APS announces finalists for school chief. Never heard of them. Have you?
Here’s the list. I never heard of any of them, but that may be a good thing as they aren’t the same 10 names that end up on every list. I found bios and photos of the three. They have plenty of experience.
Dr. Cheryl L.H. Atkinson (Lorain City Schools)
Cheryl L. Atkinson, superintendent of Lorain City Public Schools in Ohio:
Her bio from the system web site:
Dr. Cheryl L. H. Atkinson has been the Superintendent of Lorain City Schools since August 2007. During her tenure, she has implemented a comprehensive reform model, Success For All, which has increased Ohio Achievement Test scores in reading for all elementary and middle schools. Dr. Atkinson has also moved the district forward technologically by implementing an electronic grade reporting system, Progress Book, giving parents daily access to their children’s grades. In addition, all students in grades 6 through 11 have been issued E-books instead of traditional textbooks. Students now have all their textbooks loaded electronically on a laptop, which enables them to access the current learning tools and technologies they need to compete in the 21st Century workforce.
Dr. Atkinson was formally Deputy Superintendent of the Kansas City, Missouri School District, a district with more than 38,000 students and more than 70 schools. She also served as Associate Superintendent for School Administration and Regional Superintendent for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, a district with over 125,000 students in over 150 schools.
Dr. Atkinson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Learning and a Master of Education in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. She has been married for 21 years to Terrence L. Atkinson, Sr. They have three sons.
Dr. Barbara Jenkins (Broad)
Barbara M. Jenkins, deputy superintendent of Orange County, Fla.
Her bio from the Broad Superintendents Academy:
Barbara Jenkins is deputy superintendent for Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Fla., a district with more than 177,000 students in 161 schools. In this role, Jenkins supervises the Division of Teaching and Learning including area superintendents. She previously served as chief of staff for the district and before that as chief human resources officer.
Prior to joining Orange County Public Schools, Jenkins served as the assistant superintendent for human resources of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, a district with more than 114,000 students in 133 schools.
In Charlotte-Mecklenburg, she helped create, monitor and reform strategic programs, which resulted in improved teacher quality in economically disadvantaged schools and improved recruitment and retention for the entire district. Earlier in her career she served as a teacher, trainer, principal and senior director of elementary education for Orange County Public Schools.
Jenkins has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s of education in administration and supervision, and a doctorate in education leadership from the University of Central Florida. Jenkins is a graduate of the 2006 class of the Broad Superintendents Academy.
Dr. Bonita Coleman-Potter (Broad)
Bonita Coleman-Potter, deputy superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland.
Her bio from the Broad Superintendents Academy:
In June 2009, Bonita Coleman-Potter was appointed to the position of deputy superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, a district with over 130,000 students. Previously, Coleman-Potter served as deputy superintendent, office of instruction for Jackson Public Schools in Mississippi, a district with more than 32,000 students and 59 schools.
In this role, she guided all instruction-related functions, including the development, implementation and evaluation of the district’s curriculum, accountability and assessment programs and the effective operation of the district’s schools. Before that she served in the Mississippi Department of Education as associate state superintendent, office of academic education and as bureau director II in the office of reading, early childhood and language arts. Coleman-Potter has a 15-year career in public education that includes service as a public school teacher and a college professor.
She has a bachelor’s degree in English/secondary education from Tougaloo College in Mississippi, a master’s degree in English from the University of Mississippi, and a doctorate in educational administration from Jackson State University. Coleman-Potter is a graduate of the 2008 class of the Broad Superintendents Academy.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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148 comments Add your comment
Erica Long
June 14th, 2011
6:44 pm
A quick Google of Cheryl Atkinson shows that she’s also a finalist to head the Cleveland Public Schools.
Centrist
June 14th, 2011
6:53 pm
Unless they have something to run from, they must be nuts to come to the mess in Atlanta no matter what it pays.
HStchr
June 14th, 2011
6:55 pm
Deputy superintendents have many of the responsibilities without the title of superintendent. I’d say consider either one. Jenkins comes from a huge district in FL and Coleman-Potter is from a county that has a largely affluent minority population. I would think either one would be better than the mess we have now in Atlanta.
Cere
June 14th, 2011
7:00 pm
Well dang. I would have bet my new hat that Ramona Tyson would be on that list!
By the way
June 14th, 2011
7:15 pm
Hmmm, two of the finalists are Broad Superintendents Academy alumna. Not a good sign. Personally, I was hoping APS would take Ed Heatley, LOL.
Lee
June 14th, 2011
7:21 pm
What!? No white candidates?? I’m SHOCKED, SHOCKED I tell you!!
Maureen Downey
June 14th, 2011
7:23 pm
@Lee, Took down your comment on the Duncan letter. Feel free to repost but without the attack on students.
Maureen
tim
June 14th, 2011
7:28 pm
IS their diversity in the finalists or is the NAAWhitePeople gonna have to complain?
chillywilly
June 14th, 2011
7:30 pm
All three of these ladies are well qualified to run APS. Whoever is selected, the first order of business should be to get rid of every one of Beverly Hall’s cabinet members, top administrators, Penn Payne, Elwood “Duck” Duckworth, Nader Sohrab, ONE of the Accounting Managers, the Grants Manager, Deputy CFO & Keith Bromery. Did I leave out anybody?
chillywilly
June 14th, 2011
7:33 pm
@Lee & Tim – Take a stroll over to Fulton, Cobb & Gwinett Counties. There you will find wall to wall white superintendents. Frankly, I’m disappointed that no black male made the cut. After Beverly Hall, who wants another woman to lead APS?
Ernest
June 14th, 2011
7:45 pm
All have worked in school districts with over 100K students and have worked in instruction during their administrative career. Two worked in Charlotte-Mecklenberg where the new Fulton County superintendent is from. I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about that school system.
Just an observation, does anyone want to know anything about their families? It was posted for Dr. Atkinson (a non Broad Academy candidate). While I would want them to succeed in their job, I like seeing the balance. Maybe I’m old fashioned in that respect as I don’t want to see people married to their careers.
not shocked
June 14th, 2011
7:46 pm
Chillywilly, there are still some white families left in Fulton (North), Cobb and Gwinnett……..
kdgcop
June 14th, 2011
8:06 pm
check lorain city schools’ scores…3rd worst in the state of ohio…their scores continue to drop with adkinson’s lack of leadership!!!! she reorganizes the top administrators so much no one knows who is doing what job or who to answer to….the principals aren’t allowed to call her!!! this is a small school system compared to aps and most of the public wants here gone along with the school’s attorney(her landlord)…be very careful aps…
Tony
June 14th, 2011
8:11 pm
Broad Academy! Look out y’all.
