Follow Us on Twitter

Markell the Union Maker!

While some states are union-busting, Delaware's apparently busting out new unions...

Pete Seeger on Unions...

Category: 1 comments

Look for the Union Label on Delaware Charter School

Well, well, well DEducrats - It's happened! It's really really happened! Delaware College Preparatory Academy has unionized!  Wonder what the Rodelleans will think when this hits the press in the morning?  Should the Delaware Charter School Network be concerned?  Are you? I'd love for you to be my thought partner on this one!!!

And let's just toss out there this game-changer:   if Charter schools are the educational panacea for which we all search - why would the staff of a Delaware Charter vote for unionization?

Link to the Most Recent published minutes of a DCPA Board Meeting:
October 2011
November 2011
Charter Unionized


Gov. Commutes Gattis, Disrespects Victim and Family


"This commutation in no way relieves Mr. Gattis of his moral or legal guilt, and I am mindful of the fact that an innocent victim lost her life on the night of May 9, 1990," Markell said, adding the decision to spare Gattis life was "among the most difficult I have had to make in all my years in public service." - News Journal


Apparently the Gov. was not mindful enough the respect the sentence bestowed on Mr. Gattis by the jury of his peers for the murder of former girlfriend Shirley Slay. 


Normally, I wouldn't talk the death penalty on this blog - but this is just one more instance of poor judgement exemplified by Gov. 


"Keeping the person in prison is still protecting society,"said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C.
Lest any one among us is confused... Keeping murderers in prison is "still protecting society."  But, the issue is deeper... Gattis murdered someone and was sentenced to death.  


"At last week's Board of Pardons hearings, Gattis acknowledged for the first time that he intentionally executed Slay in cold blood inside her New Castle-area apartment."

For twenty years, Gattis has had a free ride in prison and my tax dollars have supported him. Gov. Markell can see fit to expend more tax payer money to keep an admitted murder in prison for life, but he doesn't bat an eyelash when it comes to cutting state education funding and pushing the expenses off onto the local share...


The Gov.'s obligation was to uphold the decision of the jury and to do so in a fiscally-acceptable way.  He failed in both arenas.


 How very, very sad.
Category: 0 comments

"I Make A God Damned Difference, What About You?"



Taylor Mali (http://taylormali.com), one of the most well-known poets to have emerged from the poetry slam movement and one of the few people in the world to have no job other than that of poet., gives his mind on what teachers make. Mali is a vocal advocate of teachers and the nobility of teaching, having himself spent nine years in the classroom teaching everything from English and history to math and S.A.T. test preparation.

He has performed and lectured for teachers all over the world, and his New Teacher Project has a goal of creating 1,000 new teachers through "poetry, persuasion, and perseverance."

Please visit http://taylormali.com for more on Mali and his New Teacher Project.

http://taylormali.com
Category: 0 comments

Buried Online - Charter Network Gets New Director

Advocacy Group Gets New Director
Category: 0 comments

NYC to Shutter Charter Network...

New York City and State Move to Shut Down Brooklyn Charter Network
http://www.districtadministration.com/news/new-york-city-and-state-move-shut-down-brooklyn-charter-network
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

City and state education officials announced that they plan to close an entire network of charter high schools in Brooklyn that have suffered management and financial woes for years.

One day after New York City Department of Education officials declared their intention to close Williamsburg Charter High School at the end of this school year, the state’s Education Department moved to shutter the two other high schools that are run by the same management organization: Believe Northside Charter High School andBelieve Southside Charter High School.

If the schools close in June, it will affect more than 1,500 students, the largest impact any charter school closing in the city would have to date.

The three high schools, all of which are located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, were founded by Eddie Calderon-Melendez, who runs their management organization, Believe Network. Mr. Calderon-Melendez did not respond on Tuesday to an e-mail request for comment, and someone who answered his cell phone hung up before answering questions.

Williamsburg Charter was authorized and opened by the city’s Department of Education in 2004, but the other two Believe schools were granted charters by the state in 2009 and are so new they have not even grown to serve grades 9-12.

New York Times

Is Skip trying to ignite a labor war?

