访谈录 2010-02-25&2010-02-28 罗德岛学生成绩差，老师

How many times have you heard somebody say, usually in anger, they should just go in there and fire everybody? Well, that's exactly what they did in Rhode Island in a chronically¹ underperforming high school, where everyone just got a lesson in being held accountable. The story from there tonight from NBC's Mark Taibbi.

“Steve De Leo, Frank De Vol…”

It was a roll call unlike any other. The names of more than 80 teachers plus the administrative² staff of Central Falls High School learning their fate in this highly charged setting.

“Excuse me, this is a business meeting.”

All of them to be fired when the school year ends this spring because of failed negotiations³ on new work rules aimed at improving the school with an abysmal⁴ academic record. Half of the students unable to read, only 7% confident in math, failure the norm.

“I think what's detrimental⁵ is to have a graduation rate that is lower than 50% for year after year after year.”

“This was a decision based on report cards, based on the entire manner in which we run our schools.”

The school board says the firings were the last resort, only chosen because the teachers demanded more pay for changes like additional training and a lengthened⁶ school day. Education Secretary Arne Duncan backed the board's decision saying students only have one chance for an education. But at several rallies, the fired teachers got plenty of support from their students.

“It's really hard to see them hurt like this because we're really a family.”

And several teachers were plainly shocked at the board's decision.

“I've tried to be a very dedicated⁷ teacher, you know, and I just never thought this would be the way it will end.”

But the vote by the board was just one vote short of unanimous. That the best strategy that the state’s worst performing school is not to try and improve it, but to essentially⁸ start again.

Mark Taibbi, NBC news, New York.

 

1 chronically   

ad.长期地

参考例句：

• Similarly, any pigment nevus that is chronically irritated should be excised. 同样，凡是经常受慢性刺激的各种色素痣切勿予以切除。
• People chronically exposed to chlorine develop some degree of tolerance. 人长期接触氯气可以产生某种程度的耐受性。

2 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 abysmal   

adj.无底的，深不可测的，极深的；糟透的，极坏的；完全的

参考例句：

• The film was so abysmal that I fell asleep.电影太糟糕，看得我睡着了。
• There is a historic explanation for the abysmal state of Chinese cuisine in the United States.中餐在美国的糟糕状态可以从历史上找原因。

5 detrimental   

adj.损害的，造成伤害的

参考例句：

• We know that heat treatment is detrimental to milk.我们知道加热对牛奶是不利的。
• He wouldn't accept that smoking was detrimental to health.他不相信吸烟有害健康。

6 lengthened   

（时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The afternoon shadows lengthened. 下午影子渐渐变长了。
• He wanted to have his coat lengthened a bit. 他要把上衣放长一些。

7 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

8 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。