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Emotions Run High As School Board Discusses School Closure In Century
March 6, 2009
Emotions ran high Thursday night in Century as the Escambia County School Board met with Carver/Century supporters. One school supporter was even led away by a deputy when he refused to stop speaking in support of the school.
Over 100 people attended the school board forum held in the Carver/Century cafeteria to discuss the school’s closure with the board.
For a complete photo gallery from the meeting, click here.
“We are fighting for our town; we need this school to survive. We could save ourselves if we had the time,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said, asking the board to keep Carver/Century K-8 School open for at least three years. The board is scheduled to vote on closing the school March 17, sending the current students to Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School.
“What’s the next thing we will hear? You will spend millions building a new school over there,” McCall (pictured left) said. “You used your pencil to zone them out of this school; you can use your pencil to zone them back into this town. Think about the kids when y’all make your vote.”
The Black And The White
Racial differences between schools and differences between communities was a major issued raised by many Carver/Century supporters.
“We are not culturally represented,” Jessie McCants said of the current Northview High School, a school that includes students from Century and all of north Escambia County. “When we built Northview, we lost 50 percent of our children.”
“We are you sending us to a rat trap at Ernest Ward?” was the question presented by Annie Savage of Century. She said the aging Ernest Ward has a problem with snakes in the locker room. “I’ve seen the signs at Northview. “Nig**rs go home. We don’t need you here.”
She called the school closure discrimination, vowing that “we will do something about it”.
“It’s time we invest in the children,” Betty Johnson (pictured left) said, adding that the school board has historically closed more black schools. “You’ve got enough schools in Pensacola to close and never look back at Carver/Century. We are getting along here. We are standing together.”"It seems like Century is not part of Escambia County,” Mary Grice said. “We done gave. It’s time for us to take back something.”
“There are failing schools in Pensacola,” she told the school board. “I don’t see you getting on the news talking about them.”
Grandmother Elizabeth Lowery said she would not send her grandchildren to school out of Century. “My child can get reading, writing and arithmetic at home,” she said. “How are they going to interact over there?”
Another grandmother of a Carver/Century student, Sharon Scott said the school closure was going to be a a terrible mistake for her everyone, including her grandchild.
“If y’all move her way out to Bratt,” Scott said of her grandchild,” I don’t know what will become of her. “We can’t do this Bratt thing…this Walnut Hill thing.”
The Facts And Figures
The meeting began with Superintendent Malcolm Thomas (pictured left) presenting his facts and figures as to why he recommended the closure of Carver/Century. You can read his information here in pdf format.
The superintendent’s numbers show that the school needs 300 students to be viable. As of Thursday, there were 209 in grades K-8. The numbers also show the school is losing a million dollars per year.
“Every dollar I save, saves someone’s job,” Thomas said, adding that there are some Pensacola schools that will likely close this year as well.
“I don’t think it is fair that my child’s education should be a business decision,” Heather Findley, parent of a Carver/Century kindergarten student, said. “I feel the level of education is best here.”
“Did it take y’all seven, eight, nine years to realize that something was wrong?” asked Kim Peebles, referring to a graph presented by the superintendent showing that Carver/Century had lost money for several years.
Carver/Century employee Lillian Robertson (pictured left), accompanied to the podium by sixth grade student Olivia Richmond, said that the district had set the school up for failure.”When Byrneville opened, we had white flight,” she said. “You close Carver/Century and you are going to have white flight in another direction.”
“Some us feel like you have set us up for failure, Robertson said, adding that technology and tech support had been taken away from the school.
“I am one of the tech support,” she said, “and I can’t run a computer worth diddly-squat.”
Time’s Up
Century businessman Jack Moran told the board that he is a retired fraud examiner, and he also called himself a “forensic financial analyst”.
“The numbers here don’t add up,” Moran said of the superintendent’s financial information on Carver/Century. “This is bull, absolute bull.”
When a timer indicated that Moran’s two minutes to speak were up, he said “have the sheriff’s office remove me. I will stop when I am finished.”
Deputy James Moretz, one of two sheriff’s deputies at Thursday night’s meeting, quietly escorted Moran from the microphone (pictured above).
Other Thoughts
“All I know is memories here,” Leonard White said. “I am back here in Century because this is where my heart is.”
“When our kids needed help, they sent a resource officer instead of help,” said Cynthia Scott. “When you take the brain out of the community, the community dies.”
Other school supporters spoke of their memories at the school, and some questioned what would happen to the vacated school. Others questioned why middle school students would be sent from Carver/Century Middle built in 2003 to Ernest Ward where some buildings were built as early as 1945.
“The children are the most important,” Century Councilman Gary Riley said. “We need a school.”
Emotional Exit
Elizabeth Lowery, the grandmother that said her grandchildren could learn at home, did not leave quietly. She interrupted board members as they tried to tell their side of the story.
“Why did they come all the way out here if they already had their minds made up?” she yelled from the back of the cafeteria, waving her arms about (pictured left). “They’ve just made everyone frustrated.”
Many of the 20 speakers were interrupted during their comments. The crowd applauded, yelled and chanted words of encouragement for those that spoke in favor of keeping the school open. But as board members spoke about closing the school, they booed and yelled unfavorable remarks.
School Board Reaction
“My job is to make decisions, and a lot of them are not popular,” board member Jeff Bergosh (pictured left) said. “If there is a way to save the school, I will look you in the eye and I’ll do it.”
Bergosh denied allegations that the closure is racially motivated.
“I have never discriminated against anyone in my life,” he said. “These are tough decisions, and these are tough economic times.”