It's time for another dissection.  My comments are in RED.http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120110/NEWS03/201100331/Culture-change-urged-schools

Culture change urged in schools

Reform leader seeks better cooperation  (A better headline would've read:  Deform leader seeks better submission)

WILMINGTON -- In a speech to the state's business and political leaders Monday night, Marvin N. Schoenhals, leader of the Vision 2015 school reform project, outlined his vision for Delaware's public schools, called on the teachers union to make changes and challenged those in attendance to get involved in education reform.  Funny, I keep reading in the NJ how DSEA is right there at the table with DOE in crafting the reforms that need to happen.  DOE even went so far as to appoint a former union leader to a powerful position (and well-paid) position within the teacher evaluation unit.

In short, he said, there needs to be a culture change.  I agree:  my children need big business to stop needling and poking around in education.  If business wants to have a role in schools, it needs to be one of supporting the teachers in the classroom and schools in their community.

"A vibrant state economy depends on a vibrant banking community," said Schoenhals, who is also WSFS chairman. "But that dependence is dwarfed by the influence our education system has on the long-term growth of our state, our quality of life and the dignity of our communities." Whoa... Slow down there skipper, a vibrant economy doesn't have to built on banking.  It needs to built on the business and enterprises that thrive in that particular state.  Frankly, I don't want a TARP guzzling two-face bank directing what education my children receive.

The speech came during the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce's 175th Annual Dinner -- one of the largest events of its kind in the state -- at the Chase Center. The annual event drew an estimated 900 people, including some of the biggest players in business and politics. Just asking, but how many school board members in this state received invitations to pay $200 a pop for a seat at the indoctrination?  My guess is maybe a handful of compliant ones and I would even go as far to say that I bet Skip and friends didn't waive the cost for these unpaid public servants.

Calling his work with WSFS and the education system "the great passions of my life," Schoenhals outlined ways to improve Delaware's schools and asked the teachers union to work to change state law surrounding staffing rules. Citing Delaware's mediocre test scores on reading and math tests and a high school dropout rate that he called unacceptable, he said the education system must be improved. Now, Skip, we might be on the same page here, if you're asking the unions to work to change the unit formula that generates the number of teachers in a district/building.  If you're advocating for more teachers in more classrooms with fewer students, I'm all for it.  The longitudinal data shows that these type of intervention especially in the early years make the biggest impact on achievement. (But, I doubt this story is heading that way.)

"For most in this room, the education system worked fine and has continued to do so for your children and grandchildren," he said. "That is not the case for many in our society. As a result of that discrepancy, we are often complacent about the hard work required to make our schools effective for all children."

Schoenhals is credited with successfully steering WSFS in the 1990s as the bank faced significant financial problems. In his speech, he said there are similarities between the work that had to be done to restore WSFS and the challenges that face the state's public schools. Really, Skip? 

"WSFS was an organization that had many nice people working there, but we did not have a culture of performance," he said. "As a result, we were the No. 7 bank in a six-bank market. We were not much of a blip on the radar screen. Today, WSFS is arguably one of the leading financial institutions in our state and the region. That did not happen overnight. It took us 15 years to change the culture to one that encourages people to perform at their best."  What's missing from this statement?  WSFS was No. 7.  What rank do you now hold?  Just because you may hold a substantial market share in Delaware, doesn't mean that share is as great outside this local footprint.

(Page 2 of 3)

That improvement in WSFS came as one person was in charge for 15 years, reporting to a board of directors. In education, that's not the case, he noted. Stakeholders -- the governor, Legislature, teachers union, school boards, parents and superintendents -- each hold significant veto power. So, Skip, let me share how this is supposed to work and why it doesn't:
1) Parents are the stakeholders.  They vote in elections to select who will be on their school board.
2) School board members set the governance tone in a district.  As a body of seven that can only function when at least 4 agree (in CSD for example) the board has one employee, the superintendent.  We can feel ownership for all employees of the district, but at the end of the day, we evaluate only ONE.  Meanwhile, board members must continue to listen to their constituents and take the tempurature of their community or they risk being voted out.
3) District employees take their lead from the tone set by the board and superintendent. 
4) Unions are an outside organization with a very important focus - they protect collective bargaining rights to ensure fairness, they provide a checks and balance system for the HR culture of district/school, and finally they ensure due process for their membership.
5) The Legislature writes and passes the laws that govern education initiatives statewide.  It's hopeful that they are communicating with the school boards and constituents to receive direction on where the education laws need strengthening and/or amendment.
6) The Gov's job is to either veto the bills that get passed or sign them into law.

