And few have questioned the need for culturally responsive teaching to serve MPS’ American Indian students, who have struggled with even bigger gaps than African Americans. Federal law and education policy have long recognized, at least rhetorically, the need for schools that do not attempt to assimilate Native American students. In fact there has been a Minneapolis Indian Education program since 2006. Why not a special office for every subgroup? Indeed early conversations about the creation of an office focused on African American males - something other large districts have done - centered on struggling students that some feared would end up neglected. They may have the same aim, but not work together.Īnd when there is communication among the silos about race and equity, it is often framed as a matter of diversity - a necessary conversation, but not the same as talking about practices that are culturally relevant for a particular group of students. In part, the pace of change is glacial because MPS operates as a collection of “silos.” Staff tasked with providing curriculum support may have one set of ideas about closing the gap, while behavior specialists have others. “We have a black superintendent and CEO, and we are reluctant to talk about race.” “It is not because we are overtly racist as a community,” said Goar. He got a number of different supports, however, and graduated from Washburn High School on time.ĭespite years of talk about the achievement gap, intentional efforts to address the unmet needs of African American students have been scattered and inconsistent, he said. Goar was adopted from Korea at the age of 10, and arrived in Minneapolis unable to speak English. His resumé includes time with her in urban districts that have had success with some of the strategies that Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson - also a Carol Johnson protégé - is attempting to implement.Īnd he has personal experience with how much progress is possible. Late last year Goar, on the job for just a few months, and other district leaders were especially frustrated to have to deliver a dismal mid-year progress report to the board.Ī longtime colleague of former MPS Superintendent Carol Johnson, Goar has quietly acquired a reputation as a relentless pragmatist who asserts himself effectively. Meanwhile, despite a decade of seemingly ceaseless talk about the achievement gap, MPS has moved the needle incrementally at best. Culture, he said, is part of their success. “I’m impressed that is prepared to move ahead right away with this.”ĭistrict headquarters, English pointed out, is within striking distance of several schools, including an MPS-chartered Mastery School, that routinely enable black boys to exceed state averages for all students. “Focusing on what culturally makes sense for black boys is important,” said English, education chair of the Coalition of Black Churches. “If we can talk about it, we can begin to tackle these things.” Impressed with the actionĪ survivor of numerous failed efforts to talk about racial equity in MPS, Bill English applauded the move. “We have to have someone in charge of this issue and really focused on this disparity that has endured for years and years and years,” said district CEO Michael Goar. And it will be helmed by a member of the executive team tasked with keeping the pressure on to make sure that black boys are singled out - for resources. But if MPs won’t demand better of themselves, voters must: At minimum, the BOIE must operate, as a general rule, with its doors open.Instead, a new Office of Student Achievement will adopt ways of serving African American students that have worked, both inside and outside of MPS. Perhaps it’s not surprising that people for whom “not illegal” has become the standard for defensible conduct can’t run a Board of Internal Economy very well. Very well: let the NDP defend using public money to send out partisan junk mail, on its merits. To the taxpayer, the annoyance of having to pay for partisan junk mail would be much the same, whether it were legal or not. What we too rarely hear is a defence of the conduct itself - which is the basis on which voters ought to be judging the parties involved. ![]() We didn’t break the law when we talked jobs and patronage positions with a local candidate we very much wanted to drop out of the race, say Ontario Liberals. It’s a common message: It was legal for Nigel Wright to give Mike Duffy money, say Conservatives. ![]() Article contentĮssentially they argue they were within the rules, and that’s that. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
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