Comments
Here we list some selected comments of Abramson supporters to the Times Picayune Article. Please feel free to add your comments as well.
Here we list some selected comments of Abramson supporters to the Times Picayune Article. Please feel free to add your comments as well.
“Growing alarmed, DeCoursey and three other teachers who shared her concerns began keeping written records of what they saw, asking students to document similar instances of unethical behavior.”
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ABOVE STATEMENT
1-Provoking students unethically and unprofessionally for documenting incidents against other coworkers are not right. It causes retaliation. If a student receives low grade in a class, that student may create a simple story about that teacher. How can you count those claims?
2-Did they threaten students in any way? Did those students report anything which didn’t happen because of their fear?
3-Did they inform those students’ parents regarding their unethical approach?
4-What are those students’ motivations while reporting unethical acts? Hate? Or For good grades? Were those students assigned any good grades by these teachers without doing anything?
5-If there was a petition about anything, was that petition created by those teachers and asked for students to sign?
6-How many students were selected? What are the selection criteria?
7-Did these teachers find time to do their professional jobs while acting all positions- principal, police officer, detective, and dean of discipline- besides teaching?
8-Why didn’t those teachers work with administration at first hand to stop those unethical acts instead of waiting a long time?
9-What are the sources of hate that these teachers hold against other teachers so that they could believe everything which was reported by a student? Were those teachers unaware of the simple fact of “Don’t use someone’s words against others”?
10- Who will take care of these teachers’ failures?
CONCLUSION:
Taking action towards a successful charter school without finding answers to all of the above questions is not right. The grade for State Department of Louisiana and BESE in this exam is ZERO.
Why didn’t Genevieve Redd call designated State Agency if there were enough reasons to think about child abuse?
“Approximately 48 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands designate professions whose members are mandated by law to report child maltreatment.1 Individuals designated as mandatory reporters typically have frequent contact with children. Such individuals may include:
Social workers
Teachers and other school personnel and etc.”
Do Louisiana Department of Education and BESE have only one record of alleged rape incident in this State which belongs to Abramson Charter School since its birthday? How about other schools? Do they take the same action towards those schools? I will check the statistics and share with community if there is one similar example in State History. Without investigation and reviewing school records and facts, the state official action requires condemnation.
THIS STORY IS B.S.
WHO GIVES A DAMN ABOUT US AND OUR POOR AFRICAN AMERICAN KIDS. SOME POLITICS DON’T LIKE OUR KIDS EDUCATED. RSD DOESN’T CARE. ONE SUPERINTENDENT TODAY, ANOTHER TOMORROW. DEPARTMENT DOESN’T CARE IF THEY DROP OUT . YEAH, TRANSFER 600 FAMILIES AND KIDS IN 2 WEEKS LIKE SOME TOYS NOT IN YOUR LIFE!!!! SAME IGNORANCE HAPPENED WITH KATRINA…. WE SUFFERED MORE THAN ENOUGH IN 2005.
THEY LET US DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
Excepts from Maria Haddan Nola newspaper:
” … Now everybody following this thread sees the real reason of this smear campaign towards the successful charter schools. It is not about education or “so called” allegations towards a school at all. It is all about “Getting rid of the Turks in the state!” The same campaign was pursued towards Jews, Irish, and Italians in the past.. now it is the turn of the Turks? Let’s deport all Turks in the country and we don’t have any more problems… What a world view, I congratulate you!
Marie.Hadden
You insist attacking these charter operators “Turks” (although not all of them are from Turkish origin), and you claim you are not racist? When we refer to other charter operators, should we call them “Irish”, “Germans”, “French”, “Italians”, “Jews” etc?? Come on.. We live in the 21st century. No place for racism here..”
Excepts from Maria Haddan from Nola newspaper:
“We need to be very careful here. There is big smear campaign going on to force us believe that a bunch of Turks came from their country to open schools here etc.. This is a big lie. You should check the list of their Board of Directors as well as Teachers, which are both open public records. Out of 40+ teachers at the school, only 7-8 are of Turkish origin, and only some of the board members. And the founders of the school (board) are all local people living in LA, most involved with education for more than 20 years at different levels. The board includes deans and professors at universities such as LSU, SUBR, and SELU. It includes both african Americans, as well as white Americans. Not just Turks!”
