Schoolyard Brawl
Dear Brawlers:
Alice Rivlin, Brookings Institute scholar, Georgetown University
professor, former chair of the Control Board, and former director of the
White House Office of Management and Budget, is one of those people who
is always treated as an eminent expert on all the affairs of the
District of Columbia. Her opinions carry weight except, of course, for
when they don’t. Rivlin testified yesterday at the city council
hearing on the mayor’s plan to take over the schools, and no newspaper
— not the Post, Times, or Examiner — covered what she
said. Rivlin was diplomatic, and she listed what she saw as the
strengths as well as the weaknesses of the mayor’s proposal. But there
was no question where she stood: “Our political and educational
leaders are not arguing about what the schools actually need. . . .
Collectively, the mayor, council, and Board of Education have the power
and the resources to get the job done. What is absent is the willingness
and determination to work together to improve outcomes for the kids. . .
. The Board of Education has not always functioned well, but it is not
my perception that the Board deserves much of the blame for the slowness
of reform in recent years. With vigorous new leadership I believe that
the Board’s functioning could be improved without taking divisive and
disruptive action to strip its powers and transform it into an advisory
state board.”
If the mayor, council, and, yes, the Board of Education were rational
adults and if their primary interest were to benefit the students, they
would cooperate and work together, rather than engage in a schoolyard
brawl over power and control. But the school system has enormous assets
and a massive budget, and power and control over them are what the mayor
and council want. The interests of the children come in a distant
second, and working together isn’t an option, when that kind of money
is at stake. The mayor and the council are no more interested in Rivlin’s
advice than the press is.
A keystone of the mayor’s argument is that the school system can’t
manage its money and spend it well. The mayor’s proposal calls for
transferring procurement authority from the Board of Education to the
chancellor, under the mayor’s authority. But the Board of Education
does no worse than the Office of Contracts and Procurement, which is
under the mayor’s authority. Today, Rep. Tom Davis released a report
by the Government Accountability Office about DC’s procurement system
(http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/proc0701.htm).
Here’s how Davis described the report’s findings in his press
release (http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/proc070214.htm):
“This is a scathing Report that should serve as a wake-up call to all
involved in DC procurement issues, and all those who, like me, care
about the health of the nation’s capital. The reform that is needed is
substantial and statutory. The report makes clear that DC procurement is
fatally flawed, both in its structure and execution, affecting all
aspects of governance. The GAO is advising us that procurement in the
District of Columbia lacks ‘transparency, accountability and
competition’ and that in its present form it ‘increases the risk of
preferential treatment for certain vendors and ultimately drives up
costs.’ Current practices clearly do not reflect sound management and
oversight. Current procurement practices are totally unacceptable.”
Only a cliche could do the mayor’s plan justice: from the frying pan
into the fire.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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DC Vote Responds to Congressional Research
Service Report
Ilir Zherka, izherka@dcvote.org
The issue of DC voting rights is a hot topic these days as Congress
prepares to address legislation that would give Washingtonians their
first-ever vote in Congress. As a result, Kenneth Thomas, an analyst at
the Congressional Research Service (CRS), released a report on January
24, questioning the constitutionality of the DC Voting Rights Act (HR
328) [http://www.dcwatch.com/issues/vote070124.htm].
Thomas’ views directly contradict the reasoning of leading scholars
around the country and are simply his opinions. In fact, another CRS
report released just six days after Thomas’ offers a much more neutral
view of HR 328 [http://www.dcwatch.com/issues/070130.htm].
The American Bar Association has said the bill is constitutional.
Former Judges such as Kenneth Starr and Patricia Wald have also
concluded that Congress has the power to use the District Clause of the
Constitution to provide voting representation in Congress for DC
residents. These, and other scholars including Viet Dinh, have found
that Congress has repeatedly treated DC as if it were a state for
purposes of the Commerce Clause and Diversity Jurisdiction section of
the Constitution. Therefore, if Congress can use the District Clause for
purposes of those provisions of the Constitution, in our view Congress
can use that power to provide representation.
No court has ever decided whether the DC Voting Rights Act is
constitutional, so Thomas’ views are not supported by the case law.
Once HR 328 is enacted into law, there may be a legal challenge.
