Would that it were true that the City of Richmond Public School system has International Baccalaureate programs in five middle schools and two high schools, it would be cause for great celebration that RPS administrators and School Board members have heard the thousands of elementary school parents living in the City of Richmond who desperately want and need better middle school choices for their children.
But, it isn't even remotely true. RPS has only one small I.B. middle school program (Lucille Brown Middle School) and only one small high school program (Thomas Jefferson High School). Despite my collaborative efforts with City Councilman Chris Hilbert (and his success in providing funds to RPS) to begin to grow a middle school I.B. program at Henderson Middle School, no I.B. program is mentioned on the Virginia Department of Education website.
Worse, officials at RPS and VDOE are well aware that the information posted on VDOE's website that claims Binford, Hill, Elkhardt and Boushall Middle Schools and George Wythe High School have I.B. programs is absolutely false.
Worse still, RPS and VDOE officials have known since August that the information posted on VDOE's website is false.
Worst of all, in a letter dated October 27, 2010, RPS School Board Clerk, Angela C. Lewis, admits that "Binford, Albert Hill, Elkhardt, Boushall and George Wythe should not have been listed as having IB programs on the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) website" and further claims that "It has been corrected on the VDOE Web site."
As of November 1, 2010, the false information remains on VDOE's website. My friend John Butcher kindly made copies of the pages so you can see for yourself, just click here for George Wythe, Binford, Albert Hill, Boushall and Elkhardt Middle Schools.
Pity poor Mrs. Lewis. She cannot help it if RPS administrators and School Board members lie to her. It is her misfortune that her job is simply to do and say what she is told. Even when she is forced to lie.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Remember: I will review all comments before posting and if you wish your information to remain confidential, please know that I will honor your request.