Posted on April 11 at 9:03 p.m.

I feel I must comment on Mr. Sbboyo's comments on Mr. Hobbs' commentary. I couldn't agree with Mr. Sbboyo more. Furthermore let me add a few more details.

Mr. Hobbs states: "Select any criteria for measuring student performance — test scores, countywide competitions, graduation rates, state accreditation reviews, surveys of stakeholders, or college acceptance rates — and you will see that this school excels." (test scores: San Marcos is second, has been as low as third, and has never been first in the district; graduation rates are nearly identical for the three high schools; state accreditation reviews are identical--all three high schools received the same term of accreditation; surveys of stakeholders: worthless, as most stakeholders are true to their own schools; and college acceptance rates: again, not too different than the other schools). Again, all three high schools can make the same claims, and two don't use the block schedule. This is hardly "excelling." It's more like "regression towards the mean." Mr. Hobbs shouldn't be using evidence that puts his school on an equal footing, he should be using evidence that puts his school above the other two. How about National Merit Scholar semi-finalists? San Marcos consistently has less than half of Dos Pueblos. The reason he doesn't have use better evidence because there is no evidence that his school's system is better.

Here is another point. When San Marcos won the restructuring grant to implement the block schedule in 1994, the district said that if it proved to be better, the other two high schools would switch to it. After 12 years of its existence, San Marcos was third out of the three high schools in student achievement. Hardly a rousing success. If you noticed, the district has not switched the other two high schools to the block system.

The reason why people like Jack Hobbs defend the system is because the teachers like it. Get one of them alone, give them a drink, and they'll tell you the truth--they don't have to work as hard.

San Marcos loses more students to Dos Pueblos and Santa Barbara than they receive back from those schools. I hear that many students leave because of the block system.

Full disclosure: I am a Santa Barbara High teacher who was present when we competed against San Marcos for the restructuring grant of 1994. We lost. Maybe this is all sour grapes. Maybe there is truth to what I'm saying.

On The Academic Focus Block Schedule

Posted on September 13 at 8:24 p.m.

I'm a teacher at Santa Barbara High. If this guy says he wants to restore the school to being a family, he's off to the world's worst start. As one of my colleagues said: "The honeymoon lasted about two hours." And what's this coy answer about how long he will be here? He has been just as evasive when questioned by teachers about his commitment to the long term at SBHS. His own administrative staff is feuding amongst themselves in reaction to his arrival. The teachers are openly hostile towards him. The SB School District picked another winner. The guy will drive another hundred Montecito parents to enroll their kids at DP.

On Going to the Principal’s Office