Dr. Steve Perry addressed a capacity audience comprised of parents, educators and interested community members
Comments [Add Comment]
at the Harrisburg High School, John Harris Campus Auditorium on Saturday March 13, 2010.
The Blueprint for Prosperity III; Equity in Education forum addresses deep-seeded concerns in the community, this time for equity in education, presented by The Martin Luther King Leadership Development Institute in association with Messiah College. A nine member panel shared the stage to participate in discussion and entertained questions from the floor. The forum established a setting for which Dr. Perry spoke to his beliefs, experience and commitments. Dr. Steve Perry is the Principle Administrator and founder at the Capital Preparatory Magnet School located in Hartford, Connecticut. His organization prepares high school students for college.
The event opened with remarks from the Honorable Linda D. Thompson, Mayor, City of Harrisburg, PA. Mayor Thompson offered strong words regarding city schools and what she described as “a defunct school system coupled with broken family values stunting the potential for a100% graduation rate in the district”. She related the City having the lowest district test scores and worst statewide. The Mayor called for dissatisfied teachers and outdated employment practices to be more carefully examined to gain equity in the educational system. She said that we have much to ascribe to for equity in the district schools system and as Mayor, sees a better and great future for our city schools.
At the Harrisburg forum Dr. Perry asserted his outspoken views on reforming public education. His perspective has garnered national attention and notoriety. He was recognized on the CNN news specials “Black in America I & II”. He is a proponent for serving children with love and maintains that parents are not required to have a college degree to be parents. Moreover, Dr. Perry is waging a battle to dispel the stigma and responsibility that public school parents’ shoulder for America’s children’s failing educational progress. Dr. Perry clarified cultural differences too often for urban blacks and Latinos as racism. He believes the fundamental issue lies with our educators and lackadaisical attitudes toward teaching, largely within our urban public school systems. He reminded the audience that teachers have a covenant to educate children and believes that when teacher’s values are not proper, race and poverty remain scapegoats for poor teaching. He believes it to be a crime against humanity to be called a teacher, however are poor teachers. Teachers must be held accountable, especially when they are poor at their paid profession. He advocates removing poor performing teachers.
Dr. Perry offered a balanced report. He maintains that children inherently see into the souls of men and educators. They know who genuinely cares about their educational wellbeing and welfare. He encouraged teachers to search the inner person of a child and maintain a positive attitude toward teaching. He challenged teachers to regain the original zest for learning that each students had in their formative years. Dr. Perry suggested a strong insightful strategy for educational reforming. The variables and fundamental changes will involve the following:
- An undying commitment to the children and education
- Applying the best practices and decision making for the children
- Educators are recognized as part of the problem or part of the solutions. Teachers who are recognized as part of the problems should be sought out and removed.
- Teachers who are not good in their field, in so far as quantifiable results, should be encouraged to look for employment in other fields.
- If your school system can be described as broken and 70 to 80% of blacks and latino students are not meeting their state standards; that school district is in trouble.
- Visit good schools to garnish good ideals.
- If your school district utilizes growth measures as strategic planning discussions, it may be time to replace non-performing teachers.
- Our educational systems do not need new buildings; we need results.
- We must have honest hard discussions about how to achieve real results; not growth results.
- Close failing schools.
- Explore a voucher system and school choice