Tony
June 14th, 2011
8:13 pm
Why, oh why, didn’t someone check the grammar and syntax in Coleman-Potter’s quote on the Broad web-site!
Glad I can afford to send my children to Pvt School
June 14th, 2011
8:17 pm
What do you call it when you keep making the same mistake & expect a different outcome?
Truth
June 14th, 2011
8:25 pm
Eli Broad and Gates are about to be running education (if not already)….
chillywilly
June 14th, 2011
9:01 pm
I don’t believe that Atkinson will be a good fit for APS. She has no blacks in her administration. Something is definitely wrong with that picture. Don’t touch her, APS.
Ima White Jarrell
June 14th, 2011
9:03 pm
Same ole same old…Broad Take Over…What’s wrong with having a Black Man in the Finalists? I’ve had enough of the Soro Stuff to last me a few lifetimes!!! I’m going to have to talk to Dr. King at Hillside about this. I’d rather look at Eddie’s muscle shirts than suffer more from the Soro Mafias. I’d rather endure a Creflo tithing sermon than listen to the screeching voices of phony, self-righteous Soro Superintendents. Too much “estrogen” in leadership on Trinity already? Am I wrong??? Please let me know. I think that the Brothers have suffered enough discrimination already.
Jerry Eads
June 14th, 2011
9:05 pm
No data other than that my ex many years ago came through Lorain public schools. Easily, hands down, given the area’s middle European heritage, makes the area one of the most viciously bigoted cultures in the country. Their perspective makes the South look positively egalitarian. If she’s survived that she’s possibly worth considering.
Lorain is/was one of the North’s many steel/auto towns. It must have 30% unemployment (a guess; I didn’t look it up). It would be absoulutley no suprise at all that the worthless metric of test pass rates showed their destitutely poor kids at the bottom of even Ohio’s barrel. I wouldn’t pull a hair trigger to blame the current supt alone for those data.
teacher&mom
June 14th, 2011
9:20 pm
Broad Academy…..that should send warning bells off across the city.
godoggo
June 14th, 2011
9:42 pm
Yeah….we live in an age now where we can find out pretty much anything online……So, Why are they leaving ? What motivates them ? And What if any conflicts, issues, controversies, or monetary impropriations have they been involved in the past at their current jobs or previous jobs ???
I’m Tirrrrrrred as the REST of the ATL taxpayers are….. of our “consistently incompetent APS School Board” hiring these “scholarly educators that can walk on water, and they really should be traded publically for what results they have been able to convolute”……and then find out later what BH stated “Oh, i was unaware of anyone of any incompetence, malfeasance, thievery, grade changes, or inappropriate conduct”. Plllllleeezzzz !
Someone needs to dig up the issues that will matter for our children ?
And WHY are there only Afro-American woman as candidates ? Isn’t that some form of discrimination ? What about Men….White, Black, Asian ? We need a Male leader like “Joe Clark”
Mark my words…….as the Sun rises, we’ll be dealing with this again like Einstein’s theory of insanity in a few years. And no im not a pessimist, im a realist.
If Vegas took wages on this, i’d put my money on #13.
Holler if ya hear me ?
One Smart Teacher
June 14th, 2011
9:44 pm
If APS needs a superintendent, they can have Dr. Heatley from Clayton County! Please take him!
fedupwiththemess
June 14th, 2011
9:54 pm
I am sick and tired of the whole mess at the APS….when they pull back the rug….they will find an aweful mess!!! The children deserve better!!! The employees deserve better!!!!! The community deserve better!!!! They are running the district like a mom and pop corner store….it is horrible!!!! I feel for the new person coming on board!!! They will have a lot of land minds to uncover….A LOT!!! They need to clean HOUSE!!! The ENTIRE senior cabinet should be abolished – done away with!!! They are all useless!!! And who is the new exe director in employee services – she always looks a mess and I hear she talks about everybody – TYPICAL APS……the six months that I have been with the district have been unlike any other experience I have ever had in life!!!
Please take heed new Super…..there is a lot of work to do on the OPERATIONAL side of the house….trust me it is a MESS!!!!
Centrist
June 14th, 2011
10:04 pm
Do you think SACS might just look at the not so coincidental circumstances that all the finalists are 3 black female graduates from the Broad Academy? Their backgrounds will also be scrutinized.
Maybe they are qualified and/or this is the best the APS can do under the extreme circumstances. I sure trust SACS a lot more than anything to do with the APS or school board.
Ed Johnson
June 14th, 2011
10:07 pm
Each of the three finalists is a Broad Superintendent Academy graduate. How did such an indefensible situation happen?
Cheryl Atkinson
The Broad Superintendents Academy Class of ????
A Roster of Academy Graduates
Current Superintendents
These graduates of the Broad Superintendents Academy are serving in the superintendency at present. Where noted, the individual worked outside the education field prior to participating in the academy.
http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=6618
BONITA COLEMAN-POTTER
The Broad Superintendents Academy Class of 2008
“The new agenda of urban education requires that the superintendent be an example of lifelong learning and be dedicated to eradicating the achievement gap, while creating a sense of urgency about the critical tasks of the district’s work. Participating in The Broad Superintendents Academy will be in an invaluable experience in providing relevant professional development and networking experiences to meet the challenges of the urban superintendency.”
http://www.broadacademy.org/fellows/67_Bonita+Coleman-Potter.html?page_filter=0
BARBARA JENKINS
The Broad Superintendents Academy Class of 2006
“I consider it a tremendous honor and a privilege to have worked in public education for the past 21 years. Throughout my career I have aspired to higher levels of leadership because of an undying passion for education and what it must mean in the lives of our youth. I believe that every child can learn at a high level when educators and a community take a relentless attitude toward making that learning a reality. I want to be a part of that reality someday as superintendent of an urban school district.”
http://www.broadacademy.org/fellows/46_Barbara+Jenkins.html?page_filter=0
M. Harvey
June 14th, 2011
10:09 pm
I’m glad to see this finally coming to an end. All three are great, but my preference is Coleman-Potter (1st) and Atkinson (2nd). Not sure about Jenkins.
Dr. John Trotter
June 14th, 2011
10:25 pm
Nothing will change. NO disciplne = no real achievement.
Change In leadership
June 14th, 2011
10:30 pm
3 black female remind me of Hall, Augustine and Cotman, and that would not be a good thing for APS.
