Please, I urge you all; dig deeper. Find that fruitful and life-altering enlightenment that sends beams of hope out from under the doors of opportunity. Somehow, some way. Arise and shine light on the obscured details. I caution that some accolades may NOT be well-placed. And regarding "personal" motivation, if we excuse "personalities" which permit one to malign, belittle, condescend, berate and retaliate, then how can we blame another (BOE Member) for being "personal," in another breath? What may present itself to be the hope for "stability" may in fact turn out to be same "stuff"/different day," if history is an accurate barometer.
We must all understand that the QSAC, CAPA, etc., are processes, measurements, and/or procedures set in place that in many respects only provide the loopholes, smoke & mirrors, and window dressing that result in the "PERCEPTION" of great improvement, all-the-while creating other holes in our system that leak hazardous waste and academic--as well as occupational--toxicity. It's the accountability game. We've all seen it played and most have either willingly or involuntarily paticipated, to some degree and on one level or another.
Consider, for instance, the "Persistently Dangerous" designation given to PPS one year, then removed the next; yet based upon what criteria??? There was clearly a mis-reporting and underreporting of incidents in our school district that allowed Dr. Gallon to publicly proclaim the problems to be much less severe than in actuality. The forums, blogs and police reports have referenced and evidenced problems that were not addressed, while the good doctor seemed to convince many that what was represented to the community and the state was true and accurate. Isn't false reporting ILLEGAL???
I submit that this, under sharper, more powerful microscope, might be consistent with what others may have done, possibly in the personnel department, IT department, accounting, payroll, principals' offices, SIFSS, Early Childhood, and yes, in classrooms too! Not ALL of these, necessarily, but...ENOUGH to warrant rethinking of our conclusions to allow full basis for them.
I have no doubt that there are sometimes unstated motives and/or agenda on the part of many of us, including me and even those in charge of the district. The greatest distinction is found in the willingness to disclose in the proper forum, these uncertainties, sources of skepticism, demands for answers to clarifying questions, etc., given the opportunity, in a SAFE environment. Yes, SAFE. Because, after all, individuals and factions in this district are known for engaging in assasinating it's truthseekers, dissenters, conscientious objectors, child advocates, and those that are caught with shovels in search of buried gems of reality and objects of substantiation for well-founded claims of impropriety. And it must end. This is the creed of too few that must become general rally cry!
How will it end? Remove the masks; open the doors; break bread (in the form of food for thought); remove pompous labels; engage in honest, respectful, well-intentioned and constructive debate over our varying philosophical underpinnings; share and consider purely pragmatic versus humanistic methodological approaches; jointly conceive, develop, refine, revise, clarify, communicate, and implement policies, procedures, protocols, expectations, and evaluative measurement tools, all in an effort to better serve in our respective roles. Re-examine the budget over and over until the greatest number of jobs are SAVED!!! And then ensure appropriate and suitable placement of personnel in order to best operationalize the stated mission of this district.
Once the election is done, the public servitude must remain in the forefront of daily action on the part of ALL BOE members, and this division is clearly discouraging to those ready to serve on a higher plane, so we pray that it end. To persecute any BOE member merely for refusing to engage in rash decision-making that has plagued our district for years is counterproductive; especially without opportunity to for rebuttal.
We can't demand transparency, then turn around and toss darts for pauses rooted in carefully upholding campaign promises---IF that is what it is. Bottom line: until it is known, we must respect the rights and obligations of ALL BOE members to respectfully pause for full disclosure and discussion.
We can't demand transparency, then turn around and toss darts for pauses rooted in carefully upholding campaign promises---IF that is what it is. Bottom line: until it is known, we must respect the rights and obligations of ALL BOE members to respectfully pause for full disclosure and discussion.
This has been NO ATTEMPT TO DEMONIZE, but an appeal to do what is right...TALK IT OVER. RESEARCH THE PURPORTED FACTS. INVESTIGATE. EDUCATE YOURSELVES. CONSIDER OUTSIDE REMEDIES ON THE MERIT OF TRACK RECORDS. ERADICATE PERSONAL ALLIANCES TIED TO POLITICAL CRONIES, SORORITIES, FRATERNITIES, LODGE BROTHERHOOD/SISTERHOOD, ETC., THAT TAINT OBJECTIVITY AND PRINCIPLED DECISION MAKING. WEIGH THE OPTIONS. ALL OF THEM.
3 comments:
Thank you for sharing this information. Dr. bailey is not what Plainfield needs. She couldn't do the job then and she shouldn't do it now (PERIOD!)
I disagree. Dr. Bailey is very knowledgeable and aware of state code and the myriad laws one must possess to be an effective Human Resources Director. It is these character assassinations that derail urban education. Personalities must not become a factor in our assessment of what is best!
Thank you for BOTH comments. It is this type of discourse and debate that must take place in the proper places and at the proper times, in order to bring about TRUE "transparency." It is the very reality that invidivuals, daily are intimidated and threatend with hostile measures for even raising such valid questions as to qualification.
We're not just talking qualifications of a Human Resources Director or a Superintendent, but these are the types of politically charged positions, at times, that bring about "How Dare You Question Us," type responses that smack of tyranny---much like that of Gallon's widely-noted infamous and disreputable actions.
The fact remains that there has been this element of secrecy cloaked in the term "confidentiality" that continues to exist in various areas of our school district. And it's, of course not really an issue to some until it affect THEM! This must end and good folks that are dedicated to the true development, improvement and edification of our district leadership principles and standards must stand strong and closely, sit openly and honestly, and be prepared to remove the defensiveness of their friends and cronies, in order to let the healing begin.
I love all of my family members, but interference with the hands of truth and justice or enabling any of them in their darkest hours of denial or deceit would not serve ANYONE...even them, in the long run and in their final hours.
We have an often philosophically and dogmatically SPLIT BOE from which we all need to urge and even demand diligent truth-seeking and rational, deliberate, sober-minded, intelligent, competent, and TRANSPARENT decision-making.
If questions are raised by our community members regarding the selection of personnel to fill vital district roles, then any attempts to deny the necessity of this process or circumvent is nothing short of suspicious, at best and apparently corrupt to some.
In order to "let the healing begin;" as some have urged, we must look at not only the qualifications but also job descriptions of not only the Human Resources Director and Top Administrators, but EVERYONE! How else can we know where one's job ends and the others' begins, where the meld and merge, and what to resonably expect from our colleagues and counterparts, in this mish-mosh of a school district reform effort???
To be fair, the Human Resources/Dr. Bailey's situation is not the only dilemma worthy of CLOSE EXAMINATION AND SCRUTINY.
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