The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board has moved on to a private conference call with the consultants from PROACT Search, who have 89 applicants for superintendent. After the closed session, which is expected to take two or three hours, the board may release plans for upcoming interviews.
The five-hour public session ended without time for the board to talk about Project LIFT or the "theory of action." Members spent the early afternoon jotting down ideas about what they mean by reform, equity, fairness, effective communictions and hiring a change agent. Most of it was broad and hard to argue over -- things like wanting someone who is open to innovation but willing to keep what works.
"A change agent to me is, 'Do what we're doing and put a brick on the gas pedal,' " Tim Morgan said. "To someone else, it could be, 'We want a 180-degree reversal.' "
Eric Davis said he wants someone with the courage and vision to innovate.
"Is the path that we're on the only path of courage, or are there other courageous paths?" Ericka Ellis-Stewart asked.
***
1 p.m. Some board members say interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh is the one who acted improperly when he emailed them to say two members had caused teachers to feel bullied and belittled during their school visits.
Vice Chairman Mary McCray, a former teacher and head of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators, said if Hattabaugh had concerns about board members' behavior, he should have discussed it with the chair and the members in question, rather than emailing the entire board. "I see it as staff (Hattabaugh) taking on the role to chastise governance," she said.
The rift stems from visits members Richard McElrath and Joyce Waddell made to Project LIFT schools about two weeks ago. They raised questions about the philanthropic effort to improve nine westside schools, about whether the project supports segregated schools and about a recent report from teachers on "hard to staff schools."
Hattabaugh told the board today there's nothing wrong with board members visiting schools, but that faculty at Thomasboro, Allenbrook, Byers and Bruns complained to their supervisors about the way board members had spoken to them. Hattabaugh said those complaints came to him, and he talked to the board members in question. Hattabaugh said he also spoke with Chairman Ericka Ellis-Stewart about the incidents. On March 1, he sent the memo to all board members saying "the behavior reported to me by the staff at Thomasboro was so egregiously unfair to our teachers and staff that I cannot remain silent."
Eric Davis and Tim Morgan defended Hattabaugh's action. "I think what our superintendent did was he defended our staff in the face of his employers," Davis said.
Waddell asked Hattabaugh: "Did you feel you had retaliated because of an earlier incident?" She later referred to "the incident with the deceased principal," an apparent reference to the suicide of Northwest Principal Barry Bowe, whose death came in the midst of a CMS investigation of a security lapse at a school dance. Ellis-Stewart tried to get Waddell to clarify the connection, but she did not.
McElrath said there "may have been something done wrong," but urged the board to focus on training on the proper role for board and staff, rather than rehashing visits most of them weren't part of. "If it means apologizing for anything that may have been done that wasn't intentional, that's fine. Let's move forward," he said.
McCray questioned the notion that board members can be intimidating to faculty: "As a teacher, I know the intimidation factor that's out there. Teachers are not intimidated by board members. We're more intimidated by our principals and the superintendent."
Tom Tate agreed he doesn't know what happened, but said the strong complaints from faculty are cause for concern. "If I had been in a school and that had been the response to my visit, I would have thought that I had done something terribly wrong," Tate said.
Ellis-Stewart said Hattabaugh did not show her the email before sending it to the entire board, and said she might have been able to mitigate some of the problems if he had. Tate said that might be the lesson going forward: If there are concerns about board behavior with staff, any response should be crafted by the superintendent and board chair together.
Mary Kendrick, the facilitator, urged the board to move forward in a way "so that no one is villainized in the process."
***
10:20 a.m. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board is about to tackle some of the toughest issues on their plate and in the community: What do equity and fairness mean to each member? Do they have the same ideas of educational reform and hiring a "change agent" as superintendent? And how can they talk to each other when they disagree?
They're meeting today with Mary Kendrick, the facilitator who led the board's January retreat, to prepare for the superintendent search. High on the agenda: Looping back to some of the questions that brought tension to Tuesday's meeting.
Chairman Ericka Ellis-Stewart said she hopes today's session "continues the business of coming together as a new team," which includes three members elected or appointed after the superintendent search began. Kendrick suggested the board focus on dialogue to help them understand each other, rather than debate to prove their own points.
Tom Tate, the only member with more than two years' experience, said both are essential. "We have to enter into debate at times. ... I think we ought to admit that there are simply times when we want to convince each other that our way, my way, is the way we ought to go."
Joyce Waddell countered that debate becomes "a negative tool when it becomes an argument, rather than an exchange of ideas."
Posts
90 comments:
I guess the Chair thinks the public is too sensitive to release the agenda. And besides, a 48 hour notice is just a "suggestion"?