District 5 board member Bill Slayton said he is not in favor of closing Carver/Century.
“There is some consideration here. It is different,” he said, “because it is a community.”
“It is hard to accept that in a group this size, not one person wants to look at the fact that this could be a positive thing,” board member Gerald Boone said. “I want somebody in Century, Fla., to think this would turn out to be a positive thing.”
Linda Moultrie, the newest member of the Escambia County School Board, said that she attended a predominately black elementary school. Then, with integration, she was bused to an all-white middle school.
“Guess what? I made it,” Moultrie said. “Children adjust.”
“I don’t believe the school should be closed because it is the only school in the area, “she said.
“We are sending them to a good school,” board member Patty Hightower said. “I believe every child at this school can learn. They will learn wherever they are.”
For a complete photo gallery from the meeting, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
48 Responses to “Emotions Run High As School Board Discusses School Closure In Century”
I HAVE THOUGHT FOR MANY YEARS THAT PRINCIPALS NEED TO BE MOVED AROUND EVERY 4-5 YEARS… THEY GET STALE……THE BRATT PRINCIPAL NEEDS TO GO AND TEACH BEHIND RAZOR WIRE….. I HAVE HEARD THE STORIES OF HER NOT WANTING PARENTS AT PARTIES ETC…THAT REALLY IS PATHETIC.. I KNOW OF NO OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE ESCAMBIA COUNTY THAT DOESN’T WELCOME PARENTS…YOU CAN CALL ANY OF THEM AND THEY SAY “OH NO, WE WELCOME PARENTS”..CALL THEM AND SEE…YOU CAN BETCHA THAT IF I WERE NOT WELCOME, I CERTAINLY WOULDN’T GET INVOVLED IN ANYTHING
“Change”
I am 18 years old and I have recently graduated from Northview High School. I’ve been reading the comments posted concerning this article and I am completely astounded at remarks that state that racism does not exist and nor is it an relevant issue today. These remarks are invalid.
I can recall attending Century Elementary as a child vividly. The education I received there was as blessing. I developed close relationships there with my teachers and as well friends. Many teachers took interest in me and one especially opened my eyes to my passion of writing, the very passion I plan to pursue as a career. Nonetheless, my education there was so fruitful that my grades and moreover my fcat scores were high enough to receive an invitation to attend Brown Barge, a magnet school in Pensacola. When i came from Brown Barge, a socially and cultural diverse school,advancing to High School at Northview, I discovered what race actually was.
In many of my classes, another friend and I I were the only black individuals.
That being so, I’ve experienced many racial comments. One instance that I will never forget is when we had to watch a video in class. When the teacher went to turn off the lights so that everyone could enjoy the theater experience, a student cried out not to turn off the lights because the class wouldn’t be able to see me or my black friend. The teacher said nothing. No disciplinary action was taken.
At Northview as well, I’ve heard the most stereotypical remarks; from ppl addressing me as “home-girl” as a joke to even comments like “go eat some fried chicken.” Moreover at Northview, my intelligence has been countlessly doubted. If this isn’t racism or even discrimination, a fruit of it, then tell me what it is.
I’m sad to here that Century Carver seems to meeting its last days but I will not stand for comments like stay in Century “where you can be treated like poor black people…”. I’ve had an opposite experience there. Century has made me who i am today. I was treated like royalty and graduated as Co-Valedvictorian.
And to all those who claim that racism is revelant today. What do you say to recent events such as the “Jena Six”, the government’s slow response to “Hurricane Katrina”, and even racial tensions concerning our newly elected president. No one truly knows racism unless you’ve experienced it.
Century Girl you can’t even get it right….PARENT not Citizen and I have the right to voice my opinon!!! And what I say it how I fell and truth hurts don’t it dear?
Well said Nikki and Waterlady501. It’s in the best interest of your child if you send him/her to Bratt. Gains matter Coach Corder, but being and A school for 5/6 years is much more achievement. Bratt will welcome all children with open arms and will love them and educate them like they would their own child. Like I said before, expectations are VERY high at Bratt and that’s why it’s such a successful school.
First of all, to the “Another Century Citizen”- at 10:57a.m…..how could you possibly think that Jack Moran is just trying to “….get his name in the paper at any cost…”? Maybe he isn’t ashamed to sign his name to his opinion! Obviously, Mr. Moran sure seems to be on point with the situation with Carver-Century. Most of the school board and Malcolm Thomas want to put the blame on anyone and anything except where it belongs….on the administration. As Patty Hightower stated at the meeting…that kids could learn anywhere….then why not leave them at Century, in their own community.
The school board wants parent, business, and community support but when you begin bussing children 15-25 miles out of their community do you really think that you are going to get business support from a school not in their community? Businesses do not advertise or spend their advertising dollars in areas outside of their customer base. Do you think a parent who has little or no transportation will be More involved in a school, further away? Do you think closing the school in one community will make that community give more support to another community? I don’t think so.
To Hispanic…..I appreciate what you had to say. I moved around so much as a child, 17 schools in 12 years and graduated second in my class. So yes, one should be able to learn anywhere if they want it but it is so nice to be in a school and home where the educators and your parents care and want to help those who need it to overcome the challenges that may be holding them back.
Thank you, Hispanic and Jack Moran for telling it as it really is….what is best for the children is the most important factor and this cannot be measured in dollars and cents.
