Was Former RCSD Superintendent Carmen Peluso an Educational God?

The last Rochester Board of Education business meeting for outgoing, Rochester City School District (RCSD) Superintendent, Carmine Peluso, which took place on 6/20/24 (see the first reference link below) -was really something to behold. Among other weird going-ons (as has become frequent under the leadership of Board president Cynthia Elliott), politics was in full effect.

For example, I'm searching for anyone who can say that they have witnessed any other situation in which the Board president invited the president of the Rochester Teachers Association (that's the mighty teachers Union) to enter comments into the official record of a Board Business meeting regarding a parting "stooperintendent"—the latter of whom jumped ship exactly half-way through his lucrative three-year contract, and is heading off to more peaceful, and much whiter educational-pastures, the lily-white, Churchville-Chili School District.

Interestingly enough, we have heard absolutely NOTHING about Peluso's sweet severance package, but I'll literally bet my life that it's sweeter-than-the-sweetest-sugar. Golden parachutes represent a gross understatement regarding the pay-offs that too many former RCSD Superintendents have received (even the ones that the Board has asked to leave, such as 'stooperintendent' Peluso's immediate predecessor), without even an iota of public resistance or uproar. Only in modern-day-slave-town U.S.A.

I digress. As noted above, the June 20th meeting was something to behold. If one didn't know any better, it would be easy to believe that Peluso is some sort of educational god based on an abundance of gushing-praise from decades-long teacher's Union boss, Adam Urbanski, in addition to his good-ole-boy-network-pals. Five of the seven school board commissioners heaped accolades and in one case shed what appeared to be some very questionable tears. There was even praise from the outgoing, so-called “student representative".

I can assure you that Peluso is NOT an educational god, and that the overall, supposedly, fundamentally-'new'-direction and "path" toward so-called "success" that he has allegedly put them on is nothing more nor less than a hyped-up, warmed-over version of very similar "plans" that we have seen in the past (repeatedly for decades). Don't take my word for it, just keep watching.

The Board president claimed that the outgoing 'stooperintendent' "has put them in a position where [they] can launch this work [and they are so-called] at a point of a movement, and Dr. Peluso put [them] there, [and she is] so thankful and so grateful for the path that [he] put them on, with [his] team. It's incredible." WE SHALL SOON SEE.

Whiny commissioner Maloy claimed that Peluso "represents everyone, and [she] thinks everyone respects" him. Well, as it relates to her thoughts, I've got news for her, e.g., SHE HAS ANOTHER THOUGHT COMING, and I'm absolutely certain about that. She claimed that the RCSD is "finally at a place where we're going to see some major change for our students, and [Peluso] helped to make that possible with [his] team. The strategic plan that [he's] helped to design with [his] team, as well as the academic plan has [them] in a place where [they] can finally focus on academic outcomes, and it's gonna become a reality, and a lot of that was because of [his] insight and everything that [he] did with [his] team."

REALLY? So, is she saying that under several superintendents that she supposedly helped supervise, the Board was NOT "focused on academic outcomes?" REALLY --- then, prior to the coming of the would-be educational 'god' what (exactly and specifically) were they focused on?

Additionally, she stated that "it's gonna become a reality," but did NOT define (specifically) what "it" consists of, e.g., what is "it" (specifically) that's going to "become a reality?" With regard to her rhetorical-gibberish about so-called "strategic [and] academic plans", near the end of the meeting the Board president read some of the goals embodied within those plans (see below), and please let me know whether or not you believe the so-called goals that she cites represents acceptable, so-called "major change for our students."

The youngun on the Board boasted about having met Peluso when he (the youngun) was still an RCSD student (a year ago), and said Peluso has "created such a great team that has really contributed towards the school district becoming a better place [as measured by what]? And so we're on the movement, and we're on the path of improving this district, and so you know, you've created a great plan. You created a great pathway forward, and now somebody from your team is expected to execute it."

I've read the plan that they keep referring to a couple of times, and I just can't find the magic that they claim exists within it. There is a link to the plan below. Look for yourself, and please let me know if you think that it is somehow extraordinary. In fact, I would argue that it's quite typical (as so-called "strategic" plans go).

