Who knew? "The school system is a pain in the ass."

page 17, 151 3/12/2008 4:36:32 PM


Text messages that you can't make up.



This person was an employee of a public school system and she commanded all of the authority invested into any employee of a public school system. She was considered "a professional educator".

I am quite familar with broad brush attacks. I have been accused many times of making them. It is a double edged sword.

Recently, within "misinformation, anger and ugliness on blogs and at meetings", there have been comments made such as the following:

Posted by ( aquestiontoponder ) on 12/09/2008 at 08:59 pm.

Yet ANOTHER case of a bunch of meddling, soccer moms and dads trying to tell a professional educator how to run a school when most of them can't run their household without the help of ritalin, adderol or some other "magic pill".It's too bad that the district knuckled under to these busy-bodies and forced a veterans educator to "transfer".Here's something else to consider...Who in there right mind would WANT to work at this school???

Posted by ( miamicanes33511 ) on 12/10/2008 at 07:02 am.

Public schools are such a mess. Parents feel they are better trained than the people who actually have the expertise like Elia and Smith. Schools in other counties (Pinellas) are being closed. There are plenty of public, charter, private and christian schools within a five mile radius of that school. These are typically the same parents that also complain about the bussing situation at the beginning of each school year and every other problem in the public schools throughout the year. Public schools are like a Walmart, designed to be accessible by the masses, poor and rich, whatever. If you want Dillards service and brands, you gotta pay the price. This is a further waste of tax money. What if the parents don't like the new principal? Certainly, the new principal will bring in some of their own teachers from their previous school. Are the parents going to blame the new principal for the new personnel changes? If you don't like a school, move your kids to a different school.

Posted by ( dadof2 ) on 12/10/2008 at 09:10 am.

I can only hope that Ellyn Smith gets a big fat promotion and raise in her new position but where ever she goes she will stay until retirement. How much fun she will have knowing that the loud mouth bandits, oh I mean concerned parents and tax payers will be paying her retirement for the rest of her life along with her husbands!

Posted by ( wth1000 ) on 12/10/2008 at 11:31 pm.

Now I understand the thinking, I've been converted. I forgot, we're dealing with ADHD children. For the uninformed, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. You know, that "disorder" that never gets press. That would be were small children get no attention (i.e. butt whipping) as preschoolers so that they know how to respect authority and when to sit down and shut up and keep your hands to yourself. Then the ADHD parents get all offended when someone actually has the audacity to expect common, decent behavior out of their poor, disabled child. These (not all) Alafia parents are a bunch of idiots and will complain about every principal. Mrs. Smith's predecesor had similar problems, but these sweet, supportive parents won't tell you that. Truly, no one wins in this situation. Mrs. Smith's reputation is ruined in Hillsborough County and the internet forever and Alafia Elementary looks like it is filled with fools. FYI ... 275 parents is not a majority, silent or screaming fools.

Posted by ( ILMC ) on 12/11/2008 at 06:26 pm.

HA! 275! There are over 650 students at that school-- not a majority at all, whether are not there are single or two-parent families. Plus, both husbands, wives, grandparents, and people who don't even have children at the school signed the petition. Do you think we are idiots? And the emergency PTA meeting? You people wasted your money on postcards to send to my house and solicit from me. Don't act like you don't have other ways to get the word out. The meeting wasn't posted on your blog! Who checks the PTA website these days anyways? We are all too busy looking for what scandal is coming up next on the blogspot. If you REALLY wanted people to come, you would have put it there as well. Also, if you saw how few parents, teachers, and children actually wore red to school the other day, you would know you are in the minority. But again, facts hasn't been this group's strong suit. For those who think, Mrs. Smith didn't do follow the children who left campus, you are wrong. 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. You all won't see any other side to this if it hit you in the face. While most of us who have remained silent are willing to admit fault where it is due, we are also willing to be rational and respectable. Skills that have been lost on most of those still complaining."

Sounds like the professional's have a serious task of moving forward since there seems to be a lot of people who "can't be held accountable for what they said", none of which apparently "helped to establish a better environment for the kids."

Interesting. What is different now than last spring, when this debacle first started to air itself?