And then there were three, two and none. Other DeKalb finalist quits and withdraws from DeKalb search.
Arthur Culver just resigned from his job in Illinois, but also withdrew his name from the DeKalb search.
Well, this is getting interesting:
The other finalist for the DeKalb school chief job, Arthur Culver, has resigned as superintendent in Champaign, Ill. He told the local paper that he has also withdrawn his name from contention in DeKalb.
With everything that has occurred in the last several days, I felt it was in my best interest to withdraw,” Culver told the News-Gazette.
So, not one of the three original finalists is still in contention for the top slot in DeKalb, forcing the county to start anew. I wonder if this bizarre process and all the collateral damage along the way will scare away other prospects.
This very open search process seems to have destabilized Cox in North Carolina and led Culver to resign in Illinois.
Some of the fallout comes from the openness that the law requires and that even strong school chiefs like Andres Alonso in Baltimore decry as too risky.
At a panel here, Alonso made the point with which Cox is probably in full agreement: Once your current system knows that you were considering a job elsewhere, there is a wariness about your commitment and a skepticism about everything you say. I would not be surprised to see Cox take another job soon.
The law requires release of the finalists’ names, but many school systems skirt the law by releasing the name of a single finalist in clear circumvention of the transparency intent. (Fulton just did this, avoiding the messiness of open government that DeKalb is now seeing.)
Taxpayers deserve input on the school chief as they pay the salary, but it didn’t work in this case. The problem with closing the process and shutting out public — as some of you are suggesting — is that people can get enraged to find out there is only one option for school chief, and that they had no ability to participate in the vetting.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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210 comments Add your comment
catlady
April 26th, 2011
11:09 am
Well, I disagree with the idea that the finalists are in trouble with their systems for pursuing the job. Part of the nature of school administrators is that they look for a way up, and school boards expect that. Ms. Cox may be messed up because she applied to move up with little time at her current position. But Culver was seeking an opportunity to enhance his status, which all board members should understand.
Perhaps the board should refuse to pay the search company, as they did an abysmal job, or have a contingency clause for unsuccessful searches.
How ’bout the AJC doing an in-depth examination of the pay/benefits of all the metro superintendents, including termination pay, contributions to 401K made in addition to pay, cars, etc. I really think folks need to get a grip on what Dr. Cox was asking for!
And how about voluntarily releasing the name of the informant who blabbed about the negotiations?
RenaP
April 26th, 2011
11:11 am
if he already resigned from his postion as superintendent in Champaign, Ill., why did he withdrawl from dekalb? the secret of seeking other employment was already out of the bag. why not go through the process of trying to get the dekalk job?
Tonya C.
April 26th, 2011
11:12 am
atlmom:
Not a perfect answer, but at least it will prevent the circus that has become superintendent selection. I’m flabbergasted and flustered at this point with how this is done in education as a whole.
Jack
April 26th, 2011
11:13 am
No one with an ounce of sense is going to apply for the job in DeKalb: so it’s no suprise that whoever gets the job lacks good judgement.
Concerned Citizen
April 26th, 2011
11:19 am
P.S. Certain aspects of this whole process are reminiscent of the Terrell Bolton fiasco a few years back…
Mr. Bill
April 26th, 2011
11:22 am
One of the reasons you elect a school board is to operate the district and make major decisions…such as selecting the superintendent. Too much publicity can cause problems in the negotiations, as just occurred. Involoving the citizens in the process is unnecessary if they have elected a competent board.
Michael in Decatur
April 26th, 2011
11:28 am
You folks crack me up! You don’t want to pay someone a high salary to manage one of the largest systems in the country. And you want someone with experience with a system as large as Dekalbs. Guess what? You’re (we’re) going to have to find someone who has done a good job at a smaller system and pay them enough to motivate them to take on the headaches of a larger system. If Dekalb is too big a job for one super, then let’s divide the county up into a more manageable size. Let’s see, should it be North and South Dekalb? Or East and West Dekalb? How do either one of those grab you?
Angela
April 26th, 2011
11:28 am
The DeKalb county schools have gone to hell in a hand basket because of the school board. The schools on our side of the county (Lithonia/Stone Mtn.) area aren’t worth a darn. We have to send our children on the other side of the county in order to get a halfway decent education. The teachers could care less about the students and their education. I really wish that we can sell our house and move to another county. DCSS is the worst!!!
Dr. John Trotter
April 26th, 2011
11:31 am
http://www.youtube.com/user/macelivetv#p/u/26/I8ku9MBo5pw
August, 2009. A DeKalb County Board meeting at Arabian Mountain High School. “All Nine Must Resign.” A MACE picket which draws police officers. Note the police van that pulled up while we were picketing. I suppose that we were supposed to be intimidated. Ha!
