Mayor Dr. Willie W. Herenton touted schools as “the most important enterprise in the city” Tuesday during a 50-minute address before the Memphis City Council.
Mayor Herenton
“No issue deserves community-wide discussion more than our schools,” he said in presenting his Let’s Build Better Schools plan.
“I am not appearing before you as a candidate for superintendent, but I am seeking to begin a conversation. From this day forward, we must dedicate our city to one over-riding purpose: our children.”
Dr. Herenton said Memphis schools are “suffering from disease.” He cited symptoms as “failing schools, poor business practices, deteriorating facilities, dire student behavior problems, school security and safety, excessive administrative costs, low teacher morale, and parental apathy.”
“Dr. Herenton’s plan gave a very interesting analysis of the problems that face our school,” said Memphis Education Association President Yvonne Acey. “I believe he is very perceptive about needed changes that must take place. He said our children’s education is his passion, and I believe that this was never so evident as it was Tuesday.”
Acey said the reforms present challenges and opportunities for improving present school administration and that the “MEA is ready to continue the conversation with Dr. Herenton.”
“Whoever takes the helm of our schools must be aware of what we face and be ready to effectively address those concerns,” she said. “His reforms are insightful, and we are waiting to speak with Dr. Herenton about how we can move forward.”
A series of reforms was presented to address three basic areas necessary to create a “high-performing urban district”: (1) improve teaching and learning, (2) make schools more efficient, and (3) make schools safe. Actions for remedy were:
Improve teaching and learning:
•Eliminate excessive paperwork for teachers
•Revive vocational programs for skills and trade development
•Revamp adult education
•Create model training programs in parent centers
Make schools more efficient:
•Overhaul top-heavy administration
•Vacate all remaining positions and review individual’s performance before re-appointment
•Decentralize administration to a four-district breakdown — 40 schools in each district with a district advisory council
•Build two technology-driven, state-of-the-art middle schools: one downtown and the other at the Fairgrounds
•Close underperforming schools and find new uses in their various communities
Make schools safe:
•Chicago-styled, police-aligned technology for real-time surveillance of troubled schools
•Implement corporal punishment for grades K-8
•Remove blighted structures near schools
•Partner with juvenile system to modify student behavior
Talking back to the mayor:
Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum Jr.
School Board Member At-Large
“Dr. Herenton was as powerfully purposeful as I have ever seen him. And he spoke what the overwhelming majority of parent and teachers are feeling on a daily basis when he strongly urged a return to corporal punishment in grades K-8. His proposal to decentralize management is, of course, a sound business move.”
Wanda Halbert
Memphis City Council Dist. 4
“The mayor didn’t say anything at all that surprised me about how urban education should be run. I spent seven years on the school board, and it got to be frustrating. School board members and administrators were not bold enough to implement much-needed changes. The school district is not on track academically and is in danger of being taken over by the state Department of Education. The changes Dr. Herenton talked about critical.”
Myron Lowery
Memphis City Council Vice-Chair
Dist. 8, Pos. 3
“That was one of the best speeches I’ve ever heard the mayor make. It was a speech of vision and not political. What he talked about was for the benefit of all citizens of Memphis and Shelby County. Mismanagement and misappropriations, corporal punishment for grades 1-8 – all of the proposed reforms were right on time. The school board should adopt his plan as a model. Dr. Herenton said all the right things.”
Tomeka Hart
Memphis City School Board
Dist. 7
“I was at a conference in Atlanta and did not have access to a computer. I am going on what I have been told about it. I understand that Mayor Herenton was very supportive of our children and our school system. As a board, we couldn’t ask for more than that. I appreciate his support, and I hope it is the beginning of leaving some things behind and coming together for our children’s sake. We need to continue our conversations, even after the budget cycle. We are not above accepting criticism; we are looking forward to some major changes to improve education in Memphis school.”
Scott McCormick
Memphis City Schools Board Chair
Dist. 8
“I thought Mayor Herenton’s speech had a sincere delivery. It was very genuine. He had some interesting concepts – the new high-tech schools – very interesting concepts. I believe the plan is a good road map to follow as a new superintendent is brought in. Now the only thing we need to address is what the funds will come from. But certainly, it was a great road map.”