Comments on: Wednesday December 1, 2010 | CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman

By: Eman

Eman — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:29:25 +0000

Expect further decline in the CMS system – and most other urban education systems in the nation – as the high achievers move out to surrounding counties to be in better suburban districts or go to private schools leaving only poor minorities left who don’t pay enough taxes for all of the govt. services they use…and in the future those minorities will become the majority, but by that time the USA will already be fiscally sunk so I suppose it doesn’t matter much either way.

By: Tweets that mention Wednesday December 1, 2010 | CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman « Charlotte Talks -- Topsy.com

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:27:54 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Charlotte Talks, Charlotte Talks. Charlotte Talks said: From major growth to major cutbacks. Today: CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman on how he's handling the contradictions. http://ow.ly/3hIW7 [...]

By: D Montgomery

D Montgomery — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 21:44:06 +0000

I’m wondering how many of the second language learners that Dr Gorman mentioned are not here legally and the district is spending up to $10,000 a year on educating them, and then asking parents of students who are citizens to raise money through a booster club so their children can take required academic tests.
I appreciated Dr Gorman’s enthusiasm and love for his job, but he didn’t mention any of the schools that were spending $10,000 a year on a student to fundraise to continue programs.

By: Angi Calhoun

Angi Calhoun — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:45:21 +0000

I have a child in the CMS system at a charter school. Previously in a CMS neighborhood school. I am an involved parent who continuously hears ‘we don’t have the resources or the $ to properly include / teach your child’. And now you’re talking about bigger class sizes, no assistants, fewer resources… these kids are already getting left behind. What’s next? Another group of children being left behind! I spend an amazing amount of $ and time to teach my child to read and write because CMS is not accomplishing that goal.

By: Michele

Michele — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:39:51 +0000

I think that Dr. Gorman is doing a wonderful job. CMS is much better with him than they were before him. My husband is a CMS teacher and when we decided to move 5 years ago (before Dr. Gorman) we decided to move over the border, which I sometimes now regret.

By: margaret harbison

margaret harbison — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:37:23 +0000

I hear Bill Gates has an amazing start to finish math course on line.
What about using something like that?

By: margaret harbison

margaret harbison — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:36:13 +0000

I have heard of using technology to help schools in this way:
The best math teacher, for example, is put on video to allow all students access to his/her talent. Fewer teachers, better quality.

By: Lisa Weedman Newell

Lisa Weedman Newell — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:35:23 +0000

I can’t even begin to address ALL of my concerns about how these budget issues have been and will be handled. My twin kindergartners’ school was closed with the recent cut and I still have no answers about how that is truly going to help with the budget. The school’s students will be divided next year between TWO Title I schools… one of which has FAR lower test schools than our school. We have already “opted out” of a Title 1 school and we will opt out of again. How is that saving the school system money?

Mike Raible seemed INSISTENT upon closing our school (Oakhurst Elementary)… either for the use of combining two Montessori schools or housing the Morgan students. We were told our students weren’t succeeding. No one was open for any of our suggestions. No one answered our questions.

Mike Collins, you asked Mr. Gorman if we would rather have larger class sizes and effective teachers or smaller ones with mediocre teachers. WE weren’t allowed that choice. We weren’t allowed to choose to increase volunteerism in order to decrease teacher assistants. We weren’t allowed to choose optional transportation. Our school was closed. End of story.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:32:00 +0000

Mike, you frequently refer to your inadequacies in math. Has it ever occurred to you that this might not be the case if you had been in smaller classes in elementary school? Even a great teacher does not have the time to diagnose and give extra help to kids who are not catching on to math basics. This was not a big problem for your generation but is unacceptable in our high tech world.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:24:19 +0000

Couldn’t job sharing save some money? You wouldn’t have to offer benefits. I know I would be more likely to go back into the classroom if I could job share.