You want answers?
We want the truth!
You can't handle the truth!
Let LaTarza or Tehearya release a statement. Oh, wait they are waiting for $250,000 of more help and technology trainging. Still waiting to hear about the "Broad Party". Invitations in the mail yet?
On Tuesday night one of the board members said that today's meeting was organized on very short notice, making it difficult for some to attend the entire thing. When exactly was this meeting announced?
What nonsense. Train them to operate as a Board - leadership as to oversight and policy direction, not daily operations. Choose quality staff leaders and let them run the organization. Setting the course for the future is enough work.
What happened here? Did the post that "Sensitivity Training", which mentioned Ericka's not releasing an agenda ahead of time just disappear into thin air? Comments posted are from the Sensitivity Training post, not the current post.
Sorry, I just did a write-through with the new stuff -- figured the agenda wouldn't be interesting once the meeting started.
Wiley, 48 hours is a legal requirement. I didn't call it a suggestion, did I?
This meeting was originally scheduled for last week but postponed because Ericka Ellis-Stewart was invited to the Obama event. Today's session was mentioned at Tuesday night's meeting and was on the CMS meeting list at that time; notice to the media went out Weds, which did meet the requirement.
In less than 10 years our school system has endured the end of forced busing, countless student reassignment changes, school closings, a revolving door of leadership, a recession, endless "new and improved" reform efforts, ever evolving curriculum mandates, the lifting of NC's charter school cap, and a significant increaese in poor, non-English speaking and minority students enrolled in the system.
Do we really need another "change agent"? As far as creating smaller independent school districts in Charlotte? No. I don't think this is a viable option or possibilty at this time. We need a "stability agent".
Ann,
My comment was about Stewart holding back the agenda, not you.
Sorry for the confusion.
The last thing CMS needs are more leadership dog and pony shows as the new and improved national Standard Core Curriculum kicks in next year. Enough. It's time to focus on creating stability, supporting teachers and helping students succeed where they are. That's my theory of action.
I ATTENDED THE SESSION THROUGH THE BREAK.
Subject: Snippet or Nip-it
I learned a lot in the morning session.
One item that struck me as informative and that I’ll try to use in a more constructive manner is that comments from the board during discussions in open meetings are “Snippets” of what is really is happening behind the scenes.
I also learned it is not possible to draw conclusions about what the board is doing from snippet. So I was indirectly told to nip-it in the bud.
The problem is that this new understanding all came from a comment in open session, thus it was a snippet, so I can’t understand it and therefore I can’t nip-it.
Oh, that comment was just in fun and I took no affront. In fact, had the opportunity not been taken I would have been worried.
Bolyn McClung
Pineville
Wiley, 48 hours notice of a meeting is required, but I'm not sure there is a requirement for providing a detailed agenda.
Nip-it.
..and all this time I thought Barney Fife was dead.
Unreal that they would go after the Sup for telling the truth. That will not help their search. More unbelievable that the former teacher union head would not take the side of the teachers.
I'm curious why the principal's at the schools where teachers complained didn't speak up. McCray is correct. Teacher's aren't generally intimidated by BOE members because most think they are idiots although the hard to staff schools may now become even harder to staff but I suppose this is where cheap 22-year-old boot camp teachers come into play.
Step back for a moment.
Look at what is happening now and over the past 4 or 5 months with the BOE and downtown.
...and Gorman is no longer in the picture.
Same ol', same ol'... except Gorman isn't here to kick around.
Imagine that.
This whole thing is going to come down to race, start the countdown now.........
Looks like another "write-through"--this time What do Equity, Reform, and Change Mean has disappeared with comments attached to newest post.
Hmmmmm-regarding the school visits by Richard and Joyce, Richard said "If it means apologizing for anything that may have been done that wasn't intentional, that's fine. Let's move forward,".
So Richard, when do we hear the apology? And how about Joyce?
Anyone who listened to how Richard berated a teacher at the February 28th board meeting would not be surprised to hear that another teacher had been intimidated by him.
Anonymous at 1:05:
It has always been about race to Richard, Erica, Joyce and Mary. They make it about race for their own political gain. The fact that the more well-to-do blacks have put their kids in private schools, home schooling or have moved to other districts--bright flight-- has a great deal to do with the fact that the percentage of poor minorities is increasing. CMS does not reflect the demographics of Meck County, and bright flight will continue. CMS is an "urban" district. Do you know many in the middle and upper middle class eager to enroll their kids in an "urban district>?
My, if only we had seen this during the election!
Who would have knew that covering up was such an important part of being a board member?
