McKenna: Of our race-obsessed schools and special populations
By Stephen McKenna | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
The Cherry Creek School Board meeting in April featured a strategic plan update on special populations by Dr. Tony Poole. Those not steeped in the priorities of the school board and Superintendent Chris Smith might think it wise to fixate on “disproportionality” as Dr. Poole does; but that fixation does not seem to be improving proficiency in reading or math, where half the district’s students do not test at grade level. Or much else.
Dr. Poole and his team of seven special populations directors (each paid between $100,000 to $155,000 a year, while teachers make between $58,710 and $119,532) track disproportionality across the district’s special education (SPED) and gifted and talented (GT) programs. Disproportionalities are...