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 He told the local paper that he has also withdrawn his name from contention in DeKalb.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
Name One
April 28th, 2011
12:02 am
Ernest, you sure don’t help the cause for change when you speak at BOE meetings giving glowing support for Ramona Tyson, when she has done nothing to address the DCSS Central Office culture of administrative waste and inflated salaries, nepotism, waste, fraternity/sorority connections, the ridiculous Office of School Improvement, Morcease Beaseley’s constant busy work for teachers, a MIS Dept. that does nothing for teachers in the classroom, etc., etc., etc.
Seriously, E: What has she done?
The worst part is that every upper level administrator under Crawford Lewis…is still in place!!!
@Ernest
April 28th, 2011
12:10 am
Just read your 9:20 pm post yesterday. How can you defend Gene Walker when he needed $20k in campaign contrib’s from an out of state company that wanted to purchase school system property to defeat you?
In his defense, during your campaign, you should have mentionrd that Walker has 5-6 relatives working for the school system, and this:
http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=165732
http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=150517
Fred Garvin
April 28th, 2011
10:13 am
@Ernest, I reread that post you mentioned. Ernest only stated the occupations of all Board members and did not include any opinions. How is that defending someone when he only made a statement of fact?
Atlanta Media Guy
April 28th, 2011
12:51 pm
Folks the fact that NO ONE from the Clew reign has left the system, is telling. Tyson was in charge of several departments that should have seen the shenanigans going on. Turk even made mention of the Audria Berry.Crawford Lewis P-Card scam. Folks until everyone who is working for the Central Office in leadership positions are gone, nothing is going to change. How much you want to bet it was one of Tyson’s people who leaked. Who else was in that room when negotiations were taking place?
It would not surprise me if it was one of the friends and family who leaked. You know with the economy, gas and food prices going higher everyone at the Central Office will have their hands out expecting a cost of living raise.. The only people who deserve a raise right now are the teachers! I mean real teachers, not he “coaches” or Audria Berry’s “Army. Teachers deserve more and they deserve the DCSS match back that the BOE took away to balance the budget. Ms. Tyson you need to fire or ask for the resignations of Moseley, Thompson, Mitchell-Mayfield, Turk, Beasley, Tucker, Ramsey, the Guikroy’s, Jamal Edwards etc.. the fact all these people are still on the payroll after the reign of terror of the former Super and COO indictments, DCSS is on a fast track to no where!
Dave Tomlinson
April 28th, 2011
1:40 pm
I hesitate to post on this board, but feel morally obligated to correct some of the things I have been reading. All too often blogosphere gets a rumor from someone and it magically turns into fact. So hear are the facts.
My name is Dave Tomlinson and I am the President or the Champaign Unit 4 Schools Board of Education. I have been on the Board for 6 years and have served as its President for the last four years. I have two more years left on my 2nd elected term.
The Unit 4 Board did NOT terminate Arthur Culver
There has NEVER been a sexual harassment complaint against Arthur Culver.
Frankly I am disgusted by the stuff that people say when they dont know what is going on.
Good luck in your search.
Dave Tomlinson, President
Board of Education
Champaign Unit 4 Schools
Champaign, Illinois
Maureen Downey
April 28th, 2011
1:42 pm
Mr. Tomlinson, Thanks for that clarification. As you have noted, “facts” fly freely on blogs, and I appreciate those willing to set the record straight and, even more, those willing to put their real names behind their comments.
Maureen
Ernest
April 28th, 2011
2:42 pm
Maureen, thought this blog is about to roll off, I hope you consider putting Mr. Tomlinson’s comment if a prominent place or article. I believe Mr. Culver and others have had their reputations purposely misrepresented by some.
Blogs can be self correcting only when those with the facts are able or willing to present them. DeKalb may have missed an opportunity to hire Culver because of misrepresentations.
Ernest
April 28th, 2011
2:57 pm
Maureen, I hope you consider sharing Mr. Tomlinson’s comments in a prominent spot or in an article. I interpret him saying that Mr. Culver’s reputation has been misrepresented. It is possible this misrepresentation caused him not to be highly considered for the DeKalb superintendent job.
Blogs can be self correcting if there are those with the facts the are either able or willing to provide the right information. Unfortunately it is sometimes hard to get a reputation back if false statements are made and accepted as the truth if there isn’t anyone around to correct them.
Ernest
April 28th, 2011
2:58 pm
Sorry if my posts appeared twice as comment moderation may be happening now
Champaign Resident
April 29th, 2011
10:32 am
Read about the buy out !!!
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/education/2011-04-29/culver-gets-75000-settlement-unit-4.html