Crying fowl: APS board member says chair flipped her the bird at closed session
It appears that the Atlanta school board’s show of unity during its public meetings on maintaining accreditation is masking more fractious relations behind closed doors.
Here is an e-mail sent to board members and other APS officials Monday by District 5 board representative LaChandra Butler Burks in which she maintains that Board Chair Khaatim Sherrer El was “shooting a bird” at her during an executive session from which the public and press were barred.
I asked Chairman El for a comment and he sent me his e-mail response to Burks, which is also posted here along with a statement that El provided.
Here is Burks’ e-mail:
As I reflected on our upcoming SACS report this past weekend, I am concerned about some of the items that will have to be included. As a result, I think we need to be prepared to provide information on the following:
Required Action 1: It is difficult to regain stakeholder’s trust with the comments that were made by Mr. El on V-103. I have received several concerning phone calls about the interview. Also, all Board members were not aware of this planned interview.
The information reported in Mr. El’s interview with WABE on March 10th is misleading and false. If it is not false, it proves that all Board members are not included in communication. Mr. El stated, “We’re already in the process of coordinating schedules so we can have that first meeting where we will do some one on one sessions with Fanning and some small group sessions with Fanning and have those facilitated conversations as a group.” I am not aware of any sessions being scheduled. We have not been provided information on Fanning since we took the vote at our last meeting/worksession.
- Based on recent news stories, we know that confidential information from Executive Session is being leaked to the media and the public.
Required Action 3: Mr. El’s inappropriate behavior of “shooting a bird” at me during Executive Session in front of outside counsel and other witnesses. No action has been taken by the Board or Mr. El to appropriately address this situation.
- The need for Board members to contact outside counsel directly when Ms. Mazayck has indicated that she does not have a conflict. She has also shared the process we are to use when outside counsel is obtained.
Dr. Elgart and the SACS staff informed us that our work has to be genuine and authentic so I don’t see a way around reporting this information. With these items included in the report, I think they will discredit the many hours we have committed to this process.
LaChandra
LaChandra Butler Burks
Atlanta School Board
District 5
Here is El’s e-mail response to Burks:
Mrs. Burks. Thank you for raising these concerns. I do believe that in the spirit of genuine progress SACS will be looking closely at how we respond to issues like what you enumerate below, in addition to the occurrence themselves.
Can I suggest that in addition to flagging these items for consideration in the report, where appropriate, that you also refer these items to the mediator to help us formulate the proper resolution? The only other recourse I know to be available to us at this point would be to propose some action for the Board’s consideration or formally submit a complaint to the Ethics Commission.
Sincerely,
Khaatim S. El
El also sent me this statement:
SACS has asked that all members of the Board refocus their full energies on teaching and learning, and unfortunately some are intent on allowing personal issues and politics to prevail. There’s a process for addressing concerns — the Board can take action, the Ethics Commission can recommend action and the Board’s new mediator can provide tools for Board members to resolve their differences so that we are working for the betterment of the children we serve. I remain singularly focused on working with all of my colleagues to get this train back on track, retaining our accreditation, appropriately responding to the ongoing CRCT investigation and engaging the broader community in a search for a new superintendent.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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94 comments Add your comment
Dr NO...
March 17th, 2011
11:09 am
LOL…behavaing like a group of spoiled brats. Some how is just isnt surprising.
redweather
March 17th, 2011
11:12 am
Burks writes, “Based on recent news stories, we know that confidential information from Executive Session is being leaked to the media and the public.” Then she does the same thing she criticizes by sending you this e-mail? Is every member of that board a nutcase?
Maureen Downey
March 17th, 2011
11:15 am
@redweather, She didn’t send me the e-mail, although I am sure she was aware it was being shared with me. Maureen
Dr Knife
March 17th, 2011
11:19 am
Why can’t we get rid of these people. If they can get rid of a dictator who has been in power for thirty years, why can’t we throw these fools out before they bring the whole school system down further?
APS Teacher
March 17th, 2011
11:26 am
APS: Where you wouldn’t think it was possible to find this many idiots in one place.
Dr NO...
March 17th, 2011
11:37 am
Checking into their criminal history might be very revealing.
Top School
March 17th, 2011
11:44 am
Every APS Board Member…and every Upper Administrator under Hall’s leadership involved or knowing of any issues and failing to report those issues by turning a blind eye to the corruption …all these leaders are at fault for the current situations in APS.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO…
Keeping any of these unprofessional individuals will just cause havoc with the next.
Step UP NEEDS to Demand they all STEP DOWN…instead they are trying to manipulate the ignorance that is at the root of the problem.
