11 Responses to “community forum tonight at Armstrong”

1. posted by Prescott at October 23, 2008 5:55 pm :
   

   I have a deeper concern with the school system. If you were to do a poll with all of the teachers, principals and students, they will tell you that the Central Administration personal never visits the schools to see what is going on. I have been involved in the school system and never once heard of the superintendent or members of the cabinet coming into the schools and seeing what is going on. I have even been on the board and we invited the superintendent and she never responded to our request. On the other side, city council, mayors are always saying what the schools needs and they are never in the schools. I know we are always on the teachers and principals, but what are our leaders that run things doing to assist our schools.

2. posted by john_m at October 24, 2008 6:52 am :
   

   Community vows to lend support to Armstrong High School (10/24/08)

   After an hour of speeches, choir performances and computer presentations by school officials, mayoral candidate Del. Dwight Clinton Jones opened the public comment part of the night by pledging to join the school’s Citizen Advisory Group.

   For the next hour, dozens of people took turns at the microphone, intoning on the need for more parental involvement and ways the community can pitch in. One man used his two minutes of floor time to argue that eliminating the death penalty would help solve the school’s problems.

   While the forum appeared light on solutions, moderator Sylvester Turner, the director of the Hope in the Cities program, called it a success.

   “Sometimes people have to dump stuff that’s heavy on their hearts,” he said. “Then you can work on more substantive issues.”

   Standing with a stack of completed Promise forms, Roseboro said he was happy with the turnout at the forum. “It had persons stepping up and wanting to get involved.”

   Jones, during his brief appearance, pledged his involvement.

   So, too, did Kevin Chung, pastor at the Tabernacle of Praise.

   After decrying the lack of male leadership in society, he said he would personally mentor 10 Armstrong students.

   “And not just any 10,” he said. “Send me your 10 most difficult males.”

3. posted by Just144ice at October 26, 2008 1:04 am :
   

   How did this issue go from 168 comments to only 2? Wasn’t the turnout overwhelming? What issues were brought up? What was the resolution? What got glossed over? Were any administrators held accountable? C’mon citizen media.

4. posted by Jennifer C. at October 26, 2008 9:53 am :
   

   It didn’t. All the comments are under the “Art Burton calls for action” thread (see link #2 in brackets above).

5. posted by gray at October 26, 2008 12:11 pm :
   

   Did the Superintendent attend this forum? Which SB members were present? By definition the Superintendent is responsible for everything that occurs in the public schools citywide. Check out the duties of SB members, post #4 http://chpn.net/news/2008/10/21/a-last-round-of-politicking/ .

   What would be the first specific action to take to stop the violence and gang activity and make it where those scared students wanting to learn can return?

6. posted by cagitate at October 26, 2008 5:42 pm :
   

   Re:post #3-
   You’re on to something. I suspect a lot of laptop bitching doesn’t turn into actual community action. I hope I’m wrong, but my guess is that few of those who commented on “Art Burton calls for action.” made it to this forum.

   Please tell me I’m wrong and give us an update!

7. posted by tiny at October 26, 2008 9:06 pm :
   

   I was really disappointed with the principle’s statement. He claimed there are no gangs, which is absolutely untrue.

   We have to clean up the neighborhood. This Saturday at my son’s football game at Oakwood, the game was broken up by a shooting. These warring gangs of teens of destroying our neighborhood. Nothing can change until we acknowledge that there are there, they do exist, and we need to stop any more children from following that path.

8. posted by gray at October 26, 2008 10:48 pm :
   

   Yet again the way RPS handles problems, act like they don’t exist. So much for building trust in the schools.

9. posted by tiny at October 26, 2008 11:08 pm :
   

   The game was between Chimborazo (Church Hill) and Powahatan (Fulton). The rivalry between the gangs in these two neighborhoods is well-known. Ask the police. The kids that were involved were 15 - 19 years old.

10. posted by Concern Voter at October 27, 2008 4:44 pm :
    

    Question for anyone who attended the community forum at Armstrong , did I hear Councilwomen Robinson say that Richmond poverty rate was so high that people had no other chose but to committee crime to survive ?

11. posted by Concerned sister at October 29, 2008 4:15 pm :
    

    You know I am outraged. I have 2 brothers attending Armstrong. They unfortunately left the county and returned to Richmond due to economic status. I teach in the county but I am very familiar with Richmond. I taught briefly in Richmond and Henrico.

    We need to put the pressure on the school board to assist administrators in cleaning up the situation. Some students just need to “go” until alternative programs can be developed. The school board needs to stop sitting back allowing the troublemakers to wreak havoc in the schools. Someone needs to take a stand. I am fed up. As a result, I have made the decision to remove my brothers from the school before next school year and send them to the county where I now teach because I have tremendous support!

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