Chicago Tonight's panel of "experts". No teachers allowed.

Just watched Chicago Tonight show on dropout prevention. Shouldn't have eaten first.

The panel, which included CPS' new accountability chief John Barker, must have set the world record for empty, meaningless cliches abut Common Core and data-driven this and new metrics that. Barker was aided in elevating data about freshman-on-track above any and all other issues, by Elaine Allensworth from the Consortium on Chicago School Research.

Accountability Chief Barker

The panel was sailing right along on Phil Ponce's soft-ball questions until a few people in the audience began raising issues of poverty, violence and other outside of school crises. The panel then turned into a gaggle of hand-wringing, head-nodding sympathizers of the poor with nothing responsive to add to the discussion.

The coup de grace came when a staffer from Amundsen High School (how did he get in the building?) asked about budget cuts and when neighborhood schools would finally get the resources they need, ie. for more counselors and smaller classes, to really make a dent in dropout prevention.

No teacher allowed

Barker responded that the system was in a "structural crisis" because of teachers' pensions. Maybe after the pension fund is raided on December 3rd, the problem will be solved and schools will finally be able to afford more data to scrutinize.

Wondering if armed guards were actually stationed around WTTW to make sure no classroom teachers or CTU folks would could sneak in? After all, what would they know about graduating students. and dropout prevention?