On another post Anonymous wrote:
"also today- new topic:
http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/2014/02/17/Teachers-helped-to-create-a-system-their-union-now-is-criticizing/stories/201402170025
Shealey complaining about teachers crticizing union---
Yes,
we KNOW there were kool-aid drinkers-we know that Nina loved RISE and
touted it even at meeting where we tried to say it wasnt objective-- but
as far as the union helping people NO-- they told anyone who spoke out
to "resign for personal reasons"-- gotta get rid of those that speak
out. If you didnt follow the script you had to go. Only now the union
powers are seeing: union totally out of hiring process ( they tell you
to call THEM when there is an opening etc) Folks it wasnt always that
way!
The union became the enemy along with the administration they
loved-- and people literally gave up-- something they had fought for for
many years- a strong trade union relationship had died.
So now, we
have a newer smarter board who listens to their consittuents. So we have
union members that again see hope. Sorry Mrs. Shealey- your reign of
terror is ending!"
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27 comments:
Interesting, a sudden blitz of letters and opinions in favor of district initiatives, what a coincidence that everyone decided to write at the same time and all on message.
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2014/02/17/African-American-leaders-come-out-in-favor-of-change-in-Pittsburgh-Public-Schools-teacher-evaluations/stories/201402170130
Now the Pittsburgh African-American leaders have come out supporting Lane's higher teachers' standards.
Look at some of the people/organizations mentioned in the article. A+ schools, Marilyn Barnett (used to be a PPS V-P and then went to a charter school in East Hills,) etc.
Wow, the PR push is really on!
The P-G listed this story as "breaking news."
Someone posted under the article on the P-G web site - Pittsburgh's A-A population is 25%. They asked what is the A-A population of the PPS?
What is it?
Diversity at Pittsburgh Public Schools
Native languages spoken by students 46
Countries represented in PPS 57
African-American students 54%
White students 34%
Other races 13%
According to: http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/domain/17
This African American coalition surely is doing the bidding of Dr.Lane and unfortunately, has resorted to making the RISE sham a racial issue.
I would have expected a rational take rather than histrionics but given some of the names on the panel, it should come as no surprise that this press conference was held.
As for Ms.Shealey, this is also no surprise. Here was one of the rubber stampers who still wishes her "voice" to be heard. Another anti-teacher type that the PG is all too happy to print.
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/02/17/teachers-union-opposes-40-mil-grants-new-evaluation-system/
Andy Sheehan doing more "investigative reporting."
Dr. Marilyn Barnett was the principal at Westinghouse at one time. Why did she leave PPS and go to Imani Christian Academy? (currently on the Board of Directors)
Annon 6:37
I believe Dr. Barnett left the district to become superintendent. She was never going to get the job at PPS. I thought she went to Wilkinsburg looking to get the experience in order to be considered later. As I recall, she was V.P. at Allderdice. Not very well liked. Accused of using illegal recording to have a special ed teacher fired. It is no surprise to say Fondy supported the dismissal.
Dr. Barnett was a a Phys Ed teacher who became a PE Supervisor, then V.P. at Brashear and Allderdice. She then left the district to become a Principal in Woodland Hills. She returned to PPS as Principal at Westinghouse, then left the district and became Principal at Imani in East Hills.
Why do people continue to post such erroneous opinions on this blog? Because they can?
It's because the PG doesn't grant us the license to post erroneous opinions via their articles, 8:26.
You know, kind of like this one:
In the history of this city, there has never been a worse administration in Pittsburgh Public Schools than the Roosevelt-Lane admin. Never.
You can call in all your markers and tag team the public all you will, but the proof is in the pudding.
The. Worst. Ever.
From Tony Norman in the PG:
"That's why the new system for evaluating classroom teaching that will be implemented this year strikes me as a prime example of magical thinking on the part of the Pittsburgh Public Schools. I understand that the balance of a $40 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is predicated on a teacher evaluation system of some kind, but there are questions about the accuracy and practicality of such tests."
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/tony-norman/2014/02/18/Biggest-gap-in-black-kids-learning-parents/stories/201402180057#ixzz2tflxpREt
Questioner, please post the entire column.
At last, a voice of reason.
Anyone who believes the Linda Lanes, James Stewarts or African American Coalitions of the world might as well believe in the tooth fairy, too. What these individuals have done for public consumption is work an end around. Lane is not getting her way with the PFT--the proverbial blank check to fire whomever she wants without recourse---and as such, is now playing the race card, too.
