Everman Principal Resigns Over TAKS Remarks (Merged)

[Adidas410s]

Everman principal leaves following remarks

07:31 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 29, 2006

By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News

EVERMAN – The Everman High School principal who highlighted black students’ poor math scores over the school intercom has stepped down.

The decision was announced Tuesday afternoon after Superintendent Jeri Pfeifer met with faculty and school board members.

A written statement released by the district said Kathy Culbertson’s comments on the first day of school have overshadowed other district achievements and put the high school at the center of attention for the last two weeks.


WFAA-TV
Kathy Culbertson declined to speak at a contentious Aug. 21 board meeting. “Neither the district nor Ms. Culbertson believes in the isolation of any student group or that students are solely to blame for campus performance,” the statement read. “Nevertheless, Ms. Culbertson believes the best way for Everman High School to move beyond the distraction caused by the announcement is for Ms. Culbertson to relinquish her assignment as the principal.”

Curtis Amos, principal of the district’s Powell Intermediate School, will become the high school principal, effective Tuesday. Powell Assistant Principal Felicia Donaldson will be the intermediate school’s principal.

Dr. Pfeifer said Ms. Culbertson had resigned. But Ms. Culbertson said late Tuesday she had requested an administrative leave of absence.

“I have asked to be released from my contract, so we are negotiating on that,” she said. “I have not resigned yet.”

Ms. Culbertson said she had announced over the intercom that the school only needed eight more black students to pass math to meet the state’s standards.

“I was trying to use it as a motivational factor to let the kids know that we were so close,” she said. “It was not derogatory in any way. It was not racial. It was just common knowledge of the TAKS breakdown.”

But her remarks set off a racially charged debate at the campus, where enrollment is about 59 percent black. The district is just south of Fort Worth in Tarrant County.

Tell Us
Share your thoughts on the situation at Everman High School. Comment | View Results “The first order of business is to restore the students’ confidence,” Dr. Pfeifer said. “I want them to know how capable they are.”

Then, she said, the district could focus on improving its overall performance in math and science.

Low math and science scores among black students on the state’s accountability test bumped the school’s rating to academically unacceptable this year. About 33 percent of black students passed math; 32 percent passed science.

“Is it true? Yes. Do we need to make that a PA announcement? No,” Dr. Pfeifer said. “We all own a piece of this.”

Sophomore Trenton Evans, 15, said he thinks Ms. Culbertson should have kept her job.

“People took it the wrong way,” he said.

But Netia Tunson, who has a son at the high school and is a teacher at Powell Intermediate, said she thought Ms. Culbertson should have resigned immediately.

“You can’t put this school’s performance on one race,” Ms. Tunson said. “I think she should have worked with her staff [on the test scores]. It starts with the staff.”

Ms. Culbertson was starting her fourth year as principal and her seventh year with the school. She plans to continue her doctoral work at the University of North Texas.

“It’s a school that’s predominantly African-American, so it goes without saying that African-American students failed,” parent Kristin Dorsey said.

She said she would have been willing to accept an apology if Ms. Culbertson had acted quickly, perhaps through an assembly.

Instead Ms. Culbertson waited four days before apologizing over the school intercom. She also declined to speak publicly at an Aug. 21 school board meeting attended by angry parents and students.

At that meeting, school board President Boyd Andress stepped down, saying he personally accepted responsibility for any offense taken over the remarks.

The way the state’s accountability system is structured, a school fails if any subgroup of students, by race or ethnicity or those who are economically disadvantaged, does not meet standards. It forces the school to notice any achievement gaps.

“By disaggregating the data into ethnicity groups and making the schools responsible for every group individually, it has actually helped increase the scores among minority students,” said TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson, who is not related to the principal.

Students on campus Monday had mixed reactions.

“I know I passed my tests,” said Lester Bell, 16, a junior. “But if it was us, it was us. I can’t be offended.”

Sophomore Jereka Crayton, 15, said it would have been better to focus on teachers and whether they are preparing students for the exam. “She could have said it in a different manner,” the teen said.

Dr. Pfeifer said students wouldn’t do better until teachers did better.

