Friday, June 24, 2011

Comments about layoffs

Fresh thread.

36 comments:

justaparent said...

I have never been a union member and have never worked in education. I did look at the list and recognized the name of someone I knew in high school over 30 years ago. A clerical worker who has always been a PPS employee. I do not understand the logic used to determine who to let go. Shouldn't seniority count for something? Frankly, too much stinks of cronyism in PPS, and this applies to why I as a parent have ZERO faith in RISE. So glad I am almost done.

Anonymous said...

I think some people were let go due to senority simply to save money. The short sightedness of this approach is leaving a skeleton staff with minimal experience.

Does anyone know why technology was hit so hard?

Questioner said...

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"I agree that this "layoff" got completely off topic. It is not a matter of residency, or what teachers get or dont get (I respect any teacher in the City schools, it is not an easy job). The point of these layoffs is how ridiculous they are...and the direct affect it DOES have on the students. An ignorant Linda Lane (I am finding it hard to address her as "Dr." at this point)with the assistance of
Mark Campbell, through biast, manipulating, plagarising and scheming destroyed a department that was vital to the District. It does affect the students. It does affect countless families who were laid off...and Mark Campbell is still there. The Deparment has run on several occasions, without a Chief. So why was he not let go? Its been proven that the department can function successfully without a Chief...but you still need the indians. I can only hope that the people that have control over this situation are reading these posts, and realize the destruction and devastation ahead. And the price tag for correcting all of this will be far more expensive than the salaries of the folks they let go."

Anonymous said...

Effective leadership is usually beneficial. Ineffective leadership is detrimental. In this situation 3 knowledgable directors vs.one CIO makes more sense for financial, morale and productivity.

Anonymous said...

And so in March - exactly one day before the Governor releases his budget - Dr. Lane and the Board provide raises for Chiefs and Executives.

The raises are justified because they will each have to do more work.

All in a post-2008 recession era where unemployment has remained stubbornly high.

38 individuals are hired for the teachers academies and then dismissed just before they are to open.

147 employees are laid off.

And still they keep the raises. Still.

Anonymous said...

They are taking the money and running. Don't be fooled.

Anonymous said...

They are accountable to NOBODY. The board, the press and a lot of the community look the other way.

It is appauling. I really hope some members of the board read this blog, but I doubt it.

Old Timer said...

Even if they did read the blog, would it change anything? Newcomers are indoctrinated in the way of doing things and those with concerns are met with isolation.
It's beyond disappointing that Dr.Lane--someone who most of us had cautious optimism over---sold out to the prevailing disease at Bellefield Avenue. That disease is greed, pure and simple.
No teacher should be cut.
No one doing work that directly impacts students on a daily basis should be cut.
It's a shame that the responsibility for the cuts would be sent to a hatchet man, and that Lane looked beyond the people in the same building in which she works.
I would be glad to do the cutting, and I an tell you that MOST of Bellefield Avenue would go, MOST of Greenway would go and that in the end, ALL individuals who have no impact on the day to day education of students would go.

And I could tell you that after researching this, not only would I have a surplus for the district, I would have a much more student-friendly district in terms of how things are run.

Dr.Lane, I would be glad to make your "difficult decisions" for you. You might want to have a lot of packing boxes on hand, however.

Anonymous said...

I agree to many administrators/executives at Bellefield avenue. You do realize though there are many hard workers there making things go in which many were cut while the bloat remains. So you need workers there for the day to day behind the scenes operations. Also with a major decline in student enrollment the last decade or even longer how can't teachers be cut?

Anonymous said...

I am one of the unlucky few that was layed off by the school district. While I understand the need for reductions due to the fiscal irresponsibility of the School Board and the Superintendents both past and present, I cannot fathom how the choices were made. No high ranking (highly paid) adminstration member was shown the door. The Technology Dept. and Facilities Division were decimated. I'm sure that the "Administration" thinks that these two departments have little effect on the education of students, but, they will find out very soon that the people in these departments are very important.

What I found the most disturbing about being laid off was that no one would or could tell me or others about the decision process being used. From what I have been able to piece together from different sources in the district, the Technology Department was gutted to keep those who realized that the CIO is a charlatan from being able to bring to light his extreme short comings. I also have come to believe that the cuts in Facilities were made to remove all union employees and to remove two others who knew too much and had no fear of standing their ground with the Director of Facilities when they knew that things were being done incorrectly.

All in all these cuts were made to cut costs but were used by the District and its leaders to eliminate anyone that might pose issues for them.

Anonymous said...

The district is in a death spiral. As much pain, suffering and collateral damage was caused by the layoff of 147, it is important that we realize that the advertised savings of $11 million barely scratches the surface of what is to come.

In fact, the advertised savings itself is a bit misleading. I strongly doubt that any or all of the vacant positions were included in the district's projections for a $68 million deficit next year.

The Gates proposal required the district to promise to do three things: close schools, cut teachers and other efficiencies. Dr. Lane has executed part c of the plan.

How painful is this to watch? If someone gives you $4 toward a $10 purchase and you don't have the other $6, why would you go for it?

