As I re-read my post from the day before, I must have really had a bad day. I try to read between the lines when it comes to the ways of the District, and now I see it clear as a bell.
If nothing else, the District is usually entrenched in the chain of command. And "they" are very, very protective of their "site-based" commanders, be it Area Director's, Principals or Teachers, each within their own realm.
Yesterday, or maybe it was the day before, Ms. Faliero made a comment over on the Alafia blog. This fact in itself should be notable. But I just re-read it and bam- here is the meat of the comment:
"Mrs. Elia has asked me to support her most recent decision and to give her a chance to address the many concerns you have raised. She will give her recommendation by December 20. What is unusual is that the Superintendent is involved at this level. The Area Director is the direct Supervisor for principals in a given area. The next in line would be Assistant Superintendent for Administration Lewis Brinson. Both are highly qualified, successful staff members. I have worked with both individuals and consider them to be two of the best administrators in our district. As I have said before, this is an unprecedented situation."
I knew I knew it before:
Click Here:
Public Education - Politics, Business and Education: Parents Critical Of Alafia Elementary Principal - Part Two On This Blog:
"I happen to know one of the key players in this arena. I am not divulging who it is nor which side they are on. I do respect this person, so I am interested in the outcome."
Yes folks, there something different about this Alafia Debacle. What is different is that systemic issues are being exposed.
Posts
8 comments:
Why is it that the folks at Alafia censor their blog? I have left 3 posts, none of which appear on their site. I haven't used any obscenities, haven't threatened anybody, or done anything I would think is inappropriate. I want Smith gone as much as everybody else, but this kind of censorship is wrong. I understand that they can do what they like, it is their blog, but tainting the posts is misleading and they have lost serious credibility in my book.
I haven't posted anything there, so I don't know what kind of system they use.
Do public comments have to be cleared by the blog administrator?
They do need to be approved, hence why they do not appear. Apparently if you are not in 100% agreement with what the blog administrator wants to display, your comments don't get posted.
I am sure some of "them" might read what ever is written here.
Let it rip.
I am only one that reads the Alafia blog and hears comments on campus...the blog got very nasty for awhile, attacking people and they seem to try to take the attacks out to keep more credibility. But whatever - it's still a good source of information.
LOL Let it rip. You asked for it ...
I wanted to convey my frustration by the "Gator Gang". Why haven't the parents in the PTA all resigned? Why haven't the volunteers stopped volunteering? If the PTA became non existent and the number of volunteer hours sharply declined these items would have an immediate impact on the school and would draw further attention. Imagine no "Ginger Bread" shop this year. Imagine no more fundraisers. I for one will no longer support the PTA, and I will no longer volunteer, not even for the Great American Teach In that I have participated in for the past 4 years.
My other question is where are the teachers in all of this? We have heard from the parents, but the teachers have remained silent. They need to start pulling their weight as well.
Re anon 8:03:
It sounds like you are suggesting something like "the battered wife syndrome".
In other words, the wife (PTA) keeps things going for the "good of the kids", despite the unhealthy relationship between the "wife" and the "spouse" (school system).
You, on the other hand, seem to not have any desire to maintain the co-dependence and are willing to withdraw completely from the relationship as an honest sign of discontent and rejection of the compromises needed to maintain the current status.
A lot of "moms" feel like they will be harshly judged because of the actions of their "spouse". It happens all of the time.
Interesting point, if I got it right. Maybe they will read it.
As far as teachers commenting, "they" have their own link "j". It has been a while since one of "them" posted, but "they" did have some pithy comments.
There is such a plethora of information on that blog, it is hard to track each thread. I don't know how else it could be done since one line of comments apparently became unwieldly and lost focus.
Less than 48 hours until showtime.
The teachers are in a very difficult place. This is our job, our career, our livlihood.
We have been told by Elia, as she referred to the SEAT report, that we share in the blame of the demise of Alafia. We have much too say, but must guard how we present it. The most important piece of information I can relay is, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, YOU MUST ASK FOR AND READ THE TEACHER INTERVIEWS TAKEN DURING THE SEAT process!! The real truth will be revealed.
The information you will read in the interviews have not been shared with the school board, in fact, I dare say some board members may not even realize these exist. Did anyone tell you? It is VITAL to your understanding of how serious the situation is at Alafia that you read them before December 9th!!! Teachers were given the opportunity to tell all and voice concerns in what was supposed to be a safe and secure environment. Teachers told of events on campus that had never been shared before.
After you read the interviews, I doubt you will be able to stand behind Mrs. Elia's plan to leave Mrs. Smith at Alafia. Is it true that the 16 person assessment team voted to have Mrs. Smith removed from Alafia? Please ask this at the Dec. 9 board meeting! Who altered this decision? Why pay for the expensive SEAT process, if you are not going to abide by their decision.
We now know that Jack Lamb's daughter was on the assessment team. This was either very poor judgement on the SEAT leader's part or it was an attempt to plant somebody on the team with ties to Mrs. Smith. In either case, it wasn't a smooth move. It is common knowledge that her father, school board member Jack Lamb, is an extremely close friend of the Smith's. Jack Lamb needs to excuse himself from anything pertaining to Alafia.
It has been said by many, that Elia is afraid to set a precedent of appearing to remove dysfunctional administrators at the request of "some parents" who broke loose and had the nerve to speak at an Oct. board meeting concerning what we have ALL been living with for the last 3 years!
They felt they had been left no choice. One can only stomach so many meetings with Sikes, Otero and others at ROSSAC and the Alafia campus. These dedicated parents met with the "higher ups" over and over again beginning early Spring of 08. Sikes and Elia were very aware of an event on campus Nov. 07 that would have led to the firing of anyone in the "real world". Teachers from Alafia called Ken Otero last Spring, at his request following a parent meeting. Our phone calls seem to irritate him, he took no interest in our problems at Alafia and there was no follow up. The county would have continued to hold these parent meetings FOREVER, with no real effort to solve any problems. It felt as though the county was just playing a game.
It is time to be accountable to the taxpayers and voters of Hillsborough County. But even more important, you must be accountable to our CHILDREN. I am very sad to report that I continue to witness distressing situations occuring at Alafia that put students in harm's way. I was hopeful that we would see real change, but that has not happened in the least.
A real leader would be able to say, "I've changed my mind, this does not appear to be the right remedy for Alafia"; without worrying about setting a precedent for another school in the future. Only a weak person makes decisions out of fear for what might occur in the future. Deal with future problems WHEN they occur. Many eyes are watching how this is handled, not because other faculties and parent groups are ready to uprise, but because it is SO evident that you are making decisions based on something other than WHAT IS BEST FOR THE STUDENT.
When I make a decision in my classroom, I always ask myself, WHAT IS BEST FOR MY STUDENTS. Isn't that what everyone of us in education should do each day?
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