System? What System?
Ballou High School Graduation Debacle, Hot Takes!, and Dear Betsy!
1st Segment:
During today’s show, we discuss the following topics during our first segment:
- From the Washington Post, we discuss the previously lauded Ballou High School where it was just discovered that many students who received a diploma missed an extensive amount of school (so much so that they probably shouldn’t have graduated by traditional metrics).
- More than 1 of every 10 students receiving a diploma from a D.C. public high school last year missed most of the academic year, according to an investigation released Tuesday that casts a shadow on a district that has trumpeted improvements in graduation rates.
- What does it mean to receive a diploma? Why is there doubt cast upon the students, when in reality it is an adult-created / system-created problem?
2nd Segment: Hot Takes!
In our second segment, we bring back Hot Takes! and talk about school awards, teacher evaluations, tracking students to specific careers, and extracurricular activities.
Final Segment: #DearBetsy!
In our final segment, we bring back another beloved segment all about #DearBetsy! During #DearBetsy, we discuss Devos’ most recent speech that posits that Bush 2 and Obama’s respective education reforms have done little to impact students.
Resources Mentioned/Referenced:
- Devos: Nothing Presidents Barack Obama or George W. Bush did in Education Reform Really Worked
- No More School Awards!
- What to do with extracurricular activities?
- Article about just Ballou High School (WaPost)
- DC Graduating Chronically Absent Students (WaPost)
- Ask the Right Questions and Learn Something (WaPost Op-Ed)
- Not Ballou’s Fault (WaPost Op-Ed from Valedictorian)