Change In leadership
June 14th, 2011
10:34 pm
I think APS need to hire another search firm, because we need a male Superintendent.
P.I.
June 14th, 2011
10:47 pm
WAKE UP ATLANTA!!!!!! It’s time to march, protest and raise pure HELL!!!! These three women are Dr. Beverly Hall all over again and we are not going to stand for either one them causing more damage. You mean the search firm couldn’t find a qualified man no where on this planet to serve as the superintendent? These gypsies with their Broad credentials, degrees and no families is no good for APS!
The APS board need their a– kicked for even bringing these folks as finalist as she waddles out to hop a plane the hell out of dodge. This is all so crazy!! Will the madness ever end in this city? When will this nightmare end
ATL
June 14th, 2011
10:58 pm
APS needs a qualified male superintendent now! No more she males right now with her gang, Enough already. Why would the APS board try to pull this fiasco off secretly??? Why?? We are not interested in your three finalist and we will work like hell to find all of the dirt in their past as far back as high school to prove we are correct. Watch!! Let the games begin, our private investigators are on the ground now searching high and low.
RJ
June 14th, 2011
11:04 pm
If Dr. Atkinson is touting Success for All, I say no! Every teacher I know is praying for a superintendent that is willing to get rid of it. It does NOT work and kids are falling behind. Claiming that scores in Ohio improved makes me think that she’s just another Hall.
I would like to see a broader search. There is just too much at stake.
Smart, Qualified Boards Needed Everywhere
June 14th, 2011
11:12 pm
What I hope to see is concerned citizens — that means all of you, bloggers and commenters — analyzing evidence of success or lack thereof (that evidence being direct or circumstantial), instead of blindly asserting that a superintendent needs to have a certain shade of skin or certain private parts. That goes for both APS and DeKalb so-called stakeholders. Grow up, folks, and focus on the ever-present goal that made this country the model that it has been and that, properly implemented, it still is: public education.
M. Harvey
June 14th, 2011
11:12 pm
This is silly. Never heard of people saying that a woman is needed when the search includes three men. Self hate.
APS
June 14th, 2011
11:14 pm
APS = A Place of Stress !!!!!!! Daily……………..HELP!!!!!
20/20
June 14th, 2011
11:24 pm
The last women leading APS kept up so much drama that no one wants to see another one in charge any time soon. That is a fact M. Harvey.
Hey Chillllyyyyy......
June 14th, 2011
11:55 pm
Chilly Willy, add the name Brenda Muhammad to your list. Have you looked into what is going on with her? She is already using her influence to get a very close family member a job (and you can bet she uses this tie to Muhammad to come and go at her leisure at the taxpayer’s expense). Muhammad also uses her influence for another very close family member to attend school in APS out of district. Both of these very close family members of Muhammad definitely use the name and the ties to do and say whatever they want. Look into it Chilly Willy for truth purposes and you will find even more than I put on here, but add her to the list. If APS allows her to chair the board, it will be business and dealing dirt as usual. Don’t let Muhammad fool any of you….she has her own agenda. But the real question should be how can she assist in running the district when she can’t keep her personal life out of the district??? I say the heat should be turned on her…why allow her to continue with her own little brand of mafia wars????
amazed
June 15th, 2011
12:39 am
@ernest
Your comment about Charlotte is interesting.
I had relatives with children there about 15 years ago and said all their schools were horrible. Has it improved?
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
12:45 am
Buckhead and the Step Up Society can prop up another Beverly Hall AKA Mayor Reed…it will be more of the same. APS is not lead by its Superintendent…it is lead by the Buckhead machine that props up the leader they can most likely manipulate.
The Northside runs APS…and anyone taking the fake position or leadership will need to have the spin of a worm if they plan to stand up to the Buckhead agenda.
And the beat goes on…
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
12:59 am
they will need to have the spine of a worm…and understand their position in the politics of Atlanta’s Plantation Scheme.
All these women look white enough…and have an education…now they will need to pass the Buckhead test.
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
1:04 am
Which one is willing to sell her soul?
Which one will turn a blind eye to dishonesty and unethical behavior that spells success by any means?
Emily Crutcher
June 15th, 2011
1:56 am
Why on earth would Atkinson be a finalist? It takes only a few really simple searches to find out that Lorain is a failing school district.
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2011/03/01/parents-line-up-spend-night-for-chance-at-open-enrollment-at-clearview/
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/reportcardfiles/2009-2010/DIST/044263.pdf
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2011/02/15/news/doc4d59f6d6f1254118191043.txt?viewmode=comments
And, the one that Iike the best, is the paying for a new “brand” in order to help turn the school around!
http://www.sooyco.com/k-12-branding/lorain-city-schools
Stanton Crim Sylvan
June 15th, 2011
3:02 am
Crim…Harris…Canada…Hall [Butt and Strickland excluded from this list]…all of these out-of-state superintendents were complete disasters. Any three of the finalists will continue the long line of complete failures. Broad Foundation broads…erh, I mean grads. What a mess. What a complete joke. What are “search” firms for? Just get the Broad Foundation’s phone number.
Are we really scraping from the bottom?
You will NOT see any improvement in the conditions in the Atlanta Public Schools.
30318 Teacher
June 15th, 2011
4:29 am
Cleveland passed over its 3 finalists and selected the current Chief Academic Officer for a one-year contract.
Education observer
June 15th, 2011
4:35 am
Best of luck to APS is getting the right choice. In the event that this does not work out, I encourage APS to look at 2 Georgia educators working as a package deal. Dr. King in Rockdale County and Dr. Dyer in Gainesville City. As a team, they are just what APS needs. King is interested in continuing as a superintendent. Dyer cares about ATL, is a native, and seems to be more about the work than the title. What a team they would make!
chillywilly
June 15th, 2011
7:35 am
SAY NO to these women! Obviously the search firm compromised this search and was influenced by SACS & the Chamber of Commerce. You mean to tell me that no black men applied and are qualified to lead APS? PLEASE!!! This is more of the same and unacceptable.
START OVER!!
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta
June 15th, 2011
7:51 am
Surely any new APS superintendent would order external performance, financial and personnel audits of the system. Upon their completions, s/he would order these out-of-state auditors to release their reports directly to The Public.
Cmo
June 15th, 2011
7:59 am
For those of us who are new here, what is Broad Academy, and why should we be so wary of it?