And she has had these folks follow suit, with the blessing of the PG and KDKA. It must have killed Shribman to print Mr.Norman's column.
Lane has made it clear that she is a political hack, and nothing more. She knows nothing about the classroom and nothing about the needs of Pittsburgh's children. She would rather crash and burn than admit what a complete failure Gates and RISE are. She will go to any lengths to push her failed agenda.
Pushing this initiative forward will mean the ability to get rid of large contracts in favor of small. Multiply that over and over and it adds up.
This individual is an even worse administrator than Mark Roosevelt.
To James Stewart, the members of this coalition, Sharene Shealey, Andy Sheehan and myriad others who have stood behind this politician, how do you sleep? How can you possibly sleep in full knowledge that numerous individuals who have dedicated their lives to the children of Pittsburgh Public Schools---black, white, red, yellow---have been fired or forced to resign only because there is a bogey to fill from Bellefield and Linda Lane.
How do you sleep in knowledge that these people have had their lives turned upside down thanks to a numbers game disguised as an evaluation system.
Where is your conscience? Where is your sense of fairness? You've sold your collective souls to stand behind a grotesque dogma, and nothing more.
Here's hoping that karma finds each of you.
Roosevelt succeeded in emasculating the PFT. Now Lane is trying to cut it up into little pieces and flush it down the toilet. Next thing we know, PPS will be exactly like corporate America. You will get fired for "cause", your personal effects put in a small box, and you will be walked out of the building. Don't let the door hit you in the back. Won't that make someone want to become a teacher?
When Lane leaves, I nominate Regina Holley for superintendent. At least she has been in the PPS trenches for a long time and knows the shareholders, the skeletons in the closet, and our problems. Let's give one of our own a chance to right the ship before it goes under.
Dr. Holley was a good principal, but why nominate her when she has not been able to get anything done on the board. She brings up great topics and raises great issues but cant build a consensus to get her ideas done. The next superintendent will be Dr. Shemeca Crenshaw or Derek Lopez. Take your pick.
As the board membership shifts dr Holley is successfully building consensus.
And the board has never expressed a lot if enthusiasm for the candidates mentioned by 11:31.
Shameca Crenshaw? Derek Lopez? With all due respect to these two individuals whom I am sure are wonderful individuals, there is simply no way that will ever happen. Zero.
Look, I am all for anyone replacing Lane as long as they are not currently part of her inner circle of lunatics, but I will put forth this thought:
This entire Gates/RISE drama is going to be a small microcosm of what will come. If Lane gets her way with this and gets that blank check---the mandate to allow her to fire at will---it will also empower Gates. I can envision a Gates-backed candidate rising to the position in this city and then, dear God, watch out.
It's pretty obvious to even the casual observer that the $40 million that Gates provided had many strings attached, and that this was a building block process. It would follow that if a teaching force is going to be constructed within the Gates vision, then the entire district will continue to serve as a model for Gates, which means a superintendent and administration in place, and teachers who embody the dogma that this guy is pushing.
It is amazing that media outlets equate anything that Gates touches as 'golden' and in the mind of the PG, any problems with labor should be avoided to not tick of the Gates people and conversely, not to be the 'laughing stock' across the country.
Again, dear God, what can these people be thinking?
And yet, enough power brokers in this town think the same way and to any teacher---and any parent who wants their child to truly have a good education---that goes beyond being worrisome.
We've watched an enormous effort from Lane hit the airwaves and newspaper in the past month--unparalleled in this area---and aimed directly against the PFT, that is dissenting on this piece of Gates propaganda. Look at the editorials, the letters to the editor, the op ed pieces, the foundation wonks who are carping and the coalitions who have chimed in. Look at the Andy Sheehan pieces of yellow journalism.
To me at least, this has a for boding feel to it...that this was all just step one of a larger Gates initiative that has Pittsburgh as its model.
Sorry, but Lopez and Crenshaw are small potatoes compared to what Gates has in mind.
I know the PR push is scary-- and well funded. I also know that had the PFT taken a tougher stand when this all started, we wouldnt be here now, but we are.
I really want to believe that the PR push is coming because the new board is also SCARY. They trully have everything to gain by continuing to be a thorn in Linda Lane's side. Unlike former board members-- many of our PPS parents and community leaders have actually worked WITH Dr. Holley,Ms. Wilson etc. Unlike the media, these folks cant be bought.