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
James Conway
March 17th, 2011
11:45 am
Khaatim Sherrer El is a jackass of the first order so I guess that is better than a jackass of the second order which is what LaChandra Burks is. I am sorry to resort to name calling but it seems sane people are virtually powerless to influence these puffed up pretentious people who have agendas but no skills or caring for the community. These people make compelling reasons to not live in Atlanta, Clayton, or Dekalb school districts if you have a young family and care about their education.
Shar
March 17th, 2011
11:49 am
El’s action, and Burk’s complaint about it, only go to show how far out of touch APS Board members are. Don’t they realize that every parent and taxpayer in the district gives them similar gestures every time they are forced to confront another instance of their selfish idiocy?
James Conway
March 17th, 2011
11:50 am
I threw in a couple of other School Boards who are operating in a similar manner. Maybe Dekalb will straighten out but they are presently a year or two behind APS on the road to oblivion and show no signs of changing course.
APS Parent
March 17th, 2011
12:01 pm
Atlanta Parents – please wake up before these clown lose the accreditation for our kids/schools. Every member of the board and administration cares less about the kids and more about their own fame and behinds. Trust me Hall is already seeking her next system. And, a lot of teachers, principals and administrators have already received positions outside of the state because the Professional Standards Commission is slow to act on pulling their license.
HS Math Teacher
March 17th, 2011
12:03 pm
Behind every bird is a pile of sh__.
2 cents
March 17th, 2011
12:04 pm
listen… its not like no one has ever told her that before…. I think Hall and etc… are just trying to divide whats left of the pie until she leaves town to be part of the Obama admin
Maureen Downey
March 17th, 2011
12:06 pm
To all, I just added Chairman El’s e-mail response to Burks and a statement to me. (Added it at noon.)
Maureen
catlady
March 17th, 2011
12:07 pm
Ha! Ha! I LOVE the joke in the headline!
General Sherman
March 17th, 2011
12:13 pm
TMAAIC!
really? seriously?
March 17th, 2011
12:14 pm
and we’re bashing teachers right and left for their supposed incompetence in the classroom. . . . .
Top School
March 17th, 2011
12:18 pm
“I remain singularly focused on working with all of my colleagues to get this train back on track, retaining our accreditation, appropriately responding to the ongoing CRCT investigation and engaging the broader community in a search for a new superintendent.”
This is a TRAIN WRECK…ATTEMPTING TO FIX IT…is like trying to stop the radiation leak from a nuclear reactor This has been a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng drawn out slllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooooooow leak. With similar leadership characteristics of falsification of records and cover-up. Would you like to keep the same people in charge of making the decision for the next round?
Dr. Tim
March 17th, 2011
12:18 pm
I think that it is clear that the state needs to assume responsibility for the City of Atlanta School System. This is pitiful. I went through my entire twelve years of public education in the City of Atlanta schools, and it makes me want to weep to see what they have become.
What's best for kids
March 17th, 2011
12:18 pm
I wonder what would happen if they hired a superintendent with a backbone and a clue.
@ really? The rules don’t apply to central office or superintendents, just those of us in the trenches (eating lunch right now).
Top School
March 17th, 2011
12:20 pm
Use a bulldozer …and move this train off its tracks…Replace the TRAIN, the conductor, the engine supervisor, and all those with full knowledge of the cover-up.
Bemused...
March 17th, 2011
1:11 pm
Sounds like Sandra Butler Burks is not getting her way anymore, and she’s throwing a temper tantrum. Sounds to me like she would really like to see Mr. El’s leadership fail and for SACS to do its thing because she’s no longer in charge. I smell a rat. I am wondering if Beverly Hall and her administrative goons are not behind this latest move. What’s worse? Shooting someone the symbolic bird or engaging in actions like Burks used to do as Chairperson which showed absolutely no respect for her fellow school board membesr? Actions speak louder than words. Looks to me like she is getting just a little dose the big medicine that she formerly dished out. Doesn’t taste so good, does it, LaChandra? Hopefully you now see the grave errors of your former ways. Mr. El and his fellow board members should indeed work in concert and pass policies and resolutions as a whole group, not singularly. LaChandra, don’t forget about all of your private meetings with Hall and her staff. And don’t think for a moment that the “staff attorney” doesn’t have a conflict; the definition of a “staff attorney” (getting paid as a W2 and not as a 1099) is that she is on “staff” and answers to the CEO of the staff, Beverly Hall.