Anonymous said...

So, a forum for disgruntled employees/parents to complain about how bad PPS is?
I too am a disgruntled employee and even though I have not lost my job my department took a huge hit.
Instead of complaining to the people that will agree with me, I will take it upon myself to find another job (hint, hint).
As for the angry parents, send your kids to private school, that's what I did. Sheesh, grow a pair and quit complaining and do something about it!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Still amazed by the way employees were "dismissed" - without warning, told to pack immediately and vacate the building...emails shut down without warning, no time to say goodbye to colleagues and friends for MANY years. Sure, they offered counseling services between the hours of 10 and 4 - great if you were told early enough to get your office packed up and out the door by then....feeling very bad for those who were incredibly valuable and productive but made to feel like criminals in the end.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:54 I have called the district, I was active in my PTO, I volunteered, I expressed my concerns over and over. Nothing changed. We are now spending what we saved for a college fund to send our child to private school. I have no idea what we are going to do in High school.

When we left the district last year not one person asked why. It is hard to "do something" when nobody cares.

Anonymous said...

2:54. If the parent is a newly unemployed PPS parent, if they "grow a pair" will that give them the finances needed for private school tuition? Finding a new job quickly is not easy.

You don't seem very empathetic nor sincere.

Anonymous said...

To anonymous that recommends that we "grow a pair". It's easy to have that mindset when you are still employed. Also, if you the "disgruntled employee that you claim to be, why don't you grow a pair and stand up for what YOU believe is wrong with the District. Oh that's right you are STILL employed so I am sure after this weeks position cuts you will be keeping your head down so that you can still afford to send child to private school

Anonymous said...

Pittsburgh Public is top heavy, cut the people doing all the dirty work making $23,000 a year but keep Administrators making over $100,000 a year. Then add the number of head principals in one building by 3 or 4 Principals. Why does it take so many Principals to run a building but they can't afford support staff. May be one of them can empty the trash cans at lunch time since there will not be enough custodians to do it. Or may be one of them might actually have to speak to an upset parent since they cut the clerks.

Anonymous said...

10:11
" Also, if you the "disgruntled employee that you claim to be, why don't you grow a pair and stand up for what YOU believe is wrong with the District"

Thank you for pointing out the obvious. I think this is a fake employee. It is probably a PELA, Campbell, or Lippert.

Anonymous said...

In the current board minutes here are some transfers without change of salary - Viola Burgess, principal Allegheny Elem. to principal on special assignment, school performance, educational equity. Sophia Facaros, principal Schenley to principal on special assignment. Heath Bailey (a PELA), principal on special assignment Milliones, to same title at Westinghouse. He was also the same title at Allderdice before. And there are more. Why are these people moved around on "special assignments" and paid big bucks? Why aren't they let go? Do we really need all these "special assignments?"

Also, a settlement and release agreement involving a M.R., a district employee, was approved. Is this just some random M.R. I wonder?

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:35, go back through the history of "how we got where we are."

These new positions are being created to make sure that no PELA is left behind.

Can you see through the shell game?

Anonymous said...

Mark Brentley needs a blog. He asked for a copy of the previous superintendent's contract and will get it "forthwith." (6-24-11 BOE meeting)

He is not always right about things, but he asks questions.

Anonymous said...

Facaros was principal at Schenley and a good administrator worth keeping around (esp. with all these inexperienced PELAs). However, with the district loathe to let ago of PELAs, an experienced administrator like Facaros is put on "special assignment" in roles that don't necessarily play to her strengths.

Anonymous said...

Prinicpals are being moved ouyt to make room for newly minted PELAS- it is veiled in moved someone else into the position-- then THAT person's position becomes a PELA slot-- much like the CRIs who were promised jobs--PELAs must be placed...they a "heeled, scripted and ready"

Anonymous said...

Hello again, Anonymous 2:54 here. What I meant by grow a pair and do something is: Get over your self pity and go find another job or school. We have all been over-paid and coddled to the point where we've become afraid of the "real world". Stop making excuses. If you're that miserable make a change for yourself. Obviously PPS doesn't care about the employees or the students. Get over it and move on. And no, I'm not Campbell, or Lippert, or a Pella.

Mark Campbell is my boss, I was hoping he would be gone by now, I was wrong. He's done way too much damage in his short time here, and I think he'll be here for a while so it's time to move on.

Anonymous said...

i like Mr. Burgie. He had kids in school and understood what was needed to support technology in schools. He departed too soon.

Anonymous said...

Regarding the lay off of those who pose issues for he District...a few years back the Central Office staff was required to participate in multiple professional development sessions (at what I am sure was a substantial cost) that focused on the topic of "Robust Dialogue." Whatever happened to that? Questioning and the exchange of ideas and suggestions is NOT welcome at the Board.

Just Passing By said...

To anon 10:34

You wrote: "Stop making excuses. If you're that miserable make a change for yourself."

I was not affected by these layoffs, but I'm telling you, respectfully, that you are being too harsh.