Why this system isn't working:
1) You left the Department of Education off your list of veto holders.  The DOE is led by a Secretary of Education that is appointed by the Governor.  He gives his Secretary direction regarding the education policies he wants to see (in this case, he's promoting the education reform INDUSTRY and ignoring the lack of data and research in the process.) 
2) The DOE has been given, especially under this governor, unmatched power in regards to their meddling within school districts.  They've successfully utilized the Delphi principle and coercion to reinforce this power shift. They issue mandates to superintendents to withhold information from their boards, inserting themselves into a management role over superintendents that does not belong to them.  They have usurped power from the local control elected by the people.
3) The DOE has been extremely successful in influencing legislation and regulation that comes before our legislature.  But, they only tell one side of the story.  They rely on the legislature to have a large deficit in their knowledge of education policy and they have carved out a niche influence.

"It is a very political system," Schoenhals said. "I don't mean that in a bad way. It just means that our school system is subject to the uncertain process of making decisions in a political environment." That's why school board elections are non-partison.  I would hazard a guess that these elections were designed to protect school systems from political influence.  When DOE - led by a partisan a governor - overstepped their authority and encroached local control by issuing edicts to school boards and superintendents, they politicized the system.

Singling out the Delaware State Education Association as supporting policies that hurt the ability of some schools to makes choices in staffing decisions that make the most sense, Schoenhals called on the union to support changes to state law that is "more appropriate for a factory floor than in a profession like teaching." A statewide system focused on seniority for pay systems and staffing procedures is hurting schools, he said. Factory Floor?  Skip, that's just shameful!  How can you denigrate good teachers like that?  Don't you understand that without teachers, there are no schools?  Now, I can't say I am pro-union or anti-union, I'm not.  But, I respect the laws that allow unions to operate and support those employees who feel there is a need.  RTTT and PZ allowed for bargaining unit carve-outs.  Those schools that truly need the freedeom the traditional union contract (PZ schools) now have the ability to go back to the table and bargain in good faith with the select group of personnel who are most affected by one of the four models of RTTT/PZ destabilization.   The mechanism already exists. I also know just how sticky this can get from my own first-hand experience of course correction for one the PZ schools.  Mind you - the Gov. didn't take well to course corrections back then and withdrew all RTTT funding for all schools until our board was bullied into submission. Then, magically, the money was returned.  Thank You Great Merlin, I mean... Gov.

"One size in our system of pay does not fit all," Schoenhals said. "Let the districts and the local union determine what would work best for them. With a system that is more reflective of the profession that teaching is, we can then work to get teacher pay to a level worthy of the task teachers perform -- educating the next generation." Really, can any teacher take you seriously after you denigrated an entire profession by reducing teachers, many with multiple degrees and certifications and histories of achievement success, to the factory floor worker - a seemingly lesser educated professional.  Furthermore, each district has its own local E.A.  Each district sits down and negotiates with the local E.A.  If flexibility is what is needed to written into the contract, it requires all parties to negotiate in good faith, not just unions! 

Union leader reacts
Union president Frederika Jenner said she did not find the speech to be revolutionary. She believes the union is working to improve the system, and that several of the problems cited were founded on misrepresentations of the issues.

For instance, Jenner said, teacher seniority issues are not always based on last-in, first-out, and other staffing rules are the result of a collective bargaining agreement. As for the "factory floor" reference, Jenner said she was offended. "He has taken the conversation in the wrong direction," she said.  So, all along the RTTT way, we've been led to believe that DSEA and its associated locals have been intimately involved withe development of the latest reform craze.  Skip's unabashed statements lead me to believe that there is something much deeper afoot.  Are you accusing the DOE and Gov. of lying everytime they sang the DSEA's praises for their collaboration?

Schoenhals asked those in attendance to focus on five key areas as a way to make changes: develop a better system for reporting school quality to the public; create performance standards that will allow students to compete globally; reward high- performing schools; allow the state to force changes on struggling schools, but without withholding funding; and institute a system that provides spending flexibility so school leaders can spend funds in ways that make the most sense for that locality.

1) A better system for reporting school quality to the public?  We had that.  The DOE threw it under the bus and now issues AYP rankings for growth in addition to achievement. These changes were made in the dark with no prep to the public before the system was implemented.  The Public has been reduced to interpretting the DOE's website - Gee, did my feeder school make AYP based on actual proficiency or is it a low-performing school that has managed to goad growth (not proficiency and in some cases nowhere near proficiency) to earn their ranking?

2) Performance Standards?  Go read the Common Core Standards!  These are supposed to be the be all and end all of education standards.  It's already here, buddy.