TO MOM #3 I AM CURRENTLY ATTENDING NORTHVIEW HIGH SCHOOL AND ALSO A CITIZEN OF THE TOWN OF CENTURY…NOW I MEAN NO DISRESPECT WHEN I SAY THAT YOUR COMMENT WAS EXTREMELY RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL…FIRST OF ALL,THERE IS NOTHIN WRONG WITH WANTING TO KEEP THEIR CHILD/CHILDEREN AT CARVER/CENTURY K-8…HOMO SAPIEN SAID THAT CARVER/CENTURY WAS AN F(FAILURE)..BOUT YET THEY ARE A (B) SCHOOL SO OBVIOUSLY THEY AREN’T A FAILURE…NOW WHEN MY 3 BROTHERS AND I WERE ADOPTED I WAS MOVED FORM READING PENNSYLVAINA TO CENTURY FLORIDA….AND I HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL AT CENTURY ELEMENTRY. WHEN I WAS LIVING IN READING,PA I DID HORRIBLE THE TEACHERS NOR MY BIOLOGICAL MOM CARED WHETHER OR NOT I PASSED TO THE NEXT GRADE OR NOT….BUT WHEN I WAS ADOPTED AND WENT TO CENTURY I HAD TEACHERS AND PARENTS WHO CARED ENOUGH ABOUT ME TO WANT ME TO BE SOMETHING IN LIFE AND NOT BE LIKE MY REAL MOM….AND BECAUSE OF TEACHERS LIKE MRS. JONES AND PARENTS LIKE MR. AND MRS.MCCANTS ….THEY PUSHED ME TO DO BETTER AND IF IT WASN’T FOR THEM I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I WOULD HAVE NEVER RECIEVED AND (EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIP) FORM TAKE STOCK IN CHILDEREN!!! SO DON’T SAY (MOM#3-”They want to stay in Century where they can be treated like poor black people”) BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOU CALL A RACIAL REMARK…..AND JUST DOWN RIGHT IGNORANT!….SORRY TO PUT IT THAT WAY.
“The number-one consideration HAS TO BE THE KIDS – not political agendas or dollars”
Best point Mr. Moran has every made. Put the kids on the bus and send them to the NUMBER ONE school in Escambia County…Bratt Elementary.
Keeping them in poverty at Carver/Century at an F school (yeah, I know, they improved..but only because so many kids dropped out because they were so small) or send them to the best school the county has to offer.
Pretty clear what’s best for the kids.
That is what is wrong with us now Jack Moran people like you!!! You just have to have your name in the paper no at all cost. I am a Century Parent with my kids at Century Carver but because of you I am now SUPPORTING the School Board and even if they don’t close Century my KIDS WILL GO TO BRATT and ERNEST WARD!!! Way to go!!!!!!!!! No one cares about the kids just your precious city, PITIFUL just PITIFUL!!!
Rarely do I agree with or even appreciate what Jack Moran says. However, in this forum he said it best.
Kudos to you, Jack Moran. When you said, The number-one consideration HAS TO BE THE KIDS – not political agendas or dollars,” I said to myself, “Amen.”
If only the school board understood that. Alas, is theirs the final word?
Comment to Northescambia.com 3/7/2009 8:41:24 AM
Sorry, Northescambia; I can’t make this a sound-bite (it is 812 words) . . . but some things have to be said.
The most common definition of “Fraud” is the use of deception to cause the unjust enrichment of one at the expense of another. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction, but deceptions that are not made for personal gain are technically not frauds. That being said; the best environment for any fraud to occur is one where there is denial of vulnerability – such as overwhelming trust, or “I keep my own books, so can’t nobody . . .” or “I’m too smart . . .”. Such attitudes are an open opportunity. When you are not paying attention is when “they getcha”. “All that is required for evil to prevail over good, is for good people to do nothing . . .”
Too long have the majority of people been too pre-occupied with “work” and “taxes” and “sports” or “relaxation”, and NOT being vigilant enough as citizens. As I have said before; It is the great cauldron of debate and free expression of ideas that has made America Great. WE MUST ASK QUESTIONS – and if we do not get reasonable answers, we are obligated to persist and investigate. We have to pay attention!
Aside from what you feel about his interpretation, Coach Corder presented some excellent research on this blog – I have found similar facts in my research; certainly much better information than the un-cited and undocumented “due diligence” the school district presented.
Mayor Freddie Wayne McCall made some excellent and civil comments at the Carver meeting. I have not always agreed with Freddie Wayne on everything, but on this – he was spot on target. Bravo, Mayor McCall!
One question that seems to have been forgotten is WHY the parents took their student/children out of Carver? I would tend to think or hope it was to get them a BETTER education. To get a better education, they felt they HAD to get them out of that school. They realized that neither they; nor the principal, teachers, the town council or mayor, State Representative, Senator, or their church pastor had any real control over the quality of education at Carver School, but they trusted the school district to make a good education happen for their kids. It didn’t happen, so they pulled out.
They felt that in order to save their child’s future, all they could do was to move their child to another school. Well, IF there has to be a cause or fault, then whose fault IS the sub-standard education that our children have been receiving at Carver? If the FCAT is a fair and standardized test, then who is responsible and who can be held accountable for the low test scores at Carver – or at least who or what is the reason? Why are children and families leaving the school district in droves?
It is not the principal of the school; he simply manages and does the best he can with what he is given to do with. The same goes for the teachers. Some may be better, more or less than others, yet overall they are doing their job.
Is it Budget? Carver is a TITLE–I school. It receives more money per student than any other school in the entire district! How can it be “broke” and the district still be financially viable?
