Brian Betts
Posted on 04/17/2010 1:45:13 PM PDT by freespirited
Until Brian Betts mysteriously failed to appear at work Thursday morning, this is what his many admirers knew about him: He was the energetic new principal of a long-troubled urban school and, within a D.C. school system desperate for heroes, a superstar.
But by the end of that day, worried colleagues had found him shot dead in his Silver Spring home, and the upbeat narrative of Betts's two decades of work had become a tragic tale.
The celebrated educator is now at the improbable center of a murder mystery. His blue Nissan Xterra is missing, as is some property in his home. But there was no sign of forced entry into his two-story brick colonial, and it was not ransacked. A source close to the investigation, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said police theorize that Betts was killed by somebody he let in.
Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said, "It's still possible this was a random killing, but right now we don't think so."
Betts, 42, worked on the front lines of Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's campaign to reform the D.C. schools. In only his second year on the job, he was emerging as one of the school system's most innovative principals. Lured away in 2008 from the better-performing school system in the suburbs of Montgomery, Betts was given a new staff at a reconfigured school and unusual freedom to hire and fire, train and teach. ..
D.C. schools were closed Friday for Emancipation Day, but as word of Betts's death spread, students and staff members gathered at the school. A group of five teachers walked in, laden with boxes of tissues for mourners. Sobbing students clutched each other in front of the building.
Some, including Rhee, wondered how Betts's school would carry on without him. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
somebody didn’t like the changes he was making or its a relationship murder?
From the first reports - my gut reaction was that his killer knew him from his DC school assignment and took advantage of Mr. Betts’ better angels.
A hate crime!
This was a new one to me...I had to look it up. They actually close schools for this holiday?
D.C. schools were closed Friday for Emancipation Day
This was a new one to me...I had to look it up. They actually close schools for this holiday?”
Another made-up holiday for those who are of color.
Where is my Norwegian Appreciation Day holiday?????
Both make sense based on the facts in the article. However, I read that the car was found in SE Washington and one witness reported to police that she had seen youths getting out of it.
It's going to be bad no matter who it was.
Just disgusting and so saddening..sounds like he was really trying to turn the schools around.
Obama sponsored a Senate bill to make Juneteenth—another version of the same idea—a national holiday.
I'm not surprised.
we really should make april 15th a national day of mourning and fly our flags at half mast!
April 19th is another day.
The car belonging to D.C. Principal Brian Betts was found in the District, Montgomery County Police Captain Paul Starks said Saturday morning. The car was found in the 3900 block of Fourth Street SE. Police had been searching for it since Betts, 42, was found dead Thursday in his Silver Spring home.
The car, which had not yet been removed by police on Saturday afternoon, was neatly parked behind a building, across from a lively street festival in the neighborhood. The vehicle did not appear to be damaged.
Sherrita Mullen, who lives and works at the building where the car was found, said the car showed up around lunchtime Friday. Mullen said she immediately thought it was stolen because it was parked behind van belonging to Metro D.C. Kids Connection, where Mullen works. “We figured it was a stolen vehicle because it was hidden behind our vehicle,” Mullen said.
Mullen said a neighbor later told her mother that he saw “youths” park the SUV and run across Fourth Street. “There have been vehicles hidden here before,” she said. “They had to know the alley was here.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/17/AR2010041701725.html?hpid=topnews
Brian Betts
If you read the article far enough, it says that test scores of the school were in decline. He may have been popular, but he wasn’t getting the job done academically.
It's not like it matters - DC schools are just daycare. Most of the students who graduate can barely read.
Of course not. He's white. And everybody knows white folk can't teach Black kids.
Low test scores?
Here in Norfolk , Virginia, they lie about test scores.
Superintendent vows 'personnel action' in testing scandal
{snip}
The panel reported in March that the school's principal pressured teachers to fabricate some students' work for the Virginia Grade Level Alternative assessment in order to win state accreditation. The panel said the principal also made false statements in an attempt to get fired a Lafayette-Winona teacher who reported testing problems to the state. The principal said she did nothing improper.
???
He was only in his second year at the DC school. Taking on a challenge that should be applauded.
He had previously proved himself in the more affluent Montgomery County Maryland SChools.
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