3) What type of rewards are you looking for at our high performing schools?  Maybe permit them to opt out of RTTT and keep doing what's working for the school and its community?

4) Allow the state to force changes without withholding funding!  Amen.  We can agree on this one.  However, the state doesn't have the best record for turning around schools... Just look at Moyer.

(Page 3 of 3)

All schools can succeed given the right attention and tools, he said. He named the Indian River School District as a model, citing sustained progress there. The successes of districts and charter schools must be celebrated, he said, but there needs to be a continued focus on those who struggle.  This is not new or revolutionary.  No matter which side of the ed reform debate you take, we already know and agree that there needs to be a continued focus on those who struggle.  Once again, a day late and dollar short.

The state has had some other major successes, notably winning $119 million from the U.S. Department of Education in President Barack Obama's signature education reform program, he said. But even that award is not going to be enough to fix the problems that the public school system faces, he said.  I agree.  But, that money would have been much better spent getting more teachers into more classrooms.  Instead it's being parcelled out the reform INDUSTRY and you, Skip, helped that happen when you sang those RTTT praises!

Within a mile of where the Chamber of Commerce dinner was taking place, there are schools where two-thirds of the children cannot read on grade level, and children who show up to kindergarten without the skills they need to succeed. I take issue.  Those are my schools and my kids.  And you conveniently left out just how hard our district is working to mediate the kindergarten acheivement gap for which the only faulty party is parents who fail to engage education for their children early enough to prevent the gap form occuring.  As for reading, maybe if we weren't required to teach the reform du jour perhaps my teachers could have implemented best practices to reach those children - maybe even adjust their teaching style to accomodate a child's learning style.

"And if you're not convinced that education quality is either an economic or a sustainability issue, please consider that it is a moral imperative," Schoenhals said. "The ZIP code in which a child lives should have no bearing on whether their education will help them reach their potential. It is cruel, and flies in the face of America's foundation of equal opportunity for all." Hey, Skip, poverty knows no zip code.  It doesn't matter where you live - poverty is the great divider, the achievement roadblock.  Sure there are secondary issues such as racial isolation based upon the neighborhood a child lives within, but it's everywhere, both urban and suburban.  It's my belief that public education is the greatest entitlement program ever, both in the dollars spent and the sheer number of people it touches. 
Category: 3 comments

Pencader Update - A Column of the NJ Op-Ed Pages

Pencader Climbed the Mountain that DOE said was insurmountable.

The Challenge











Let's Play a Game with Transparent Christina

For every "don't call me" song you post on http://www.transparentchristina.wordpress.com/ - I'll find a "call me" song and post it here.  The one rule - You must post in Video/You Tube type format!

Readers:  Who do you think will win?  (Yes, in the barren landscape of education reform - in winter, no less - I am seeking a diversion or distraction from the direction that has been inflicted upon us - the delphi-informed.)

I'll start:

NP Breaking News: Girl Scouts Going Door-to-Door to Start Taking Cookie Orders...

God love the Newark Post for sending this GEM, subject "Breaking News," to my inbox!  That said, if you need cookies, I can direct to a couple Girl Scout Troops comprised of some Christina's most amazing girls who would love to satisfy your order!

Posted: Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:59 pm

Updated: 2:05 pm, Tue Jan 3, 2012.Girl

Scouts going door-to-door to start taking cookie orders 0 comments


Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay will go door-to-door to begin taking orders for Girl Scout Cookies starting Saturday, January 7. This year local Girl Scouts will offer the six varieties - Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Trefoils, Do-si-dos and, new this year, Savannah Smiles, in honor of the Girl Scouts 100th Anniversary. All Girl Scout Cookies are free of preservatives and have zero trans fats. Cookies are $4.00 per box.


Cookie booth sales will begin on Friday, February 10, at local businesses throughout the Delmarva Peninsula. Girls are also taking donations of Girl Scout cookies for Operation Taste of Home and local community groups. The Operation Taste of Home cookies will be donated to our Armed Forces and local agencies, such as food banks and pantries, blood banks, cancer centers and youth programs.


Individuals interested in purchasing Cookies or donating to Operation Taste of Home can call the Cookie Hotline at 1-800-YUM-YUM2. To locate a cookie booth sale in your area go to www.GSCB.org.

