Paramount Theatre
Flawed Thinking Based on Flawed Methods
RECEIVED Fri., Jan. 27, 2006
Dear Editor,
I would like to take this opportunity to "repurpose" some of Superintendent Pat Forgione's analysis regarding the conversion of Becker Elementary into a childhood center ["Public and Trustees Blast AISD 'Repurposing' Plan," News, Jan. 27].
Forgione believes that the conversion of Becker Elementary is warranted because its attendance falls well below the school's capacity. Educators do not deem Forgione's "underutilization" as a flaw. To the contrary, educators understand the inverse relationship between campus population and the significance that each student has within their school. Becker's "underutilization" is something to which all schools should aspire. Superintendent Forgione acknowledges this fact when he accepts funds from the Gates Foundation: "to create smaller, high-quality schools and to convert comprehensive high schools into smaller learning units to strengthen the curriculum and improve teaching" (www.gatesfoundation.org/education/transforminghighschools/districts/announcements/announce-051128.htm). Let us agree to replace "underutilized" with "optimal" and move on from there.
The real "underutilization" in our community is that the conversion of Becker wastes a tremendous neighborhood resource – the new public library that is being built a mere hundred yards from the school. A public library is a facility that can easily enrich the lives of elementary students and act as a wonderful resource to the Becker faculty. I would think that insightful administrators within AISD would want to leverage this opportunity instead of throwing it away.
Finally, I am highly dubious of AISD's projection of student growth within the Bouldin neighborhood. Isn't there a pattern to contemporary, inner-city revitalizations? Twentysomethings buy houses in lower-priced, inner-city neighborhoods (Bouldin in the mid-1990s), start families in their 30s (Bouldin in the mid-2000s), and send children to schools soon after (Bouldin over the next few years). I encourage AISD board members to come observe the strollers I see instead of relying upon 2000 Census data and other flawed metrics.
I would like to take this opportunity to "repurpose" some of Superintendent Pat Forgione's analysis regarding the conversion of Becker Elementary into a childhood center ["Public and Trustees Blast AISD 'Repurposing' Plan," News, Jan. 27].
Forgione believes that the conversion of Becker Elementary is warranted because its attendance falls well below the school's capacity. Educators do not deem Forgione's "underutilization" as a flaw. To the contrary, educators understand the inverse relationship between campus population and the significance that each student has within their school. Becker's "underutilization" is something to which all schools should aspire. Superintendent Forgione acknowledges this fact when he accepts funds from the Gates Foundation: "to create smaller, high-quality schools and to convert comprehensive high schools into smaller learning units to strengthen the curriculum and improve teaching" (www.gatesfoundation.org/education/transforminghighschools/districts/announcements/announce-051128.htm). Let us agree to replace "underutilized" with "optimal" and move on from there.
The real "underutilization" in our community is that the conversion of Becker wastes a tremendous neighborhood resource – the new public library that is being built a mere hundred yards from the school. A public library is a facility that can easily enrich the lives of elementary students and act as a wonderful resource to the Becker faculty. I would think that insightful administrators within AISD would want to leverage this opportunity instead of throwing it away.
Finally, I am highly dubious of AISD's projection of student growth within the Bouldin neighborhood. Isn't there a pattern to contemporary, inner-city revitalizations? Twentysomethings buy houses in lower-priced, inner-city neighborhoods (Bouldin in the mid-1990s), start families in their 30s (Bouldin in the mid-2000s), and send children to schools soon after (Bouldin over the next few years). I encourage AISD board members to come observe the strollers I see instead of relying upon 2000 Census data and other flawed metrics.
Doug Alford