They also have the experience under Gates-- they arent star-struck.
I think they have accomplished ALOT so far-- they have the media and the Gates cronies scramblin' to rewrite their script.
If I was a casual reader taking my info from the press- it reads like last week Linda Lane said we must follow their "one community script" and this week she is backing down on removing sports. This is GOOD, except that I'm not a casual; reader and I've heard about the cuts in PE. I have personally experienced her telling a group one thing, and when she walked out, members of committees saying-- that wasnt what she said yesterday. So Hang tough new board members-- and keep chippin' at the lies.
Can someone explain "cuts to PE" for the uninformed among us?
Physical education teachers are in the crosshairs for cuts next year, as are many, many others.
As long as Linda Lane can keep her building staffed with upwards of 700 individuals who AREN'T involved with the education of your students on a daily, or weekly, or even monthly basis, its ok with her.
Let me say it again. As administrators go, Linda Lane is the worst. Ever.
And as school board members go, Sharene Shealey was an empty suit, and nothing more.
If Shealey was so bad as you say, How is it that she became chairman is such a short period of time?
Anonymous wrote:
"Who cares what Shealey thinks? I was so glad she wasn't our board member for friendship where she really grew up. Whew! Look at the way she advocated for, Faison, Lincoln and Westinghouse. She was horrible and had the less achieving schools in PPS. I understand she very rarely visited them schools and when she could she stuck it to them. She was concern about 3 things, 1 her own kids only, 2 her kids father who had a supply contract with PPS ( to which she never disclosed) and 3 her cousin that was a teacher on the N Side, I think at King.
She rubber stamped everything and concentrated her efforts on helping others not of her own area. [Portion deleted because it may contain information about a student.]
Why did she become "board president?"
Yawn. What, is this supposed to validate her as being some "voice of the people."
Why? How about 'apathy'? How about the fact that there was no way Brentley was going to get it and that other members were not going to run again?
Please. The fact that this woman has the audacity to write the PG as if she has the PFT by the short hairs is laughable, at best.
I'm no fan of the PFT, but this continues to be a situation in which the superintendent wishes to take that agreement and stretch it to her wishes, which in this case is very simple: allow me to fire whomever I like, whenever I like, to address the budget problems.
She tried this with seniority a couple years ago, remember? Didn't work.
This is just another way of getting what she wants and hopefully, she'll get nowhere.
It doesn't surprise me that Shealey would come to her defense with the kind of logic I'd find out on the playground during 6th grade lunch.
I have her letter to the editor right where it belongs....at the bottom of my cat's litter box.
Terribly off topic, but is anyone else amused that Dr. French is dealing with the controversy in Peters over twerking at the Snow ball dance? no matter how this turns out I would hope the contract for lessons would be open for bid and not just awarded to Arthur Miller.
S. Shealey is on A+ schools board of directors???
A+Board of Directors:
Dr. Judy Johnston, Chair - Educational Leadership Consultant, Retired PPS Educator
Kevin Acklin - Chief of Staff, Mayor William Peduto
Tracey Reed Armant, Ph.D. - United Way of Allegheny County, Parent
Gregg Behr-Executive Director, The Grable Foundation
Kenya Boswell-Charitable Giving Manager, BNY Mellon
Jackie Dandridge-NEED & Retired PPS Educator
Amanda Godley, Ph.D.-Associate Professor, School of Education,University of Pittsburgh
Scott M. Hollander-Executive Director, KidsVoice, Parent
Rev. Robert James-Youth Pastor, Mt. Ararat Baptist Church
Ron Lawrence-President, 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania, Inc.
Lynette Lederman-Executive Assistant, Councilman Corey O’Connor
Allyson Lowe, Ph.D.-Chair, Department of Political Science, Carlow University
Sabrina Saunders-Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh
Sharene Shealey-Environmental Manager, NRG Corp., PPS Parent
Fred Thieman-President, Buhl Foundation
Honorable Chelsa Wagner-Allegheny County Controller
Tom Van Kirk-Executive Vice-President and Chief Legal Officer, Highmark, Inc.
Honorable Jake Wheatley-Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Roslynne Wilson, Ph.D. -Community College of Allegheny County
I have tried in the past to find something on the A+ site that would explain a bit about their board; what is a board member's term for example. It seems like there were some people on the board for a very long time when A+ was new. What is an organization like A+ required to report about its operation?
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