Not the Mayor of Century, the Town Council or State Representatives or Senators. They don’t make decisions for Carver School. The school district shouldn’t try to pass the buck to them.
Parents don’t have any control over school hours, budgets, choice of books or curriculum.
Local area businesses & Non-Profits? Ballet Pensacola has received wonderful support from Century businesses (Flomaton and Jay too, for that matter) to bring Ballet demonstrations to the schools in the Century area to enrich the education of the kids. Sounds like local businesses are engaged and have been for years. Patty Hightower’s church as been coming to Carver Century to read to the kids each week for years.
In my mind, former School Board Member Mrs. Claudia Brown Curry hit the nail on the head when she asked former Superintendent Jim Paul; “Has everything that could be done to save that school been done?” – And he responded with a simple “no”. But yet he recommended the closure anyway. Do we need to ask the new superintendent the same question?
Could it be that all of the people (we the people – ) should be more vigilant and outspoken? Byrneville was saved by its alumni, but is Bratt or EWMS next? Is there a pattern here? Is there a motive here? When the “facts” don’t add up, there is a reason.
The number-one consideration HAS TO BE THE KIDS – not political agendas or dollars.
I really wonder about some of you,. that write on here…. Besides doing somthing about the problem… Everyone just seems to blame one another … This is crazy.. The children are acting more like adults then most of you on here.. People need to pull togther and work togther as a community. If you loose your school it will be a sad lost. But when you send your child to a public school you have to go by their rules. If people choose not to send their child to school because of all this drama , you are hurting them.. Their would be no problem if people would quit blaming others. It’s nobody fault. If you don’t pull togther and your child has to go to another school and all this drama is going on ..it’s just going to make it worse… Please stop with all the Negetive…
In response to Coach Corder: You are entitled to your opinions and I think you expressed them very well until your last post when you compared the “gains” made at Carver/Century to the “scores” at Bratt Elementary. Please, do not try to spin hard data by using confusing rhetoric. Carver/Century may very well have had the highest “gains” in the county on the FCAT but that in no way equates to the highest “scores”. If a person is a bowler who averages only 50 points per game and practices very hard and manages to score 125 points in a game, that person has a 75 point gain. Wow. But if another bowler who averages 225 points per game practices very hard and manages to score 250 points in a game, that is a “gain” of 25 points. Good, but not WOW. It’s still easy to see who is the more successful bowler.
FACT: No students “flew” to Burneville Elementary Charter School, black, white, or speckled. The same students who were at Byrneville when it was closed as a district school were there when it reopened as a charter school, except the previous year’s fifth graders. Furthermore the departing fifth graders who lived in the Carver Middle School district went on to Carver Middle. The incoming kindergarteners came from the same families, or the neighbors of the same families, who had children at Byrneville. There was NO influx of students from any other area–black, white, or speckled.
As others have said — leave Byrneville out of this sorry mess. Your problems are in Century, not in Byrneville.
12345,
That is a nice generality, but as I understand it, Carver/Century’s third grade had the highest gains in Reading in the entire county. Bratt had great scores, but the majority of posts here remain entrenched in generalities and opinions.
I offered an opinion which was obviously not understood. I didn’t address any whys or hows, but I, as a white middle class male, struggle with the separation of races that has been created at the school where I work. I didn’t blame anyone, except maybe the state and their AYP model. I’m not against Bratt, I am against the closing of Carver/Century, and I’m not going to sit here and argue with people who have no idea what life in our community is like.
Homo sapien,
I have no problem with the term white flight, and I am white and middle class. It is accurate and it clearly describes the process. The term is commonly used among educational researchers and the effects of white flight are well documented.
If your child/children will be attending Bratt for the 09/10 school year, then they’ll be well educated. Bratt is a wonderful school with wonderful employees and staff. The teachers there are highly qualified and have very, very high expectations. Bratt has been an “A” school for the past 5 or 6 years. Matter of fact it scored the highest last year out of all of the elementary schools in Escambia County. It blew all scores away!
Such a variety of opinions.
The ones that hurt the most are the racially motivated ones.
They hurt the children, because they will parrot their parents’ words and develop their immature opinions based on what they hear. They hurt the adults, because that makes them close-minded to any other possible reason.
Some are saying it’s racial to send children across the county and close the Century school. Others say it’s only about the almighty dollar and leaving the children’s best interests out of the equation.
Who’s right?
Could it be that everyone is right? Maybe it’s both the dollar and it’s racial.
One thing for sure, it would have been solved more quickly and with much less pain, had cooler heads prevailed and the options been talked about in a rational way. The way the school board has done this has been nothing short of tyranny. It’s been traditional in these United States that a local school often defines the character of a community. Century lost most of its character when Century High and Ernest Ward High were combined to create Northview. Now the ECSB is going to tear out what’s left of the heart of Century in one fell swoop.
The School Board should have offered solutions and given time to make things happen long before it got to this point. But, it’s also true that Century should have acted more swiftly – using Byrneville as an example and work to make the school a charter school.
There needs to be a school with an intent to educate, with the support of parents – whether they be green or yellow – and parents that would make their children do whatever is necessary to learn – not to cop an attitude whenever the least thing disturbs them.
If it’s any issue whatsoever, I believe it’s a culture thing. In the last few years, in particular, I do not believe there was a majority of students who attended Carver-Century with the seriousness it takes to actually learn something. My personal experience has been that most of the children test the teachers and their assistants, not the other way around. With corporal discipline a no-no in today’s schools, there has to be some other rule of authority hanging over the children – it can’t be the teachers or the school administrator, such as was once present in years past.