Berha
April 26th, 2011
11:33 am
Maybe Mr.Culver qiut because Champaign County schools were going to fire him because of gross misconduct on his part? Maybe the people told Culvert to qiut or go to JAIL? Send an I-team to reveal the truth about Culvert.
Really?
April 26th, 2011
11:33 am
Superintendent Culver resigns from Unit #4 after closed session regarding a personnel matter the News-Gazette reported this morning and not because he was getting heat from putting his name in the running for another job. The Champaign School District will hold a press conference as to the personnel matters that prompted the resignation, though I do not have full confidence the public will ever know what many of us know has been going on in the District, both on the professional side of public education and the private side of public education (i.e. personnel matters). What I hope to clarify is that DeKalb should not confuse Mr. Culver’s dilemma here (i.e. resignation) with the other two candidates reasons for pulling out or the benefits of transparency. Actually, Ray and Associates brought our flawed Mr. Culver to us 9-years ago. Had we had transparency back then, we wouldn’t have hired a Superintendent who had a questionable background and running from his last stronghold in Longview, TX. It was because of transparency we were able to catch Mr. Culver sneaking out of the back door with 3-years left on his contract while facing his current legal woes our District has been saddled with. DeKalb should be grateful, not angered.
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/education/2011-04-26/culver-resigns-withdraws-candidacy-georgia-job.html
Nobody's Mom
April 26th, 2011
11:35 am
I do give a damn about your kids education as a teacher on the southern end of the county. The question is do they and do you?
Hmmmm
April 26th, 2011
11:36 am
I think most people know what happened. Once I read the the vote was 6 to 3, and not unanimous, one of three or all three ran to the media.
It seems the only qualification needed to be on a school board is a pulse.
Cindy
April 26th, 2011
11:39 am
Why doesn’t Dekalb get a white person as School Superintintant, why does it always have to be a black person? Dekalb always discriminates against whites when it becomes picking a leader.
Shanquita
April 26th, 2011
11:40 am
I’m sure the info was leaked about Cox because they don’t want a white woman running their schools. Too bad because the Dekalb school system would have been better off. Typical reverse racism.
Dr. John Trotter
April 26th, 2011
11:42 am
http://www.youtube.com/user/macelivetv#p/u/16/FuUWMjuX9OI
This picket in front of the DeKalb County Central Office in the Spring of 2009 is somewhat funny. The police officer tried to get us off the sidewalk but to no avail. Then Ronald Ramsey and Dr. Tucker came running (well, briskly walking) to the picket line and was taking OUR photos. We laughed. Our video guy, J. B., got caught up in the excitement of the moment and forgot to video this. Ha! But, we gave a summation of the picket afterward. Just think…this is while Crawford Lewis was still in power and the cover-up was still taking place.
Note that I was calling the DeKalb County School System “a gangsta school system” back then — even on the network evening news! And y’all think that we are “crazy.” We might be “crazy,” but we’re hardly ever wrong! Ha!
What's best for kids?
April 26th, 2011
11:45 am
How about a teacher in this position? How about one who has been a teacher for a long time? We seem to be forgetting “where the magic happens” and that is in the classroom.
Heck, I could do that job. After 18 years in the classroom, nothing surprises me any more.
A Conservative Voice
April 26th, 2011
11:46 am
@Concerned citizen
April 26th, 2011
10:21 am
The really sad part is that Dekalb County used to be the flag ship for education in this state. Now it has become the sinking ship for education in the state. I am angry……….but I guess you can deduce that……………..
Yes, you can……..
Trane
April 26th, 2011
11:51 am
They have to show what the terms and salary they pay the School Superintendent because it’s OUR money (taxpayers). They can’t hide it because they would give them $500,000,000.00 dollars a year!
Confused and Amused
April 26th, 2011
11:54 am
What is it these candidates are afraid of? Am I missing something?
Maureen Downey
April 26th, 2011
11:54 am
@What’s best: I think you should apply. You could do the job.
sissyuga
April 26th, 2011
11:58 am
Think they will offer the job to her queen Rhee?
Maureen Downey
April 26th, 2011
11:59 am
@JacketFan, And I feel compelled to provide accurate information:The source of the information was not Superintendent Tyson.
By the way, for those of you urging criminal prosecution for the source of the contract negotiations, our Legislature would be empty and our prisons full if leaked information by politicians or high-ranking government officials was pursued by the criminal courts. I am sure signers of the Declaration of Independence were leaking advance copies to the press back when.
