VIDEO: Parents Demand Accountability - and Residency Requirements for Teachers - at Hope High Forum
GoLocalProv News Team
VIDEO: Parents Demand Accountability - and Residency Requirements for Teachers - at Hope High Forum
Providence resident Adena Marcelino, who went to Providence schools where her children currently attend, demanded a return to teacher residency requirements.
“I’m from Providence, I was born and raised here, children in Providence schools. When I grew up, the single biggest determining factor of success, was having a teacher who went to the same supermarket as you did," she said.
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"When there was a city requirement for residency, and I had a teacher that looked like me, and respected me, my mom could check their a— in a supermarket,” added Marcelino. “When you have teachers that can disrespect you and just drive home, the students aren't going to respect them, and the teachers aren’t going to respect the student, because they’re not from the community.”
Marcelino's remarks came at the fifth forum hosted by the Rhode Island Island Department of Education on Tuesday at Hope High School, which are being called “conversation with all Providence residents” following the release of the excoriating Johns Hopkins report deeming the city’s schools among the worst in the country.
The attendance Tuesday at the morning event was lower than recent forums.
“I went to schools where everyone was going to achieve — there were no excuses. None. We as adults don’t have the right to decide what kids can or cannot achieve,” said Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green. “This is not about what we haven’t done at this point. This about what we’re going to do together. Our community knows they deserve better and are ready to act. The fact that you’re here at 7 [a.m.] on a Tuesday speaks volumes.”
Calling for Accountability
“I think that’s the major issue here. We have teachers that don’t care. And if we don’t stop blaming parents for the failure of ‘you don’t do your job’ that’s my issue. When I go to the hospital, who am I to question a doctor? To expect parents to question a failing system they don’t know is failing is totally disrespectful,” said Marcelino. “There is no we in this. It’s administrators and teachers. You get paid to do a job.”
One father said that his daughter at Nathan Bishop told him she spent two classes going between the library and the gym.
“I have a daughter in the seventh grade at Nathan Bishop, and for two classes she [went between] the library and gym because she said there were no teachers to teach those subjects. She said we play on our phones,” he said. “That’s very disheartening and gut-wrenching.”
"We have a crisis on our hands. We need to stop talking about it and be about it. Actions speak louder than words," he said. "We can have this conversation all we want — but if we’re not acting these conversations are worthless."
Residency Requirements
In Chicago, this past spring CBS Chicago found that “Dozens Of CPS Employees Violate Longstanding Residency Requirement.”
Chicago Public Schools employees are required to live within city limits, with a few exceptions. It’s been the rule for a long time, yet dozens of workers break it and get fired because of it every year.
Records show what happens after someone reports residency fraud.
Video: Reynaldo Almonte
This story was first published 7/2/19 1:01 PM