Of course (as usual), the most talkative Board member and the Board's foremost, expert-rhetorician had lots to say, including the nerve to talk about how she called out one former Superintendent (by name), and will continue to call out that particular Superintendent because, according to her, the particular Superintendent left them with a so-called "legal mess," as if they hadn't experienced such messes for decades before anyone ever heard of the particular Superintendent that she "called out."

By the way, speaking of "legal messes," one can only wonder how her own legal mess is coming along? Again, as usual, she babbled on-and-on-and-on, including rhetoric about the days when she "hung out at the club." How 'professional.'

Again, near the end of the meeting the Board president read some of their goals, which I mentioned above. Also, again - please let me know if you THINK the following, which she read, are representative of acceptable, "major change for our students." I can tell you (without hesitation whatsoever), in my unequivocally-staunch and informed view, she actually should be embarrassed to "announce" these despicably-low-expectations as representing “significant progress for our students,” especially since it's doubtful that they will even achieve these gutter-level, so-called "Board goals for 2023 through 2028" as she proudly announced.

"increase the percentage of students in grades three through eight who are proficient on the New York State ELA assessment from16% in September 2023 to 40% in June 2028" (I HOPE THAT Y'ALL ARE REALLY PAYING VERY, VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT THESE BANDITS ARE ACTUALLY SAYING, E.G., IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE --- AFTER A FULL FIVE YEARS OF THEM SO-CALLED HAVING "LAUNCHED THIS WORK" --- THEY THINK THE POSSIBILITY, AND IN FACT, PROBABILITY THAT A FULL 60% OR PROBABLY MORE OF OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT WILL STILL NOT BE "proficient on the New York State ELA assessment" - IS ACCEPTABLE AND SOMETHING TO BOAST ABOUT. REALLY???!!! IF THERE WAS A LILY- WHITE, SUBURBAN SCHOOL DISTRICT IN MONROE COUNTY (SAME PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM), IN WHICH 60%, MUCH LESS THE CRIMINAL 84% IN 2023, WERE NOT "proficient on the New York State ELA assessment" - CAN Y'ALL IMAGINE WHAT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND PROBABLY NATIONAL RESPONSE WOULD BE LIKE? THIS IS NOT A RHETORICAL QUESTION. CAN YOU IMAGINE OR NOT?

"increase the percentage of students proficient on the third grade New York State ELA [assessment] from 15% in September 2023 to 50% in June 2028" (AGAIN I ASK, NOT RHETORICALLY) - IF THERE WAS A LILY WHITE, SUBURBAN SCHOOL DISTRICT IN MONROE COUNTY (SAME PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM), IN WHICH 50% - MUCH LESS THE CRIMINAL 85% IN 2023, WERE NOT "proficient on the third grade New York State ELA assessment" - CAN Y'ALL IMAGINE WHAT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND PROBABLY NATIONAL RESPONSE WOULD BE LIKE?

increase the percentage of students in grades three through eight who are proficient on the New York State math assessment from 14% in September 2023 to 40% by June 2028" (LOW EXPECTATIONS IS A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT)!!!

To add insult to injurious crisis, the long, long, chronic inability of the RCSD to produce measurably-significant, permanent academic change and/or improvement—which has resulted in the distinction of being identified as one of the worse public school districts in the nation, and arguably the very worst in all of New York State. It is not even likely that the gutter-level-expectations outlined above will be met, and certainly THERE IS NO SO-CALLED educational "movement" within the RCSD, as the Board's youngun erroneously asserted (mainly because the board is clearly NOT willing to seriously confront the fundamental, foundational issues and problems outlined via an authentic example of a Movement-Template), such as the one below, as opposed to the abstract, rhetorical-noise that the board's youngun is spewing about so-called "movement".

WE DO NEED A MOVEMENT!!!

As a STARTING POINT, in my humble, but staunch and informed view, we need to get focused (with laser-like precision) on the foundational academic/intellectual development of our children, by doing everything that we possibly can to make certain that they master literacy skills and knowledge—that is reading, writing, math skills and knowledge at or above grade level (right from the very beginning), which is one of the most important reasons why we must address/change the standardized testing process. This is driving everything that happens at the classroom level, and deprives teachers and support staff of the necessary time and energy to concentrate on developing foundational skills and knowledge. Instead, largely because of state and federal rules, regulations, policies, and mandates, teachers find themselves (more and more) teaching narrowly to tests.