Maureen
Kitty Conrad
April 26th, 2011
12:00 pm
Publicizing the hiring process for citizen vetting is stupid in the first place. There can’t be more than two citizens in the entire county who could say anything intelligent about any of the finalists.
The Ghost of Lester Maddox
April 26th, 2011
12:01 pm
Hell, just sounds like 3 wise people who came to their senses to me……
…..would YOU want that job?
Thomas Jefferson’s dream of “free” education for all was just that….a dream.
The reality is that schools should be turned over to the private sector, and may the best survive.
thomas
April 26th, 2011
12:08 pm
In the NFL, if you want someone else’s coach, you have to get a permission to negotiate with the current team. Maybe a school district should contact other districts asking them permission to consider their superintendents for its superintendent. They say no and the person still wants to be considered, they s/he can quit their current position.
R826
April 26th, 2011
12:09 pm
Someone nailed it – the biggest issue we had was that one or more board member BLABBED. They are like children with power – they have to prove to their pals that they know something. Some of what was leaked probably never would have come to pass in the final agreement, it was way too early in the process, but just knowing it as discussed starts to turn some of the teachers and public against the prospect. Pathetic and unprofessional – just what we have come to expect in Dekalb Public Schools. When do we get to negotiate the board’s contract? (HAHA)
Dunwoody Mom
April 26th, 2011
12:11 pm
Does anyone think that the Governor is now going to call a meeting with the DCSS BOE?
South DeKalb
April 26th, 2011
12:11 pm
This should be a serious wake up call for DeKalb Citizens. There should be a new system of governance put in place. A new system of governance which would provide for an appointed chancellor/president of the school system, appointed by local government, eliminate or greatly reduces the elected school board. And by stature a citizens committee of parents with children in DeKalb Schools would be appointed (no salary, expenses paid). The citizen’s committee (stake holders) approval would be required on all measures.
This change or one similar to it would take the politics out of the DeKalb School Systems, and restore quality education. Change is not inherently bad, but necessary at times. And this change is not an indictment of the current school board or administration, but it represents a necessary change for our times.
Smoke Rise Mom
April 26th, 2011
12:12 pm
The real master plan of DCSS is to drive as many students out of the system as they possibly can and, as a result, their noisy, bothersome parents who are advocating for them will go away. Then they can maintain status quo. Looks like local school administrators, central office, and board are all doing their best to make this a reality.
Dr. John Trotter
April 26th, 2011
12:16 pm
I have been saying for years that the appointment of superintendents is one of public education’s biggest problems. Appointed superintendents are, at best, educational gypsies, and, at worst, are educational sl_ts. Maureen, I just tell the truth. I hope Mr. Filter lets this by. It’s in my book, by the way! Ha!
Ben
April 26th, 2011
12:18 pm
What does it matter with whomever gets the job? It’s just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic; Dekalb’s board is about 5 steps ahead of Atlanta and 10 steps in front of Clayton County. Fortunately the legislature has given the Governor and by extension the Mayor a reset button to clear out all of the deadwood and elected numbskulls on the respective boards that need it.
The Deal
April 26th, 2011
12:19 pm
@Dunwoody Mom: I certainly hope so.
Education for All
April 26th, 2011
12:25 pm
The mishandling of this search and hire process should be adequate cause for a critical examination and expose’ of all the dysfunctions in DCSS by the AJC. Is that too much to ask? When criminality and cronyism are destroying children’s opportunities for a good education and a good future, isn’t this newsworthy? And not just these blurbs, they are fine, but we need a Sunday story, filling up 3 pages worth with all the crazy that led up to this point, and maybe even some information on what other municipalities have done to fix equally broken systems. But first off, let’s throw the cronies out.
Is there a mechanism for a recall of an elected official here in Dekalb? Let’s recall any that have relatives working in the system, first off. Next, lets go after any that have benefitted financially from their board seat beyond their salary. Then maybe we need to find out all the details about the New Birth/DCSS entanglement and extract any that are responsible for those two corrupt organizations being so intertwined. Whoever is left will be able to welcome good new board members into their midst, and good people who are now refusing to run for school board due to this rat’s nest of cronies and misbehavior, will be willing to then serve on behalf of our county’s children. Sound like a plan?
What's best for kids?
April 26th, 2011
12:25 pm
Thanks, Maureen! Maybe I will! I wouldn’t be as stinking expensive as the other folks, either. Now, how does one apply for that sort of job?
catlady
April 26th, 2011
12:26 pm
“I am sure signers of the Declaration of Independence were leaking advance copies to the press back when.”