Dr NO
June 15th, 2011
8:05 am
LOL…This will be so funny. The Detroit of the South has seen its days come and go. We have Doctors, Bishops and a whole host of eggheads coming strait from these diploma mills all for the sake of diversity and then destroying as much as possible upon their arrival to Atlanta. Their arrogance is only superseded by their ignorance.
These ladies will also fail. Watch and learn!
The good part, if there is one, would be I dont have to live in little detroit so fine by me.
Reverse Racism
June 15th, 2011
9:12 am
White people need not apply.
Awaiting moderation
June 15th, 2011
9:23 am
It is very disappointing to see that so many have already decided to reject these three candidates. They all need to be given an opportunity to complete this interview process. They all have a variety of experience with many school systems, so obviously they have worked hard and received promotions. It is time for our community to unite and allow the process to continue without this negativity. At this point, those who are unwilling to give these candidates a fair opportunity need to step out of the way. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.
A Conservative Voice
June 15th, 2011
9:35 am
@Smart, Qualified Boards Needed Everywhere
June 14th, 2011
11:12 pm
What I hope to see is concerned citizens — that means all of you, bloggers and commenters — analyzing evidence of success or lack thereof (that evidence being direct or circumstantial), instead of blindly asserting that a superintendent needs to have a certain shade of skin or certain private parts. That goes for both APS and DeKalb so-called stakeholders. Grow up, folks, and focus on the ever-present goal that made this country the model that it has been and that, properly implemented, it still is: public education.
Prior results speak loudly – You know, sometimes you just have to scratch your head and say, “this is not working, we’ve got to try something radical”; however, I can’t see the obviously racially motivated APS Board doing anything sensible………that’s just not in their makeup.
Atlanta Parent #2
June 15th, 2011
9:43 am
Please share your comments and concerns with the Atlanta board members and not just this blog. (Although, I’ll bet they all secretly read it because they’re frequently the topic of the day.)
If the board leadership doesn’t change, does this mean that the Mayor and the business elite will blackball this list? Maybe the Governor should step in and appoint not only the 9 members of the board, but the superintendent. He’s been busy making lots of appointments in the state university system.
Maureen Downey
June 15th, 2011
9:52 am
@Awaiting, (Not sure why you were in moderation.)
But I have to agree that it is beyond me how anyone can judge these three candidates on their bios and their brief statements. I also have to wonder at the overt sexism. (And if you could read the comments in the filter, you would also see overt racism.)
As an example, when the last speaker of the Georgia House went down in flames, no one despaired that the two people considered for the job were also white middle-age males. No one urged the House to consider a female as its next leader or an African-American since white men had clearly proven themselves prone to all sorts of peccadilloes and poor judgments. And when a white male was chosen to replace Glenn Richardson, no one predicted failure based on his gender and skin color.
Maureen
Centrist
June 15th, 2011
10:09 am
Maureen – As you point out, I have no idea of how well qualified these candidates are. But I am suspicious of the selection process itself. When non-white minority women are the ONLY finalists, there is at least the appearance of a very fine screening system. That is not a racist or sexist statement – just an observation.
20/20
June 15th, 2011
10:13 am
At this juncture I have no confidence in the APS board of Education. Just on Monday night the board sat there and approved a list of 14 new principals recommended by Beverly Hall and her gang with the cloud of wide spread cheating hanging over their heads.
The board should not have entertain any new staffing recommendations from this woman. She should have left that decision for the next superintendent or at a minimum the board could have approved all of the positions as interim. But no, they voted in 14 new leaders from a less than credible individual and some of the principal have issues already.
Like the interim principal for Gideons Elementary School, Dr. Wayne Jack, who took Mr. Salters place facilated his daughter, Diamond Jack being appointed as the principal at Venetian Elementary for the 2011-12 school year. That appointment looks suspect and just wrong all day long. But this is the type of corruption that is typical of APS, still doing wrong will under investigation.
Just like the principal at Cleveland Avenue Elementary hiring her daughter to work at her school last year. You know that evaluation will be biased. Why does APS do these things with the employees watching and it is just wrong.
While Board member Brenda Muhammed’s daughter is also the secretary at Cleveland Avenue is never at work cause she is over at the Carver High campus raising hell about her bad ass child destroying the school of the Arts and nobody will do anything about it. This is all wrong too much nepotism running rampant.
Laurie
June 15th, 2011
10:14 am
“For those of us who are new here, what is Broad Academy, and why should we be so wary of it?”
I didn’t know either, but research yielded, among others:
http://thebroadreport.blogspot.com/p/parent-guide.html
http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/nation/2011/06/critics-target-leaders-broad-academy-program
These seem to contain the gist of the criticism.
I could not easily find concise and clear description (rather than general rhetoric) by proponents (but note that the above contain actual quotes by the foundation and proponents).
Dr NO
June 15th, 2011
10:31 am
“It is time for our community to unite and allow the process to continue without this negativity. At this point, those who are unwilling to give these candidates a fair opportunity need to step out of the way. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.”
So 1990’s. Thanks!
Dr. Who
June 15th, 2011
10:44 am
Yep affirmative action at the highest levels of education. It must be a progressive liberal board. Now doctrination in lieu of education will continue.
Who said, “I regret that I have but one life to give to my country.”
Private School Guy
June 15th, 2011
11:01 am
One should look at the school boards they have worked under. Their makeup and ability to function. If a candidate has had success with a dysfunctional BOE she might work well with APS.
Private School Guy
June 15th, 2011
11:11 am
In response to Godoggo and others. They may be well qualified candidates but it must be shocking to those outside the city and outside the state where a less than 7% national demographic (AA females) make up 100% of the finalist. This is the type of action that causes so many to lose faith in the structure and politics of public education. It also feeds the flames created by those who seek to deconstruct public education in the USA.
Frustrated Taxpayer
June 15th, 2011
11:24 am
After what we have seen at APS, I’m glad to see parents look carefully at these finalists.
For those who question the selection process, the gender of APS finalists and their ability to lead, I offer this gentle reminder: Given the board’s dysfunction, low morale among teachers and the mayor’s meddling, it would take a very special person to steer this ship. Most of qualified candidates will probably prefer to stay where they are.
I also realize we need to have people in place for the first day of school, but I’m troubled by the board’s acceptance of Dr. Hall’s list of principals for the 2011-12 school year.
