Parker: New TCHS won’t fix all Trenton’s education woes
Bob from Villa Park in Trenton stepped forward at the Trenton Transit Center to make this announcement.
“Wait until Trenton High gets finished. It’s going to big. Beautiful. It’s going to be something else,” he said.
For a moment, Bob sounded more like Phineas Taylor “P.T.” Barnum, James Anthony Bailey or President Donald Trump.
By the way, Barnum produced singularly a “Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome”, which included a museum of freaks.
Barnum receives credit for “There’s a sucker born every minute” although biographer Arthur H. Saxon found no supporting evidence. Instead, history shows the phrase originated with gamblers and confidence men.
Any person espousing Trenton Central High School as the education panacea for this city should have headed off with Barnum & Bailey the last time that circus act showed at whatever name the Trenton arena holds now.
This $155 million new Trenton High means nothing if children show up without reading skills, a desire for knowledge and a supporting cast whether that’s one parent, two parents or a dog that promises not to eat their homework.
Building a successful education system requires pyramid thinking, meaning construction of a solid base before heading off toward pinnacles of higher learning.
Trenton needs better elementary schools, plus, an emphasis on pre-kindergarten learning. Women and families should receive immediate care as soon as a doctor or home pregnancy test delivers confirmation of an impending birth.
First, that mother and child will receive all the medical care necessary to produce a healthy child. Trenton has some structural child support organizations in place. Let’s bring them all under one umbrella instead of fighting for grant money.
Yes, several executive director positions will be lost but our decisions must always place child welfare first.
Entry into high school demands that students own social skills that gives freedom for teaching. A common complaint in elementary classrooms involves young students with bad behavior.
Also, successful education demands that schools higher quality people to lead. Allegations that Nelson Ribon, a former acting superintendent of schools moved to an administration position, sold knockoff Trenton High shirts for profit, represents a deplorable act.
A guy makes more than $150,000 annually but needs $10 or $15 per Tshirt more? What an embarrassment. To think that this guy served as interim superintendent makes my stomach hurt.
The District must hire quality people who have at heart the best interests of children. This idea that skin color should decide who’s leading our schools remains a ginormous fallacy.
It’s time to focus on early childhood education or else that big, bright, shiny new high school will have minimal impact.
No silver bullets exist for building high performing education systems. If you believe that this new Trenton Central High School saves the city’s education system then give me a minute.
Sucker.