“We’ve got to fix our instructional system first, and we’re doing it,” she said, noting that grant applications and faculty development are already in the works.

“It wasn’t just African-Americans that didn’t pass - it was Mexicans and whites, too,” said Bisah Tennison, 14. “All she should have said was, ‘We didn’t pass the test. We need to do better next year.’”

E-mail kunmuth@dallasnews.com

[CenTexSports]

What a crock. The test results published by the state shows a breakdown of why the school got the results it did. Why should the principle lose her job for stating the truth as long as she did not do it in a demeaning way? If she had said "You ignorant (insert ethnic term) caused this school to not be rated acceptable and unliess you get off your lazy ___, it will happen again this year!" then I could definately see her losing her job. Pretty soon, you will not be able to give report cards because you will be comparing my kid to yours.

This is just another example of why schools are failing at their assigne tasks. Not only are parents (at a larger portion of our schools) not helping to educate their children but they are doing many things to hinder them.

[kaorder1999]

There is absolutly no reason why she should have announced teh ethnic break down over the PA system. That is just setting yourself up for something like this. It wouldnt have been a problem if she made the comments while sitting in front of a school board or something but that is just something that shouldn't be said to the kids over a PA. of course this is just my opinion!

[Ranger Mom]

I don't guess I understand how these are scored.

If 8 more black kids would have passed it it would have boosted their rating??

What if 8 more white kids, or hispanic kids would have passed....it wouldn't have mattered?? It HAD to be black kids???

[Adidas410s]

remember...Everman also has a very mixed population.

Races in Everman:

White Non-Hispanic (46.2%)
Black (27.7%)
Hispanic (23.0%)
Other race (12.6%)

[CenTexSports]

I am not saying that what she did was the MOST appropriate thing in the world to do or even recommended but it should not have cost her her job. Holy Cow, everybody is soooo touchy about having their sensibilitiey tweaked. Come on, GET A LIFE. These kids also need to be taught that the truth is the truth. What did they learn from this? One thing! If YOU screw up and don't apply yourself but someone speaks out to let you know about it, then the monkey is off your back and you can shift the blame to the other person. I think the lesson taught by this is much worse that the actions of the principle.

As a Rotarian, maybe we should be teaching the Rotary Four Way Test to principles and teachers.

First: Is it the truth?
Second: Is it fair to all concerned?
Third: Will it build good will and better friendships?
Fourth: Is it beneficial to all concerned?

[garageoffice]

Originally posted by Ranger Mom
I don't guess I understand how these are scored.

If 8 more black kids would have passed it it would have boosted their rating??

What if 8 more white kids, or hispanic kids would have passed....it wouldn't have mattered?? It HAD to be black kids???

For demographic and education/equality reasons, the tests results are published with an ethnic and economic breakdown. The bottom-line at Everman is that the black segment of the student body didn't do well on the math test (I don't remember the numbers, but something like 40% passed I think). The principal evidently made some inappropriate remarks concerning this fact that got her in really hot water.

[DaHop72]

I think it would be nice if they would let our teachers go back to educating our children instead of having to spend all their time teaching them to pass the TAKS. IMO

[BlueBlood]

It sounds to me like the State is being racist by breaking down the test by ethic groups. Sounds like someone needs to sue the State of Texas for doing that. The State breaks it down by race and then a school gets mad because the principal announces what the state wants them to know? Educational racism!

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by DaHop72
I think it would be nice if they would let our teachers go back to educating our children instead of having to spend all their time teaching them to pass the TAKS. IMO

Amen brother!!! My mother taught Senior English in Cuero for 29 years. She would spend the 1st part of the year with MacBeth and Beowulf (ssnnnooooozzzzzzz fest in my opinion, but to each his own :) ) and @ the end of the school year, the students work on their Term Paper and she'd also explain and teach them about resume's, the proper way to dress and conduct themselves during an interview, writing thank-you notes etc......... (Lord knows it's not being taught in ALOT of homes nowdays) She'd be run out of town on a rail if she did that now. She retired when all the State mandated stuff was being implemented.

[Bullaholic]

Originally posted by Ranger Mom
I don't guess I understand how these are scored.