Ultimately, the courts will decide these different interpretations of
the Constitution. We believe, given the arguments presented by
nationally-renowned scholars and former judges, that the courts will
find that the DC Voting Rights Act is constitutional. Links: American
Bar Association letter to Congress, http://www.dcvote.org/pdfs/congress/abajudiciarydcvra061606.pdf;
Kenneth Starr testimony to Congress, http://www.dcvote.org/pdfs/kstarr062304.pdf;
Kenneth Starr and Patricia Wald op-ed in the Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500935.html;
and Viet Dinh testimony to Congress, http://www.dcvote.org/pdfs/congress/vietdinh112004.pdf.
###############
And thanks to Timothy Cooper for posting the "news" that
the DC Voting Rights Act (HR 328) is likely to be unconstitutional. I
have received several calls over the last several months from
well-meaning and misinformed activists working to get this bill passed.
Each time I have brought up the question of the probable
unconstitutionality of this act. I have also mentioned the fact that the
act was probably unconstitutional to representatives of DC Vote and
received basic brush-off responses.
I hope that soon now we can get back to the real struggle for our
rights as US citizens to effective self-determination and equal
representation in our national legislature. There is lots of energy out
there for rectifying this situation, as evidenced by all the calls I
have received. I still don’t see any real options to get equal
treatment that other than statehood or retrocession to Maryland, which
doesn’t want DC. We have already tried a constitutional amendment,
which died in the various state legislatures. That leaves us with
becoming a state, at which time we could join the rest of the United
States on an equal footing. We have already had one vote on the floor of
the House for statehood, proving that such an effort is not impossible.
Let’s try again.
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The New DC Flag and Other Fractional Media
Nikolas R. Schiller, DC Statehood Green Party, DC [at]
NikolasSchiller [dot] com
Fellow friends and enemies of fractional representation, last
Thursday I received a phone call from the executive director of an
organization that is promoting fractional democracy on behalf of the
disenfranchised residents of Washington, DC. I was kindly asked to
refrain from using Photoshop to alter copyrighted images, even when done
as a parody. However, when an injustice is currently being promoted in
the name of democracy, I cannot in good conscience be silent, or even
one-third silent.
So to complete my fractional trilogy, I have redesigned the DC flag
to represent the one-third representation DC residents will get with the
passage of the unconstitutional DC Fair and Equal Voting Rights Act of
2007 (HR 328). I also created an animated version to accentuate the
stupidity of claiming one-third representation as progress. The flag is
based on this proposed design: http://www.dcwatch.com/issues/flagproposed.gif.
The new DC Flag (if HR 328 passes): http://www.nikolasschiller.com/images/flagproposed_text_left.gif,
http://www.nikolasschiller.com/images/flagproposed_animated.gif.
Fractionally related (if HR 328 passes): http://nikolasschiller.com/images/new_dc_plates.jpg,
http://nikolasschiller.com/images/now_with_dc_vote.gif.
Marginally one-thirds related: http://nikolasschiller.com/images/dc_is_the_capital_of.gif,
http://nikolasschiller.com/images/utah_is_the_capital_of.gif.
Look at both and ask yourself, “Who is still getting screwed?”
Don’t forget, if you have the time, take one-third of a day off
work on Thursday and go to Capitol Hill and tell Congress what it’s
like to be forced to take the back seat on the bus of democracy.
###############
Just Say No to a DC Vote in Congress and Yes
to Federal Tax-Exempt Status
Jonathan R. Rees, jrrees2006@verizon.net
A careful analysis of the issue of any benefits DC would receive if
our congressional member would have a vote versus if DC residents would
be exempt from federal taxes, like Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands
shows there is no comparison. A Congressional vote would have little or
no impact on DC.
Many studies have shown that a tax exempt status would benefit DC by:
1) a major influx of new residents (300,000 in the next decade) who want
the benefits of no federal taxation; 2) a major housing boom to meet the
needs of new residents; 3) a major increase in DC tax revenues; 4) a
major increase in businesses wanting to locate in DC to tap into our new
labor pool; 5) a major increase in money in each Washingtonians’
pocket that would be spent and bolster the DC economy; and more
Federal tax exempt status would bring into the DC Government
coiffures close to forty times the revenue that any proposed commuter or
other taxes that has been proposed! Those promoting a congressional vote
are dummies who do not understand that a congressional vote would have
no benefits for DC resident, and it is time we stop supporting a
congressional vote and those behind it. DC’s mayor and city council
should ask Congress either to give us a full vote or, if not, then to
give us the same tax exempt status as US territories.