I attended as much of the meeting which was directed by Ericka and Mary's friend as I could stomach. For the first hour and a half the facilitator babbled about just about nothing. It was acutally that bad. My time would have been better spent in a classroom reading books to 3rd graders than trying to work with the board. I give up they can fish on their own. My kids are now going to private and I will lobby the county to lower my tax bill since the education piece of it has $0- value. I will also identify with any company in the future that is even considering moving to our county to factor schools into the money request as they are useless today. We paid a facilitator to tell these 8 how to conduct themselves. Then you want the county to increase your budget ? Jump a freaking bridge you fools ! !
Let's not forget about the exchange that occurred between Tim Morgan and Joyce Waddell.
Tim was saying that "in what he heard from Joyce," was that Joyce was questioning the motives of Hattabaugh as to why he sent the entire Board that email (about the "incident" during the school visits by Waddell and McElrath). He went on to say that if so, that bothered him very much.
Joyce, when responding, stated that she asked the question, and he answered... then concluded by stating "I don't know why you keep badgering about it."
Now, after listening to the first hour and 20 minutes of the Board and facilitator "discussing" the merits of "discussion, dialogue and debate," I would have surely thought that Ms. Kendrick would have stopped Joyce right there. But no.
I can only imagine what else has transpired since I had to leave the meeting. All I know for sure, is that it's going to be a LONG afternoon, if the meeting continues on the same path...
I think it is time for a recall election. The hiring of the two chairs' friend as a "facilitator" is absurd. If there a facilitator is to be used, it should be someone totally neutral--someone from outside the state who knows nothing of the political dynamics and agendas. If the district cannot be broken into smaller districts, then perhaps we should call in the state to run this system.
CMS serves no one but the expensive central administration and the egotistical board members.
2:42, I've updated it again. That's just how I do live-blogging. Nothing has changed except the headline; you just have to scroll on down for the older stuff. I didn't bother saving the pre-meeting copy -- who knew anyone would miss a few paragraphs of my deathless prose about the agenda!
I loved your deathless prose...
The elephant in the room is the question of what the root cause is of all of this BOE infighting.
The root cause is the prospect of staff evaluations, promotions and demotions. Bonuses for some, removals for others. That's what Project LIFT involves and that's what Richard, Mary and Joyce (all former teachers) are all worked up about. See this article: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/02/26/3046268/troubled-schools-brace-for-shakeup.html
Project LIFT also is an attempt to reform and make significant improvements to schools that serve minorities. Are Richard, Mary and Joyce against Project LIFT anyway? Absolutely. Insult teachers in the process? Not a problem. As long as it's done in the name of union interests, nothing is out of bounds.
WHAT OPEN MEETING LAW 33C SAYS ABOUT THE AGENDA.
All that is required of the agenda for an open meeting is as follows:
(agendas)”…..sufficiently worded to enable the public to understand what is being deliberated, voted, or acted upon, are available for public inspection at the meeting.”
During my 8 years of service as a Chair of a Zoning Board of Adjustments, I never had an agenda published in advance. A number of cases were appealed, none successfully.
I’m sure if the agenda had been an issue it would have been presented for cause in a Superior Court appeal. One losing attorney before my board was a then current chair of the Mecklenburg County Commissioners. He surely would have caught me on that were advance publication required.
Bolyn McClung
Pineville
Do what we are doing and put a brick on the gas pedal.
What an incredibly ignorant thing to say. Let's ignore teachers and parents and just keep going full speed ahead with something that has been proven not to work.
Oh wait, Morgan said that.
Figures...he never could get it.
Davis and Morgan clearly have lost touch with the community and the teachers. They remind me of Episcopal Church leaders voting for openly gay pastors and then they wonder why their denomination is losing members like a sieve. The brick on the gas pedal is like a brick on the neck of your staff boys. Ask the folks in HR how many teachers are taking early retirement this year. The numbers are way up. Time to redirect things before this district ends up in a serious way. No one will want to work in CMS under more of the same. Take a look in the mirror. Start treating teachers better. Listen to what your community is telling you.
3:13 PM, I have been working with new companies coming to Charlotte the last 13 years. All have included private school tuition packages as part of the relocation but most still move to outside Mecklenburg County. For a couple of years when it looked like CMS might move to real neighborhood schools, the interest waned but picked up once Arthur and company pulled some fast ones with Waddell High, the manipulated zones, and the ignorance of suburb crowding while spending away for empty seats in the "urban" area.
Ann didn't say but I wonder if anyone fed the elephant in the room before going into executive session.
They can throw around words like change, diversity, vision, innovation, etc, but until they publicly acknowledge the 40+ year old elephant in the room, the status quo will remain.