Since the school cannot administer authority, it has to come from the parents. But most parents I’ve observed have come to the school with the mindset that “My kid ain’t done nothing wrong” and “Let me tell you something!”
That’s not reserved for the black population, either. I am a whitey and there have been a lot of whiteys like me to blame.
Who wants their children to go to a failing school? No one. Isn’t that the reason for the school population dwindling? I do not believe the “white flight” started just because of integration. The fact is that grades started showed signs of decrease long after integration.
The white flight that makes one think of fleeing integration has little to do with anything. It’s a white flight that has to do with getting my child a decent education and that’s it. The reason more whites act on that is that the whites, as a rule, are better able to afford the added expense.
I rambled, I know. But this stirred me so that I just had to say something. Century needs its school. But it does not need it at the expense of a child’s education. Let’s begin thinking of the children and not race.
Just a little info about school choice.The county will bus you to another school but they will not pick you up at your door.They give the choice but make it hard on some to choose it. Students are picked up in bulk at two or three locations, if you can’t get to the bus stop, then you really don’t have a choice. I make the sacrifice to get my child to the bus stop along with many others. I’m sure if the bus went door to door there would be a lot more parents making the “choice” for their children.
“white people are moving away from an area because of other races being prevalent.”
Not because of other races, but because of socioeconomics.
————————————————————————————————————
Mary Grice said. “We done gave. It’s time for us to take back something.”
“Some us feel like you have set us up for failure, Robertson said, adding that technology and tech support had been taken away from the school.”
Has to be someone else’s fault!!!!!!!!
————————————————————————————————————
She called the school closure “discrimination”
Ya went to the trump card a little too late!
———————————————————————————————————–
“snakes in the locker room.”
I thought they was on a PLANE
And who cares what a persons motives are for putting his/her child in another school. As far as I can tell,this is still the USA where people can make free choices. Should they be politically correct and leave their child in a failing school so as not to run the risk of being called racist? That school died for lack of a second along time before now,so the best thing to do is explain to your kid that he is now going to be educated by some of the finest talent in the area, parents should be prepared to now participate in their childs education.
Google “white flight” and this is what you get from wikipedia:
“White flight is a term for the demographic trend in which working and middle-class white people move away from suburbs or urban neighborhoods that are becoming racially desegregated to white suburbs and exurbs.”
If you don’t think this term is racially motivated, than you are sadly mistaken. It clearly is a term that implies white people are moving away from an area because of other races being prevalent. Furthermore, I resent anyone bringing Byrneville into this debate and alluding to the fact that we have any part of this alleged “white flight”. While we are saddened about a school closing, this is not our battle to fight. We had our battle seven years ago when our school was slated for closure. Instead of pointing fingers and putting down others, we used our energy on making sure we kept our school open, legally. Now is the time to quit blaming others, rally together, and make the best of the situation that has been presented to you.
Coach…”White Flight” is and has always been a racially demeaning term for the exodus of the white population. It is reverse racism at the lowest level, please dont sugarcoat it.
For Coach Corder:
When the FCAT began, children attending failing schools or schools not making Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, were given an option to attend another school that was making AYP, at the district’s expense. Anyone who attends a school not making AYP has the option to go to another school. Apparently, there were just more white folks that chose to do this than black. It is a choice. Some chose to send their children to a school that performs at a higher level. Some chose to leave theirs where they are. Black or white, it doesn’t matter. Socioeconomic situation does not matter. The children would have been bussed at the district’s expense.
I have been very involved at Bratt Elementary for over 8 years with my three children. I am also a room mother for two classes and have been room mother for two classes for 4 years now. Everything Nikki said could have come straight out of my mouth except about room mothers kissing the butt of Bratt’s principal. I can assure you there is no one I dislike more. I am not generally a butt kisser, anyway, but would lie down and die before I would kiss hers. Nikki, I don’t know who you are, but it almost seems like we must have had a conversation about that principal before because you repeated things I have been saying verbatim. Someone even called me and read your comment to me and I said it sounds like I wrote that (except for the room mother part) and that person said “I know.” Parents have not been welcome at that school since she came on board. I never felt welcome there but stuck with it and made myself welcome whether she liked it or not. Even before I was a room mother. Someone made a comment to me that every time they are at Molino Park there are parents everywhere volunteering but when they are at Bratt, there are no parents to be found. No one wants to come into a place where they are volunteering and be looked down upon by the one person who should be the most grateful they are there. Not only does she care nothing for the children, or their parents, she cares nothing for her teachers. Just ask the PTAs in the past what her response was to them asking for wish lists from the teachers. Teachers who are spending money hand over fist out of their own pockets for things they need for their classrooms. Things they NEED. Not things they want. I don’t know how a person with the disposition she has ever got involved with children. I seriously consider her bipolar and would swear she has more than one personality. I’ve met a couple of them myself.
Concerning a previous poster’s remarks, I happen to know of a co-room mother she had that begged to be allowed to be involved and was continuously shut down or left out. I also know that when an entire grade level has been involved in an activity such as the play or two classes combined for Fall Fest, she takes over and doesn’t give anyone else the opportunity to do anything to help. She is one who is not in it for the children. She is in it to see how much glory she can get by saying she did it all herself. Don’t let her fool you.
We went through the same thing when the consolidation of Ernest Ward and Century was being debated and here we are 14 years later and we all survived.
As an active parent at Bratt, when I look at a child, that is all I see. A CHILD!! Not an African American child, not a Caucasian child, not an Indian child, not an Asian child, and not a mixture of any of the above. I see a child. These parents with their negative attitudes of where their children are more than likely going to end up are only hurting their children.