Many folks are stuck in their present situations. With family obligations, they simply cannot afford to go out searching for other work.

And there is no use trying to change things from within. If you speak up at the PPS, you just make a target of yourself.

So all they can do is report their situations.

And I for one feel they deserve to be listened to, not belittled or second-guessed.

Anonymous said...

What computer/technical person considers themselves overpaid at PPS other than the unqualified one? I found the overpaid comment regarding the disgruntled current employee really odd.

Anonymous said...

As a long time tax payer I am appalled at the fiscally mismanaged actions of the School Board,the pasa Superintendent, Mark Roosevelt and now the current Superintendent Linda Lane.
Mr. Roosvelt left this district in shambles which tax payers will be paying for years to come and the Board bought all of his lame brain ideas without so much as a clue of the long term impact that his hair brain decisions would have on our students, parents, teachers and hard working employees. He perpetrated a ponsie scheme and got away before his house of cards collasped all because he had the Roosevelt name! Wow we were lambs being led to the slaughter house...

Next lets look at the wasteful spending of the Board: 1. Has anyone asked about all the contracts that have been let since Mr. Roosevelt and Dr. Lane has let out with no competitive bids? The tax payer are clueless about the duplication of contracts that could have been done by the very people who are educators who work at the Board. We are talking about millions of dollars with no accountablity 2. Are you aware of the number of contracts that Bill Isler has played a role in securing for his friends and business cohorts? 3. What about all of the Broad hires who came in making in access of $80,000 per year because of a deal struct by the former Superintendent? 4. Did any of them lose their high paid positions in the layoff? 5. Has anyone done an audit of the quality of the Charter Schools and has a report been prepared for the tax payers to review? 6. The Board should be sued by the parents whose children are forced to endure the abuse of incompetence of Board and the Bellfield administrators who are as responsible for this mess as Mr. Roosevelt.

Questioner said...

It has been said but never proven that Mark Roosevelt obtained for Mr Isler himself a lucrative consulting contract. People would be even less aware of contracts to Mr. Isler's friends, and he could always make the argument that the friends were best for the job; rules about bidding for work should have had some impact in this area (maybe something to look at as the board reviews its policies).

Anonymous said...

Would it be Mr. Islet is a delegate on the great city schools council which did consulting work for the district under Roosevelt's tenure?

Anonymous said...

So they/he gets rid of all of the telephone repair people and then sends an email that if there is a problem with a phone to contact an outside company. WTF!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I am not an employee of the BOE and my heart goes out to the dismissed employees and the ones who are left to carry the work load of the now dismissed or reassigned employees. What I want to know is did Lisa Fischetti have her paws in the reorganization? If so we are in trouble. How many of the Directors at the Bellefield office lose their jobs, how many of them benefitted from the pay increase that was handed out just before our new Governor announced his proposed budget cuts in education? Most of the public, parents and real worker bees at the Bellfield building have been kept in the dark about the ridiculous decision making of the administrators. The public and our children are the victms of this massacre and I think it's time that we DEMAND accountability and very likely some heads of the Board members and Dr. Lane. it's shame that Mr. Roosevelt is not here to take his just punishment too. I am watching the systematic dismantling of our great educational system and the real looser are our children who are being cheated out of a quality quality educational system.

On another note, I read over the Board minutes dated June 22, 2011 and I was appalled at some of the contracts that were approved. As an example, the is the contract that was given to Anita K. Ravi who entered a contract to work as a consultant for the Empowering Effective Teachers Plan and Social Studies transition support at a daily rate of $1200.00 PER DAY or $6000.00 PER WEEK FOR A PERIOD OF
JULY 1, 2011 TO JUNE 30, 2012 for a 60 day period for a total amount of $72,000. What in GOD's name justifies this amount of money being spent on 60 days of work? These are my tax payer dollars and we tax payers need to start reading the minutes and demanding ACCOUNTABILITY!!
HOW WAS THIS CONTRACT BIDDED AND WHAT PREVENTS THIS WOMAN FROM COMING BACK AND REQUESTING THAT THE CONTRACT HAS COST OVER RUNS.
This is just one of the glearing contradictions that i am having with the so called budget deficit when I see these kind activities taking place. We are surrounded colleges that could have provided these types of studies and a lot less the cost...
It is time that we, the public begin to get involved and start demanding that answers.

I guess your asking "Who am I?" I am a ticked offed parent, taxpayer and a researcher who is going to start a rally to make these so called administrators and elected board members accountable for this mess. I will be making my dissatisfaction known by any means necessary.






$6

because

omg said...

To Anonymous June 29, 2011 1:08 AM
I agree, we need to get out from hiding behind our computers and take action. All this sitting around complaining is not getting rid of any one at the BOE just lets us get stuff off our chest. We need to take action.

Anonymous said...

That contract almost seems impossible.

Anonymous said...

And remember, they (BOE/PPS and PFT) are still writing/rewriting (to fit whatever they want it to fit) the 5-year teachers' contract. Or rather should I say that the BOE/PPS is writing the contract and the PFT will just sign off on it.