CMS' mission and that of all public school systems is to educate. Nothing more, nothing less. The decades old position of using public education for social engineering must cease immediately.
Until we as a society demand that ALL parents and students come to school to learn with manners and respect, nothing will change.
Until we get off the diversity bandwagon and build up all children by encouraging them and stop defining them by where they live, what ethnicity they are and what their household income is, nothing will change.
Until we stop the games with magnets and charters as they relate to the last point, nothing will change.
Eliminate excuses, simplify and use verifiable data to track progress and demand the Federal government allow school systems to be able accurately assess the needs of all students.
Anon 5:38...
Related to your post.
SMART and SPARK held a meeting the other day to discuss splitting up CMS and making Ballantyne it's own city.
50 people showed up. There are 138,000 students in CMS.
Concerned parents in Union County held a meeting a couple of days ago to discuss school funding cuts with elected representatives.
Union County schools have 40,000 students. 1,000 parents showed up.
To your point, I work with people who live in Union County and also Ft. Mill who drive over an hour each way everyday to avoid living in Charlotte/Mecklenburg County because of the school system.
Wiley, I think different folks have different elephants. Ask a specific question and I'll give you the best answer I can.
Ann,
I was referring to the elephant in general, the elephant that is public education.
I think most of us already know who keeps feeding the status quo, with the exception of maybe one new board member.
Just keep an eye on that elephant. They can charge without notice.
My wife worked and I worked two jobs to get our kids through private schools in Charlotte. The reward, 2 - full college academic scholarships and 1 partial. What's happening in Charlotte is not unusual...Detroit, Atlanta, etc. If the teachers don't run the class rooms all is lost.
Of course they would not talk about the real issues theory of action and lack of direction. I attended and was blown away by Erickas friend the facilitator who did a first grade job with adults. They spoke of the new change agent folks we already have that from the wonderful push study we paid for. The problem now is that CMS has so much blood on its hands that the quality of the new change agent is decreasing and cost is doubling. This is the worst spot to be in when negotiating my kids know this. They have never been to A facilitator. I heard madam chair today speak of our world class reputation ? To what is she speaking of? This board has no theory of action as its not clear and their lack of a a common set of core values is lacking in retrospect. Keith W. Hurley
I don't trust Mary....as an NCAE leader, she misled teacher assistants about salary issues in an attempt to get them to join NCAE instead of the teacher assistant association. I know because CMS folks told me what she had said. Some things never change.
As for what she said about teachers not being concerned about board members...she's obviously speaking for herself. Teachers serve at the pleasure of the board.
CMS Board of Education meeting....local version of Saturday Night Live. It's all one big joke.
agree it has become a complete joke in the community. Could you imagine being on the county commission and these bozo's come too you and say duh ohh arg we need another $27 mill duh ohh arg for what ? Well to pay a super a guaranteed $ 5- 7 mill over 5 years , a few mill for a CIO that can add. Kickin a few bucks for old Hughie boy for leading this ship in the dark of night ( no pun their) and your right up against $27 mill boys. Can you say go fly that kite pally? Even Vilma wont like this one even though she hs to back the fellow black Dems who she supported today at the BOE meeting.
The facilitator they are using worked on Erickas previous non profit challenge programs. Seems both of them are challenged ! Keep your friends out of the inner circle as we the tax payers do not want to line their pockets.
How much is the facilitator being paid?
WC, one of the elephants I see continously is, this talk that teachers do not have high enough expectations of the students and such is why they do no better. But when teachers want to challenge why they can not have high expectations as to discipline, behavior, etc., they are branded racists and dismissed by the parents, adminstration, and community organizers.
Many will say you can tell which schools are run by the students. But actually, they are schools run by the illiterate, uncivilized baby mommas. Principals cowtow to them when any little dispute comes up.
Facilitator payment would be a grand question for madam chair. Since its her pal I am sure she has that number available please email her with the question. Lets say its about what 1 teacher makes annually. How do you feel now as a tax payer. I actually witnessed the whole show today and if I had a dollar in my pocket to throw her it would have been too much. Do send that question to Ericka as our paid leader so you can see the waste our county leaders see and why they will say NO to a CMS increase in budget.
Anon 7:22...
Which is why the whole system needs to be revamped.
Teachers are not the problem and teachers should never, ever be in the process of discipline other than reporting the facts.
Teachers are there to teach and should not have to do anything beyond referring a student to the office who is disrupting the class.
Once at the office, staff should make recommendations based on the offense and stick by them.
Parents and students must understand the days of coddling or looking the other way are over.