If 8 more black kids would have passed it it would have boosted their rating??

What if 8 more white kids, or hispanic kids would have passed....it wouldn't have mattered?? It HAD to be black kids???

RM, a big part of a school's rating is tied to the performance of its minority and special education students. If a certain number of students in either of these categories fails the TAKS then the school's rating is lower. I don't agree with this "skewed" rating system---it is not a good overall indicator of the entire student body's educational achievement, but that is how the system currently works.

[DaHop72]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
Amen brother!!! My mother taught Senior English in Cuero for 29 years. She would spend the 1st part of the year with MacBeth and Beowulf (ssnnnooooozzzzzzz fest in my opinion, but to each his own :) ) and @ the end of the school year, the students work on their Term Paper and she'd also explain and teach them about resume's, the proper way to dress and conduct themselves during an interview, writing thank-you notes etc......... (Lord knows it's not being taught in ALOT of homes nowdays) She'd be run out of town on a rail if she did that now. She retired when all the State mandated stuff was being implemented. I think that is why a lot of teachers are leaving their profession or retiring early because they are not getting to do what they were called to do. EDUCATE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE.:mad:

Okay, time to get off the soap box. Can you tell I'm married to an educater.:D

[KTJ]

Originally posted by CenTexSports
I am not saying that what she did was the MOST appropriate thing in the world to do or even recommended but it should not have cost her her job. Holy Cow, everybody is soooo touchy about having their sensibilitiey tweaked. Come on, GET A LIFE. These kids also need to be taught that the truth is the truth. What did they learn from this? One thing! If YOU screw up and don't apply yourself but someone speaks out to let you know about it, then the monkey is off your back and you can shift the blame to the other person. I think the lesson taught by this is much worse that the actions of the principle.

As a Rotarian, maybe we should be teaching the Rotary Four Way Test to principles and teachers.

First: Is it the truth?
Second: Is it fair to all concerned?
Third: Will it build good will and better friendships?
Fourth: Is it beneficial to all concerned?


As a Young Rotarian, I can tell you that what this lady did doesn't correspond with the Third principle.

I agree that you should acknowledge what happened and I agree it's a problem. However, the fact that she practically reprimanded and ridiculed said kids in front of the entire school is unacceptable. It's not a matter of being touchy. It's a matter of freaking COMMON SENSE.

[CenTexSports]

I agree that what she said was not in compliance to the third guideline of the Four Way Test. That is why I suggested that we train principles and teachers in this set of guidelines. If they asked themselves these questions before they did something like she did maybe it would eliminate this type of situation.


BUT having said that (and being a past Rotary President) I still think she should not have lost her job.

[Highschoolfan78]

if the shoe fits wear it. If you scored low then it should be pointed out. I guarantee if it was a gender difference then it would be pointed out. I think the weaknesses should be pointed out so that they are the focus of attention in order to fix the problem

[Highschoolfan78]

I meant to put that it should be pointed out within the facutly rather than the student body

[luvhoops34]

I don't understand how this person can blame just one group of students for having low scores. Surely they weren't the only ones with test score problems.


Principal steps down over comments on black students' test scores
By Associated Press
August 30, 2006

EVERMAN - A high school principal has left her position two weeks after singling out black students' poor test scores over the school's intercom system.

The Everman Independent School District announced Kathy Culbertson's departure in a Tuesday statement. It said her comments had overshadowed district achievements.

During an address on the first day of classes at Everman High School, Culbertson said black students who failed math on the state's accountability test had caused the high school to be rated unacceptable.

The remarks set off a racially charged debate at the suburban Fort Worth campus, which is about 59 percent black.

"Neither the district nor Ms. Culbertson believes in the isolation of any student group or that students are solely to blame for campus performance," the district said in a statement. "Nevertheless, Ms. Culbertson believes the best way for Everman High School to move beyond the distraction caused by the announcement is for Ms. Culbertson to relinquish her assignment as the principal."

Low math and science scores among black students on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills reduced the school's rating to academically unacceptable this year. About 33 percent of black students passed math, and 32 percent passed science.