There is no mystery surrounding the reason why so many of our children don't do well on tests. It's because they don't have adequate reading, writing, and math skills, which again represents the very foundation of all knowledge, and which is necessary for them to be able to master higher-order knowledge and skills like critical and analytical reading, writing and thinking. So, if we lay the foundation properly, we won't have to worry so much about tests. If the proper foundation has been laid, the testing issue will take care of itself (as long as that which is being tested, is fundamentally the same as that which is being taught).

So there are two issues wrapped up together: 1) the need for more local control (as opposed to far too many dictates from the state and federal governments, and 2) the need to free teachers and support staff so that they will have the time and energy to focus on laying the academic foundation. This issue is even more important when we consider that huge numbers of our (socioeconomically) poorest children enter the system lagging far behind their peers right from the very beginning.

The latter referenced issue is clearly among the most important of all issues we face, and is connected to another issue, that of widespread, concentrated poverty. Please don't misunderstand me regarding this critically important issue. I do not subscribe (under any circumstances) to any theory or idea about children not being able to learn because they live in poverty. If this was the case, many whom I've known (as children of migrant farm workers and others) would be among the most uneducated people on earth. On the other hand, for us to stick our heads in the sand (as an ostrich would do), and pretend that issues and conditions, which often accompany or come along with abject poverty does not impact our ability to educate well is frankly ludicrous, but the main point is that we need to do all we can to make sure we have the necessary, equitable, resources to provide whatever our children need in order to develop to their full potentials, which is currently not the case, and to be honest, in order to secure such necessary resources, probably will require a struggle and a fight (politically speaking).

We know that often those who need less actually get more because they are well organized and very effective advocates for their children (often exclusively). The other side of this coin is, we must make sure the vast amount of resources that we do receive (one-billion-plus dollars) are being utilized efficiently and effectively, which obviously is not the case currently, and which raises another critical issue that we need to focus on: rooting out massive waste, and possibly fiscal mismanagement, malfeasance and corruption, which is currently occurring in the Rochester City School District.

Two other critically important issues, which we must deal with are 1) the need to address individual, institutional, and structural racism, and the establishment of racial/cultural equity relative to curricula, hiring and retention practices, as well as other ways, including revisiting a number of existing policies, practices, procedures, and laws. I realize this is a sensitive issue, but it is one that we cannot shy away from. It needs to be addressed; 2) it is amply clear that traditional educational approaches and systems will not work for many of our students, especially many of those who have been shuffled through the system via the criminal practice of social (age) promotion. Therefore, we must get serious about developing authentic, alternative models of education.

Probably not much of this will get done unless and until we build a deadly serious, ongoing, movement of parents, grandparents, guardians, students, extraordinarily committed educators, politicians, including and especially progressive school board members, and anyone else who is really serious about widespread, fundamental change and improvement working cooperatively, collaboratively and constantly around concrete, well defined, measurable goals, strategies, and tactics, which is in essence, what a movement is. Of course, any credible movement must necessarily center around concrete issues and conditions that are negatively impacting our children and families. Those include, but are not limited to the following:

Establishing relevant, broad-based, parent, student and community engagement at every level of the system, and throughout the community (movement)
Addressing/ending systemic, social promotion
Development/Implementation of effective, authentic, alternative educational models
Systemic change regarding standardization (in order to produce a new reality, in which the overall, initial focus is on properly and adequately laying the academic foundation, upon which all else is built)
Addressing/reducing individual, institutional, and structural racism, and establishing racial/cultural equity --- relative to curricula, and hiring/retention practices
Working for relief from federal and state mandates (increased autonomy, and local/community control)
Reducing/mitigating the impact and effects of concentrated, widespread poverty (equitable resource acquisition, distribution, and efficiency, which includes rooting out massive waste, and possibly fiscal mismanagement, malfeasance and corruption)

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the seven (7) areas above represent an objectively correct, and clear direction regarding movement-building. Real and serious efforts to help improve educational conditions for all children in the Rochester City School District --- must focus around issues such as those outlined above --- period.

References:

Was Former RCSD Superintendent Carmen Peluso an Educational God?

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