The "they suck, break up the system, what a joke" comments really don't help, and the board tunes them out anyway. There are some real problems that need to be addressed and it would be great if people would engage on those. In particular, the Chair is not prepared to lead, and she needs some help, or needs a graceful out so she she step aside and save face in order to still contribute. They also need to DO something. They always argue over petty things when they have nothing of substance to discuss.
CMS really has no choice , but to over pay the next super out of desperation. Nationally our reputation is terrible at best ( thanks Pete) so we are in pay mode. I reccomend hollering over by S. Tryon st to big bro Bobby Morgan for some " cahnge agent dollars". It will come back to you on the rebound brother Bobby no worries. Or you can always take it back out if we name one of yours the new CIO. Were is Timmy Newman anyhow he can put some duct tape on that lack of accountability. Say what CMS does not have Yankee tickets ? Bobby whats that number ? Keep those hands out of the cookie jar and stop putting your crumbs under that carpet. While we are it it now is the time to bring all the rats out of the closet so bring them now so we can start fresh and build it back up. The community will take over the CMS schools in our spare time.
Board ask this pointed question to anyone left from last year. All those 11 schools you closed since they were going to be leased out were is all that revenue? Show me Show me were is that money today folks? I want a annual number and I want he $4.5 million dollars you spent on moving the mobiles off their properties deducted. SHOW ME THE LOOT BOYS.
No question Kojo oh I mean Ericka needs a out ? No question a person who took her kid out of Harding is not a great inspiring leader rather a quitter. One that could not hold a job at the local YMCA is probably over matched as a BOE chair. No question the system faces incredible hurdles and needs answers/ actions. She is not the leader with her raced based agenda being fed to her by Kojo and Arthur Griffin. Its clearly a mess and I predict 2-3 of them will either quit or not run for re-election. I am going to national outlet next week that has approached me for a huge investigation/story so we can rebuild from within.
Politics, Racism and Education will and have never mixed. Go to neighborhood schools and totally separate school districts and 80% of the problems will be gone. Each district should have a 3 member board...simple DO IT!
No question Kojo and Arthur are behind Ericka/Mary. Heck the attorney Battle's dad was behind them in the election. Hands in the cookie jar and foot in the mouth. Ericka's comments about beig ganged up on to the white board members on Tuesday were her true words on folm folks. If that were say previous chair Davis to a minority seat what would the outcome be? The chamber would be full calling for his job. This did not happen ask the question why? just sayin
I've been waiting since 2005 for at least one school board to be able to cleary define and implement a "theory of action". Seems rather apparent my wait will continue. Tim and Eric have been effectively neutered due to their own arrogance and stupidity. Rhonda's on her own and Wesley-Stinson is going to spend half of her short tenure on a learning curve.
Joyce and Richard have shown themselves to be incredibly unprofessional. Stewart would have preferred that Hugh hadn't called them out on this so publicly. Thank God he did or this kind of behavior would probably just get worse. Joyce and Richard should resign.
How those PR folks doing this week? One student dead by suicide at Hough, another student dead crossing road at Garinger, a complete break down at the meeting of BOE on Tuesday, a useless meeting today, Murri left as well (blessing) . So if Iam one of the 89 (I dont beleive) since their are not that many qualified candidates in the nation for the post. I laugh at CMS when they call me back for a 2nd look and un to the ATL.
Joyce and Richard should resign better yet they should be removed. Is that proper YES. Is that a real option or move NO DOUBT. Could you imagnie what the NAACP would pull and march they would hold ? This BOE seat those 2 hold is a nice supplement to their pension $1200 a month. They are going to hold onto that as long as the community allows it too.I agree and called for actual action , but thats to transparent so it wont happen.
Anon 7:44 - you really have no clue. Gorman raised the profile of the district and the CMS Sup job is one of the most attractive in the country because of the district's history of innovation and the fact that it is a nice place to live.
The Morgan bothers don't really talk, so all that intrigue you insinuate is absurd.
And what in the world does Tim Newman have to do with the school board?
Iam sure your world is simpler and more convenient when you are able to invent mass conspiracies, but things are more complex than that. And success will require more hard work than your very amateur and inane analysis
5:39
Define "innovative"? Is CMS better off or worse off than 10 years ago? Explain your reasoning.
6:01
You might want to consider cutting back on your alcohol consumption this evening. Please don't drink and drive.
Has the school board investigated the Barry Bowe incident? With all the forced resignations (including the teacher who won 1.1 million in a lawsuit) the story as reported by CMS seems to be missing important details. Is this what Mrs. Waddell was referring to in the reference to retaliation?
NOTHING will ever change util the Board and CMS administration realize they are not spending THEIR money, but they are spending OUR money. It is a big difference. The waste (facilitators?) has become not only rampant it is a complete lack of common sense.