Under the state's accountability system, a school fails if any subgroup of students, by race or ethnicity or those who are economically disadvantaged, does not meet standards.

Culbertson, a 29-year educator who was starting her fourth year as the Everman High principal, said she announced over the intercom that eight more black students needed to pass math for the school to meet state standards.

"I was trying to use it as a motivational factor to let the kids know that we were so close," she said. "It was not derogatory in any way. It was not racial. It was just common knowledge of the TAKS breakdown."

Culbertson apologized to the school four days after her comments.

Superintendent Jeri Pfeifer said Culbertson's remarks were true, but shouldn't have been made over the PA system.

"The first order of business is to restore the students' confidence," Pfeifer said. "I want them to know how capable they are."

Netia Tunson, the parent of a high school student, said Culbertson should have resigned immediately.

"You can't put this school's performance on one race," Ms. Tunson said. "I think she should have worked with her staff (on the test scores). It starts with the staff."

Lester Bell, a 16-year-old junior, said he wasn't offended.

"I know I passed my tests," he said. "If it was us, it was us. I can't be offended."

[injuredinmelee]

already addressed this morning

http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49428

[injuredinmelee]

I don't understand how this person can blame just one group of students for having low scores. Surely they weren't the only ones with test score problems.

the scores are broken down along ethinic lines and you must have certain groups that are historically lower performers score at a certain level or it affects your ranking. If they were lower they were lower but the principal handled this very badly.

[Gobbla2001]

Why don't they just break it down into Americans... then we wouldn't have this problem....

Yah, it was handled bladly though...

[scrub c]

Originally posted by luvhoops34


Low math and science scores among black students on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills reduced the school's rating to academically unacceptable this year. About 33 percent of black students passed math, and 32 percent passed science.


33% passed (that means 67% FAILED)

:eek:


I agree with gobbla2001, lets just say all students and get rid of the sub-pops and this problem will never happen again.

On the other hand, if the state is gonna make us break it down by sub-pops, then why not call em' out for not making the grade???

[injuredinmelee]

all of these people that want to "rid" the world of racism and yet we still seperate ourselves into ethnic groups. You cant be something - American your either american or whatever else you choose to label yourself.

[scrub c]

I'm still stuck on the part where it says 33% PASSED , that means that 67%FAILED !!!

[garageoffice]

I'm sure the reason they break it down along ethnic lines has to do with all the fuss over ethnic bias in standardized tests over the past few years.

That's an argument I've never really understood. Maybe it's because I'm white, but if you teach the same thing in class to people that understand the English language, how is it that testing over the content has a bias (I'm not trying to be a smart-a**, really)? I can understand how the content of subjects like history and government can have an ethnic bias, but how does the teaching and testing of a subject, especially something like math or science, have a bias?

I still think the principal was wrong to say what she did, but I also know a couple of former teachers from Everman HS and there are way bigger problems there than what someone said over the intercom.

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by injuredinmelee
already addressed this morning

http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49428

They have now been merged

[luvhoops34]

Originally posted by injuredinmelee
already addressed this morning

http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49428

I apologize, I didn't see it.....:doh:

[luvhoops34]

I think the principal handled the whole situation badly. Why didn't she just have a staff meeting and tell the TEACHERS? Why put it off on the kids and make them feel bad? Plus, it makes the whole black student population look bad and I'm sure not all of them scored low.

[CenTexSports]

Everybody had been in meetings for weeks. When these come out EVERYBODY knows the results immediately (teachers, staff, administration, and parents that care). This was NOT a suprise announcement. It was a principle talking to an underperforming section of students and letting them know how close the school was from achieving an acceptable rating and encouraging them to put forth an extra effort.

The only person with GUTS was the school board president that walked out of the board meeting and resigned because of the stupidity of the parents looking for the firing of the principle. What was gained from all of this? The loss of a very well liked and experienced school board president and a well trained and well intentioned high school principle. Plus the low achieving group now knows that their parents put more stock in covering their kids back and less in pushing for higher performing children.

[PHS Wildcats]

CenTex I understand your point, but as an african american, I wonder why did she have to single out one group over the PA system?