Just my thoughts…I know that it is never as it appears in public/media. This doesn’t pass the smell test. This sounds to me like Little LaChandra is no longer getting her way, and she is a spoiled brat. I could be wrong. Shooting a symbolic bird, to me, is just a gesture. But, ignoring the gargantuan amount of evidence of a administrative culture that apparently promoted systematic cheating and abusing teachers is much more heinous. It reminds me of these administrators who want to act like they are too pious to say “pie” because it starts with a “p” but they are not too good to treat teachers like sh_t. They might get greatly bent out of shape if someone slips up and uses (appropriately, I might add) the work “damn,” and yet they will egregiously treat the teachers in the most damnable manner.
This Birdgate or Flippergate, to me, is much ado about nothing. I am sure that Mr. El, like all of us, is imperfect, but he is sure a breath of fresh air from the Politburo-type school board that LaChandra Butler Burks chaired. Under her board, political secrecy and repression ran deep. Ran real deep.
Teacher, but NOT in Dekalb
March 17th, 2011
1:12 pm
Why not try a white superintendent?
Dr NO
March 17th, 2011
1:12 pm
Khaatim Sherrer El. I doubt thats even his real name. Just an alias.
Dr NO
March 17th, 2011
1:14 pm
One other thing. We can only hope the lack of performance from these people will influence others NOT to move to Atlanta. We are over crowded as it is.
Now…how did this board get seated? Are there elections for these seats or Mayoral appointments…?
Dr NO
March 17th, 2011
1:15 pm
“Why not try a white superintendent?”
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE. We will have NONE of that.
Miss Priss!
March 17th, 2011
1:21 pm
Only when all this unnatractiveness hits Newsweek and Time and O’Reilly and all the other national outlets and whatnot will anything really get done. Right now it’s just our little ol’ Atlanta problem. We need Scarlett O’Hara back to stir the soup.
observer
March 17th, 2011
1:45 pm
okay, boys and girls. Why don’t you start paying attention at the polls? Start educating yourselves before you vote. These are the clowns you wanted in these positions.
Dr. John Trotter
March 17th, 2011
1:46 pm
Someone mentioned Atlanta along with DeKalb and Clayton in the same breath. Yes, very similar administrations. They don’t always go by the law, especially when it comes to following the grievance law for certificated teachers outlined in the Georgia Code (O.C.G.A. 20-2-989.5 et seq.). So many of the conflicts and problems in these systems could be resolved if these school systems would simply follow the law, but the superintendents of these systems (Beverly Hall, Ramona Tyson, and Edmond Heatley) apparently had rather keep problems swept under the proverbial rug, thinking that they are fooling a already weary public. In DeKalb, when we were about to shed light on the systematic cheating in a grievance hearing (long before the traditional media jumped on board on this issue), Senator Ronald Ramsey (who heads up DeKalb’s Office of Internal Resolutions) “resolved” this problem by illegally shutting down the grievance hearing before it had a chance to get off the ground. One of his staff members was pushing me out the door (literally had her hands all in my chest in front of many witnesses). I presume that I was suppose to not express my disgust for a State Senator who chose NOT to abide by the Statutory Code which governed these hearings. Then, later in the week, Crawford Lewis’s lawyer attempted to “ban” me and what she termed as “illegal” pickets. I think that she actually used the work “illegal” in reference to the MACE pickets! Ha! I laughed and laughed! I wrote her back and asked her where she had attended law school and if she had ever taken a course on Constitutional Law.
Of course, we immediately started picketing several days in a row (even in torrential rain) with the television media in tow. We also had “systematic cheating” on our signs. Well, you guys know the rest of the story. A month or two later, the cheating scandal broke wide open, Crawford Lewis was indicted, and I am not sure if the attorney, Josie Alexander, is still one of DeKalb’s lawyers. She might be, but she sure needs to learn something about the First Amendment, if she truly thinks that our pickets are “illegal.” Ha! (c) MACE, March 17, 2011.
Atlanta mom
March 17th, 2011
1:51 pm
I don’t understand how someone can sit in meetings for eight years and not pick up one iota of knowledge. Mr. El sat, for eight years at the table. He now runs the show. The board meeting I attended, he had NO CLUE how to change the order of the agenda. No clue.
This is the man who does not know what AYP means.
This is a game for him, and it may cost the children of Atlanta mightily.
Fedup
March 17th, 2011
1:52 pm
I give credit where credit is due….good post, Johnny Rocket….DeKalb and Clayton are happy as H…E..Double Hockey Sticks that APS is getting all the press.
Dr. John Trotter
March 17th, 2011
2:14 pm
@ Fedup: I presume that I am “Johnny Rocket.” I like that name! It almost beats “Booger Red” which my Uncle Jack gave to me when I was just a small tot (but some friends to this day still call me “Booger Red” or “Booger”). Hey, gotta to run. Another great picket for today! The weather is great picketing weather! Got to keep the public and the administration enlightened and the teachers happy!