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Christmas Tree Collection
Linda Grant, linda.grant@dc.gov
The DC Department of Public Works is continuing to collect residents’
holiday trees and asks residents to remove ornaments and lights before
placing them where their trash is collected.
“We realize not everyone has finished enjoying their holiday
trees,” said DPW Director William O. Howland, Jr. “So, our trash
collection crews will pick up the trees during an upcoming trash
collection cycle. We just ask residents to put their trees where they
place their trash.” Mr. Howland explained that collecting trash is the
priority so the truck’s capacity will determine when trees are
collected. He added that residents may call the Citywide Call Center at
727-1000 with questions.
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Why Janey Should Withdraw His Proposal to
Increase Graduation Requirements
Erich Martel, ehmartel@starpower.net
An open letter to Dr. Clifford Janey, Superintendent, DC Public
Schools: Your proposal to increase DCPS graduation requirements from the
current 23.5 Carnegie units (a measure that refers to a two-semester
credit) to 26.0 credits will undermine, not improve, teaching, learning
and measurable student achievement in our schools. The permissive
atmosphere in many of our high schools will get even worse. The
obstacles it imposes, especially the increases in both math and science
requirements from 3 to 4 credits, will create more high school dropouts.
They will also make our high schools more unmanageable — and more
unsafe — by increasing the number of “internal dropouts,” students
still enrolled, but truant, tardy, with incomplete schedules, cutting
class, and roaming the hallways and disrupting the orderly school
atmosphere that learning and mastery require. These long-standing and
serious student behavior problems that drive parents to charters and
teachers to better managed schools are ignored in your Master Education
Plan (MEP).
The Master Education Plan provides no explanation or justification
for the increased requirements. It is based on no analysis of students’
actual performance and therefore does not describe the real deficiencies
and learning needs of our students. It employs an important-sounding,
but meaningless and deceptive phrase, “to master the academic core,”
to give the appearance of a proposal based on educational research. It
is apparently designed to force all high schools into 4x4 schedules,
which cram yearlong courses into a semester and semesters into an
advisory by shortening overall class time. (Entire letter online at http://www.dcpswatch.com/martel/070206.htm)
###############
Board of Education Management Structure
Harold Goldstein, mdbiker@goldray.com
Leo Alexander asks [themail, February 11], “How will the mayor’s
proposal affect student achievement?” That is the only real question
relevant to the issue and no one, apparently, is asking it. Do we really
know where the breakdown is in the delivery of the product? Has the
mayor presented any logical rationale to expect an improvement in the
product under his plan? No. No. No.
Rushing into a new management plan without a clear understanding as
to why the present system is failing and a clear understanding of why a
particular new system will change — that is a mistake that is doomed
to fail. I am not one to suggest that “study is needed,” but here
study is needed — and from the outside. Without it we will be having
this discussion in eight years when the next mayor wants to leave his
personal touch.
###############
Proposed Compromise on Fenty School Takeover
Plan
Jeff Norman, jeffrey.norman@att.net
I agree with Mayor Fenty that the Board of Education has not done a
very good job in running our school system. However, instead of taking
over everything right away, I think that the city should first take over
those functions that are not directly related to education, such as the
maintenance of school buildings and the school bus service. School
building maintenance should be transferred to the Department of Public
Works; and the school bus system should be run by the Department of
Transportation. Perhaps the school cafeterias should be taken over by
the Department of Health in order to make sure that the children are
served well balanced meals.
It doesn’t matter whether you are fixing a broken boiler in a
Department of Finance and Revenue building or a school building; the
skills needed are exactly the same. I don’t think that Superintendent
Janney should have to hire contractors on an emergency basis to fix
broken school boilers in the middle of winter. There should be one
agency that maintains all the buildings that the DC government owns,
regardless of their purpose.