The Girl Scouts Cookie Program is about more than just great tasting cookies. The program has a lasting impact on girls' lives by helping them to build life skills such as leadership, money management, decision-making, teamwork, and goal setting. The benefits of the Cookie Program have been hailed by many of today's businesswomen, who cite selling Girl Scout Cookies was their first step toward successful careers.


All of the proceeds-every penny-from a local Council's cookie activities remain in the area where the cookies are sold. This revenue is used to benefit girls, some of it directly by remaining in the Girl Scout troop treasuries, and some of it indirectly by funding Council-led programs for Girl Scouts. Each year, over 9,000 Girl Scouts from the Delmarva Peninsula participate in the Cookie Program, selling over one million boxes of cookies to the community.
A leading advocate for and expert on girls, the Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay builds girls of courage, confidence and character by providing personal leadership development and programs that teach skills for the real world. The Council serves approximately 15,000 girls in grades K-12 across the Delmarva Peninsula. Approximately 5,000 adult volunteers support the Council in various mentoring and leadership positions. To learn more about Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, visit www.GSCB.org or call 1-800-341-4007.
Category: 0 comments

The 10 Most Memorable Stories of 2011: Ed. Policy and Politics

The 10 Most Memorable Stories of 2011: Ed. Policy and Politics
Category: 0 comments

DOE's Automatic Cloaking Device - Public Forum and Name Changes

One of the proposed changes that parents and educators may notice is a change in the terms applied to schools based on how they perform on the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System. Currently, schools are placed in categories such as "superior," "commendable" and "academic watch." The draft proposal would drop those names in favor of the U.S. Department of Education's seven suggested category names, which would include descriptors such as "reward schools," "recognition schools," "focus schools" and "priority (partnership zone) schools."  From the News Journal
You've got to be kidding me, right? Superior and Commendable were at least meaningful - you knew you were buying into a good school - at least until last year.  That's when DOE - without the community meetings - went ahead and recalculated the way schools were labeled based upon achievement data.  That resulted in schools that failed to meet the accepted definition of proficiency achieving a superior or commendable status based solely upon student growth - more students moving in the right direction but not reaching proficiency targets.  The end result was a ton of confusion with little clear explanation directed towards parents or the public. 

So, who wants their child to attend a school labeled "Reward School?"  No, really?  Does that title have any inherent meaning to you?  And just what is the reward the school is earning? I don't have the answers - DOE hasn't extended its informational reach to general school board members, yet.  Guess that means I'll be attending one of their forums.  But, with only one meeting in each county - that may be a hard one to achieve... When the Gov. finally decided that he needed to sell RTTT to the tax payers, he hit each of the counties several times.  I can only guess that redefining achievement is a bit less important...

When will DOE bring all the parties to the table and participate in shared decision making? If DOE was looking for true interactive feedback, these meetings would have been announced weeks ago, not during winter break when matters of education are in the far back of the parental mind.  When will constituents be treated as thought partners?  Inviting them to a dog and pony show is a far cry from being engaged in the development process. When will tax payers become more than human capital?  School districts signed MOUs that promised they would continue to fund the reform efforts begun under RTTT after the federal grant runs out.  Who will shoulder that burden?  Delaware's workforce?  They've been treated as a commodity thus far by an administration that talks jobs but fails to produce them.

Too little, too late. But, then, these are just the ramblings of a private cynic... citizen.

DRAFT PROPOSAL

To read the state's draft proposal, go to the Delaware Department of Education's website at www.doe.k12.de.us and click on "community meetings."

The meeting times and locations:
NEW CASTLE COUNTY: Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. in the James Gilliam Conference Center, 77 Reads Way, New Castle.
KENT COUNTY: Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Kent County Government Building, Room 220, Dover.
SUSSEX COUNTY: Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Sussex County Government Building, The Circle, Georgetown.
Category: 0 comments

Merry Christmas Eve!

Category: 0 comments

The Messiah Speaks - and plugs his weekly video address...

From: Markell Governor (Governor)

Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 1:09:28 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
To: State Employees; K12 Employees; DSHA
Subject: Thank you for a great 2011

Dear fellow state employee,

Thank you for all you do, and all you’ve done, to help keep our great state running and to build our state’s future.

While I’ve been lucky to be able to say thank you to many of you in person during visits to schools and state agencies, I did not want to let the holiday season pass without sharing my gratitude for your good work.

Each week, I deliver a weekly message to our state about some of the issues we face and some of the progress we are making. In this week’s message (video), I made sure to say to every Delawarean how “blessed I am to be able to work with so many wonderful public servants – the people who go to work to keep our state safe, who help keep things running, who teach our children and care for those most in need – who dedicate themselves to service.” It is a message I hope they take to heart.

