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Ross says mayoral takeover of schools isn’t needed
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Laurent Ross, 52, is one of five candidates running for Board of Education president. Three of his children graduated from D.C. public schools.
A fourth is a senior at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School. Ross lives in Petworth and works for a mutual fund company that directs D.C.’s college saving plan. He graduated in 1976 from American University with a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies.
Where did you go to school?
I attended public schools in the Philadelphia area.
Describe your past school experience and why you want to be Board of Education president.
I have watched the system spiral downward as this city has foregone investing in our children, and instead, put its money into a brand-new baseball stadium and tax cuts for our wealthiest citizens. I want to reverse this death spiral and get our schools back on track.
Is a mayoral takeover of D.C. Public Schools a necessity?
No. I would challenge Adrian Fenty to come up with a detailed critique of Dr. Janey’s Master Education Plan and Master Facility Plan. If he can do that, and demonstrate that a mayoral takeover is the only way to resolve his criticisms of these plans; then I will support his proposal.
Is DCPS too bogged down by bureaucracy, as some critics have said?
My critique of the DCPS bureaucracy is that it isn’t customer-friendly.
DCPS just doesn’t seem to listen when parents, teachers and students have complaints. Dr. Janey needs to hire someone whose sole responsibility will be to make DCPS better managed.
Some people say Superintendent Clifford Janey is not working fast enough to improve schools. What do you say?
I think Dr. Janey has done a great job, at least on the educational front. He has produced a Master Education Plan and a Master Facilities Plan to lead us forward. Neither of these documents is perfect. But they are certainly both headed in the right direction. My biggest complaint with Dr. Janey is with his communications skills.
I’d give Dr. Janey an “A” for his educational work, a “C+” for management and an “F” for communication skills.
The $2.3 billion Master Facilities Plan would close several old schools — is this necessary?
We have a system that is equipped to handle 150,000 students.
But we only have 55,000 students. Any rational administrator would realize that we must close schools.
What we mustn’t do is give those properties away. Some day, we may want to have those facilities back.
– Courtney Mabeus
