By Casey Barnum
When communities war, to the victor goes the spoils! Given that leverage; the victor goes on to write “His-Story” in their particular favor. In that light, all is fair in Love and War. From this perspective there may be few fairness or honesty found in the historical views offered on how some of our schools have landed into the scope of differentiated accountability. Meanwhile, through grass root accounts you may discover far more geniune stories of the events that have influenced our current positions. Case in point earlier this year I had the occasion to speak with one Attorney A. Wellington Barlow a '79 graduate of Raines.
We spoke on the plight of certain high schools and their challenges overcoming the Florida Comphrehensive Assessment Exam. Given, the subject matter Atty. Barlow’s memory was jarred as he relived a true story of his junior year at Raines. Atty. Barlow, vivdly expressed that anumber of his classmate’s were sufficient in their coursework and held high grade point averages. Atty. Barlow, made mentioned that then a newly developed state assessment was administered during his junior year; and, contrary to the positive results experienced elsewhere; those Raines students overwhelmingly failed this new benchmark.
That state assessment was not deemed mandatory for graduation until 1979. Unfortunately, Atty. Barlow and his fellow classmates failed the same exam during their senior year; again, to their awesome dismay. Now, in its mandatory status those seniors still needing a passing score on this exam were forced to come to school two hours earlier for remedial courses in hopes of passing the retake. To add injury to insult it was found out that the material that the classes of ’78 and ’79 were insufficient on was not provided to them during their ninth grade year as intended. Wow, for this malevolvent act to be inflicted upon benevolvent freshmen may be considered by most as down right, criminal.
Atty. Barlow’s experience by itself is puzzling; but, sadly its not isolated. Little did Atty. Barlow realize that his account correlated with a separate story received a year prior from one Alexis Peterson '99 graduate of Raines. Ms. Peterson conveyed a virtual identical story to Atty. Barlow’s saying that her classmates were too sufficient on all prior federal assessments upleading to their senior year. Yet, in ’99 when the current FCAT was born and first administered that exceptional class of ’99 surprisingly failed it, as well!
The current FCAT became mandatory in 2003 and Raines has failed to make above a mere D ever since. Ms. Peterson’s class represents the daughters and sons of Attorney Barlow’s classmates. But, still some two decades afterwards they both share the exact state assessment horror stories. How can that be? Whatever, happen to appreciation or fulfillment of what our education is projected to be? Which, makes you wonder; has there ever been a Ribault Renaissance? Have we ever derived a Blueprint for our Prosperity? Is the right Map being used in our Jacksonville Journey? Our collective naivety has us incapable of asking either of these questions.
Proof, being we are willingly to accept the scrutiny that we have not done our parts in helping all of our schools succeed. Yet, we tragically fail to scrutinize the very FCAT that has not proved its worthiness in the real world. Our leaders so earnestly profess the FCAT to be that capable barameter. But, we all should know that there is not a college nor university on the Planet that would inquire, “What’s your FCAT score?” So, are we asinine? Are we? Hopefully, not! For our community’s sake a consenus should be derived on the worthiness of posing a perishable state assessment as the optimal barameter of determing any school’s future. Considering the geniune experiences aforementioned; nothing has changed; but, time; so, Who’s Fooling Who? Thank you; and, take care…
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