You work hard. Your work matters, and we thank you.

Here’s to a happy and healthy new year,

Jack

*****

Happy Holidays video on State network: http://de.gov/holidays
Video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/nD7Vn2uJcFg
Audio on State network: http://de.gov/holidayaudio

Transcript of the Message:
Whether it’s Merry Christmas, Mazel Tov, Umoja or simply Happy Holidays at your home, there’s no doubt this is a special time of the year. A time to remember the friends and family we’re so lucky to have around us and a time to reflect with love on those who left our lives too soon. A time to take stock of what we’ve learned, what we’ve faced, what we’ve overcome and what remains to get done, together. But more than anything – this week is a time for goodwill and gratitude; to reflect on any blessings we’ve received and to know from where those blessings have come.
As grateful as I am to each of you for giving me the chance to get to work for you each day, I’m so blessed to be able to work with wonderful public servants – the people who go their jobs to keep our state safe, who help keep things running, who teach our children and care for those most in need – who dedicate themselves to service. To each of you – thank you.

This has not been an easy year – but it’s been inspiring to see how our state keeps pulling together – how many hard working Delawareans stay focused each day on creating more jobs, on building new opportunities to keep people working and on helping others get back to work. And while there have been more opportunities this year than last, we need to make sure next year is even better. Enough about work for now.
This week, whether you’ve lighting a menorah, kinara candles or putting lights on your tree; whether you’re reflecting on your own faith, or just reflecting on your family – I hope these holidays find you safe, happy, warm and resting up, and that you’re as excited as I am for the chance to keep Delaware, moving forward.

Just a Happy Hanukkah Song!

Category: 0 comments

Edu-Scrapple in Delaware

Venom and Malice when CSD attempts a course correction and DOE handholding when Brandywine fails to perform... The Race to the Trough is on - Delaware to be a winner of the Baby Race.  Do you really want Jack Markell parenting your children?  Lots of edu-scrapple in today's paper!
Category: 1 comments

Big Votes Coming to Christina - Next Board Meeting 12/13

http://www.christina.k12.de.us/BOE/Meetings/2011/Posting-Agenda/1213.pdf

From the Official Christina SBOE Posting: 

ACTION ITEMS

  • Student Expulsion Recommendation(s)
  • Administrative Personnel Recommendations
  • Updated Use Of Facilities Application Form And Rates
  • Proposed Changes to 2011-2012 Christina School District School Calendar
  • Consulting Services for Development of School District Management Analysis –
  • Amendment #1 to District Race To The Top Plan – Includes Amendment #2 for Partnership Zone    Plans for Glasgow High and Stubbs Elementary
  • Amendment #2 To District Race To The Top Plan
  • Plan and Memorandum of Understanding Between the Christina School District and the Christina Education Association with Regards to the Partnership Zone Plan for Bancroft Elementary School
CONSENT AGENDA

  • Personnel Recommendations
  • Monthly Financial Reports – September 2011
  • Choice Recommendation 2011-2012
  • Choice Termination Recommendation 2011-2012
  • Bid Awards:  Bid #2011-10 Bancroft Elementary School – Skylight Replacement
  • Resolutions on Upcoming Meetings:  Executive Session Meeting, January 10, 2012, 6:00 PM, West Park Place Elementary School,   Regular Session Meeting, January 10, 2012, 7:30 PM, West Park Place Elementary School,  Special Session Meeting for BoardDocs Training, January 20, 2012, 6:00-7:00 PM, Location To Be Determined

Common Sense reigns, and why Zero Tolerance was destined to FAIL!

Outrage poured across the /internet once reports of a 9-year-old receiving a two-day suspension for calling a teacher "cute" surfaced, but now it appears he's receiving some justice, WBTV reports.

"We will be sending an official letter of apology to the parents," Gaston County Schools Spokesperson Bonnie Reidy told the station. "Also the suspension will not count against the child and the child will receive additional instructional assistance to make up for the time out of the classroom."

Principal Jerry Bostic, who determined the boy's alleged comment was sexual harassment, has also resigned, according to the report.   -- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/07/9-year-olds-suspension-fo_n_1135242.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk3%7C118730

I Prefer Not to Take Your Test

http://youtu.be/AWqdScvrKCo

Category: 0 comments