Thompson: Turnarounds Dealing With The Angry 2 Percent

#sig One unambiguous benefit of  the turnaround process is that it brings reporters into urban schools.  For instance, the Las Vegas Sun will be intensively covering five turnarounds. The new principal, David Wilson, started the series with a commentary, "Laying Down the Law to Change Culture."  He plans to ban electronic devices, because, "when you have kids who are used to aimlessly texting and taking calls at will, walking into class with ear buds at will, listening to music and ignoring teachers, instruction suffers."  The principal plans to enforce the tardy policy and put an end to students "just walking the hallways aimlessly."  Wilson said that 80% will go along with the changes.  Another 20% will push back.  The angry 2% and their parents will loudly protest. The principal's estimates, as well as his policies, sound great to me.  But if school systems across urban America had been willing to deal with the 2%, we would never have gotten into such a mess. If our schools had always been full of reporters, perhaps teachers would have been allowed to teach, and we would not need mass firings.- JT (@drjohnthompson)Image via.