And for you to call the parents "stupid" I think was uncalled for. Yea, they could do a better job of helping there kids get the score they should..... Well let me stop before I say something I shouldn't.

[Texas-Fight]

Flippin idiot. Gaw!

[Bullaholic]

I have probably "bored" everyone with my statement about any person in the "public eye" who mentions another "race" in any context---well-intentioned or not, usually receiving the "death" penalty with their job, so I just stated it again for this thread. This is how "polarized" the race issue has become publically. I hope the day never comes when individuals of different races cannot at least discuss privately and intelligently their differences and continuously work toward resolving them. Another case of a careless, and possibly well-intentioned "flame" fanned into a raging "forest fire".

[Highschoolfan78]

blame the TAKS... its the main problem... forcing kids even with disabilities to take the standarized test

[STANG RED]

Originally posted by Bullaholic
I have probably "bored" everyone with my statement about any person in the "public eye" who mentions another "race" in any context---well-intentioned or not, usually receiving the "death" penalty with their job, so I just stated it again for this thread. This is how "polarized" the race issue has become publically. I hope the day never comes when individuals of different races cannot at least discuss privately and intelligently their differences and continuously work toward resolving them. Another case of a careless, and possibly well-intentioned "flame" fanned into a raging "forest fire".

Well put Bull! Very well put indeed!!!

[JasperDog94]

Allow me to throw this out there:

What if the principal had called all the black students to the gym to talk to them about their test scores? Would this have been better or worse? Would that still be considered racism?

[PHS Wildcats]

there's really no good way to handle it. I just don't understand the reason to single out anyone at all.

[CenTexSports]

I did not specifically call the parents stupid but I believe their actions to be stupid. Smart and intelligent people can do stupid things and I think a lot of stupid things are done because people are so sensitive (in this case about race). Sice I do not know the parents, I will not say they are stupid but I still believe the actions were.

[PHS Wildcats]

I will leave this subject alone, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. And it won't change.

[Matthew328]

Here is the thing...and I would consider myself as close to this situation as just about anyone who doesn't actually work in the school..

The principal was wrong flat wrong in what she did...Everman is a majority African-American school so if the school does bad guess what?? More than likley the African-American students as whole did bad...its kind of understood and everyone knows it..when Everman does well on those tests guess what the African-American students likley did well....

The school does have some bigger problems going on that need to be addressed such as security and safety there was another incident at the scrimmage on Friday and many people don't feel safe at Everman home football games anymore


The school board president resigning was just him trying to take the heat off the principal which was a crock to begin with..

[Gobbla2001]

I really want to know how she said it...

was it like:

"Good Morning, today's birthdays are: (insert names).... And hey, all black folk, you did poorly on your tests which helped in making us unacceptable, get on the ball... have a good day everyone..."

or was it:

"Here are the results from the TAKS test... Because the state doesn't think blacks and hispanics are smarter than White people, they have broken it down into sections based on race to prove their point... White students did this, hispanic students did this, Peter, the only asian student did this, Running Like Pants on Fire and Dances with Ping-Pong Table, our two Native American students did this, our students of middle-eastern decent did this, and the black students did this. So black students let's try and better ourselves so we can be acceptable..."


I remember in High School they had a class for people who learned slower... they only had to go to it for about 30 minutes a week, but the teacher who taught the class would come get them... so everyyyyone knew where they were going...

is that right?

Another confusing subject on the downlow, dear lord...

[Haunta Yo]

Originally posted by luvhoops34
...Why didn't she just have a staff meeting and tell the TEACHERS? Why put it off on the kids and make them feel bad?
The state has put the onus squarely on the shoulders of each individual student...Some students still think they can just show up to school, hang out and graduate. TEACHERS REALIZE THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION WHILE MOST KIDS/PARENTS DON'T.
Some kids/parents don't worry about PREPARING for the test until it's "5 minutes until midnight" and they're taking the April TAKS EXIT LEVEL test that they haven't passed in their 4 previous attempts (They probably didn't even show up to take the "free try" during the summer). All of the sudden it's everybody panic and "concerned parent" time.

As for "Why make them feel bad?" it's probably because she wants them to experience graduation in May.