The only change agent will be the continuance of a mass exodus of qualified educators and independent administrators who know what is right and what is political.God help the teachers left going forward.
@7:22 pm
I took this information from another of Ann's blog posts in January about that original retreat:
Facilitator Mary Kendrick of Greensboro is a West Charlotte High alum. The bio sent by CMS describes her as a "motivational speaker; facilitator; executive coach; anti-racism trainer; and an Inclusion and Respect- Organizational and Leadership Coach, Strategist and Consultant."
"Mary’s Focus and Purpose is to serve as an advocate for human dignity and social justice. She partners with and coaches leaders to achieve greater organizational effectiveness in support of progressive social change," it says.
She's being paid $1,500 for the retreat.
No idea what she got paid for today.
Folks, the situation is that the ivory tower boys, the downtown business boys, and the chamber Charlotte image boys are at the mercy of Kojo and the NAACP. They will bend over backwards to spend even more of the taxpayers money to keep this whole matter fomr blowing up in theri face.
Yes CMS has a national reputation but once again you are looking at a close circle of people engrained in this "groupthink". The only significant effort that will make any difference is hoards of people showing up to every, not just the public hearings, CMS and BOCC meetings, and hold up signs saying anything like, "close CMS", "CMess", "End CMS", "Mecklenburg Charter Schools", etc.
I was at the first meeting Mary was brought in to facilitate. I thought she was doing a pretty good job until she lost control when Tom Tate started spouting off about the suburban schools. His hate filled vitirol of suburban families who have worked hard their whole lives to live the right life, to raise their kids with the right behavior, who volunteer at schools, baseball, soccer, etc. leagues, scout leaders, and run charities out the goodness of their hearts just mimics the class hatred out of Washington.
He needed to be forced out then. Now Richard and Joyce need to be be forced out as well. Clearly Ericka and Mary are out of their league but Kojo will march and burn as much of it as he can.
The "ggod" people have to take this town back.
It's possible McElrath and Waddell could be voted out.
Both won their seats by small margins, with Waddell facing 9 other candidates in her race that split the votes.
Two of those were Plotseneder and Pomis who recently ran at-large.
Unfortunately the district vote is not until November, 2013, so nothing will change between now and then. And even then there's probably not much chance of improvement. After all, District 2 and District 3 first gave us Vilma and George, now Richard and Joyce. District 4 is Meck Acts prime territory, so even if Tom Tate decides not to run again you can speculate who might be waiting in the wings. We are stuck with the at large members until November of 2015! A lot of damage can be done n that amount of time.
Ann, The Elephant in the room is "Race"! More Clearly... Keeping the African-American and impoverished population dependent on the on the Officials that PREACH, "WE(you) are VICTIMS"!
Look at those who voted for the closing of schools (note which schools). Look at the destruction of a successful/vialble program @ Harding HS and the Program for our children with disabilities @ Oakhurst.
Ask the question... WHY are they sabataging successful programsWHY do the Board members NOT want LIFT? Why will they NOT acknowledge that those schools ARE hard to staff (and need help).
I ask WHY are they trying to keep their OWN "folk" down on the farm?
BECAUSE that is HOW they stay in office and gain advancement and prestige!!! On the BACKS of those who drink their KoolAid.
ALL of the BOE and the BOCC are running on the FEARS of their constituants.
I am sick to think that the public is so gullible.
But, more sick to my stomach that elected Pulic SERVANTS would exploit others for their own gain. God help and forgive them.
patso4Teaching--It's not just officials who are preaching the victim mentality. It's the big name preachers/rabbis/"community building" leaders/education activists/etc who are preaching the same thing. "You are oppressed; you need us to help you; we will save you from the evil forces working against you." It's been going on for years--look where it's gotten us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facilitator
There are a variety of definitions for facilitator:
"An individual who enables groups and organizations to work more effectively; to collaborate and achieve synergy. He or she is a 'content neutral' party who by not taking sides or expressing or advocating a point of view during the meeting, can advocate for fair, open, and inclusive procedures to accomplish the group's work" - Doyle
"One who contributes structure and process to interactions so groups are able to function effectively and make high-quality decisions. A helper and enabler whose goal is to support others as they achieve exceptional performance" - Bens
"The facilitator's job is to support everyone to do their best thinking and practice. To do this, the facilitator encourages full participation, promotes mutual understanding and cultivates shared responsibility. By supporting everyone to do their best thinking, a facilitator enables group members to search for inclusive solutions and build sustainable agreements" - Kaner
(1) Mary Kendrick is not 'content neutral.' She graduated from West Charlotte High School.
(2) West Charlotte High School is part of Project LIFT.