Under my proposal, the Board would still control such things as the
hiring and firing of teachers and principals and the standards they must
meet; the enrollment, curriculum and testing of the students; and the
purchase of school books and other supplies. If the Board were limited
to controlling those functions directly related to education, they might
do a better job. After a trial period, an independent commission should
evaluate the Board of Education and the other city departments to see
how well they have performed the functions assigned to them.
###############
An Open Letter to Councilmembers
Erich Martel, Ehmartel@starpower.net
On February 13, you heard from a number of education leaders from
other jurisdictions, including NYC Chancellor Joel Klein. I will send
you a few articles about the NYC schools that show a different
perspective than the successes he and Mayor Bloomberg are claiming. I
have sent you several articles and reports over the past few weeks. I
also testified on February 7. You will recall that the focus of my
testimony and submissions was the educational policies and mandates at
the point where subject-area standards and curriculum, textbooks,
teachers and students meet: the classroom. If any one element is
deficient, the others are overburdened, thereby impeding improved
student achievement. These elements of successful schools are far more
important than the actual governance structure. Good governance sees to
it that each of these elements meets the highest standards.
Since problems with any of the elements are first noticed at the
classroom level by teachers, parents, and administrators, good
governance provides the means for deficiencies to be reported,
objectively evaluated and rapidly addressed with corrective measures.
The failure of DCPS leadership, from Board and Superintendent to central
staff and local school administrators, to be guided by such a policy is
why I cautiously favor mayoral control with aggressive council
oversight. Nonetheless, I hope you will see that the NYC example is not
the story of success Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein portray. The
improved learning they cite from state tests is contradicted by results
on the national NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
tests. The absence of any public acknowledgment of this by our mayor
should concern us all. Bloomberg and Klein selected Diana Lam as the
Deputy Chancellor (the real superintendent), who then selected some of
the worst instructional policies and imposed them dictatorially on NYC
schools. That is why it is imperative that you question all claims with
the same skepticism that you would question a DCPS official or Board
member.
###############
DC Kids’ Test Scores Can’t Be Fixed Like
Broken Toilets
Len Sullivan, lsnarpac@bellatlantic.net
NARPAC has completed its comparison of DCPS test scores with those of
ten other large urban school districts. The new Fenty Administration
argues that DC’s relatively poor educational achievement is the result
of lousy school management, but we find that it is more reasonably
rationalized by differences in the kids’ home environments. Based on
our previous work relating school performance to both poverty and
parental involvement, we have developed a less-than-perfect “family
potential” index that essentially grades the capacity of families to
support their kids’ learning efforts. The correlation is surprisingly
good, and DC kids fall roughly where they should along the trend line.
Fixing their scores will require fixing their home conditions, and that’s
a whole different "management" problem.
There are other areas, however, where DC does not fall on the
“trend line” of the other ten schools. All ten of those other
schools get better test scores with both larger school enrollments and
fewer teachers and staff personnel per student. Those shouldn’t be
such tough management problems to solve! See if you agree with our
findings at http://www.narpac.org/FAMPOT.HTM.
Our nation’s capital needs to get it right this time.
###############
When Education and Children Really Matter,
Leaders Come Together with Stakeholders
Kathryn Pearson, kap8082@aol.com
When education matters, DC leaders take advantage of citizens’
frustrations and try to pacify stakeholders with political theater and a
power grab. When education matters in DC, leaders go on a blaming binge,
divorcing themselves of any involvement. In the District of Columbia,
when education matters, DC leaders capitalize on disappointments with
the school system to make their bid for a power grab while unabashedly
orchestrating the disenfranchisement of its citizens. When education
matters, DC leaders cut through defenses and wait until political
antenna are down, to acquire absolute power.
However, when education really matters, government works to
strengthen communities and collaborative partnerships. Visionary leaders
partner with others to make a difference and effect change. Leaders
unite communities in the true of name of education and helping our
youth. When education really matters, genuine leaders turn to citizens,
businesses, the faith community, labor unions, PTAs, Advisory
Neighborhood Commissioners, civic groups and others to make a difference
in neighborhoods and with families where the true battle for excellence
in education needs to take place. When education matters, parents
parent, teachers teach, and leaders lead. When education really matters,
the stakeholders are valued and called to action for the common cause.
