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Harry Jaffe: Why I’m voting for Robert Bobb
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Robert Bobb seems to be a lousy candidate for D.C. school board president. He often comes off as gruff and overly serious. I’ve never seen him slap a back or offer a glad hand. Smiles don’t come easily. His trademark veneer of crisp, white shirts, dark suits and cowboy boots can make him hard to approach.
But for me, Bobb is the perfect man at the perfect time to help run our public schools. This is not an endorsement, but here are my five reasons Bobb will get my vote next Tuesday — in one of the most important elections ever for children in D.C.
1. Roots: I am a softy for candidates born in D.C., but the school system is so crippled by nepotism and cronyism that a man from Louisiana would be better than a native. Bobb’s parents never made it past grade school, but they and his grandmother drilled the need to read and learn into their eldest son. His father drove tractor in the sugar cane fields; Bobb was the first to graduate from high school and attend college. Education was his ticket from the salt mines, where he worked summers.
2. Motives: Robert Bobb doesn’t need this job. It pays $16,000 and can consume 40 hours a week. This is not a stepping stone to higher office. It’s not about him. Fixing the schools would be the hardest job of his 34-year career and reap the biggest rewards. To those who see Bobb as a stalking horse for developers who desire school buildings, I say show me the evidence.
3. Experience: Not one person opposing Bobb comes even close to his resume in running city agencies. He has degrees from Grambling and Western Michigan and did a stint at Harvard. He’s been city manager of Kalamazoo, Mich., and Richmond before running Oakland, then D.C. Is he an educator? No, which is good. He did, however, recently complete a 10-month program at the Broad Foundation’s superintendent’s academy.
4. Action: He waded into D.C.’s roughest corners and put cops together with human service agencies to help clean up the streets and help residents. He brokered the hard deals over baseball and health care and youth services. He demanded excellence and fired people who didn’t do their jobs well.
5. Rage: Beneath the cool veneer, Robert Bobb is an angry man. He was lifted from rural poverty by education; it enrages him that D.C. schools deny children that opportunity. Scars of racism still burn. On his way to Grambling, he told me he drove by the ashes of crosses burned by the KKK in Ruston, La. His rage fuels his impatience for change in D.C. schools.
Finally, Robert Bobb is the perfect person to run the schools under the probable Adrian Fenty administration. Whether Fenty decides to take over the schools and wins control, Bobb will be a valuable ally — perhaps chancellor.
If the school board survives, Bobb will be an impatient ally.
Comments from Examiner Readers
7:01 AM MST on Fri., Sep. 5, 2008 re: "Harry Jaffe: At Deal Junior High, ‘It’s The Teacher, Stupid’"
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Examiner Reader said:
I am a successful product of Deal JHS. Nothing could replace the experience I had there. Deal opened my eyes to the WORLD! Good looking out too Mrs. Suarez, you still there..from years back? I wouldn’t be here with out your pushing me to be ME!!!!
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J G G Coolidge "68" said:
Marion Barry has done more singlehandedly to create a Black middle class in Washington DC than any other single individual. As far as MR Jaffe's article is concerned, he does not remember, wasn't in DC OR was not affected, by DC Public Schools being the jobs program for the families of congressional staffers and elected officials while in town. DC had a carpetbagger led education system with not enough graduates of Miner College in leadership positions. Barry had faults, I see many people writing who live in glass houses. His singlemost political fault is not having the political will to mandate DC employees to remain DC residents. Thus they became disconnected with the community and its growth or safety. By the way for another who knows nothing than to complain Barry Farms was the first public project housing in DC built long before Mayor Barry entered DC. The nerve of you media and personal complainers who never did, fought, contributed or sacraficed for DC yet you enjoy and take
135 agree | 114 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"when are we going to get past what Marion Barry did years ago and focus on today?" Pray tell, what has he done besides spend half his time in court for drug use and making headlines about his inability to manage his own finances? He certainly hasn't done anything for his Ward 8 constituency? Any new development has simply been a by product of having water views in his ward. Barry Farms - sonething he put name on - is a symbol for all that is wrong with this city. But say one thing for Barry, he got a good government job that he doesn't have to do anything but collect a check.