(3) Mary Kendrick has worked with Ericka Ellis-Stewart before... therefore, she is not 'content neutral.'
(4) Mary Kendrick exhibited bias in yesterday's meeting, by directing most of the first hour and a half at Tim Morgan and Eric Davis.
(5) Mary Kendrick did not "promote mutual understand" as she allowed Joyce Waddell to tell Tim Morgan that she "didn't understand why he kept badgering about it."
(6) A facilitator is supposed to handle the PROCESS, not the CONTENT.
I was one of the few at the meeting along with Christine Mast and he note above is 110% acccurate. These are the tough questions that need to be "moderated" , but it was a consistent direction towards the ones wanting answers. Mr. Davis and some others in the community (including me ) want to know the "theory Of action" madam chair is enacting. At that point Mr. Davis and any other BOE official can lead to that action plan. Bringing in your pals to moderate a meeting is pointless. Using tax payer money to do that only furthers the TRUST wound in the community. Once the "theory of action" plan is set parents can make plans for education in the coming years. If that includes CMS as a option then great. If not then their are numerous options. I can tell you this while you go and test the Counties patience again this year with a money grab. They dont TRUST you and your track record supports them telling you NO. You EARN TRUST its not a entitlement and your actions of recent do not support any of the above entitlements. Keith W. Hurley
"Agent of change" is so old school and has a different meaning to everyone who says it. What superintendent coming to CMS would not direct change? This is what superintendents do.
One of the problems with CMS is that for years the Board has not taken control. The superintendent sets the meeting agenda and decides what will be talked about, what remains hidden below the surface, and how metrics will be presented in terms of graphics and spin.
The board should tell the superintendent what they want in terms of reports and direction and the Super should enact it. This is the strong board weak superintendent model, the opposite of what we have seen in the past several years. At several hundred thousand per year the superintendent should do what he/she is told. Elected officials are elected to set the direction not rubber stamp some outsider's direction. There are plenty of tactics used by educrats to baffle the Board and public with B.S. For instance, let’s talk about opening of schools success stories. Meanwhile CMS is squandering millions of taxpayer dollars closing schools to open trailer parks; buying enough old technology IPADS to cover half of the school system; spending millions to renovate schools that educrats did not update when students were in them; and developing student tests to measure faculty performance that were scrapped before they were even through the QA process. But according to a Broad implant reporting to the Board we did a great job getting schools open...but what about the children using stages and hallways as classrooms? Educrats will blame the Board and even the public for bad decisions. But it was the educrats that developed the plan and spent the money.
CMS is not a research think tank and should stop trying to be a research leader; CMS should be an education leaders and leave the research to those institutions with a charter for research. The administration should do their jobs, know and implement current state-of-the-art education practices instead of trying to one up everyone else in the U.S. education system.
Pete Gorman came in and pandered to the press. His time was spent planning the next media event year after year. He talked the talk, but did not walk the walk. Some fo the stories planted during hsi tenure show a willingness to fudge the numbers to support a search for gainful employment elsewhere. Problem is we are forced to live with and pay for the outcomes of decisions made under his watch.
CMS does not need an agent of change in the Superintendent’s job. We need a person of excellent education, business savvy and commitment to education and building a sustainable infrastructure that is not dependent on one educrat to survive.
It is time to get rid of the old guard inside CMS.
I'm white, I'm female, I'm a registered District 6 Republican (moderate - shoot me). If Mo Green is in the running for our next school Sup., my vote's for him.
Theory of Action:
Stability, Continuity and Kick-Ass Support of Teachers in the 21st Century.
10:27 Do you mean the old guard that take advantage of CMS for their own benefit? Like executives who use taxpayer funded gas and vehicles to drive back and forth to work from home? Teachers can afford to drive their own cars, but upper crust executives need to pilfer gas money off the taxpayer. Or do you mean the old guard that makes bad decisions and is not held accountable simply because they are the old guard? CMS does not see itself as accountable to the local people or maybe even the Board of Education as of late. So who would clean house?
If I read or hear the word "innovative" in educational reform effort jargon one more time I'm going to puke.
"New" and "Innovative" math anyone?
The problem with your "strong board" theory, 10:27, is that we do not have a board that really knows how a school system should be run. The majority are wedded to a political ideology that is not compatible with a system that should be serving all students equally. Do you really want this current group of people "running" our system?
CMS "Innovation".
Ahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, excuse me, Ahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!$$$$$$$$$$$$!$!!$$!!!!!!!!!!!!$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$&&$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$&&&$$$$$$$$$$$$&!!!!!!!!!!&$$$$$$$$$$&!!!!!!!!&??&$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$&$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$...........,,,
The Gormanator won't be back, Tuesday BOE nights continue to be gone with the wind, and the state of CMS remains in perpetual purgatory. Oh, Happy Day!
