LOCAL EDUCATION ADVOCATE & PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCHER TAKES ON KATY ISD:

Local Education Advocate & Public Policy Researcher Takes on Katy ISD 

By Carson Coots

March 28, 2009

Whether you are examining economics, media, government, or technology, anyone can see that changes are happening at a rapid pace on a global scale.  With our latest fixation on finances and government spending, people are demanding "transparency" and "accountability" at every level.  We have national reporters and widespread support for keeping the national government in check, but what about the local level?

One Katy citizen has taken matters into his own hands. With a blog and a laser-focused passion, George Scott takes on Katy Independent School District to uncover, analyze, publicize and criticize its policies, curriculum, and spending habits using his website, GeorgeScottReports.com.

His blog may be new, but Scott has been on the public policy research scene for a while:

Scott teamed with the president of the Houston Federation of Teachers to come to the aid of beleaguered inner-city African American principal in Houston I.S.D. to protect his work at Wesley Elementary School.

Scott and Houston Federation of Teachers president Gayle Fallon responded to defend principal Thaddeus Lott's campus administration and teachers from wrongful allegations by the Houston I.S.D. administrators that high student performance among the school's at-risk population was due to cheating.

The Houston Chronicle detailed an April 1991 administrative raid on the campus in a story in which Fallon and Scott were featured defending Lott.  It was publicity from this article that attracted the attention of the ABC Prime Time Live news show.

The report is not for the faint of heart.  Chock-full of stinging criticism, call-outs and statements claiming Katy ISD administrators are not doing their jobs properly, Scott's blog takes on standardized test questions, scores, teacher training, local involvement in educational issues, the media, leadership and more.  Often, it's the apathy of media and local leadership that bothers Scott the most.  After reading a few articles, it is clear to anyone that Scott is not in the business of making friends.

"There has been a dramatic deterioration of the academic integrity of the modern classroom particularly in math instruction," Scott said.  "Parents should understand that even their 'good' students are becoming more and more at risk as every academic year passes."

"I have started GeorgeScottReports.com as a service to parents," Scott said.  "If parents find it useful and I gain positive feedback from the effort, I'll keep this going.  If it falls on deaf ears, I won't," Scott said

"I have been at this for a long time.  I have experience and knowledge that I know can help parents confront the overwhelming challenges they face in today's deteriorating public education system," he said.

"There are three great victims of what has become the tragic disintegration of public education:  the students, the teachers, and the taxpayers."

In the Internet age, any motivated person with the right tools can create a media source.  Using in-depth articles as well as video, George Scott wields the information-distributing weapons he needs to accomplish his mission:  obtain open data, memos, reports, and work to "take down the green curtain" in front of the board and its planning programs.

"I have long given up on counting on school board members, high level public school administrators, politicians from both political parties and corporate leaders who enrich their companies with contracts and vendor relationships in the taxpayer supported public trough that has morphed over the past two decades into a new sort of Tammany Hall of American governance."

"Let me say from the outset that if you have a bullet point motivation to protect the academic futures of your children, George Scott Reports will not serve your needs.  If you want to go beyond the bullet points, stay tuned.  George Scott Reports will be my passion.  It is my hope that parents will be well served."

The site is now in its sixth month of reporting.  George Scott is not resting.

"I think that if I can eventually gather some resources that I will be able to accomplish more outside the tent than inside it.  I believe that my knowledge and skills can be used to eventually help others in an educational, non-political way who may want to pursue that position."

"My primary interest right now is helping parents. I established George Scott Reports as a one-year project.  That means that I have objectives I want to accomplish as the next school term begins in the fall of 2009.  The only reason it will continue beyond one year is if I conclude that I have made significant progress towards my objectives."

George is no stranger to publishing.  He has managed and owned his own newspaper.  He is not sitting on his hands now, either.  Last week, Scott ran a paid web banner campaign promoting his website in the Houston Chronicle's Katy section.

The distribution floodgates for locally-focused information are wide-open, yet very few local citizens attempt to motivate, rebuke, defend, or participate in the public conversation online.  To the average person, commentary on training policies, standardized test questions, math curriculum, training performance, or budgets might not be exciting.  But whether you appreciate his efforts or not, one thing is for sure:  George Scott has a purpose...and he will work to defend it at any cost.  That fact alone can urge you to give his site more than just a casual read.  You may be inspired to find your own purpose and start blogging.