They do not become replaceable props in a plan conceived by some
talented ten determined to accrue absolute power. As in the Beyonce hit
song, residents with contrary opinions are put in her words, “to the
left, to the left.” One is replaceable when put “to the left.”
There are some that tout a mayoral school takeover as the saving
grace for the D.C. public schools and there are those that enjoy
engaging in this political theater. However, those that have observed
the changing culture over the years in the District of Columbia, know
that the problems with schools does not require a change in governance
structure, rather a commitment from the powers-that-be, parents,
schools, and communities to work together for the common good of the
city.
When education really matters, government deals with the real root
causes of poor academic performance and provides the resources and
teamwork; parents show their offspring love, caring, nurturing, and
patience; and teachers work with children where they are to bring them
up to where they need to be. When education really matters, respect for
the goal of an educated populace is shown and appreciated in all
circles. Education becomes a crime deterrent, an economic boost for the
city, a catalyst to revive deteriorating neighborhoods, a means toward
upward mobility, and hope for a better tomorrow.
All around the city, one learns about individuals and communities
struggling to survive in a costly city. One hears about kids being
raised by parents addicted to or abusing drugs. Some have left their
kids to fend on their own or to be raised by a foster care system or
other relatives. There is a revolving door at youth and adult detention
centers/jails, with some youngsters not getting the rehabilitation that
they need. The focus on youth services, detention, truancy, and juvenile
delinquents needs to be more deliberate and effective. Other youth need
some help in staying away from prison. The streets seem to be too much a
lure to some young people and guns have become the friend of many.
Lessons in conflict resolution, fundamental life skills, and respect for
human life need to be reinforced or emphasized in the lives of those
that ignore the laws, values, and mores of a civilized city. But then
again, with the proposed school takeover, city leadership plans to
circumvent the law by going to Congress to get what it wants. Laws are
indeed though expected to be followed by the majority.
There are members of the DC council who profess to have experience
working with youth, recreation, and social programs. Can’t they work
toward strengthening the communities that they serve instead of
immediately adding to their plate the takeover of the schools, too?
Others have experience working with businesses. What can they do to
bring businesses to neighborhoods and create self-sustaining
communities? How can they help create jobs and provide apprenticeship
programs to teach the minimally skilled? How can they work to keep a few
jobs in DC for residents and improve workforce skills development?
Others on the council are supposedly great with constituent services.
How about making sure that services are distributed equitably throughout
the city? Those that have the know-how can work toward providing
affordable/workforce housing and realistic down payment assistance.
Others can help to dry up drug use and keep guns out of the hands of
those that would commit crimes with them. Guns by themselves are not the
culprit. There are those who went from the school board to the council
who know what they would have needed when in those leadership positions
that would improve schools more. For some reason, we didn’t see them
clamoring for a takeover until they got their hands on the real reins of
power on the council and above. The District of Columbia has so many
needs that the mayor and council need to work on. They have a full
plate, and now they want to add education when they have yet to prove
that they can handle what they have. Instead we get more political
rhetoric and promises of a better tomorrow if only they get a chance to
control today. Learn to share power and ideas leaders and work together
with all parties. One does not always need to show one’s might by
taking power and control. Leadership is more than taking. It is also
inspiring and motivating and using resources and what you have wisely.
Now, say citizens buy into the takeover plan or even just aspects of
the so-called education plan. Why can’t the mayor trust the residents,
the taxpayers, the voters, the stakeholders with a vote on this
supposedly sincere plan? Why make it look like there are other motives
and that there is a desire to control so intense that the administration
would do whatever it could to achieve the goal. Why put up what appears
to be a pretense that citizen input is welcome while the administration
is off on its own theory of reform searching for any piece of evidence
to justify the takeover mission. Forget that taxpayers pay the salary
and that elected officials work for the citizenry and not to further
their own ambitions or self interests. The mayor was on the news talking
about the snow and he mentioned the word “control.” It’s always
about control. Are there some “control” issues citizens need to know
about? Is the word “control” carefully scripted in remarks to show a
good public relations can-do attitude? Or has he been around Congress or
oppressors so much that he now covets the same power? Perhaps the
thinking is that power must be taken, not earned.
