Boston falls short on teacher diversity [BARF ALERT]

The Boston Globe ^ | January 2, 2006 | Tracy Jan

[A. Pole]

The Boston public school system has made no progress in hiring black and Hispanic teachers during the last decade even as it has recruited a more diverse group of principals.

Nearly half of Boston's 58,600 students are black, but only a quarter of the teachers are -- the same proportion as in 1995 when Thomas W. Payzant became superintendent.

Hispanic students, the district's fastest growing ethnic group, make up 33 percent of the city's student body, but Hispanics are just 9 percent of the 5,246 teachers. Asians comprise 9 percent of Boston students, while Asian teachers are at 5 percent.

[...]

Boosting the diversity of Boston's teaching staff is crucial at a time when educators are worrying about raising the academic achievement of black and Hispanic students, and black males in particular, say parents, students, and educators.

[..]

''I'm not sure we were as aggressive and focused on increasing teacher diversity as we should have been," said Barbara McGann, the Boston public schools' assistant superintendent over personnel.

[...]

District officials said they have started several programs in the last two years. They said their goal is to hire enough minority teachers so every city school's faculty mirrors its student body.

[...]

At Payzant's urging, the system two years ago began its own teacher training program, recruiting predominantly minorities from within the community.

[...]

McGann hopes the success in grooming leaders of color will translate into hiring more minority teachers.

[Brilliant]

No progress in hiring conservative teachers.

[grania]

About this diversity thing.....back when the initiatives to hire minorities started, Boston got lots of teachers nationwide to teach there. What happened? Well, like everyone else, a very high percentage of the qualified minority teachers did what everyone else does....they got the 'ell out of Dodge, and took safer, more academically oriented jobs in the 'burbs.

About five years ago, the push to get foreign teachers in academic areas where there were shortages started. Phillipinos and Indians became common mentors of the diverse environment. Gee gosh...can't you just guess what many of the qualified teachers did once their residency was assured?

Boston (and other cities with similar challenges) would have plenty of teachers, if they would just control the students.

[Doc Savage]

Gee, just think! They could have taken the 18 Billion dollars they have now spent on "The Big Dig" and hired millions of new homo-gay-married, lesbian-biker dykes, communist agitators, islamo-fascist terrorists, drug addicts, perverts, wife beaters, felons, murderers, gang leaders (poor Tookie!) and alcoholics to teach the kids!

What were they thinking by throwing OUR tax dollars down that fetid Boston sewer hole???????

[ncountylee]

The government (or some left judge) will just have to assign people to the correct job if they are stupid enough to have individual aims and aspirations other than cultural diversity...NOT.

[jdm]

"Nearly half of Boston's 58,600 students are black, but only a quarter of the teachers are..."

And? The sky is going to fall as a result?

Liberalism is truly a mental disorder, folks.

[gunnedah]

Do as I say,not as I do. The New England States have always operated like this. All diversity belongs in the South away from the elitist.

[sgtbono2002]

OK: Now they have to bring the numbers up. How will they do it?

By going out and hiring any numbnut who fits their profile of what they need to make quota, no matter what their qualifications are.

Thats how affirmative action action and quota's works.

[jdm]

Shortage of transvestite midget prostitute English teachers with ph.d's in East Asian Gay Studies? No wonder they're upset. That's just unacceptable.

[Viet Vet in Augusta GA]

One reason I sent my kids to private school: I wanted them to have good teachers, not diverse teachers, so they would get a good education. And they did. How many people out there want to be operated on by the affirmative action brain surgeon or fly in the plane flown by the affirmative action pilot? I thought not.

[Chanticleer]

"'It's important for students to see that people who have such an impact on their lives look like them, sound like them, and have similar life experiences," said Joy Oliver, an African-American principal at the Higginson Elementary School in Roxbury. ''I tell my students all the time, 'I grew up in this neighborhood. I played in this schoolyard. And no matter what anybody else told me, I knew I could make a success out of my life.' "

Wait. I'm so confused. I thought diversity was about exposing you to people different from you, to promote understanding and tolerance. I thought diversity was the excuse for breaking up neighborhood schools.

I have a novel idea. Why don't we hire principals based upon their administrative abilities, their commitment to education, their proven excellence in work and their strong character?

[vetvetdoug]

Bostonians need to recruit Asian teachers and raise the IQ of all of their affirmative action students.

[jdm]

"How many people out there want to be operated on by the affirmative action brain surgeon or fly in the plane flown by the affirmative action pilot?"

That's a really good point.

"I only have 120 flying hours but..... I won the Affirmative Action Pilot of the Year award for 2005.

Now, wut tis dis indicator on striment panel mean agains?"

[jazusamo]

If The Boston Globe's premise was extended to every school system in every state, county, city and college across out country, there would be an awful lot of educators who would have to relocate to make every school ethnically correct.

[Eagles6]

Perhaps a graduation rate greater than 56% and fewer ex-cons might increase the pool of likely teachers and decrease dependence on blue eyed devils. /sarc

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Boosting the diversity of Boston's teaching staff is crucial at a time when educators are worrying about raising the academic achievement of black and Hispanic students, and black males in particular, say parents, students, and educators.

Because a Black student can't possibility learn algebra or science from a White teacher.

[FlingWingFlyer]

It must be a DemocRAT thing. Skin color is very important. Being a good, qualified teacher is irrelevant.

[Anvilhead]

''That's just basic," Arroyo said. ''Many studies show that gender, and race of a teacher has an impact on the ability of students to participate, pay attention and succeed in school."

So whites can demand that white kids only be taught by white teachers? What was the point of all that busing? Does this mean that if an area becomes more white then they can start firing folks who aren't?

The single biggest problem with liberalism is that it never thinks things through to their logical conclusion.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Nearly half of Boston's 58,600 students are black, but only a quarter of the teachers are

Irrelevant comparison. What percentage of the pool of qualified teachers in the Boston area is black? Compare that with the percentage currently on the payroll.

[SauronOfMordor]

Sounds like over 80% of the school population is minority. Which means that the white middle class has already abandoned the Boston school system-