Excerpts from Erkan from Nola newspaper:
“People are upset and confused. There are many accusations against the people who run the charter school. I don’t know what happened there but..
In the past, I had a chance to visit the school and saw how much everybody in the campus were working so hard for the kids.
In 2011, it is very sad to see a new form of McCarthyism in this country. We should judge people by their actions not by who they are.
Whoever the school administrators are, I don’t care, just give us facts not rumors.
Shutting down a school, just to show that something is being done to press is too extreme. If there’s any wrong-doing at any level, it can be taken care of in many other ways.
If schools teachers made any mistakes, school admins must discipline/fire them. If there’s any wrongdoing/neglect of school admins, it will be taken care of by prosecutors. If tax payers’ money is wasted, it can easily be tracked and required actions can be taken care of by the state.
This school has done some many good things, just Google it and you’ll see its success.
If parents are happy and choose this school to send their kids, do what you need to do to correct mistakes -if there’s any- without a witch-hunt. “
Excepts from Maria Haddan from Nola newspaper:
“There is big smear campaign going on to mislead the public regarding these charter operators. I am copying a response I have posted to another commenter:
We need to be very careful here. There is big smear campaign going on to force us believe that a bunch of Turks came from their country to open schools here etc.. This is a big lie. You should check the list of their Board of Directors as well as Teachers, which are both open public records. Out of 40+ teachers at the school, only 7-8 are of Turkish origin, and only some of the board members. And the founders of the school (board) are all local people living in LA, most involved with education for more than 20 years at different levels. The board includes deans and professors at universities such as LSU, SUBR, and SELU. It includes both african Americans, as well as white Americans. Not just Turks!
I have heard nothing but good things about Abramson. Clearly the contractors who are part of the good ol’boy club are upset because there is a new kid on the block. As for the teachers coming from Turkey – one only needs to look at our school system to see where qualified instructors of math and science are not, and that is in the public school system. Individuals who are teaching our children received degrees with C averages. We are lacking excellence and it is shockingly obvious when watching our young beautifully bright children enter school only to exit either without graduating or going on to university. Xenophobia indeed!!
I just recently graduated from Abramson Science and Technology School . I have been a student at Abramson since 9th grade, and after reading this article, I am very very offended. Abramson Science and Technology School does not in any way endorse Islamic religion nor any religion. The purpose of Harmony is to get kids to succeed in many of the areas of education that the US is lacking currently. As an individual who has been to a public school as well, I have to say that there is a big difference. It is today that I realize how unappreciative I was in everything Abramson has done. Thank you Abramson!
I am very saddened by this article and some of these comments. I have worked at Abramson Science and Technology School for 3 years and also my kids go there. I am extremely happy that I work for Abramson. I love to get up and go to work everyday. I am an AMERICAN and I am a WOMAN and the Turkish teachers and the Turkish administrators who are men treat me with respect and respect my opinion. I also can assure you that they do not teach religion at that school. They are very modest about their religion. They are, however, excellent educators. In our school, we have 15% to 20% that are Turkish teachers and some of the Turkish teachers are the best teachers around. At Abramson, your child is not a number or a face but a person. The teachers get to know the students and help the student if he or she needs help.”
Honestly, as a parent, I was initially very confused, since I know very well what Abramson means for an underprivileged community in Katrina-stricken New Orleans. At a time when everyone was fleeing from New Orleans, Abramson gave the much-needed boost to us and to Recovery School District as well. Abramson also ridiculously skyrocketed the LEAP scores in a very short period of time and became the hope of unlucky African-American community in Big Easy. For the first time in years we felt that something miraculous was happening to us and it was undoubtedly the blessing of God to have Abramson standing on our side.
Now… Is this the reward Abramson has deserved after all? Is this what the state authorities appreciate about Abramson? Please stop being partial in your judgments and let our disaster-stricken African-American community do something inspiring for the first time in years.
Just be honest to answer one final question: Have you (authorities) been disturbed by the achievements of African-American students at Abramson?