Ticked off teacher
June 15th, 2011
11:29 am
I hear a lot of of bigotry on this board. No white candidates, we need males, etc. If you look all across the country white males (which many of you are hinting at what is needed and what has been the problem with APS). I have no issue with having a black super, white super, or latino super for APS. The fact that we have people coming on this board though complaining that there is not a white finalist is absurd. Look at the rest of the country and make a complaint about the racial disparity. From what I gather these are highly qualified women that should be judged on their credentials and not by the color of their skin or sex. This may be the south but it is 2011. Hell I will take any of the women of Dr. Cheating Heatley any second of any day of the week!
Dr. Proud Black Man
June 15th, 2011
11:32 am
@ private fool guy
“They may be well qualified candidates but it must be shocking to those outside the city and outside the state where a less than 7% national demographic (AA females) make up 100% of the finalist.”
An example of “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” If you can’t provide the demographics of the candidates who applied your assertion means absolutely nothing.
Ernest
June 15th, 2011
11:32 am
@A Conservative Voice, I can agree with you post at 9:35. I would also submit that if school systems were under the same scrutiny years ago that that have no, we would deem many failures also. I say that because of the reduction of the manuafacturing base in this country, a person who did not finish HS years ago yet had a good work ethic could find a job at the plant and possible have a middle class lifestyle. We did not call that person or school system they did not complete a failure for not graduating because they made contributions. That is almost impossible today. I submit that graduation rates are greater than they were years ago. We focus more on the areas that are not doing as well, which we should but at a higher rate than past years.
We can look at the prior work history of candidates but that may not tell the entire story about their abilities. Many of us focus on the easy measures without drilling down and asking the question ‘Why’ in most cases. The answer to that question will yield more productive insight, regardless of the high level measures.
Cere
June 15th, 2011
11:36 am
The description of an urban school superintendent’s job from Broad reads:
“The superintendent is responsible for the education of every student in the district. Additionally, the superintendent oversees the budget, curriculum and instruction, human resources, labor relations, facilities and community relations. The superintendent must develop a vision and strategy that encompass all of these elements and must engage a number of stakeholders—district staff, teachers, parents and the greater community—to do what is best for students.
With this incredible challenge also comes an incredible reward—the chance to improve the lives of children. To be an urban superintendent means the opportunity to change the lives of some of the 6,000 students who drop out of high school every day, it means the opportunity to improve the lives of some of the 70 percent of eighth-graders who do not read at grade level and it means the opportunity to help end the crisis in America’s public schools and make sure every child is prepared for college, employment and a productive life.”
Haven’t met a superintendent yet who embodies these beliefs. Education has become big business. Really big business. With really big contracts. Oh, and then there are the children…
Cleavon Little
June 15th, 2011
11:39 am
Where all the white women at?!?
Jesse Jackson
June 15th, 2011
11:51 am
Looks fair to me. I am positive there are no qualified white male or female candidates.
Truth
June 15th, 2011
11:52 am
Maryland, Florida and Ohio – Is there no homegrown talent who is familiar with the actual problems in the APS?
Roekest
June 15th, 2011
11:55 am
Not surprising. They’re all black. So much for diversity and a City Too Busy To Hate. Time to ramp up that Black Leadership Political Power-hungry Machine!!!
Shar
June 15th, 2011
12:02 pm
There is no question at all that having all three finalists be the same gender and race raises the specter of a requirement in the selection process. Given the utter and complete untrustworthiness of the current Board and Administration, taxpayers and parents will be quick to watch for any extraneous prerequisite that may impede finding the best, strongest superintendent for a system that those in charge have run into the ground in the name of self-interest.
If the three finalists were white women, or white men, or all men, there would be an outcry. It is disingenuous to suggest that those who see this group as the result of a racist and sexist selection process are somehow racist and sexist themselves.
I cannot see that a person whose primary qualification is running a system half the size, and a quarter the complexity, of APS is worthy of finalist consideration. None of the candidates’ academic credentials rise above the level of mediocrity. Why are these the best we can come up with?
Dr NO
June 15th, 2011
12:07 pm
Ticked off teacher
June 15th, 2011
11:29 am
If it were the opposite Im sure your opinion would be the opposite. You are fooling no one with your silly rant and hopefully you will get what you deserve. Another failure and I will laugh!
Dr NO
June 15th, 2011
12:09 pm
Dr. Cheryl L.H. Atkinson has two apples. She must be a great teacher.
Dr NO
June 15th, 2011
12:12 pm
“Why are these the best we can come up with?” Because Atlanta is a hell hole and most have the good sense to stay away from the sinking ship. Except Bev…she took the money and ran…LOL!!
Ticked off teacher
June 15th, 2011
12:13 pm
Shar and others,
Please make this same argument for black professionals and latino professionals around the country. It is very rare to see any kind of ethnic leadership in the United States of America. For some to get mad because there was not a white individual as a finalist is silly to me. I would be upset if there was not any white individuals interviewed at all but if these were the most qualified individuals then these were the most qualified individuals. If I am not mistaken there was a white finalist for one of the neighboring counties and they decided to withdrawal. As a matter of fact it was a white male and a white female (female was again from NC).
Dr NO
June 15th, 2011
12:20 pm
Ticked off teacher
June 15th, 2011
12:13 pm
LOL…dont try to hide or sugar coat it now. Too late but we still love ya. Well maybe not.
Support Local Leaders
June 15th, 2011
12:23 pm
If Atlanta is to move assertively and progressively, leadership must be prepared to address the climate, culture and the instructional programs of APS. This entails revisiting the entire Senior Cabinet, who has been so much a part of the District’s current demise. The disciplinary tone and focus of local schools must be addressed. The high school infrastructure must be redesigned to traditional models with strong leadership. The Superintendent must be willing to “clean house” and enlist the support of proven strong leadership. The Board of Education has empowered failed leadership through its tenure. It is absolutely unbelievable that the Board would have allowed Beverly Hall to select leadership for 15% of the school’s as she has been the author of confusion in the entire District. The BOE must be accountable to the survival of the system. As one local leader has coined “accountability is messy work, but in the end it keeps you clean”. Where is the leadership that can lead, support and direct local schools to success. The absence of the same will render the current status with even more detriment.