The city is listening to anybody that is for the plan or that wants
to make minor adjustments. Even the defeated mayor of Cleveland has been
called to testify on reform in Cleveland and to give the DC mayor the
thumbs up on a mayoral takeover. Are there others than colleagues that
can give objective viewpoints and evidence of success? Let’s see the
metrics being used to evaluate the programs. Maybe citizens would
appreciate hearing more from jurisdictions with favorable school boards
and quality education. Aren’t there some best practices there or is
the mayoral takeover the panacea of the moment? Or have mayors become
more astute at wresting control with an unsuspecting frustrated
community? Mayors are trying to take control at a time when the poor are
being driven from the city and other demographic changes are taking
place. Do the other jurisdictions measure success after the population
has changed significantly or are studies made with the original subjects
in the study? Are race, ethnicity, income, upward mobility, length of
stay in schools, class room size, and teaching style factored in the
evaluations, studies, and measures of success? What are the comparison
groups? How is success defined and measured? Can or could there be the
same success with mayors and city council members working with the
school board without being in control? Why do school boards work in some
jurisdictions and not others? Why do school board members move up to the
council and some eventually to mayor if the board is not a good
proving/grooming ground? School boards appear to be working in the
suburbs.
Finally, if the takeover plan is so wonderful, why not allow the good
people in Ward 4 who are proud that their former council member moved up
to mayor a chance to have a new council member in place before the vote
on the plan? Why not allow the good people in Ward 7 that are equally
proud that their former council member moved up to council chair to have
their council member in place? Why disenfranchise city residents and go
to Congress for takeover permission and cover? Why not detail and cost
out each item/service in the education plan so that citizens can see
what they should expect? Where are budget forecasts for the plan? What
is the financial impact? And will anything in the plan become an
entitlement? The takeover plan and the rush are suspect. City leaders
need to prove that they can handle what they have before they take on
more and they need to show that they can work with an empowered and
active school leadership. Oh, and also don’t ask citizens to help
lobby Congress for a vote for the city when citizens are not good enough
to vote via a referendum on the takeover. There’s a lot of naive and
contradictory thinking going on along with the mandatory daily photo op.
Let’s work together for DC and its youth. Don’t’ make people give
up on a new government that has to do everything his way and who ignores
the sanctity of the vote, particularly in certain communities, cultures,
and with some groups with a history of oppression or with a history for
fighting for the right to vote. Continue to give representative
democracy at all levels a chance by coming together without the power
grabs and turf batters. In the name of children, work together.
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CLASSIFIEDS -— EVENTS
The Teenarama Story, February 17
India Young, india.young@dc.gov
Saturday, February 17, 3:00 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, Room A-5. Discussion and screening of the new
documentary, Dance Party: The Teenarama Story. The documentary focuses
on the phenomenon of teen television dance shows of the 1950’s and 60’s,
and the success of an African American teen show, The Teenarama Dance
Party, which aired live on DC’s WOOK-TV from 1963-1970. For more
information, call the Music Division at 727-1245.
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National Building Museum Events, February 17,
22
Lauren Searl, lsearl@nbm.org
Saturday, February 17, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Festival: Discover
Engineering. The National Building Museum and The National Engineers
Week Committee welcome families, scout groups, and all curious visitors
to meet engineers and discover how they turn their ideas into reality.
Have your picture taken with Digit from the hit PBS series Cyberchase
and meet cast members from the new PBS series Design Squad. Take part in
slime making; day-long robot demonstrations and competitions; design
bridges and helicopters; and much, much more! Free. $5 suggested
donation. Most appropriate for children ages 5-13. Drop-in program.
Thursday, February 22, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Spotlight on Design: Educating
the Green Way: The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. The 2004 expansion
to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is a case study in the
successful combination of design excellence and sustainable practices.
The 80,000-square-foot project received a Silver LEED rating in 2006,
making it the largest sustainable museum in the United States.