I have a perspective to offer as to why so many are concerned about racism in the discussions of closing Carver/Century K-8 School.
Starting with the 2004-2005 school year, I tracked the population using Escambia County’s Data-Star website.
In 2004-2005 the middle school population was 171. The percentage of white students was about 48, while the percentage of black students was about 51. There is a steady decline in the white population percentage wise until the 2008-2009 school year. In 2008-2009 the middle school population had plummeted to 83 total students. The percentage of white students now being about 16, and the percentage of black students 83.
The term “white flight” doesn’t necessarily imply racism on the part of those who have used it; it simply means white students left the school. There are a number of reasons that could account for the movement, but what this should look like to any objective mind is an alternative or voluntary form of segregation. That it is connected to socioeconomic status also can not be denied. 93 percent of Carver/Century students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Numbers like 93 percent, 83 percent and the decline of the white population from 48 percent to 16 percent are not easily proven to be coincidence in any circumstance. And while it may be explained in a variety of ways, it looks like discrimination.
What I hope, is that this school board and this superintendent are honest enough to admit that these numbers indicate scary possibilities. Is the school failing because it has been inadvertently re-segregated by state policies that seem to be bias toward whites and the middle class? Since the days of “separate but equal” it has become all too clear that separate inherently meant, unequal. I hope that in this case, to carefully ensure that Carver/Century has not been discriminated against, the board will consider an intellectual solution rather than a fiscal solution.
I also hope that the fact of this being the only school in a small community affects your decision greatly. The closing of Woodham was discussed at length in comparison with this closure, but the next closest school to Woodham was not 14 miles away, and Woodham was not the only school that represented the members of that community.
I will admit that I believe that Century could do more to prove to the county and the school board that Carver/Century K-8 is important to us, but didn’t we elect our representatives to serve our interests?
Well I think Bratt is a great school. I may not be a room mom, but I still stay involved with my child’s school and enjoy it. And I do volunteer when I can, and believe me they always need volunteers!
Good Comments, a. nicole.
stop playing the racial card…that is getting old. the truth is that the north end of the county has always been treated like the step child (even when i was in school over 10 years ago)…regardless of color. to the people in century: keep up the fight for what you believe it and for what is best for you children and for some of you-stop using the racial card…people are sick of it…it isn’t about color, it is about children!
also, i hate to hear the comments about bratt elementary and not allowing parents to come to the classroom…that is sad. what a terrible reputation for such a wonderful school. parents keep fighting for what what you believe in and keep taking interest in the lives of your children. children need supportive parents.
O.k. I have to respond to several of the remarks made about Bratt. I am one of those room-moms that everyone keeps talking about. I am also very involved in other aspects of the school, that have nothing to do with me being a room-mother! I have asked my teachers to find other room-moms to help, but no one volunteers. I know several classes have multiple room-parents, so it is not just one parent that gets to participate. I know for a fact that PTA is always looking for reliable volunteers. There are so many activities where volunteers are desperately needed. I also know 100% that dad’s are MORE than welcome. My husband has been up there numerous times and has always been treated with extreme respect. The PTA and school both wish more dad’s would get involved, especially with things like Fall Festival, etc. but we are understanding to the fact that most dad’s are working and are unable to volunteer. I take real offense to the “dad” comment, since I know that with some events (Fall Fest, etc.) dad’s are desperately needed. Every year Bratt has a volunteer orientation and EVERYONE is invited and welcome to come. During that meeting the PTA and school go over how you can be involved. There are letters asking for volunteers during Fall Fest., Book Fair, Cookie Dough, etc. There are guidelines that you must pass to volunteer, but those are for the safety of all of our children! I hope that if the school’s merge we get many wonderful volunteers…. and I hope all of these negative comments are over-looked by those willing to help out.
Why hasn’t anyone approached the state leader’s about the state lottery? If I remember, back when they were pushing the lottery it was going to solve all of Florida’s educational money problems…yet we don’t have money for our schools to stay open? I hope Alabama takes note as they discuss AGAIN bringing gambling there….maybe we should start with removing all the places in Century that sell lotto tickets…yeah…thats not gonna happen…but how much do you think they (state lottery) make off of not only Century people buying tickets but people from AL crossing the line into Century to buy tickets…P.S. I AM AGAINST THE LOTTERY,,,but all we were told it would put money into our educational system…We are still waiting….
My comment does not speak to this school issue directly, but has much to do with an environment that is filled with defeat. What I have written is in no way out of meaness or hate, but out of a heart that loves people and loves to see them succeed. Please Mr. and Ms. Minority and Children, consider the following, and ask God to help you renew your mind:
Has anyone noticed that the majority of the minority make life difficult for the minority of the minority? When I worked in the Century area, a black friend and co-worker agreed with me. She told me she did not “stay” anywhere, but “lived” at such and such an address. “Stay” indicates a temporary arrangement, like “shacking up” for example.
While working in Century, I personally heard two teenage girls discussing how many babies they needed to birth in order to get a big enough check to live on. Think of the impact such things have on those who work hard for a living, many, after having applied themselves in extra schooling. Many borrow and have to work to pay off the loans for a trade school or college. Then, that one that worked so hard has to pay higher taxes to support those who believe they are entitled to a hand out. These beliefs are passed on from generation to generation. Wake up! This is not fair.
