For O'Malley and Alonso, Steele's remarks common ground
Things just have a way of working out sometimes. Like the rift between the governor and Dr. Alonso over O'Malley's proposal to change education funding formulas in a way that would have hurt Baltimore. Since the stimulus has saved the day and the formula proposals are history, the rift was already mending. And now Alonso and O'Malley have common ground: their outrage over Michael Steele's comments about Douglass High on CNN. During Alonso's comments at last night's town hall meeting, he said it's important to remember who your friends are. In other words, O'Malley = friend; Steele = not a friend. O'Malley quoted Frederick Douglass himself: "We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other if we are to succeed."
It also just so happened to work out that O'Malley, a longtime political opponent of Steele, had already planned to host the town hall meeting at Douglass before the RNC chair made his dig. And, the governor had already recruited Verizon as a partner for the school. The company has furnished a new computer lab and is helping to train teachers to use the technology. Steele had promised the school new computers back when he visited in 2006 but did not deliver.
It's worth noting here, as I did in my story today, that Douglass had a double-digit percentage point increase in its graduation rate last year, one of the biggest gains in the city.
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
What is their graduation rate up to, with the increase? 75%? 80%?
From when the Hard Times documentary on HBO, I hope that school has come a long way and is now worthy of bearing the name of an American hero.
Posted by: Smith | March 5, 2009 8:26 AM
It seems to me that Mr. Steele's comments were making the point that the public education system is failing urban youth, primarily black urban youth...It is failing students at Douglass 43% of the time. Douglass is improving and that is great, however, it has a long way to go before we can say it is not failing....Weird that it has started to improve via partnerships with a larger corporation and private university. I thought getting more money from federal and state gov't was how we needed to improve our schools????
Posted by: Joe | March 5, 2009 9:03 AM
Joe,
No one ever said that private money doesn't help. It was a lot more than just a computer lab from Verizon. And who do you think facilitated that partnership - oh yeah O'Malley did.
I mean I know no one wants to give the guy any credit what so ever, but he does get things right from time to time.
The problem with Mr. Steele's comments are he got all blustery and made the rounds, and made promises during the campaign trail and then he promptly disappeared. Thats, fine all politicians do that but then to bring it up again on national TV when he obviously had no idea what was going on here in the City School system - well that is wrong.
Posted by: James from Hampden | March 5, 2009 10:48 AM
Marylanders voted and did not want Michael Steele to represent them. So why should the man stick around where he is not wanted? Dems have been running MD for over 50 years and we have one of the worst educational systems in the country. Period! Change comes from peer pressure, the good kind. Once individuals set sight to those who have made significant strides and they can relate, those same young people take steps to change and start believing in themselves. Change does not come from some Hollywood wannabe Governor who shows up with the cameras to show how he can divvy out the money.
Posted by: DR | March 5, 2009 11:46 AM
I don't care which face, race, or politician did it! Grad rates are on the rise, a lab is in place, and the district has the resources it so sorely needs. If kids are getting what they deserve as citizens of this great country then I don't care who gives it to them. AMEN.
Posted by: Alrighty Then... | March 5, 2009 12:15 PM
Who cares about graduation rate? That does not mean any thing. I taught math at an inner city school where I was told we had to graduate the students who just showed up to class because it does not make teachers look good if every body is failing. SAT scores are what matter. There is no faking SAT scores.
Posted by: Doug Csaszar | March 5, 2009 12:22 PM
Doug.
Actually the SAT is largely being phased out. Tests like the ACT are becoming more popular and the SAT even though it has added a written portion, is largely becoming obsolete.
Graduation rate does account for something.
I mean you can take the SAT multiple times and they take the best three scores (math, written, reading) and that is your "score". So if you can afford to take it multiple times you can fix your score.
The graduation rate increase is a big improvement.
Posted by: James from Hampden | March 5, 2009 2:27 PM