Additionally, the museum has received a number of prestigious
recognitions, including a 2006 National Preservation Honor Award and a
2006 National Honor Award for Architecture from the American Institute
of Architects. In a moderated discussion, Jane Werner, director of the
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and Julie Eizenberg, AIA, principal
of the Santa Monica-based firm Koning Eizenberg Architecture, will
discuss the successes and challenges of using the museum’s mission as
a starting point for sustainable design. This program is presented in
collaboration with the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums. $12 Museum
members and students; $20 nonmembers. Prepaid registration required.
Walk-in registration based on availability. Both events at the National
Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW, Judiciary Square stop, Metro Red
Line. Register for events at http://www.nbm.org.
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Help an Older Child Find an Adoptive Family,
February 24
Susan Punnett, susan@kidsave.org
On Saturday, February 24, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., please join Kidsave
Weekend Miracles for ice skating at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena. Put on a
pair of skates and spend time with Weekend Miracles participants.
Weekend Miracles, a partnership between Kidsave and the DC Child and
Family Services Agency, is an innovative program that recruits host
families to help older children in foster care find adoptive families.
Together we make miracles happen for kids without permanent families. To
learn more or to RSVP, contact Catherine Ryan at 237-7283 or Catherine@kidsave.org.
Need a ride? Let us know and we will help arrange one for you.
Fort Dupont Arena, 3779 Ely Place, SE, is near the intersection of
Minnesota and Pennsylvania Avenues, SE. Driving directions at: http://www.fdia.org/DirectionstotheRink.asp.
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Race to Execution Screening, February 25
Michon Boston, mboston_tv@yahoo.com
With the upcoming death penalty federal trial of the former M Street
Gang member, Washington, DC, residents and DC officials should make time
to see Race to Execution. A Community Cinema screening and discussion
will be held Sunday, February 25 at 5 p.m. at Busboys and Poets, 2021
14th Street, NW. This documentary will air on WHUT in April (check local
listings). There is no admission fee for the public screening, but an
RSVP is requested: race@communitycinema-dc.org
or 939-0794.
Race to Execution traces the fates of two death row inmates, Robert
Tarver in Alabama and Madison Hobley in Chicago. Through these
compelling personal narratives and the often unexpected results of
research on race, justice and the media, Race to Execution exposes the
factors that influence who lives and who dies at the hands of the state.
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Ward Three Democrats on Education, February 27
Tom Smith, tmfsmith@starpower.net
The Ward Three Democratic Committee will meet on Tuesday evening,
February 27, at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church located at 4201
Albemarle Street, NW. The meeting will start with a roll call of
delegates beginning at 7:30 p.m. sharp. We have a packed agenda and an
exciting program and public forum on school governance and student
achievement planned for the evening. Mayor Adrian Fenty is currently
scheduled to make general remarks to the Committee beginning at 7:30
p.m., following the delegates’ roll call. Immediately following the
mayor’s remarks, a panel discussion and public forum on school
governance and student achievement will begin.
Entitled “Cutting Through The Rhetoric Of School Governance: What’s
Really At Stake?,” the panel discussion will focus on a critical issue
with significant implications for the future of public education in the
city. School governance legislation proposed by Mayor Fenty is now being
considered by the DC city council. The council is conducting a series of
public hearings through February 27 on the issue. The DC Board of
Education also is conducting a series of public hearings on an emergency
proposal to improve student achievement in the DC public schools. We
have assembled a distinguished panel of experts to discuss these
proposals and help educate our community about this important issue.
Confirmed to participate in the panel discussion and public forum are
Robert Bobb, president of the DC Board of Education; Kathy Patterson,
former Ward Three DC councilmember; Victor Reinoso, Deputy Mayor For
Education; Darlene T. Allen, president, D. Congress of PTAs and member,
PTA National Board of Directors; Mary Levy, director, Public Education
Reform Project, Washington Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and
Urban Affairs; and Mary Filardo, founder and executive director, The
21st Century School Fund.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Hugh Allen, a longtime and
highly respected education activist in the city and a member of the Ward
Three Democratic Committee (Precinct 33). Hugh, who has organized the
panel, also has agreed to chair the Education Policy Committee of the
Ward Three Democratic Committee. If you have any questions, please feel
free to give me a call or drop me an E-mail.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
Roofer Sought
Jon Katz, jon at markskatz dot com
Please recommend a good roofer to fix a small leak in a house in
Rockville, Maryland.
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