There Is That Word "Arrogance" Again

In today's Tribune, we find this:

Parents Get Crash Course In Hubris 101

At the very end of the editorial, there is the word that I use a lot when I talk about the HCPS:

"They say it takes a village to raise a child. Apparently in Hillsborough, a few arrogant administrators will suffice."

I wonder if the editors will get a visit like Mr. Otto did here:
"Administrators Need Love, Too, I Suppose"

Oh To Be A Fly On The Wall

Dallas school district's corruption investigators keeping busy


Rumour mills grind out the stories as consistently as ever flowing water keeps a mill turning.

The article says this operation is saving the school system lots of money.

One should read the article closely to ascertain who has the final decision to move forward on findings by the investigative group.

Image More Important Than Substance?

This article may hold information that is common to our public school education systems. For those who believe that the main goal of the system is to maintain an image of competence at the cost of achieving competence, this article fits the template.

Two teachers with apparent laudable backgrounds appear to be trying to improve their system. It appears they have the necessary experience to comprehend what changes were needed that would be beneficial.

For their efforts, they are banned.

"Traube said the district isn’t interested in public constructive criticism.

“I think its obvious what they want is a very cooperative relationship between anyone representing teachers,” he said. “They don’t want anyone to be adversarial in this district”.


"Chester, who is retired from a career in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has taught for seven years. Last year, children at one of the schools she was banned from nominated her for teacher of the year, she said. She also volunteered to start a penmanship club at one of the schools."

"Teaching is what she loves, Chester said. But, she said, “I would like the cloud of fear that people who work for this district are under to go away.”"

This is not the first time I have heard of a "cloud of fear" within a public school system.


Banned substitutes still speaking out against school district : Lee County : Naples Daily News

This Dot may be Huge if it is truly connected

While reading a story that appeared to be about the misstep of a Band Director, Texting Puts Teacher In Bind , I also read the comments.

If one reads this and follows the connections, it says a lot. First there is an allegation about a band director's ex-wife had an affair with the husband of a school board member who was having an affair with an administrator.

A more direct comment about the story is that apparently the "complaining parent" against the Band Director is also a "teacher". And the teacher/parent wants something.

This is just too much if it is true. Education just has to take a back seat to this story. And to think that decisions are made in the best interest of our children and our teachers.

This one stands out like a Dot of a solar ray:

Posted by ( cshultz110 ) on November 22, 2007 at 1:06 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

luvpercussion

You are completely correct! God forbid the truth come out. It is all politics, just ask Jenifer Felairo and Mark Hart (Opps, I forgot that affair was covered up . . . I am sooo sorry!) he, he Amazing how he just "left".

Folks, I have been in this district for 11 years and know for a fact that it IS a good ole' boys system. Lots of corruption and politics. To give you an idea (and yes, this is first hand knowledge), I was a band director and took a leave of absence last year after my now ex-wife had an affair with a promonent school board members now ex-husband. (Yes, they were both cheating on each other. See previously mentioned) After getting my act back together and returning from my leave, I was shocked to find that no principal would hire me. Not because of my performance, but because nobody wanted to touch the situation since it delt directly with a school board member and the politics it would involve. That is our school board folks!!! I can't wait for Mr. S to be obsolved of this accusations. Shame on the parent who is a teacher trying to play the system to get what they want. That should be the real headline: "How a teacher uses politics to ruin anothers career and how the school board helps them to do it."

Threats and Promises or abuse of Power by the School Boards?

I really hate it when kids are manipulated by authority figures (parents or any one else) with what I call "The Empty Threats and Promises Regimen". It is a path to having a messed up kid. The authority figure should teach that their words mean something. When authority figures threaten a consequence or promise a consequence (negative or positive) and do not follow through, they are teaching kids to disrespect authority.

It happens all the time, everyday. Kids never know when the authority figure "really means it" because the threat or promise is seldom honored.

Then we have authority figures who expect kids to simply respect authority "because I said so". For kids who have been taught correctly that "because I said so" means something, it works. For kids who have been taught that "because I said so" usually doesn't mean anything, it doesn't work.

To be clear, we should all practice to say what we mean and mean what we say, especially with our kids. The more we practice, the less chance we will make empty threats or promises. And, when it comes to our kids, if and when we write a check we can't cash, we should acknowledge to the kid we made a wrong decision and restate it. Doesn't mean the kid gets away with it. It's not like in court where the kid gets off on a technicality. But to just throw parental power around abusively does not teach respect for authority.

Having said all of that, I wonder what the intent of the below School Board's action of threatening to file suit on the blogger was. An Empty Threat or a Promise.


One can follow the links on this blog that provides the original charge by the District for the blogger to remove certain items.

The blogger decided to retain legal council and fight.

The Supt. dropped the cause, not because of the blogger's response, but for the children of the District.

www.gisdwatch.com

My read-everyday blogger is emphatic about "EDUCATING YOUNG STUDENTS IS NOT A BUSINESS!"

We share an angst about our public education system. We view it from different perspectives.

I am particularly impressed by this post: Courage Needs Fear by Definition

There are two points that, when put together, I have a question about.

"It is appropriate to describe what goes on at an individual school if it is relevant to the public (taxpayers). It should not concern the taxpayer which school one is describing in particular, but only that a problem exists that needs to be addressed. Those involved know what school is having which problem."

"We must have reasonable faith that those in administration we disagree with are acting according to their best beliefs of how things should be."

I have watched many Board meetings and had years of experience in both describing individual issues and grappling with trying to have reasonable faith in administrators.


Through blogging and other on-line media, I now see evidence of teachers who are trying to expose problems that effect their ability to perform their job as educators. I see teachers using research based articles and references to support their positions.

Time for an allegory

Having watched the HCDS (or is it SDHC) Board meeting today, I will attempt to create an allegory using the newer Board members and advocating parents of special education students in the public schools.

Both sets are given a set of rules when they first start. Both sets trust that they will be dealt with honestly. Both sets take their time to anaylze what happens, and overlook things that don't seem right as they try to learn their way.

When conditions reach the point that the situation is perceived as wrong, both sets start to act on their emotions. They try to make sense of things. They use logic and try to bring in information. They act on a field of what they think is common sense. It is at this point when both sets start to learn the hard facts about how the system really works and how customs and laws effect the course of events. These customs and laws come out as they are needed.

Each set starts to see that their lack of knowledge is used against them. Each set starts to learn the rules, but they are far behind in understanding how they work and also knowing how to make them work. For special ed parents it starts with their procedural safeguards summary, which a lot of professionals do not understand, then leads to a need for full comprehension of IDEA.

I heard things said by Board members tonight that were aptly labled "under the radar". As a parent, I have heard those types of comments in many settings. I "am not a trained educator". I "have too much emotion involved to know what is best for my son". I "need to trust the professional's that have been doing this a long time". (ask me sometime about the SPELLING WORD LISTS or the computer screen that no one could use).

Another comment I heard tonight jogged my memory. Years ago, I was in a long meeting with several high ranking district people. One of them, after hours of discussion, made the statement "If you don't trust us, then we don't need to be talking". In hind sight, I should have got up and left. The issues at hand were real. Trust was secondary to the issues that were being hammered out. But it was used as "power tool" to place me in a subserviant position. It's like making your kid tell you they love you when they are mad at you. If the District had done the right things instead of what was proven to be wrong, we wouldn't be where we were. To say things like that in a setting like that is an abuse of the relationship.

I know that it takes a lot of resources for a parent to continue to advocate for a special ed kid when things go wrong. The system is a good trainer for those who are willing to learn from it. And those who learn will be very strong in the end. Both parents and Board members.