Ticked off teacher
June 15th, 2011
12:24 pm
Dr. No,
I am not one of those people that is opposed to any nationality leading. I grew up in an area where I never had a black teacher, never had a black doctor, never had a black super, and never had a black coach. I am simply being honest with my statements. Now the white teachers, doctors, supers and others never did me wrong but one of the reasons I moved to this area was to a little bit more diversity. I have a bi-racial child and a white wife. We are both school teachers and have an incredible marriage. It just bothers me that if there was 3 white male finalist (which happens all over the United States and numerous professions) you would not be making this argument. If Ms. Atikinson was a white lady then she would get the same support from me that she gets now. If Ms. Atikinson was a latino lady or a lesbian lady she would get the same support from me. I am no black extremist but lets have a honest conversation about the way things are in the United States. Oh yeah, Dr. No, can you please make the same argument for why there was no Latino, Asian or Native American finalists for the bloggers? Fair is fair right? If you are going to defend the white population please come on here and defend all others to validate your points.
Support Local Leaders
June 15th, 2011
12:27 pm
APS will need a TEAM, not just a Superintendent. Those who remained under her watch must be challenged for their lack of integrity. A new Superintendent alone will not make the difference!
Shar
June 15th, 2011
12:28 pm
Ticked off:
The fact that there is a dearth of “ethnic leadership” around the country does not obligate Atlanta to mandate such leadership here. Insisting that executive positions be predicated on ethnicity before consideration of relevant qualifications got us into the catastrophe of the Hall administration.
Atlanta taxpayers, parents and students desperately need the best person in the superintendent’s chair, and the likelihood of the current corrupt, incompetant and deeply stupid Board choosing such a person is sufficiently low without further hemming in the selection process by requiring irrelevant features into the bargain.
Seeing nothing but African-American females as finalists pretty much assures that racial and gender political mandates trumped relevant professional or academic characteristics in the selection of those finalists.
After the cheating, the stealing, the lying, the cover ups and the infighting that have blistered the system, I have no reason to believe that I stand a realistic chance of receiving faithful public service in return for spending more than twice the state average per pupil in APS. Achieving some kind of cosmic equal opportunity for “ethnic leadership” in lieu of a person who might actually stand up for students and teachers in the system is simply not a sufficient tradeoff.
Support Local Leaders
June 15th, 2011
12:31 pm
I repeat:
If Atlanta is to move assertively and progressively, leadership must be prepared to address the climate, culture and the instructional programs of APS. This entails revisiting the entire Senior Cabinet, who has been so much a part of the District’s current demise. The disciplinary tone and focus of local schools must be addressed. The high school infrastructure must be redesigned to traditional models with strong leadership. The Superintendent must be willing to “clean house” and enlist the support of proven strong leadership. The Board of Education has empowered failed leadership through its tenure. It is absolutely unbelievable that the Board would have allowed Beverly Hall to select leadership for 15% of the school’s as she has been the author of confusion in the entire District. The BOE must be accountable to the survival of the system. As one local leader has coined “accountability is messy work, but in the end it keeps you clean”. Where is the leadership that can lead, support and direct local schools to success. The absence of the same will render the current status with even more detriment.
APS will need a TEAM, not just a Superintendent. Those who remained under her watch must be challenged for their lack of integrity. A new Superintendent alone will not make the difference!
Ticked off teacher
June 15th, 2011
12:35 pm
Shar, I am with you on most of what you said. My only point is that it happens both ways. I see acknowledge, and agree with most of your points but just because you see 3 female black finalist does not mean that is the case in this particular situation. That’s like me saying George Bush senior, Bill Clinton and George Bush Jr. were elected president because those positions were predicated on a lack of ethnicity before consideration of relevant qualifications. I wish APS the best and this could be a wonderful change for APS. Some on this blog make it sound like because there will be a black super in APS, that means APS is going to fail. That is one horrible generalization to make on any group of people.
Cere
June 15th, 2011
12:38 pm
@Ticked off teacher – Just to clear the air: The facts in DeKalb about the last superintendent slate of finalists include: a black female from Chicago, a black male from Chicago and a white female from Hickory, NC. The black female dropped out first. Then the black male. The board went into negotiations with the white female at the same time as the black male dropped out. Certain members of the board “leaked” the confidential information about the negotiations to Richard Belcher at WSB who ran the story detailing the contract negotiations. That is what made the white female decide to drop out – a total lack of ethics and trustworthiness – it was obvious to her that she would have a long, uphill battle to fight.
Fast forward to last week. Again, the board focuses discussions on a clear final candidate – a Hispanic man from San Antonio TX. AGAIN “someone” leaked the protected private information regarding negotiations. Again, Belcher runs a story – only this time, he focuses on the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, who make their pronouncement that they want the board to stick with interim Ramona Tyson.
These four people were all upstanding, respectable candidates. These four people were all clearly sabotaged by a very immature, unethical, untrustworthy board of education and the complicit media hounds. (IMHO)
Now — DeKalb is all the way back to the beginning. As far as we know, they have NO candidate currently. And obviously, no one with respectable qualifications would put their big toe in the morass that is DeKalb these days.
Support Local Leaders
June 15th, 2011
12:43 pm
I’m disappointed with the tone of this blog. There is clearly a divide regarding things that lack essence for the work needed to be completed. As a matter of fact, the recent bloggers mirror the APS BOE, pontificating non-essential matters. The TEAM needed to move this District forward is far from being in place.
I repeat:
If Atlanta is to move assertively and progressively, leadership must be prepared to address the climate, culture and the instructional programs of APS. This entails revisiting the entire Senior Cabinet, who has been so much a part of the District’s current demise. The disciplinary tone and focus of local schools must be addressed. The high school infrastructure must be redesigned to traditional models with strong leadership. The Superintendent must be willing to “clean house” and enlist the support of proven strong leadership. The Board of Education has empowered failed leadership through its tenure. It is absolutely unbelievable that the Board would have allowed Beverly Hall to select leadership for 15% of the school’s as she has been the author of confusion in the entire District. The BOE must be accountable to the survival of the system. As one local leader has coined “accountability is messy work, but in the end it keeps you clean”. Where is the leadership that can lead, support and direct local schools to success. The absence of the same will render the current status with even more detriment.
APS will need a TEAM, not just a Superintendent. Those who remained under her watch must be challenged for their lack of integrity. A new Superintendent alone will not make the difference!
ChristieS.
June 15th, 2011
12:45 pm
Wow. The misogyny on this thread is stunning. Quick, someone name me the female APS supers other than Hall.
Former Stressed Educator
June 15th, 2011
12:47 pm
@Frustrated Taxpayer and 20/20….You are so right in your critique of the APS Board allowing Hall to appoint principals as she slithers out the door. The appointment of Diamond Jack is not suspicious, it was out right blatantly done! Dr. Wayne Jack pulled the same move to get her hired in 2006 or 2007 as a science teacher and within 30 days of being hired she was “promoted” to the position of Model Teacher Leader. I challenge the AJC to do an investigative report on nepotism in APS and see just how many have gained promotions through family members.
