. If a student called me at 9PM on a Saturday, I'd tell them to go take a flying leap. What parent would let their son/daughter bother their teacher at night? Raise your own damn kids!

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Race to the bottom

New York state's cap on charter schools will rise to 460 from the current 260 schools after a new agreement with state lawmakers was reached this week. 114 of the new 260 schools must be in New York City, as billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg demonstrated he can pretty much buy anything he wants these days. From the Buffalo News article:

There are currently 16 charter schools in the Buffalo area, serving 6,526 students, according to a Buffalo Board of Education report. The Buffalo City School District has 33,442 students, according to the board report. The report also indicates that charter enrollment has been steadily increasing while enrollment in the traditional city schools has been steadily declining.
The New York State United Teachers union argued that Buffalo, as well as Albany, should be limited in new charters because such a relatively large number of the alternative schools exist in relation to traditional schools.
“We strongly feel that when you get to a certain percentage of charters, like in Buffalo and Albany, the negative impact on public schools to meet the needs of other students is very significant,” said Richard Iannuzzi, president of NYSUT.

With the Buffalo schools losing so many students, one has to wonder why we still have so many administrators? Superintendent Williams refuses to release the salaries and positions of the district's staff to the general public. He obviously has something to hide. He talked about teacher layoffs about a month ago but that was just another empty threat on his part. I hear the phone ringing. It's the Akron, Ohio School District saying, "We told you so!"

Opponents of charter schools say these schools send all the troublemakers back to the Buffalo schools. I feel bad for the good kids who are stuck on waiting lists to get out of the Buffalo schools. Dr.Williams should start sending all the bad apples to a select group of alternative schools. They should be separated from the kids and parents who are serious about getting an education. These do-gooders can talk about funding and test scores, etc. But what it really comes down to is parents learning to raise their kids properly and not relying on everyone else to raise them for them. Charter schools force the parents to get in the game. The neighborhood Buffalo schools keep enabling the parents by not forcing them to be accountable for the actions of their little angels. I feel bad for the many good kids and good parents in the Buffalo neighborhood schools that are caught in the middle of all this nonsense.
State agrees to double charter schools : State : The Buffalo News

Letter to the editor- South Buffalo Charter School

South Buffalo Charter School Board Chairman James Neimeir responds to comments South Buffalo political yes man Lou Petrucci made about charter schools in the Buffalo News last week. Petrucci had erroneously stated that charter school teachers were not certified and did not have to report their books:

Charter school teachers follow same guidelines
As the board chairman of South Buffalo Charter School, I found the remarks made by Buffalo Board of Education member Lou Petrucci in an April 30 News article very troubling. Contrary to Petrucci’s mischaracterization, our teachers are certified and have to follow the same federal and state guidelines as those in public school districts.
Independent auditors audit our finances on an annual basis. Also, not only do charter schools have the exact same reporting regulations as public school districts, we must also provide quarterly financial reports to our chartering entity. Public districts have no such requirement. In my opinion, that shows charter schools not only have the same requirements as our district counterparts, but actually have an additional layer of oversight and transparency.
It is true that charter schools, while public, are different than public school districts. In fact, the original intent of creating public charter schools was to provide families a viable alternative to the traditional public school system. We are very proud of the fact that the families of nearly 700 children, most from the area of the city that Petrucci represents, have seen the difference charter schools are making in the lives of students.
James Neimeier
Buffalo

Lou Petrucci is bought and paid for by the teachers' union. Every year, he puts signs on his lawn for whomever he is told to. Where was Petrucci when Mickey Kearns asked to see the Buffalo Schools' list of administrative staff? Nowhere to be found.

When I inquired about the entitled, privileged Comerford and Hillery youths getting handed jobs because of their last names, Petrucci said "Comerford's father (Jim) didn't even know she was being interviewed." I laughed in his face.What a no good,two faced liar. Fortunately, most are on to his act. Comerford's father is best friends with the other residency violator, James Kane and surely knew she was about to be handed a do nothing $80,000/yr job. Lou Petrucci: stop making things up as you go along. Fawning over Ray McGurn is no way for a man to live his life. Stop lying. You always get caught.

State Teachers Union attacks charter schools

The New York State Teacher's Union is against charter schools. Who would have ever believed this? Charter schools are doing considerably more than the traditional public schools with less. Yes. They are kicking out troublemakers and sending them packing. Yes. These same troublemakers end up going to the traditional public schools where they are allowed to continue to cause trouble. How about creating alternative schools and separating these kids from the kids that do know how to behave? You wouldn't believe how disruptive these students are at many of the Buffalo Public Schools. It's a longstanding joke that people are afraid to talk about.

According to the article, 41 out of 192 students returned to public schools from charter schools were for behavioral reasons. The teacher's union complains about this like it's a bad thing. Why should the well behaved kids at the charter schools be forced to have disruptive kids in their classrooms? Guess what? As soon as these troublemaking kids are kicked out, the other students know it's a privilege to be in their school. If the traditional public schools don't like it, then maybe they should start enforcing some kind of discipline at their schools. I guess it's easier to keep giving out free breakfast, lunch, and dinner and telling these disruptive kids how special they are.

Park district school board member Lou Petrucci said earlier this week that administrations at the charter schools did not have to disclose their financial salaries. A month ago, South District Councilman Michael Kearns asked Dr. Williams from the Buffalo Public Schools to disclose the salaries of all his flunkies working over at city hall and Williams refused. How come Petrucci isn't equally concerned about this? Williams obviously has something to hide (excessive no-show jobs ).
NYSUT report lambastes charters : Home: The Buffalo News

Dr. Williams Changes His Tune on Charter Schools

Dr Williams and some other local suit violate the first rule of non-verbal communication. Crossing one's arms is viewed as a sign of mistrust. Isn't it funny how we yawn or cross our arms when we witness someone else do the same? I have a feeling there was a lot of yawning and mistrust at this meeting.

