On another post Anonymous wrote:
"The Friday P-G has an article about Jean Fink. The article mentions the
$40 million PPS got from Gates which covers part of the cost of the
Empowering Effective Teaching program, aimed at improving teacher
quality. Fink said, "Although they've given us a lot of money to do a
lot of things through the Empowering Effective Teachers, I don't know if
the money that we've had to put out is making it worth it. There's a
lot of good things that come from trying to do things differently,
trying to beef up teachers' skills, but in the end, I have to ask
myself, 'What is the long-range value going to be?'"
The same
article quotes Randall Taylor remembering an incident in 2002 with Fink.
He said, "I also looked at it as a time when board members did debate
and had disagreements and weren't rubber-stamping things."
As a side note, Lane received a $10,000 salary increase to $230,000. I thought the district was going broke?"
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23 comments:
The article is at:
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2013/11/29/A-frank-informed-voice-leaves-city-school-board-after-33-years-of-service/stories/201311290114
The fundamental problem is so simple as to be ridiculous. Go back to grade school for a second. Here's your word problem:
If someone gives you $4 to spend $12, how much do you have to come up with?
Take a good hard look at the devastation over the last three years. By the way, Microsoft itself has just abandoned this aggressive sort of evaluation system because it was destroying morale and stifling innovation.
Perhaps are best current example of brain drain is the business manager that needed $2.4 million in consultants to put a budget together.
One of the comments in the article echoes the admin response to objections to proposed school closings- ie, "No one wants to see their own school closed." It is a dismissive response that is used to brush off valid requests for logical justification and consideration of alternative plans. And, it also implies that constituents only look to their own very narrow interests even as board members such as Jean Fink claim to consider the interests of the district as a whole.
Eleanor Chute is much better as a "feature" writer than as a news journalist. Her PPS news articles lack investigative reporting skills, but she did a nice job on this Jean Fink feature. PPS would be a hotbed of news if a skilled reporter was assigned to our public schools. Mary Niederberger would be much better news journalist. Look at the depth of investigation it took to write the report on the half million being spent on two consultants from New Orleans for a few days a month. Imagine what Niederberger could do with that level of reporting in PPS. The public deserves real investigative reporting. Such reporting would be picked up by the New York Times, Education Week and other national news outlets. Pittsburgh's buried stories are beyond newsworthy! How can we make this happen?
"If someone gives you $4 to spend $12, how much do you have to come up with?"
Good point, anon 12:08. But it's even worse than that. The person who "gave" you the $4 often has conditions.
In that way, a small amount of money can end up controlling an entire project. That's what happened with the PPS.
While I'm not aware of the firebrand Mrs.Fink *used* to be, she was part of the problem with PPS during the last two administrations as she continually rubber stamped issue after issue without research or discussion about the impact upon the children she so deeply cared about. Like Colaizzi and others, she is someone who sold her proverbial soul to Gates money and philosophies.
Fink can't tell you why so many students have left our district, which in itself speaks volumes. Look in the mirror, Jean. It's been the culmination of your decisions that has caused parents to look elsewhere. Don't let the door hit you in the fanny.
As for the PG, it is quite clear that the editorial staff has no wish to look deeply into the mess over on Bellefield Avenue. Joe Smydo didn't ask questions, and neither does Miss Chute. Under David Shribman, this type of 'reporting' provides readers with a weekly PR piece about the district, offers editorials that laud Lane and the board when it decides to lop off teachers, pat her on the back when she says there will be no tax increases, assalsl the PFT for standing by its longevity clause in the contract, and publishes op ed pieces by the financial elite that also take the teachers' union to task for the same commitment. It is a newspaper that applauds a teacher evaluation system that is essentially a scheme to dump the higher salaried, veteran teacher who suddenly forgot how to instruct after 25 or 27 years of exemplary service.
This is journalism?
The reality says differently, of course. Test scores are among the worst in the state. The Promise is not attracting new families. Gates money--which is earmarked to target teachers, and not the needs of our kids--has provided nothing in the way of positive change for students. High ranking administrators have jumped ship, others have sent their resumes around and still others are rumored to be looking.
These are things we never read about.
Ask yourself why.
