By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

EVANSTON - Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Alton Frailey challenged a group of about a 100 people at a community forum Wednesday to start working together to help improve the school district.

"This culture of contention doesn't help our children," he said.

His comments came after several contentious questions during an event hosted by the advocacy group Cincinnati Parents for Public Schools.

The forum at Walnut Hills High School in Evanston let parents and community members question the superintendent about his first year on the job. He talked about his goals and the changes he has made in the 41,000-student school district, rated in academic emergency by the state.

Frailey spoke for more than 15 minutes before taking questions to dispel what he called "rumor" and "innuendo" about some of his initiatives, including his plan to create a districtwide curriculum.

Some parents expressed concerns about the fate of magnet schools or specialty programs like Montessori schools, which some believe are being abandoned.

"We have a lot of schools doing very well at educating children," said Bill Gordon, a Fairview German Bilingual School parent. "I think we can't use the same approach across the district."

Parents of Walnut Hills High School students wanted to know why students who fail classes are being allowed to stay in that rigorous program.

"Why are you keeping kids in a school that is not a good fit for them?" asked parent Lorri Simon.

Frailey stressed his support of Montessori and other magnet programs, as well the tough program at Walnut Hills.

"Nowhere have I said that it is my intent to ruin anything that is working," Frailey said. He added that he's open to parents' concerns and ideas, but he doesn't want to resort to failing students out of schools like Walnut Hills High before trying to help them improve.

"I have not watered down the curriculum," he said. "I just want more students raised up and pushed over that same bar."

Frailey said a districtwide curriculum would ensure that every school is aligned with state-mandated standards.

Creating a districtwide curriculum would not hamper teachers' creativity, he said.

"Whatever they want to do that is above and beyond (the state standards), I'm all for it," he said.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer .com