- Here’s another story that strives to answer the question “How awesome are pandemic learning pods?” Unfortunately for the way my brain works, the answer to that question as presented here—“super awesome in every way”—raises another, much bigger, question for me. (Cleveland Magazine, 3/19/21) You can see what I’m getting at in the way this story is structured. At an event in Cleveland last week, Governor DeWine said students who have fallen behind during pandemic-disrupted schooling over the last 12 months “have to get caught up somehow”, and summer school should be on the table. The reporter translated that as “Ohio students who may have fallen behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020/2021 school year may have the option of attending classes in person this summer.” I think that wishy-washy language is already looming large in these stories. It’s not coming from the reporters, it’s coming from the schools they cover. I’d love to be wrong, but I think it’s only going to grow louder as we approach the April 1 “deadline” for DeWine’s “pretty please” request for some sort of remediation plan from districts. I hate to say it, Gov., but I’m pretty sure that summer school, if it happens anywhere, will largely look the same as those pods described above. Unless, somehow, you were motivated to put some “official” descriptor on what you’re looking for before it’s too late. (WKYC-TV, Cleveland, 3/19/21)
- Not a whit of newspaper rhetoric here. State Rep. Phil Robinson’s assertion that Ohio’s reports card system “isn't working” because it “fails to accurately reflect the continuous improvement, success, and growth of Ohio's students and educators” is the headline, the content, and the sole point of the piece. No questions asked. (Patch.com, 3/19/21) Editors at the Lima News needed less than 125 of their own words to blow up that assertion. (Lima News, 3/19/21)
- Speaking of commentary: Here’s how the state board works, from the perspective of one new-ish elected member of that august body. March’s meeting sounds like a beehive of activity. Some of it even connected to reality. (Newark Advocate, 3/21/21)
- Now this is the quality content I live for! Apropos of nothing at all, the Beacon-Journal has today republished the results of a survey given to a random sampling of Akron City Schools seniors in 1978. Some interesting stuff there on respect, school culture, and future plans. You should definitely dig in. But I personally like the quote that provides the title for today’s edition of the Bites. Asked about classes, one student opined, “As far as history goes, I don’t think the schools should push the past so much. I think the schools should concentrate on teaching us how to get through the present and future. The past isn’t that important, what has happened is over and done with.” Where are you now, O Sage? I for one would love to know. (Akron Beacon-Journal, 3/22/21)
- As a counterpoint to the forgoing, I give you this: Vocational training in Toledo City Schools suffers from what sounds like a history-related branding problem. Whether it’s been going on for eight years or thirty depends on your perspective. Sadly, the set-up of the current vocational effort—connecting with business and providing serious internships—seems great and the anecdotes tie right in with the program’s goals. Unfortunately, it also sounds like many longtime district families have doubted the program’s very existence. Since it was named after some legendary school building—which has been closed for three decades—unless that building magically resurrects itself, longtimers don’t think the program named for it is real. Instead of renaming it, though, the district is looking to re-educate instead. Let’s see how that goes, shall we? (Toledo Blade, 3/20/21)
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