163 agree | 139 disagree
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Muckle John said:
For the love of god, why is this slug still holding public office?!
154 agree | 156 disagree
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GAB said:
"when are we going to get past what Marion Barry did years ago and focus on today?" When Marion Barry retires from the city council, and when all the lazy, chair-warming, and corrupt city employees he is responsible for hiring leave.
133 agree | 146 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
well said
149 agree | 120 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
when are we going to get past what Marion Barry did years ago and focus on today?
153 agree | 150 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Not sure why there records were mentioned as that does not mean that they ae guilty. Why did they get so little time? This officer never stated what she said first to get the response from the boys which is the reason why they were no lengthy sentences. Officers need to hold themselves to higher standards. These boys are being targeted because she's not satisfied. On 10/19 she had the entire 7 district outside the boys grandma house just because she thought one of the two boys were outside the house (confirmed by a 7 district captain. Neither was present and as a result an estimated 30 police officers are on this one street when they could have been somewhere else doing nothing. By the way these boys do live with their grandma. Was it convenient to pick these two out of 10 because she knew them. What happened to the other 8?
237 agree | 234 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Imagine that the "GRANDMA" calls to defend these kids, wonder where Mom and Dad are???? It's a matter of time and these kids will be in trouble again. Another kid brought up in a broken home blaming the streets for his decisions. Parents need to get a better grip on these kids.
246 agree | 221 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
why doesn't she just move? get out of a bad neighborhood?
210 agree | 209 disagree
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Mike Licht said:
Is DC Government letting the bike vending corporation use city streets for free, like they let advertising companies use it for bus shelters, or is there DC funding?
239 agree | 243 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Harry Jaffe...here you go again....postulating: "...Our commercial real estate market is still one of the hottest in the country, pushing tax revenues up by 16 percent.." Jaffe...every year [5 years past] this city has had a surplus...starting at 90 million -2002 up to $130 million in 2005...HIGH PROPERTY TAXES!!!!!!! Black Families property taxes where higher than most families homes west Rock Creek Park. Jaffe...you failed to ask or Follow WHAT HAPPEN TO THE DISTRICT TOBACCO SETTLEMENT MONEY.... JAFFE...YOU ARE TALKING SMOKE CIRCLES AND your background is definitely not FINANCE. CALVIN H. GURLEY
274 agree | 264 disagree
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EyesWideOpen said:
To Mayor Fenty: "Keep your promises. Fix the schools, train the jobless, repair the lousy roads and eat more leafy vegetables."
265 agree | 260 disagree
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Erica said:
This is just lovely. On a Monday afternoon it's nice to stop and appreciate Bambi and his still-living mom. I wish we could treat all of nature with this kind of respect.
283 agree | 308 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Ms. D: Although the former superintendent had the support of Mayor Williams, why would the former superintendent need support to get textbooks? That is something superintendents all over the country do each year.
320 agree | 317 disagree
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Elizabeth Davis said:
I don't know whether to regard this story as a 'news' article or merely a propaganda campaigned to trash the outgoing superintendent. It would have been more beneficial for me to know how many schools did not receive books and the list of schools rather than the blatant fingerpointing at an administration that never had the underpinnings and mayoral support that our chancellor is afforded. While I'm happy that the Mayor is so willing to provide Ms. Rhee the support she'll need to improve services to schools and children, it would have been great if Dr. Janey and former DC public school administrations had this same level of support from the Mayor and council. If Ms. Rhee fails to turn the system around in two years, I wonder if she will also get a media lynching by the DC power brokers and the media that serves them.
326 agree | 319 disagree
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Mike Licht said:
>>Re: D.C. students will lack books on opening day - as usual<< Hilda L. Ortiz, DCPS Chief Academic Officer and Gloria L. Benjamin, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction, issued updated Learning Standards for many subjects last week. Have these folks order textbooks NOW. In September, as I understand it, Fairfax County Public School teachers will choose from among county-approved textbooks for the 2008-2009 school year, and books will arrive by June 2008. Why can't DCPS do this?
308 agree | 340 disagree
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