Its about time.She always voted with colasie and isler knowing that they were wrong on a lot of issues.Brently should be the next Board president most of his comments makes sense and when he ask for a copy of the andrews report all of the board members would not back him.
The contradictions abound im the article. From neighborhood schools for some, to no real voc-ed, to my favorite questioning the latest education fads; Yet the Board of Roosevelt(which WE should always refer to them as) went along with worst fad of all Be A Superintendent In 10 Easy Lessons!
And now with TFA, be a teacher in a few easy lessons.
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2013/12/02/Sumpter-elected-president-of-Pittsburgh-school-board/stories/201312020155
Thomas Sumpter voted in as new board president in a 5-3 vote.
http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/5183205-74/board-president-sumpter#axzz2mI7gJ4cD
It took 3 ballots.
I'm very happy with Mr. Sumpter and Mr Isler getting elected. They have the reasoned, non-bombastic temperament to hold leadership positions. Unfortunately, I do not believe that Ms. Holley has those qualities.
What has Dr. Holley ever said that lacked reason?
Yes, Mr. Sumpter did attend Broad training for board members.
And Mr. Isler has been the power behind the board for years. Even though he hasn't been board president for years, I wonder if he's still going to call the shots?
Hmm-- I may be optimistic but this is the biggest change in decades--given the make-up of the new board, I cant imagine this crew under Isler's thumb. There are too many people who have been used to asking questions about everything.
If this new Board doesn't stop the failed teaching and learning experiments of the Roosevelt-Lane-Lippert-Otuwa era, then we may as well kiss any hope of student achievement moving in an upward direction good-bye. I worked for a principal who thought out of the box. We may not have always agreed but our students made consistent incremental improvements and the staff was appreciated for our efforts.
Today we use a scripted curriculum that lacks creativity and student achievement remains stagnant. This new Board has got to ask the tough question of Lane-Lippert-Otuwa, "After almost ten years of Broad-Gates influence, why hasn't student achievement showed any significant gains?" The answer is clear. Roosevelt-Lane-Lippert-Otuwa sold their souls to big business money.
The next question to ask is "Will this new Board continue to do the same?" If the "rubber stamp" mentality persists, then not only will our children be victims but the City of Pittsburgh will fail to grow as a leading urban area as outlined in Mayor to be Peduto's vision. No family with economic influence will even consider living within the city limits when our schools are second class. PPS can expound on the image of PPS as a "World Class School District" but "Where is the data to support such a statement?" Isn't this what Lane-Lippert-Otuwa requires of principals to ask each teacher and uses as a measure of teacher performance?
Just as teachers have been encouraged to resign or retire for failing to move students, will this new Board have the courage to demand the same expectations of Lane-Lippert-Otuwa? If not, then it's just like big business. CEO's run the company into the ground but they stay in power and walk away with a golden parachute...Just like Lane's $10,000 bonus when the budget is about to bust and achievement is still in the tank. Scary, isn't it?
What is the reason for rubber stamping? Is it laziness, or a lack of confidence or expertise? Or is it because parents or board members who ask questions or object run the risk of being labeled troublemakers and marginalized? Or some combination of the above? If a majority of board members can come together on issues they can avoid being labeled.
Blogger Questioner said...
What has Dr. Holley ever said that lacked reason?
December 3, 2013 at 9:45 AM
Co-sign on that question. It was very disappointing that Dr. Holley wan't elected.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Yes, Mr. Sumpter did attend Broad training for board members.
December 3, 2013 at 11:38 AM
Do we know this for sure?
Re Mr. Sumpter- yes; wasn't the training even mentioned in recent pg coverage?
The board rubber stamps because they have no power. Lane and Co. are calling the shots as directed by Gates. When PPS sold out to Gates for the big bucks, Lane has to follow the Gates' script. We don't even really need a board as they are powerless.
Even though we now have a new board, nothing will change because we are locked into the Gates initiatives.
The new Board vote on Monday night for it officers said it all.
The new Board members cannot think for themselves or out of the box. And so it goes for yet another year. Heaven help the children.
If Broad/Gates believed in their mission in PPS, they'd step up and pay the deficit and put a stop the looming demise of PPS/
Shame on Lane taking a raise! Unbelievable! Everyone is asked to do more wth less- 230k! Come on! Let's get someone real!
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