In regard to things that are supposed to help minorities, I want to point out something to the minorities that they might not have ever considered, and that
is-what affirmative action is really saying. The way I look at it, affirmative action is not a good or helpful thing. It is saying, “We will make an exception for you in the work place, because otherwise, you will never make it. You are either too stupid, or too lazy to make it on your own.” Not only is that not true or fair, it is an insult to the person. The color of ones skin, or their place socially in the community, has nothing to do with a persons potential. Always thinking of yourself as needing a hand out is not a helpful thing. It is what keeps one in bondage, and lines the pockets of those who tell you lies to win votes, power, and money.
Please! Please! Quit defeating your own selves with this kind of mentality. This is what makes others not want to be around you……….not your color or social standing. Please wake up. It may already be too late. You may think you have it made now, but I have valid reason to believe that what is coming on this country, is not what most have in mind. May God have Mercy on us all.
Nikki I agree with you 100%!! I feel for the parents of elementary children who are now a part of their child’s education at Carver Century because just like you said once their child (or children) get to Bratt they can forget it. I could not have said it any better myself…you hit the nail on the head! If you aren’t a room mother you cannot participate in any classroom function with your child. I have two that have been there for a total of six years and I have NEVER been allowed to attend any of their class parties because I’m not a room mother. And this is the last year one of my kids is there. Oh, and dads, you can forget it too because apparently the principal at Bratt doesn’t realize some dads want to be involved with their children. Any note that comes home asking for help with anything is ALWAYS addressed to “moms”. As you said, if you could truly get a survey done and get ALL of them into the hands of those who could make a difference, they might just be surprised at what parents think about the principal. I laugh every year when they send that survey home to find out what parents think about Bratt. I know mine gets thrown away because it doesn’t have favorable remarks toward the principal.
I agree that Mr. Garthwaite should have her job…at least he seems to care about the children at his school and not run it like a dictatorship! I know he welcomes BOTH the mother AND the father to come to his school and be a part of their kids education.
Oh, and yes, she’s also told me she knows what’s best for my children too. Don’t think so….
Good luck Century parents with being involved once your K-5 children are put at Bratt. I don’t believe you’ll have any problems what-so-ever at EW or NHS when it comes to being involved with your kid’s education, just be forewarned what obstacles you’ll be up against trying to be involved at Bratt.
P.S. This comment is NOT a reflection of the other staff at Bratt…once you get past the prinicpal the teachers and other staff members are great.
Why do you want to save something that is already dead? Carver had plenty of time to fix their rating yet they are an F (failure). Rejoice in the fact that now your precious bundles of joy will now be receiving a quality education under the watchful eye of mrs. Perry , of whom I have the highest respect . They WILL now learn instead of running crazy all day and wasting county taxpayer money. You will in time see that this was in fact good for your town as your kids will be educated productive citizens instead of statistics at the facility on Tedder RD.
If this is an issue about money then why not close one of the middle schools in Pensacola. I am a white parent and no i dont have kids that go to Carver anymore they are at northview but i understand why so many parents are upset. its not a black or white issue, my concern is the ride time these rids are going to have to endure on buses, this means the kids are going to be so tired by the end of the day they arent going to want to do there homework,they are going to get aggitated with each other and end with the bus drives haveing to stop on the side of the road to deal with it. Why cant they just close one of the Pensacola middle schools. And ther is no why that all these kids can go to Bratt and Ernest ward so who decides who gets shiped off to pensacola. Carver is a verly new school, think about all the money wasted there. Closing Carver is not the answer.
I currently attend Northview High school and I am in the 10th grade and in my two years of being here I have never ever ever ever ever ever seen signs that say “Nig**rs go home. We don’t need you here.” Other students in my classes say that they have never seen this sign/s either. I think I school invites everyone to our school no matter your color or condition.
I do not think this issue is about race but about money and the absence of knowledege brought to the table by our school board officals. These officals have probley not sat in a classroom, as a student, in a long time. In about 1996 when I was in 3rd grade, I moved elementary schools. I had to take special toutoring sessions and stay after school alot due to being behind the other school. In these rough economical times it is easy to be blinded by the cost of things but as Mr. Jack Moran said “We cannot save a dollar at the expense of a childs life or future.
Northview High Administration would never allow racial signs to be put up, and if they found any sign they would not stop until disciplinary action was swiftly acted on and dealt with to the full extent allowed. To play the racial card is wrong! It seems that whenever something occurs in the North End that people do not like they throw in a racial card. To put down Ernest Ward and Bratt is not justified by calling the Principals uncaring. If the schools are so bad why are they scoring at the top? Get real!! The running of the overall school district is a business. Yes students are the primary focus but if you are operating at a deficit you are taking money away from other programs that can funded for the students. Saving jobs is important, but providing a quality education is the priority. We are never going to fully agree with people and their agendas that we feel hurts the community. Remember also that we have taken away money from the schools when the vote to reduce or do away some property taxes was taken. We cry education, but take away money from it.
I think the real reason the School Board is closing Carver/Century is because they don’t want any schools in neighborhoods that are predominately black, point-blank. They will never own up to it, but I gaurantee that’s the true reason. GOD knows the real motive behind this move. First, they shut down G. W. Carver, then Century High, and now they are ready to make their final move by closing Carver/Century, and they will have accomplished their goal. What we need to do is have a neighborhood prayer vigil and do some serious praying, because everyone seems to be forgetting that GOD is still in charge. GOD is still in the business of anwsering prayers, he will have Mr. Thomas wondering what happened. He says “where two or more are gathered in his name, he will be in the midst’. Don’t you all still believe in GOD? Well then what are we waiting for. Let’s pick one of our neighhood churches, hit our knees and ask GOD to intervene. Let’s show the School Board what GOD can do! WE may not be able to have prayer in the schools, but we sure can have prayer about our school.
