Patricia Knowles Elementary

"Its not the teachers... Its not the faculty... It's the superintendent who allowed Knowles Elementary to be a beacon for low standards and expectations. Why, because when you decide to bring all the troubled, economically disadvantaged kids (AND THEIR ABSENTEE PARENTS)to one school, you walk in feeling like you are in another country and not the one you grew up in. And that is what you get.... Low, very low, parent involvement. The poor PTA can barely afford to do anything for the school b/c they can't fund raise from a school population with more than 51% getting free breakfast lunch and dinner. You think they have an extra $30-50 a semester to buy t-shirts or fancy bags? And those same parents are also the ones working 2-3 jobs to make ends meet or maybe not at all- so do you really think they will come to the school to play games after school or exercise during the few school functions that are put on a year. No. I saw the same 15-20 families out of a school of what, 700? Which made me wonder where these people live because we are surrounded, literally surrounded by neighborhoods so you'd think folks would just walk over for the fun nights organized. Nope...that's because they bus in kids from who knows where on the furthest part of the maps that make no sense unless you follow the money (Crystal Falls... I am talking to you). When you follow the money you see the borders for what they are....segregation folks... yep in 2015. Put the poor kids altogether, yea, they wont feel bad being around kids with nicer things and 2 parent families... and yea, they all cant speak English, put them all together so we can have all the resources on one campus together and make great strides.... and yea, put all the poor kids together because now we can collect that good ol TITLE ONE money and spend spend spend and still get no further w/ scores and parental involvement. Great ideas. The district is sneaky though... they have packaged this as a dual language school now but my kid hasn't been taught a lick of Spanish, so I am guessing only some of the kids get the benefit of learning a second language and mine doesn't. That's so nice. ... Don't get me wrong- the faculty and staff bust their butts to make a difference in these kids lives but they are up against a huge battle to get the parents to step up and be involved and up against a corrupt superintendent who is comfortable with this separate but equal situation he has created at Knowles. For my family, the decision was easy... we are outta here. It's just easier to move to a new home w/ a better school. And sadly more people like me will make that decision and all that will be left is what is now the majority at Knowles. .... not that anyone cares or even sees a problem with it ... because it's not PC to say what really is going on at Knowles... we are just told to accept it and package it up as a good thing. It's not folks. Wake up!"

"Its not the teachers... Its not the faculty... It's the superintendent who allowed Knowles Elementary to be a beacon for low standards and expectations. Why, because when you decide to bring all the troubled, economically disadvantaged kids (AND THEIR ABSENTEE PARENTS)to one school, you walk in feeling like you are in another country and not the one you grew up in. And that is what you get.... Low, very low, parent involvement. The poor PTA can barely afford to do anything for the school b/c they can't fund raise from a school population with more than 51% getting free breakfast lunch and dinner. You think they have an extra $30-50 a semester to buy t-shirts or fancy bags? And those same parents are also the ones working 2-3 jobs to make ends meet or maybe not at all- so do you really think they will come to the school to play games after school or exercise during the few school functions that are put on a year. No. I saw the same 15-20 families out of a school of what, 700? Which made me wonder where these people live because we are surrounded, literally surrounded by neighborhoods so you'd think folks would just walk over for the fun nights organized. Nope...that's because they bus in kids from who knows where on the furthest part of the maps that make no sense unless you follow the money (Crystal Falls... I am talking to you). When you follow the money you see the borders for what they are....segregation folks... yep in 2015. Put the poor kids altogether, yea, they wont feel bad being around kids with nicer things and 2 parent families... and yea, they all cant speak English, put them all together so we can have all the resources on one campus together and make great strides.... and yea, put all the poor kids together because now we can collect that good ol TITLE ONE money and spend spend spend and still get no further w/ scores and parental involvement. Great ideas. The district is sneaky though... they have packaged this as a dual language school now but my kid hasn't been taught a lick of Spanish, so I am guessing only some of the kids get the benefit of learning a second language and mine doesn't. That's so nice. ... Don't get me wrong- the faculty and staff bust their butts to make a difference in these kids lives but they are up against a huge battle to get the parents to step up and be involved and up against a corrupt superintendent who is comfortable with this separate but equal situation he has created at Knowles. For my family, the decision was easy... we are outta here. It's just easier to move to a new home w/ a better school. And sadly more people like me will make that decision and all that will be left is what is now the majority at Knowles. .... not that anyone cares or even sees a problem with it ... because it's not PC to say what really is going on at Knowles... we are just told to accept it and package it up as a good thing. It's not folks. Wake up!"