No Investment, No Return

Saggers:

When Terry Houston took over as Principal at Roosevelt, he put an immediate emphasis on appearance. “It is not an issue of trying to dress and look ‘white’”, says Houston. “It is a matter of making it in this world. I want every one of our graduates to go to college, join the military or go to trade school. We have too many (of our students) ending up working at McDonalds.”



Roosevelt Principal Terry Houston

Houston’s view on student dress code issues is grounded in a pragmatic view. “I want our kids to dress with pride and with an eye on success. How you look matters. Nobody is going to hire a gang banger if they have any other choice. No investment, no return. Our job is to prepare these kids for life. Prepare them to take care of their families. Live up to their responsibilities as a father or a mother, a husband or a wife, a son or a daughter. You are not going get the good jobs or get into the good colleges with your pants down showing your rear end.”

 

Read more about Houston and the rebirth of a city school, go to www.davealmany.com  and click on Riding the Storm Out.