See quote from article–Lillian Robertson…said that the district had set the school up for failure. When Byrneville opened, we had white flight,” she said.
I am so tired of seeing Byrneville Elementary dragged into this debate. Byrneville Elementary was going to be closed by the school district. Some very hard-working and motivated parents did the work necessary to keep the school open as a charter school. The work was difficult, tedious, and took the better part of a year but those parents were diligent and attentive to detail. They attended workshops, filled out reams of paperwork, and complied with every request for information in a timely manner from the school district. Their hard work was rewarded by approval for their charter school. The main purpose of the charter school was to keep our neighborhood school open for the students whose families had attended there for (literally) generations. Fast-foward to today: Families whose members have attended Century Elementary for decades are now faced with their school being closed by the school district. Again, those families want to preserve the memories and traditions that go along with their community school. The question is: Where are the parents of students at Century Elementary who will do the work to keep open the school they love?
Many people are upset because they don’t want their children going to Bratt or Ernest Ward because they don’t accept black kids. That is totally wrong. I went to Bratt, Ernest Ward and Northview and never witnessed any racially offensive signs or anything of the sort. The biggest thing that happened when I was at NHS was Redneck Day–which was also meant in NO way to become an issue of race.
I also wonder what the parents of Carver/Century students are planning to do when their students enter high school. Guess what–they’ll go to Northview (unless parents take them somewhere else). You know who will be there? All of the kids they would’ve gone to school with at Bratt and EWMS. A positive side to this closure–the kids will have more time to become friends–but only if they allow themselves to look past the Century/Ernest Ward barrier. They’ll be with each other in high school anyway and this will give them more time to get to know each other. Yes, it will be more difficult for the students of the first classes of the merge but I believe in the coming years it will become easier for those kids to transition.
I honestly hope that, whatever the decision may be, we will be able to see the positive aspects of it.
They want to stay in Century where they can be treated like poor black people. They dont’ want to be in Walnut Hill where they will be treated like people. I agree who is racist?
It sounds like to me that there are a lot of folks who are racist in Century. I went to Northview and I have never seen a sign that was a racial slur of anykind. Why would people deny their a public education just because the school isn’t in Century. If there are racial problems in North Escambia it seems from what was said last night that Century is a big instigator… Moreover, it the school board had already made its mind up they would not have held the meeting, AND have it in Century, if the meeting was in Pensacola, not nearly as many supporters would have shown up to voice thier opinions and “outrage.”
Who’s being racist here? I don’t see Ernest Ward parents lining up to say they don’t Century kids because they are black. But I see Century parents lining up to say they don’t want the kids at Ernest ward with the white kids.
So tell me who is racist?
I don’t want black kids at ernest ward. I don’t want white kids there either. I want to see kids. Color does not matter. Stop actng like you should be treated special because you are black. Grow up and realize that color does not matter at E.W.M.S. This is about education, not color.
Sounds to me like racism is a two way street when they say “We can’t do this Bratt thing…this Walnut Hill thing.” and some of the other comments. Sounds like the blacks think Ernest Ward is full of the KKK. The principal runs a tight ship, She is as color blind as they come. She cares about every black white and a indian kid like they were her own. Her daddy raised her that way. They are just afraid of the rules at Ernest Ward. Send them on. They will be welcome if they come over and act like kids. If they come over here and act like “we are black and we can’t do the Ernest Ward thing and we should be treated special because we are poor black kids”, they are doomed.
Have these parents actually been to Ernest Ward? Yes, it is very old. But it’s not the horrible place they make it out to be.
It is not going to be featured in an interior decoring magazine anytime soon. It looks old. But it is safe, structurally sound, having made it through Ivan and Dennis will little or no damage. 10 year old Northview was nearly trashed by the same storms. We don’t close the White House because it is old. We use it to its potential. The new buildings at Carver generated an F. The 1945 school at Ernest Ward generated an A. But they say the new building is so important. I think not. It is what you do inside the building that counts.
These parents are in for a rude awakening when they get to Bratt. They won’t need transportation to get to teh school. They won’t be welcome and it is not be cause they are black.
The principal at Bratt won’t let parents in. Try to go to a class event or party. No way. Parents just are not welcome. Just room moms that kiss up to her. Other moms and dads are not allowed. Most school events are closed to parents.
She will tell you how to raise your kids. She is smarter than you when it comes to parenting, and she will tell you how dumb you are.
If a note comes home from school about something, it comes home the day before, not two weeks ago when she knew about the event.
She controls the PTA, and the PTA money. She tried to block the school’s new playground the PTA paid for .
Somebody should do a survey of the parents where they can mail it back and see what the parents really think. The survey that you do and send back to school every year is not fair. The opportunity exists for the Bratt adminstration to throw it away.
The Bratt prncipal rules in dictator fashion. Mr. Garithwaite from Carver needs her job.
We are now realizing that as taxpayers, we have not required our elected officials to manage education and the financing of education responsibly or wisdom. We thought they would use common sense. Now they want to continue the farce at a price to be paid in children. One key official said “A dollar saved is a job saved” Education is not about saving jobs, it is about saving children – I would add that we cannot save a dollar at the expense of a child’s life or future.
“America is about the debate of ideas – politics is about controlling and limiting that debate to the advantage of one idea, excluding all others.” Now I can sit down.