After calling for a moratorium on charter schools last month, Superintendent James Williams today endorsed a grant application calling for major expansion of them. Williams is still opposed to charters, just not when they mean more funding for his district. This way, he can hire more administrators to sit in city hall and do nothing.

“Sometimes as superintendent you have to take the middle of the road,” Williams said Tuesday. “If it means an additional $500,000 at five or six of our schools, selfishness should not be the driving force. You have to do what’s best for the children.” You know, I think that's the first time I've ever heard him say we need to help THE CHILDREN.

Charter schools do work. I work at one and I can tell you the administration forces the parents to become involved in their children's education. Also, the students do not dictate the classroom. The adults run the show. The CHILDREN know that education is a privilege and not a right and they could be sent packing, especially for being disruptive in class.

I do understand the frustration of traditional public school teachers. Charter schools do not perform better because the teachers are better than public school teachers. The teachers at my school are very good but that is because they are put in a position to succeed. Many public schools in the city are excellent (City Honors, Discovery School #67, Hutch Tech, etc.). However, many neighborhood schools have become in essence "charter schools" for parents that don't value education. More alternative schools are needed for the students causing problems at these schools.

Critics say the charter schools pick the best remaining students, which is why they are successful. I say, what's wrong with that? Why should these students be forced to sit next to a 15 year old 8th grader who still chooses to be disruptive in class? I would like to hear Williams and the rest of the Buffalo administrators address the real problems going on in inner-city schools: a complete absence of discipline and a total lack of respect for adults by many of THE CHILDREN and many of their parents. Until they get serious about this, people who can are going to opt for private schools and charter schools, and how can you blame them? The alternative in many cases is a longstanding joke.
Williams backs more charter schools : City & Region : The Buffalo News

State Union President Wants to Limit School Choice

This was a hilarious article in today's news. The New York State United Teachers Union President Richard Iannuzzi says Buffalo has reached it's "saturation point" for charter schools. Charter school enrollment has reached 10% in Buffalo. Iannuzzi says it shouldn't exceed 5-8% of traditional school enrollment. Apparently, he picked these numbers out of a hat one day while sitting high up in his ivory tower.

Charter schools in the city work. They are providing parents with a choice for their children's education. They provide a better education than the traditional schools despite being given a fraction of what the Buffalo Public Schools are given. Kids at my school come from some very poor families. Yet, from the time they arrive in Kindergarten until they graduate in 8th grade, they know there are expectations and standards. The parents have to be involved also. They know students demonstrating a lack of respect towards adults or fellow students will be removed. Shockingly, these kids can read and write and are mostly all end up going to good high schools upon graduation.

In the Buffalo Public Schools, there are low standards when it comes to parental involvement and school violence. A few years ago, four students from Performing Arts beat up someone (I can't remember whether it was a teacher or student). Not only were they allowed back, Superintendent Williams took all of them to the Buffalo Chophouse after their graduation. Don't worry. He didn't pay for their meal. You and I did! It was in his contract to have so much money to spend there. I don't know what's wrong with Emerson High School's restaurant that Williams couldn't spend our money there.

Iannuzzi thinks we need to start holding charter schools to a higher standard. How about holding the traditional schools to any standards? If a charter school doesn't work, they will lose their charter. If a Buffalo public school doesn't work, they simply change the name of the building. What a joke. This guy is desperate. Peter Murphy, a spokesman for the New York State Charter Schools sums it up when he says Iannuzzi is "about the adults (teachers). That's what his job is."
Too many charter schools here, union leader says*

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My Unbalanced Opinions: Williams Calls For Moratorium On Charter Schools

Williams Calls For Moratorium On Charter Schools

At one time he described them as "healthy competition," now Buffalo Superintendent James Williams has called on the state for a moratorium on new charter schools within the city. For the first time ever, there is a waiting list to get into every charter school in Buffalo. Hardly a ringing endorsement for Williams or the traditional public school system in Buffalo.

There are many great public schools in my opinion. City Honors, the Olmstead schools, Discovery. However, charter schools are a good alternative in case your child isn't lucky enough to get into one of these select schools.

To be fair to Williams, charter schools have many advantages over traditional public schools. They can pick and choose who they accept. Children who cause problems in the classroom are removed from the school. They are often accused of not taking special education students.

In my opinion, the administration in Buffalo and the school board have done very little to address behavior issues in the classroom. When I subbed at school 28 years ago, I remember a fight broke out in class. A student not involved in the fight threw a desk across the room. He was back in the classroom the following Monday. This would never be tolerated at a charter school.

You'll hear people say these kids are poor or they have bad home lives. In many cases, there is little parental support at home but I say using that as an excuse is a bunch of garbage. There are much poorer kids in Africa and South America going to school on dirt floors as we speak who are outperforming our own kids. Why is that? Because they view the opportunity for an education as a privilege and not a right. The leaders in Buffalo need to start holding these parents and their kids accountable for how they behave in the classroom. There is no excuse. Some of these kids act like animals because the Buffalo administration continues to tolerate it. They are only there for the free breakfast, lunch, and (pretty soon) dinner.

If they have to make more alternative schools for these kids in Buffalo, so be it. I'm just sick of all these made up disorders they give these kids. ADD, ADHD, Authority Defiant Disorder. You name it. When we were kids, we called kids that did not respect adults punks. I think Williams call for a moratorium is a desperate attempt to preserve all the no show jobs the Buffalo school system has created for itself. In any event, we won't be seeing any waiting lists to get into school 28 any time soon.
Poor schools drive many residents out of Buffalo*

Related Links
My Unbalanced Opinions: State Union President Wants to Limit School Choice