The Noble Charter Network in Chicago joined KIPP in renouncing its defining embrace of a “no excuses” approach to discipline, reported National Public Radio Chicago affiliate WBEZ.
Noble comprises 17 high schools across Chicago enrolling about 13,000 students, more than 10 percent of the city’s high school students, reported WBEZ. The network is a favorite of city philanthropists, raising $9.4 million last year alone from, among others, Bruce Rauner, former governor of Illinois, and Penny Pritzker, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
The renunciation of “no excuses” came in the form of a letter to alumni, reported WBEZ:
“Chicago’s largest charter school network sent a letter to alumni this week admitting that its past discipline and promotion policies were racist and apologizing for them. The apology is notable not just as an acknowledgment of misguided policies, but as a repudiation of the ‘no-excuses’ philosophy adopted by many charter schools during the 2000s.
“For years, Noble Charter Network had an ultra-strict approach in which students, for example, got demerits for small offenses, such as not wearing a belt, not following a teacher with their eyes and failing to sit up straight or wear black dress shoes. After a certain number of demerits, students had to pay for behavior classes. If they continued to get demerits, they could be forced to repeat a grade, which led many to transfer out.
“The email calls the discipline and promotion policies ‘assimilationist, patriarchal, white supremacist and anti-black,’ according to the email sent to alumni on Monday. ‘We were disguising punishment as accountability and high expectations. We did not fulfill our mission to ALL students,’ the email continues.
“The letter set off a firestorm among former students, some of whom feel vindicated and others who say they think it was disingenuous. Some alumni point out the email did not explain what changes have been made, offer any type of reparations or ask for their feedback. Instead, the email includes a survey about whether they would want to participate in alumni events.”
As reported below on July 7, 2020, Richard Barth, CEO of KIPP, issued a statement on the organization’s Web site on July 1 that the “no excuses” charter network would be retiring its motto, “Work hard. Be nice.”
Barth wrote about the motto, which has defined KIPP since its founding in 1994: “it ignores the significant effort required to dismantle systemic racism, places value on being compliant and submissive, supports the illusion of meritocracy, and does not align with our vision of students being free to create the future they want.”
The statement came on the heels of a letter by Dave Levin, co-founder of KIPP, addressed to KIPP alumni and posted several days earlier on the organization’s Web site.
“This letter is long overdue,” wrote Levin. “Over the years, many of you from all different KIPP schools and regions have talked with me about your reflections on your KIPP experiences. About all the ways KIPP did and did not meet your needs.... It shouldn’t have taken the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and countless others; another wave of violence against Black people; nor the pain of Black and Latinx students, alumni, colleagues and friends for me to write to all of you.”