Springdale Park Elementary Parent
March 17th, 2011
2:30 pm
Let’s not forget that Butler-Burks was the first to pour accelerant on the greasefire that is the APS cheating scandal, by ramming through the hilariously misnamed “blue ribbon panel” report while concealing her efforts from her fellow BOE members. Her poor leadership on that report not only inspired a BOE revolt (see below), it inspired a full court press by the GBI to get to the truths Burks was unwilling to confront.
She also ducked questions on eRate Part Deux, claiming she could not answer an AJC reporter’s questions because she was “out of town.” (You know what? My cell phone rings even when I’m out of town–it’s a technological marvel!)
She inspired the recent “furious five” board revolt with a combination of arrogance and incompetence rarely seen even in elected Atlanta officials, and now she wants to blame El for not playing nice?
Right now, I’m going to stop typing for 30 full seconds so I can use BOTH of my middle fingers to make the gesture I think Burks deserves from all of us.
Springdale Park Elementary Parent
March 17th, 2011
2:37 pm
Okay. Fingers reholstered. Now I want to remind parents that the quickest way to be rid of these staggeringly incompetent BOE members is for SACS to lower the boom on APS.
Recall elections are too difficult to trigger in Georgia. But Gov. Deal will not allow APS to lose accreditation without going nuclear. In a perverse turn of events, our best hope of salvation from these doofuses is their own unwillingness to work together.
They’ll fail to stave off SACS; SACS will act; the Gov. (or Kasim “I Really Don’t Need This Problem Right Now; I’m Putting All My Efforts Into A Streetcar Named Boondoggle” Reed) will react, and somehow, some way, we’ll get to put all nine of these people back onto the street. (A couple — I count TWO–deserve to be re-elected. As for the other seven? I’ve got two words for you: Cage Match.)
Dr NO
March 17th, 2011
2:40 pm
APS = All flash and no substance.
Dekalbite@ Dr. Trotter
March 17th, 2011
2:49 pm
“I am not sure if the attorney, Josie Alexander, is still one of DeKalb’s lawyers.”
Yes. She is alive and well making big bucks from DCSS. She is redundant since we already have a major law firm we are paying $500 to $600 an hour for DCSS, but I guess she knows someone in the administration.
Speaking of testing – Take a look at DCSS’s Title 1 made AYP rate. 80+% of Title 1 schools made AYP in 2009, but after strict monitoring only 50%+ made AYP. Meanwhile, Audria Berry (I guess you’ve heard of her) continues to run the Title 1 program in her position as Executive Director for the Office of School Improvement. Her decisions have resulted in the lowest made AYP rate for Title 1 schools in the metro area. Yet she’s still in her position making educational decisions and spending federal funds in DCSS ($128,000,000 last year alone).
DeKalb is in worse shape than APS. Their drop in Title 1 school test scores after strict test monitoring was about the same as APS – actually a little steeper drop. Since we’re mostly Title 1 schools like APS, this is a very important area that needs top notch management.
Cleveland
March 17th, 2011
2:53 pm
I stopped reading at “As I reflected on our upcoming SACS report this past weekend, I am concerned…”
yagottabekiddingme
March 17th, 2011
4:10 pm
@Atlanta Mom, you said it. Why is no one questioning El’s participation on the Board for lo these many years, and not understanding what is going on? He’s a goon for those who want to see APS fail. Please, Khaatim, leave town while you still can.
A Conservative Voice
March 17th, 2011
5:00 pm
If I were a parent with a child who attended an APS school, I’d flip ‘em all a bird
To Springdale Park Parent – This is absolutely priceless – Right now, I’m going to stop typing for 30 full seconds so I can use BOTH of my middle fingers to make the gesture I think Burks deserves from all of us.
Top School
March 17th, 2011
5:26 pm
THE REAL QUESTION IS…
Why are ATLANTA citizens allowing these people to continue in their leadership roles?
Springdale Park Elementary Parent
March 17th, 2011
6:12 pm
@top school: the answer is two-part: (a) because the barrier to forcing a recall election in GA is ridiculously high, and (b) because none of the 9 members has the decency to offer to resign. When they’re flogged in public like this (which is often, but somehow not nearly often enough), each of the 9 no doubt says to himself or herself: “Thank goodness they’re only talking about those other 8, and not me!”