As far as the final superintendent candidates……Out of those that applied for the position, these may very well be the best. Remember, whoever takes the job will have to handle the mess of the CRCT cheating scandal and not too many people want to deal with such mess.
A Conservative Voice
June 15th, 2011
12:47 pm
@Ticked off teacher
June 15th, 2011
12:24 pm
I have a bi-racial child and a white wife.
You got a WHITE WIFE? Damn, I do too. Look, Ticked Off Teacher, you’re just trying to be Politically Correct with all your rantings. Chill out, man…….
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
1:09 pm
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta
June 15th, 2011
7:51 am
Surely any new APS superintendent would order external performance, financial and personnel audits of the system. Upon their completions, s/he would order these out-of-state auditors to release their reports directly to The Public.
PLEASE…THIS WOULD EXPOSE THE REAL CORRUPTION!!!
They will not do that…
If they did you would expose the WHITE BUCKHEAD WIZARD behind the curtain.
This is Buckhead politics at its best…The Black Folk are used in these cases to keep your eye off the REAL CORRUPTION.
WHY DO YOU THINK THEY PUT A BLACK MAN IN THE POSITION OF MAYOR?
and not a WHITE WOMAN…the white woman can’t be bought.
The average white business man is not going to be able to manipulate a white woman that can see through all his business trash.
This is how Buckhead works…Prop up Black folks you can manipulate…Rob the systems and roll the money while the Black folk hold office…Blame the mess on the Black Folk…replace them with other Black Folk…and keep the game going as long as you can.
It is the way it works here in the south…the good ole boy taking care of business.
An audit would expose too much…
YOU CAN’T DO THAT!
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
1:14 pm
Besides the fact they would just create an AUDIT to show NOTHING.
THEY OWN THE COMPANY THAT DOES THE AUDIT …or their buddy owns the company…
Taxpayers pay for the audit…and the kickbacks to the buddy system start to roll.
Ask NEWT GET RICH how it works. He has one of those non profits in the news right now on CNN.
Mark Spookedgart
June 15th, 2011
1:14 pm
Nahhhhhhhhhhhh…don’t bring us back a Black male! Heck nahhhhhhhhhhhh! He might end up acting like that Khaatim El fellow. Bring us back some “super anal and compliant sisters (sacs). Yep, dats what we want. Super anal and compliant sisters….you know, those kind of sisters who will do the bidding for the Chamber…and will just be tickled pink if they get invited to the Piedmont Driving Club for lunch! Sorry, Mr. El, your invitation was thrown away. You gonna have to keep on eating your lunches at the Busy Bee! (Don’t tell’em how good those lunches are at the Busy Bee, OK?)
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
1:15 pm
or better yet ask the GOVERNOR…
He knows how to cut the real DEAL.
Ticked off teacher
June 15th, 2011
1:26 pm
I am in full agreement that APS has a very corrupt board. This board needs to be dismantled and there ought to be some recall elections. My so called “rantings” was only put out there so that maybe people will give one of these candidates a chance. You have one candidate that made reforms that pushed elementary and middle school tests scores, another that made the work environment better for teachers, and ms. potter who I really do not care that much for. My only complaint with the tone of “some” individuals on the blog was that there would be so sort of failure because they were not male, and the candidates were not white. I could care less whether the new super is green. I totally agree with “support local leaders” post that whoever gets it will have a huge job to do. I also agree with Dr. Trotter that whoever gets it will need to focus on discipline which is essential to having a positive learning environment for our youth. I have been reading these blogs for the past 5 years on a daily basis and I reject many of the generalizations that individuals like Dr. No has made. It was just last week that I was reading blogs about a fight between some kids and when Maurren pointed out the kids that fought were white and not black (only because of bloggers insinuations), several came on here making comments like “they were probably influenced by black kids’. I am all for diversity and not for one group over the other but I simply was commenting on the undertones in some of these statements. I teach middle school, and I know for a fact that some of my students read these blogs and some of the undertones in some of the statements are extremely offensive. The comments today were not that offensive, but I wanted to exercise the same rights as some of my fellow “ranters” on this blog.
Drew
June 15th, 2011
1:28 pm
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. What a sad, sorry joke.
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
1:29 pm
The Atlanta Public Citizens are EXPECTED to ROLL over like a bunch of FOOLS to this coverup.
It has been thoughtfully planned.
WE ARE NOT ALL FOOLS…some of us know the REAL DEAL.
Governor Deal is probably hosting the farewell event for Beverly HALL at the Governor’s mansion.Isn’t it amazing how the Buckhead machine has taken your eyes off HALL and created the drama for the scapegoat Ka TEAM???
This was posted in August of 2010…at
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
and the beat goes on…
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
1:37 pm
If the white folk could get the best results from a green man …that is what they would use.
For now… it is obvious what they are doing.
Beverly Hall and mama’s boy, Reed…
Howard Johnson
June 15th, 2011
1:37 pm
@Clevon Little. That is funny every time! I needed a giggle.
Dr NO
June 15th, 2011
1:51 pm
“APS will need a TEAM,” I hate to tell you folks this but the TEAM concept is only as strong as its weakest link. Its a communistic and flawed philosophy which does more harm than good and waste extreme amounts of time.
Lets face facts here. Not everyone has something of value to contribute in fact most dont. Most contribute the same ole tired ideas that were spouted from some fresh out of college genius’ mouth not 5 minutes ago. TEAMS incessantly enjoy re-inventing the wheel then giving themselves a congratulatory pat on the fanny.
Its rubbish.
Try this…get “your TEAM” together and attempt hammering out, in a timely manner, a mission statement of 50 words or less, that is grammatially correct and presents your companys perspective on their given markets. More than likely it will be a nonsensical mess full just plain lame remarks.
On the positive side it will provide for many hours of laughter.
