Over on the Tampa Tribune link found here:
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as always, the public comments provide plenty of learning opportunities for the education community, which includes the public and the public school system.
Below is an example of the "when and how" things go wrong, and then the "how" that things can be fixed.
Here is when and how it started:
Posted by ( ILMC ) on 12/11/2008 at 06:26 pm.
"............ For those of you who say it is inappropriate not to allow a child to have medication in their classroom, take it up with the school board not Mrs. Smith. It is a district policy. You people talk so much garbage and don't even have all the facts of straight, it makes me sick..........."
What do you think? Is ILMC a voice of authority?
Here is how things can be fixed:
Posted by ( yipyap ) on 12/12/2008 at 07:46 pm.
"..........2008-2009 Hillsborough County Student Handbook: Inhaler UseAsthmatic students whose parent and physician provide their approval to the school principal may carry a metered dose inhaler on their person while in school.Epinephrine UseA student who has experienced or is at risk for life-threatening allergic reactions may carry an epinephrine auto-injector and self-administer epinephrine by auto-injector while in school, participating in school-sponsored activities, or in transit to or from school or school-sponsored activities if the school has been provided with parental and physician authorization."
I don't have a student handbook, but if I were in this mix, I would make sure I read it for myself.
Let's see how ILMC responds. If yipyap is right, will ILMC concede the truth?
Posts
9 comments:
ILMC may be Ashley Smith. He is about as classy as his wife.
Based on previous comments, I believe he/she is a a school employee, most likely a teacher.
If I am correct, then the district needs to do a better job of communicating procedures to staff. Children with chronic illnesses deserve better.
Richard -
This is a belated "thank you" from a grateful Alafia parent. Your continued coverage of the plight of Alafia's parents during our battle to remove our failed principal was nothing short of inspirational for us. It rejuvenated our sometimes sagging spirits to hear from you that we were succeeding where others had failed, especially when that acknowledgment came from someone who has fought similar battles himself.
I'm still not sure what our magic elixir was - other than unrelenting determination and an awareness that the fight had to be made bigger than our little corner of the world. You helped us immensely with the latter, and we are extaordinarily thankful.
I suspect ILMC is someone in the school's front office (or possibly the vocal spouse of a front office staffer).
In any event, as was almost always the case, Mrs. Smith was wrong in her policy assertions and children suffered for her failures. That's been life at Alafia for over three years. Thank God she can do no more harm!
To anon 1:31:
Thanks for the thank you. I do what I can.
The fact that the Alafia gang did a lot in writing, and requested records, may have boosted your position more than you may realize.
You are correct that this is more than just your "little corner of the world". Dealing with the "madness" of the system was what, and may continue to be, made dealing with the individual people involved difficult.
I said once before there was one person involved in this that I have a long history of reason to respect. Suffice it to say that everyone can be a victim of the system, no matter which way it goes.
One part of the madness of the system I haven't figured out is how the spouse of a principal can be so involved in the principal's position. From the very first time Marilyn Brown wrote about it in the Tribune, it just seemed odd. Above and beyond the alledged personal relationships, I would think it is very difficult for the natural employee/supervisor process to work itself out under those circumstances.
Which brings me to my last point. You have identified that it is more than "just you", and the Alafia gang carried a banner that they were "about the system", along with other banners, figuratively speaking. What most of the District people don't understand and just can't seem to process is that people can engage in issues that are above and beyond personal ones.
If you look at all of the people I have written about that have fought against the system, they were all fighting a cause bigger than just for them.
I forgot to state the obvious:
It was played out in the public arena. The District deplores that.
They are begging for good PR, and they just don't see the opportunities they have.
Maybe I should have chose "abhors".
wth
"chosen"
Today (12/16) is apparently the day Alafia learns who its new principal will be. There's a special 9:00 a.m. School Board meeting. Let's hope Elia's natural inclination toward vindictiveness doesn't carry over to today's appointment. All we know for sure is that it's to be an "administrative transfer."
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