If there’s any consolation, it’s that the nascent political careers of a few of them will end right here. If, for example, Cecily Harsch-Kinnane, after her unprincipled and tongue-tied support of the current regime, gets elected to ANY office after this, I’m moving to (insert random country here).
yagottabekiddingme
March 17th, 2011
7:09 pm
@SpringdalePark: you have more to worry about than Ms. Harsch-Kinnane’s performance. Sounds like you’ve gotten in bed with the wrong folks in hopes they’ll “protect” your little faux-charter/private school (aka Spark). Check the five’s agenda and you’ll be horrified.
Teacher
March 17th, 2011
7:53 pm
Butler-Burks is a joke and I just hope she goes away and does not seek another elected office. She has no backbone and allowed Hall and Emmett Johnson to use her repeatedly and just forgot about the children and voters.
Top School
March 17th, 2011
7:53 pm
If StEp UP…used their energy to force the issue…there would not be a problem…these leaders would STEP DOWN. The educated parents involved in the Step UP rehabilitation of APS Board Members and the APS Administrators they can manipulate are wasting their time and tax money one these unprofessional leaders.
Demand Change from TOP to Bottom…
They can’t give these leaders the “class act” needed to improve the failing APS system. The current APS leaders are as LOW CLASS as those children we are attempting to raise to higher levels.
If this is the example of the TOP LEADERSHIP and Excellence…How nasty is the BOTTOM?
These are ineffective adults doing a POOR JOB …PUBLICLY…
iF THIS WAS headline news about a teacher… THESE ISSUES WOULD be dealt with in less than 24-48 HOURS without incident. PARENTS have no problem throwing the teacher under the bus when there is controversy …If PARENTS ARE SERIOUS ABOUT changing the leadership in APS…they will band together and demand change.
Without total change of the APS Leadership …expect the same old trash to spoil anybody you attempt to hire.
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
Top School
March 17th, 2011
8:02 pm
those involved in hiding the APS corruption will spoil the process of any attempt to correct the problem. They are sabotaging every attempt made to correct the problems…because they are the problem. If they are not flipping the bird in your face …they are laughing and flipping the bird behind your back…
It is as “LOW CLASS” as the leader of APS “TOP SCHOOL”… and still the parents support this???
Actually, I THINK your children deserve what you expect of your leaders.
Less than unsatisfactory.
Top School
March 17th, 2011
8:06 pm
I would not leave these leaders in charge of my goldfish…and YOU LEAVE YOUR CHILD IN THEIR HANDS…oh my!
Fickle Finger'OFate
March 17th, 2011
8:52 pm
“LaChandra Butler Burks in which she maintains that Board Chair Khaatim Sherrer El was “shooting a bird” at her…”
No, no, no LaChandra is mistaken, Khaatim was merely giving her the “we (APS) are number 1″ hand sign. Just like some others mistakenly believed an APS official told them to write go to hell; no, no what she actually said was “go to (Khaatim Sherrer) El”, as in go to Khaatim to receive your own “we’re number 1″ hand signal.
Springdale Park Elementary Parent
March 17th, 2011
10:08 pm
@forget: I’m not in bed with any of them. I want APS out of SPARK, and I want the parents here to wake up and take it over and run it as an ACTUAL charter. I trust NONE of these jokers and am constantly amazed that affluent, educated parents in this neighborhood allow a cabal as corrupt and inept as APS to touch their lives in any way at all. Because, you know, any time they wanted to assert themselves and take over the school and run it correctly, they could force a charter conversion.
But I think most parents don’t want the hassle more than they want their kids to excel. I honestly believe that. And the SPARK PTO president David Rein has written that SPARK will go charter “over my dead body.” We have some parents in Va-Hi who think they’re progressive because they enable awful school systems to victimize their own children. Hard to believe people who think that way could ever be successful enough to afford a home in this part of town….
Stressed Educator
March 17th, 2011
10:44 pm
Butler-Burks reports that Khaatim El gave her the bird. Really? Hmm,I might be inclined to believe this is Butler-Burks wasn’t such a liar and crook herself (secret meetings with Hall, Blue Ribbon Panel coverup, E-rate scandal, covering up the Porter report, the list goes on). Ask Rep. Ralph Long about the email he received from a former APS educator who reported to Butler-Burks about the retalitory actions of Tamara Cotman and was basically given a symbolic middle finger by Butler-Burks while she covered up the incidents. What goes around comes around–it’s called karma.
PatDowns
March 17th, 2011
11:52 pm
@ observer
March 17th, 2011
1:45 pm
Unfortunately, the current board is the “best Atlanta has to offer.” Those who would actually do well as school board members don’t want to serve. They don’t want anything to do with this dysfunctional board and corrupt administration. Plus, the average Atlanta voter is uninformed or indifferent and more than willing to cast a vote for the candidate more “like” him/herself.