MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A room full of concerned parents and community leaders came to hear what Superintendent Dorsey Hopson had to say Thursday about their kids falling through the cracks.
Hopson didn’t deny the problems Shelby County Schools faces, but he pointed the finger right back at parents.
“Shame on Memphis for allowing these schools to get in these conditions,” Hopson said. “Not just the schools, but the communities, too.”
There was no sugar coating at the Frayser Exchange Club meeting. Parents say Shelby County Schools has to do something. Hopson insists they are and says literacy statistics will be a main measure.
“What happens is you learn to read, until you get to third grade. Then you read to learn beyond that,” he said.
Right now, only one-third of SCS third-graders can read at the expected level. Hopson says without a stronger pre-k system, the kids will continue to struggle.
DeAndre Brown works with adults trying to turn their lives around though Lifeline to Success. He says kids can’t be the only focus.
“We are focusing on children, but children follow orders from their parents, so the parent must see the value in their children’s education,” Brown said.
Hopson says an engaged community ensures all kids success. The head of Frayser Community Schools says he gets parents on board with a team mentality.
Bobby White said, “The buy-in for our parents is them buying into our vision, accepting the rules and expectations we have.”
Hopson says the focus going forward is hiring the right teachers to change these kids lives, not just pass them along.
“Because of the condition of some of these schools, you don’t need nice foot soldiers, you need Navy SEALs!” he said.