11:42 Who should be responsible for Board development? This should be worthy of substantial CMS investment. The Board mwmbers are fiduciaries for billions of taxpayer dollars and assets. One duty of executive staff should be the regular maintenance of Board of Education development. Why this does not happen to the level necessary is that educrats do not want the Board to be educated. Board professional development would result in better questions, better direction, a deeper understanding of metrics, and a stronger tie to the community of taxpayers who ultimately, in theory, run the show through the elected Board of Education. Educrats do not want this level of accountability. The proof of this can be viewed in the past couple of years of decision making by CMS squandering money, closing schools, pretending to be a leading edge research institution and putting the children last in a long line of priorities. It is silly to think the Board of Education overseeing billions upon billions of taxpayer resources can just walk in a lead. Teambuilding, leadership training, and getting away from wishy washy documents and catch phrases that can be manipulated by anyone to mean anything must take place.
All the board training in the world is not going to change political ideology. The group that is now running the show has a strong agenda which is not necessarily healthy for our system or for a countywide school system that wants to retain strong families and students.
As I read these incredible posts. HONESTLY.... these are intellegent insights. I wish that some of you were on the BOE because YOU get IT! Then I realize that most of you might be teachers and can not represent...
Then came the epiphany...WE as TEACHERS ARE in CONTROL. The BOE and the Educraps tell us WHAT to do ... THEN we find a way to "get er done" their way while somehow managing to STILL do what is BEST for children.
You know even with all the extra stress this is causing us....I am starting to realize how MUCH MORE important my job is!!! Thanks for the posts..they are extremely validating. WE ARE the "innovators"!
As long as we have the diversity crowd preaching an antiquated mantra that poor children can't learn if they live in the same zipcode and that because they live in that zipcode their lot in life is being stifled, nothing will change.
Yet you never hear these same people preaching about personal responsibility.
WC- They dont want personal responsibility they want you to take care of theirs. They see "us" doing it for LaTarza and other needed folks so "they" think its customary. Its far easier to make a excuse than to take ownership of you life. Its a hand out society in which has been created.
WC has made the point but 11:52 has hit reality!
Every culture has its entitlement crowd as we see daily in middle school. No pencil, no paper, no homework, no grammar, no daddy, no momma, no home, no dinner, no respect for authority, no clue. iPhone, cleavage, lycra, sex, shoes, drugs, explicit lyrics, XXX rated behavior, bogus technology piled on on a daily basis, no problem.
@1:23 You just described my school perfectly.
To suggest the BOE cannot lead is to suggest that the community needs a caretaker to tell us what is best, what to think, what our children need and what to believe. The point of having a Board is to provide the community oversight of the government agency governing local education. To suggest CMS educrats know better than the community is a stretch. This is why the Board needs leadership training. The educrats have been trained how to pull the wool over the board's eyes. CMS shows this through its own public information office and its belief that when you tell a story enough most people will believe it.
That sounds like the conservative model of society. People need to be protected from themselves by a hero of sorts. Hugh is today's hero for protecting teachers from those overbearing and oppressive board members.
The traditional liberal point of view is more that the Board of Education is the embodiment of, "We the People" and is there to ensure the will of the people is followed by the governmental unit called Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.
The problem is that when corporate models are applied to government and education they often do not work. The corporate model requires profit motive to succeed. In education the goal is not profit it is educated children who will function as the society of tomorrow.
When you visit some of the LIFT zone schools you will see that what children are being taught to expect in their lives is not what many of us call the American dream. Many of these children are in run down schools where teachers are traumatized by the system and then blamed by the people who created the conditions the teachers endure.
Until CMS gets out of baby sitting and gets into investing in real change including in the family unit CMS will continue to fail with many of the community’s children.Family involvement is where CMS should be investing the extra cash it always has for everything except solving the community's education issue.
Here is a link to a Harvard Family Research Project article titled, “Teaching Teachers to Work with Families.” Family involvement must be taught, not just expected by regional bloggers and excuse makers.
http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/460
Teachers are part of the government overseen by the Board of Education. Hugh is wrong to take sides against the Board. Teachers need to follow the direction set by the board, just like Hugh. The line drawn between governance and administration is not so rigid that a Super has the right to openly scold BOE members for allegations of not listening well enough to school staff.
Mudd E.--Can you please name the schools are "run down"?
Yaba daba do
Anthony Foxx and Barack Obama must be thanking their lucky stars that they are successful enough to send their kids to private school...
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