Why was the Edison Plan Ineffective?

From WikEd

Why was the Edison Plan Ineffective?

Perhaps, it was ineffective because the Chief conflict was such a powerful, pervasive force among many in the CU community, including those in the school district, that otherwise reasonable people had convinced themselves that “honoring the Chief�? was so extremely important that the “only one�? casualty, Wayne’s feelings, was a small price to pay in this battle to retain what’s ours. In fact, “honoring the Chief�? appears to have been so intense an activity that it shifted in status among many students, teachers and administers from “something I want to do�? to “something that I’m obligated to do - He is my Chief and I will retain him at all costs".

In addition, there seem to have been several forces at work in the Edison Middle school during this time. An analysis of the Champaign Board of Education meeting minutes from fall semester 1999 until the summer of 2001 indicates that the Wayne Crue bullying situation was not a topic of discussion a single time. Perhaps, the matter was discussed in closed sessions but it was not an announced topic. It appears that the issue was left on Superintendent Cain's desk and not considered to be a matter of policy being overseen by the board.

However, there appeared to have been a different school climate at the Edison school than at other schools in the district, during the time period from January 2000 – June 2001, roughly three semesters. The Board of Education meeting minutes during that time showed an unusual pattern of student suspensions or reassignments. It appears to have been the Board's policy to review, in closed session, all recommended suspensions from the building principals. After the closed sessions, the decision of the Board was recorded in the minutes. Anyway, during that three-semester period, there was one elementary school suspension, eight high school suspensions, and 29 middle school suspensions (from 3 middle schools). Of those middle school suspensions, 17 were from the Edison Middle School. So, 59% of the middle school suspensions were from Edison, and 45% of the total district suspensions were from Edison. Clearly something different was happening at Edison during those three semesters. An outsider has to wonder about the leadership, faculty morale, and management policies that were (or were not) in place at that school. Nonetheless, Wayne’s bullies were flourishing in that environment.

It appears, that Wayne was simply bowled over by dedicated professional educators whose actions were often driven by an allegiance to a local, social movement – an allegiance that put their actions in direct opposition to the social, cultural and educational needs of “only one�? of their students. They acted like racist bullies. And, when racist bullies are administering the policies designed to curb racist bullying, ineffectiveness is built into the system.