Perhaps, Ms. Downey, although perhaps they had a better sense of honor. At any rate, if they were leaking advanced copies of the Declaration back then, by the time it was printed and disseminated by foot and horseback, it would not have been news any longer! LOL
The person who leaked, as well as those who published the information, circumvented the hiring process. The leaker should, at least, be held up to public scrutiny as to their motives. Let them see how it feels. I believe the name of the leaker should be leaked to the public.
goodforkids
April 26th, 2011
12:29 pm
@What’s best…apply. An experienced and wise teacher with integrity who will behave ethically at all costs and on behalf of kids is a great candidate for the job. I don’t know you, but they need help. If you have it to offer, go for it.
Roach
April 26th, 2011
12:31 pm
Now, why isn’t there a “go to” place where you could easily find the up-and-comers, a large collection of people who maybe haven’t held the top job but have held senior positions in school systems of a comparable nature? Of course the top performers are looking to move up, from associate super to super. There must be dozens of candidates right now. It’s ridiculous that these three are all the candidates that the search firm could uncover. They haven’t been doing their homework. How in the world were they selected? Lowest bid?
DiasternDekalb
April 26th, 2011
12:35 pm
Yeah trotter we see what kind of people the public votes into office. Get Real
Dekalb taxpayer
April 26th, 2011
12:36 pm
Elect a superintendent? You want a superintendent elected by the same voters who send and resend SCW, Jay Cunningham, and their ilk back to the board? God forbid.
PatDowns
April 26th, 2011
12:38 pm
@ Maureen – your newspaper and its sister TV station, WSB, share culpability in this fiasco.
Transparency in the negotiations process, no matter the Superintendent candidate, DOES NOT include divulging what goes on in BOE executive session.
This situation could have been avoided if the AJC and Richard Belcher had put the school system above getting a scoop.
Education for All
April 26th, 2011
12:39 pm
Maureen, obviously tipping off journalists is not typically considered criminal behavior. However, tipping off journalists in ways that lead to a witness in protection being exposed, exposes the identity of a covert operative, or leads to a rape victim being identified, could be considered criminal, am I right? And clearly there is a grey area in between. So I wonder, though, if a leak is part of an agenda to abort a process that will expose and root out dysfunction (like hiring a new superintendent from outside), then who does the journalist have an obligation to? The anonymous and malicious tipster or the public for whom they are supposed to be a fourth estate and a check on bad government? It is up to that journalist’s conscience, of course, but in this case, I think the tipster’s identity IS the story, as it was a move designed to derail forward progress in DCSS and protect the corruption that lies therein.
Kellie Brownlow
April 26th, 2011
12:44 pm
Maureen, as a tax payer in DeKalb and someone who works for government, I think in certain situations we need to rethink the meaning of transparaency. I’d be in favor of a slightly less transparent process that would be more likely to ensure a top notch superintendent. In this specific case, DeKalb is at a disadvantage in terms of attracting good candidates anyway. Everyone lost in this situation and once again, this turned into a story for and about adults instead of children…
Best and Brightest ??
April 26th, 2011
12:46 pm
Cobb County is in the same boat. With one of the worst set of school board members anywhere, we can’t attract blue chip candidates either. According to the AJC Samuel King from Rockdale County is our latest greatest candidate who is supposedly a Dekalb candidate cast off? However, looking at his educational background, is he the best and brightest we can attract to one of the better (despite the board) and largest school systems in the country? Or is he someone our inept board thinks they can control easier?
He got a BA from MERCER, a Masters from STATE UNIV of W GA, and a doctorate from ARGOSY in Sarasota, FL, an online school with a somewhat mixed reputation. It gives one pause to wonder how much of his education was actually earned and how much was merely paid for. Given the relatively small system he runs now, is he ready for a system the size of Cobb with it’s uninitiated board and personal agendas run rampant.
The only thing that could make this process more hilarious and sad at the same time would be for Dekalb and Cobb to have Beverly Hall as a candidate.
Arabia "Annex"?
