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What Really Happened At Ballou, The D.C. High School Where Every Senior Got Into College
https://wamu.org ^ | 11/28/2017 | Kate McGee

Posted on 11/28/2017 5:31:43 PM PST by BackRoads775

Brian Butcher, a history teacher at Ballou High School, sat in the bleachers of the school’s brand new football field last June watching 164 seniors receive diplomas. It was a clear, warm night, and he was surrounded by screaming family and friends snapping photos and cheering.

It was a triumphant moment for the students. For the first time, every Ballou graduate applied and was accepted to college. The school is located in one of D.C.’s poorest neighborhoods; it has struggled academically for years and has had a chronically low graduation rate. In 2016, the school graduated only 57 percent of its seniors according to data from D.C. Public Schools (DCPS), slightly up from 51 percent the year before. For months after June’s commencement, the school received national media attention, including from NPR, celebrating its achievement.

But all the excitement and accomplishment couldn’t shake one question from Butcher’s mind:

How did all these students graduate from high school?

(Excerpt) Read more at wamu.org ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: cultureofcorruption; dc; education; fraud; publiceducation; publicschools; taxes; wamu
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To: dr_lew
Gaudeamus Igitur is also the song used at almost every graduation ceremony ("commencement"). I'm sure everyone here has heard it at one time or another. Here's a version on youtube.

Gaudeamus Igitur is a far removed from The Gentle Giant, all his people, and the "grads" of Ballou High School, as east is from west, as north is from south, and heaven is from hell.
 

41 posted on 11/28/2017 7:52:01 PM PST by Governor Dinwiddie
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To: BackRoads775

This is my 13th year as a teacher, and while I have received excellent observation scores from multiple principals at multiple schools every single year, I’ve never even heard of the kinds of bonuses ($15,000+) mentioned in the article. In fact, I’ve never received a bonus at all. I do the job that I’m expected to do without expectation of a bonus. I don’t teach in a state that has overbearing teacher’s unions, so I reckon that is where the bonus money policy comes from. It doesn’t matter. I enjoy teaching in my small town with small town values with parents that expect me to teach their kids, not be a surrogate dad to them.


42 posted on 11/28/2017 8:11:46 PM PST by gop4lyf (Gay marriage is neither. Democrats are the party of sore losers and pedophiles.)
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To: Governor Dinwiddie
Well, I just now tumbled to the "Gentle Giant", by Google search, but how far removed is east from west, and north from south? I guess heaven and hell is another matter ... but still under consideration! Certainly in today's rhetoric. I have to think that Heaven and Hell are seen as white and black, and are thus in question, to say the least.

Does it have to come down to that? May God help us.

43 posted on 11/28/2017 8:20:02 PM PST by dr_lew (I)
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Placemarker


44 posted on 11/28/2017 8:34:10 PM PST by 2nd amendment mama (Self Defense is a Basic Human Right!)
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To: Jonty30

Cheated. Artificially inflated both attendance and grade reports. Basically, if you showed up on graduation day, you got a diploma. We need to check their college applications, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that a lot of them were forged.


45 posted on 11/28/2017 9:11:48 PM PST by blu (If you don't read the story at the link, don't comment. (Except for Laz...))
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To: freedom1st
The so called colleges that accepted these high schoolers are frauds. How much in student loans did these graduates receive that went to pay tuition at these colleges?

Of the 164 accepted by (inept) university admissions offices, only 16 actually enrolled. The total debt will further be mitigated by the statistical certainly that at least half of those 16 will not stay for more than 2 years. Of the 8 remaining, half likely found some actual scholarships (athletic, academic, or diversity), so the overall debt load likely wasn't as high as one might fear.

46 posted on 11/28/2017 10:26:24 PM PST by Teacher317 (We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men)
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To: BackRoads775

I suppose when the implimentation of any graduation standard whatsoever would deny graduation to so many, the use of the GED is not possible. Here those that choose not to regularly attend school fail to graduate, but fall back on the GED as their out. If a GED is truly equivalent to a high school diploma then why bother with the rigors of attending school and be required to meet the requirements for receiving a bonafied diploma.

We all know that a GED is not equivalent, but we allow ourselves to be deluded anyway.

Nothing at Ballou is being done for the benefit of the students, but everything is being done for the benefit of incompetent administrators and teachers.


47 posted on 11/29/2017 5:44:06 AM PST by Saltmeat
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To: aquila48

So what you’re showing is that the fault lies entirely with crumbling inner-city infrastructure and schools because that is all that this racist society provides for underprivileged youths?

/s


48 posted on 12/02/2017 6:39:37 AM PST by Zeppo ("Happy Pony is on - and I'm NOT missing Happy Pony")
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To: Saltmeat

“but everything is being done for the benefit of incompetent administrators and teachers.”

Wait til the whole bunch finds out their pensions ain’t there !!...They’ll ask the PBGC to “make it up”, but the PBGC is insolvent too !! Laff Laff Laff !


49 posted on 12/02/2017 6:45:36 AM PST by litehaus (A memory toooo long.............)
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To: Lurker

Circa 1965, Washington DC high schools... if one had an outstanding public library book one would not be allowed to attend grauation ceremonies regardless of academic achievements. And, IIRC, the actual diploma was withheld until a parent brought in proof that the book had been returned and fines paid. Fines were about a nickel a day per book.

Don’t know if this was in effect city wide
or at the discretion of each HS principal.

How times have changed.


50 posted on 12/02/2017 6:56:48 AM PST by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: Zeppo
"So what you’re showing is that the fault lies entirely with crumbling inner-city infrastructure and schools because that is all that this racist society provides for underprivileged youths?"

Exactly!

Additionally the faculty does not reflect the racial makeup of the student population, thus incapable of relating to the students experiential history and education justice needs.


51 posted on 12/02/2017 9:36:56 AM PST by aquila48 (Bookmark)
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