Accountability: An obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.
In 2008 district officials obtained federal grant funding to initiate a Youth In Transition study. This study would look at what happens to RCSD students, ages 12 to 20 years old, who became a part of the juvenile justice and mental health systems through long term placements of 3-18 months.
Previous to the study, there was no communication between the district and the agencies to which these children were remanded. Once they were “placed” and removed from enrollment the district was no longer interested in what happened to them.
Of those students who became part of the juvenile justice system, 83% were African American, 10% were Latino and 6% were Caucasian. Mental health facilities received 42% of our African American children, 12% were Latino, and 31% were Caucasian.
Once leaving these institutions, the district makes no attempt to track or transition these students back into the educational system. There is little to no communication between and amongst the district and the agencies to which our children are sent.
Commissioner White said it very succinctly, “These children didn’t fall through the cracks, they were dropped!”
All of our urban children have been “dropped” by this district. Those who graduate and those who don’t, those who are “classified and those who aren’t.
There doesn’t seem to be a willingness on the part of district administrators to take responsibility for their decisions to “drop” our children from their future. The Board has consistently listened to the recommendations of individuals who have PhD’s and Administrative degrees but do not have our children’s best interest at heart.
Our children are uneducated, incarcerated and suffering mental breakdown because the evidence shows, no one cares about them.
All City High is attempting to find ways to graduate 1700 students without the credits necessary for a degree and no one is asking how they made it that far without being properly educated.
This community must begin to take responsibility for our children. We cannot continue to allow this district to fail our children.
Join the Movement to Save Our Children!