April 26th, 2011
12:49 pm
And how about some investigative journalism after the news today on WSB about Arabia Mountain “Annex” in trailers at Lithonia High: Why were these kids not at Arabia when I hear there are 300 empty seats? Is it because the south Dekalb “haves” did not want the “have nots” who choiced out of Lithonia to Arabia at their shiny new school? Is it that a bunch of the cronies have their kids at Arabia, and maybe they just rigged it where the riff raff would be kept out, school choice or not. I don’t know if this is what is going on, but it is very suspicious. A little investigation would be great! Let’s shine a bright light on all the nonsense Dekalb, and maybe good things will start growing there instead of more corruption. –Education for All
senseandsensibility
April 26th, 2011
12:51 pm
Dr. Trotter… sounds like backroom gossip.. why would a school district extend a contract of a superintendent they want to unload .. not once but twice…! Thats a huge financial obligation.. I never go by what other people have heard.. unless it comes from the horses mouth.. its just gossip… Second of all Im not sure Dekalb has that much pull as to destablilize and force others to quit their jobs. Theres nothing wrong with someone trying to improve their pay or responsibilities or move up the ladder and I doubt that people would hold that against them.. if they did I view that as very petty and childish. It also may force the current employer to say hey.. maybe we should try to hold onto this person.. what can we do better?? I don’t buy the arguement as well and I think they got a closer look at Dekalb and didn’t want to touch it with a 10 foot pole. Its one big backwards mess embroiled in nepotism, over bloatedness, poorly lacking administrators, and a system that represses people and keeps them down.
Tinytam
April 26th, 2011
12:56 pm
I follow Maureen’s blog faithfully and although I am not a Dekalb County resident, I am very interested in the search for a new Superintendent. I don’t have a background in education nor have I ever run for any public office. I don’t post comments but wanted to chime in here.
For everyone throwing out negative statements about the board members, I would love to see you run in their place. Just do it! Run for their seat and when you win (because the current members are so incompetent, corrupt, or whatever else you call them) you can start creating the best system for all students in the county. If board members aren’t qualified then support candidates who are qualified. If you have the experience to run a school system of Dekalb County’s size then please apply for the Super’s position.
Wonder what my point is…if you are just gripping about the system and not trying to actively challenge the status quo then you are part of the problem. Everyone is responsible for being engaged citizens and not just bloggers who throw out insults. We all have to do a better job. Are you involved at your local school? It starts there. Get to know the women and men who work at your local schools so you will be able to endorse their candidacy for such an office. It would seem that qualified candidates could be found from within the system if these candidates felt they’d have the support to make the necessary changes.
I’m not sure of the answer in this situation for Dekalb County because I’m not qualified to select a superintendent and I don’t know enough about the board members to make any comments. The Vent section of the paper is for wisecracks and one liners! Let’s use this blog as a means to exchange positive solutions and ideas on how to improve the process.
That’s all…..
Dr. John Trotter
April 26th, 2011
12:57 pm
Yes, I trust the Law of the Large Numbers more than I trust the vote of the personal-agenda-driven few. I like democracies. Some people — like Mark Elgart — apparently to not. Note in the latest article about the APS Confab in the Governor’s Office (an illegal meeting, by the way) that the report says that the Atlanta Board ran afoul with SACS because of “in-fighting.” Wow…now let’s not spit-spat. Ha! Democracies and republican forms of government are all about spit-spatting. This is good. Fighting over policies, laws, practices. Great! Letting dumb people vote. This is good too. Some of you would still have the Georgia General Assembly appointing the U. S. Senators. I love the mess of democracy. And, yes, I’d rather let those eating each day at the South DeKalb Piccadilly and Houston’s on Lenox Road vote for my superintendent, not Jay Cunningham, et al. (I’m not picking on Jay, but you did mention his name. I hear that he sells some good pizza.)
i4t
April 26th, 2011
12:59 pm
Create your own blog to deal with incompetent politicians. Blogging is like your own newspaper, and it’s becoming effective in putting pressure on those we elect who don’t seem to be listening to us. Best of all blogging is free! blogspot.com
DekalbCountyParent
April 26th, 2011
1:00 pm
I’ve said since the beginning of the redistricting process that Ramona Tyson was going to be the next superintendant. Why? Follow the money trail. Tyson knows the “ins and outs”, “ups and downs” of the financial records within the county because of her past positions and deep rooted connections with Crawford Lewis and his posse. She/they wouldn’t dare want to hand over the precious incriminating, confidential information that would put the entire board, except for the new members that aren’t privy to alot of it, on “front street” and expose the whole long historical sordid past. It’s a shame that the focus is not on the children. Walker, Speaks, & Cunningham are sellouts; Bowen, Womack, McChesney are racist; Edler is new and naive. The only board members who care about the children are Nancy Jester (who only cares about her constituency – upperclass Northend folks, and Sarah C-Wood, who has to “play the game” just to hang on to her position, but is tired and not respected because she is older and represents an impoverished area. The entire board needs to go! We need to start at the top by recruiting someone like or “The” Johnny Brown!!!