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
2:50 pm
White Chalk Crime Thrives in Atlanta
The following story of a dedicated Georgia teacher, describes how White Chalk Crime thrives in his Atlanta school district to this day despite his valiant attempts to expose it back in 2004. The union denied him help. According to the APS teacher, it “backed out due to political favors in Atlanta’s wealthiest neighborhood.” Most of all, this story explains why you know nothing about White Chalk Crime. In the same way that Bernie Madoff, the Ponzi artist, scammed his trusting clients of billions, White Chalk Criminals hold our schools hostage due to the automatic trust that accompanies this revered institution. Meanwhile they are scamming us of something worth much more than billions of dollars – our American Dream and the underpinning of our democracy, while sending our nation spiraling down with less and less ability to compete globally. Because teachers are terrified about speaking out, and the media is either inept or complicit (kind of like Pakistan and its lack of knowledge about Osama Bin Laden hiding out in its country), you will not hear about this anywhere else. Read his story here and go to his website to learn more. You will then begin to understand how White Chalk Crime works and why it is so detrimental to our children and our nation. It allows self-serving individuals to use the schools for their own greedy needs, while behaving like thugs against any honest, caring educators who strive to make a difference.
NAPTA http://www.endteacherabuse.org
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
2:53 pm
White Chalk Crime Thrives in Atlanta
http://www.endteacherabuse.org/Sam.html#top
APS parent
June 15th, 2011
3:01 pm
Just looking at this, and granted based on limited information at this point, but on first blush I still can’t help but think that the school board is a tad tone deaf putting up these three candidates as the finalists.
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
3:02 pm
APS- Elementary School Deserving of a White Chalk Crime Ribbon, Not a Blue Ribbon
Jackson Elementary in the News
PRESS RELEASE- Sent to all Atlanta News Media –
February 5, 2004
Atlanta School Teacher Alleges Discrimination, Abuse of
Authority and Falsified or Misleading Documentation at
Award-Winning Elementary School–Sues to be
Reinstated
Today -February 5, 2004, a federal suit was served on the Atlanta
Public School system and a school official alleging they retaliated
against him after he challenged discriminatory
practices used to assign students to classes, abuse of the
admissions process, financial mismanagement, and other
improper practices. In addition, the lawsuit alleges that the
application documents sent from Warren T. Jackson Elementary
School in the Northwest section of Atlanta to the U. S.
Department of Education to compete for a “National Blue Ribbon
School of Excellence” award were false or misleading. Jackson
was one of the Atlanta schools that received National Blue Ribbon
recognition in the 2000-2001 school year.
According to the complaint, the teacher was harassed, humiliated
and transferred to another school, after he challenged the
management ethics and practices of Principal Loraine Reich. Mr.
Sam was especially concerned about the practice of placing all
English as a second language (ESL) students in one section of the
school, regardless of grade or age, and calling it a “Family Suite.”
He sites numerous instances of intimidation and threats issued by
Reich to any staff who questioned her practices or authority.
“Jackson operated like a private school funded by the taxpayers,”
said Sam. “If you had the right parents or your family came from
the right background you could enroll at Jackson, no matter
where you lived in or outside of Atlanta. If not, you didn’t stand a
chance.” Mr. Sam expressed concerns about the process and data
used to justify Jackson’s application for recognition as a National
Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the federal Department of
Education. He raised concerns about submissions to the Georgia
State Pay for Performance program.
Further, the complaint alleges that when Mr. Sam requested that
minutes from school Leadership Team Meetings be accurate or to
tape record the meetings, Reich and others threatened him,
humiliated him in front of colleagues, and forced him to stay in
closed door meetings while he was verbally abused for extended
periods by Reich. “At that moment I realized I had no option but
to file a grievance. When that failed to bring about an end to the
corrupt practices and the retaliation escalated. I felt I had to file
this lawsuit so I could regain my career and inform the public of
the issues plaguing Jackson Elementary and many others in
Atlanta Public Schools. Teachers are petrified to speak out. All
they have to do is look at what happened to me at the hands of my
Principal and the APS Administration to know they need to keep
their mouth shut unless they want to find a new career.”
Despite over ten years of outstanding performance at Jackson
Elementary and over seventeen years in education service, Mr.
Sam was suddenly placed on a performance review plan shortly
after he sought to address the troubling problems he witnessed at
the school. However, the plan was merely a ruse to pressure him.
Mr. Sam’s supervisors never followed through on the plan. As a
result of the continual humiliation and pressure placed upon him,
Mr. Sam was eventually forced to resign his teaching job.
The Government Accountability Project, a leading national
whistleblower organization, is supporting Mr. Sam’s effort to
bring greater accountability for school administrators and better
support to teachers in the classroom. “We know that teachers like
John Sam throughout the country have the best information
about what is happening in the public schools—information
parents, legislators and taxpayers need to properly assess their
school system’s performance,” said staff attorney Doug Hartnett.
“This case demonstrates that teachers are powerless to challenge
wrongdoing without risking devastating consequences. It isn’t just
school employees that get hurt when administrators act this way.
Ultimately, the children suffer.” Government Accountability
Project is calling for the Atlanta Public Schools to reconsider the
action taken against Mr. Sam and to fully and publicly investigate
the charges in his complaint. “We expect students to be
accountable for their actions. At the very least, we expect
educators to model that behavior, Hartnett added.
Would changing APS board members make
any difference?
1:12 pm March 30, 2011, by Maureen Downey
The news keeps coming today: My AJC colleague Jim Galloway reports that an
amendment has been introduced in the House that would enable Gov. Nathan
Deal to remove members of the Atlanta Board of Education if the school system
lost accreditation later this year
Deal already has the power to oust school board members as a result of
the school board reform package passed by Sonny Perdue. But that bill
excludes school board members elected prior to 2010. The amendment
would extend the governor’s purge power to those board members as well.
I am not sure that changing the players matters much when you consider
that most of the current APS board members had the blessing of EduPAC,
the schools-driven political committee associated with the Metro Atlanta
Chamber of Commerce. [White Chalk Crime] If you look at the
backgrounds of the board members, they are an impressive bunch.
However, as a group, they seem to be less than their sums. [White Chalk
Criminals]
Increasingly, I believe the dysfunction in APS transcends the elected board.
I think the real problem was the collision of ambitions and reality. [White
Chalk Crime]
Just received this note that raises a good question: Have you heard
whether the amendment offered by Ashe/Lindsey is Constitutional? I have
heard some rumbling that you cannot impose conditions on school board
members, who are constitutionally elected officers, after they have been
elected. In other words, you cannot make it retroactive.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
APS parent
June 15th, 2011
3:33 pm
“Students now have all their textbooks loaded electronically on a laptop, which enables them to access the current learning tools and technologies they need to compete in the 21st Century workforce.”
Pardon me while I throw up.
APS parent
June 15th, 2011
3:33 pm
Tougaloo College?? My, my.
APS parent
June 15th, 2011
3:35 pm
University of Central Florida. Hmmmm.
Dirty South
June 15th, 2011
3:39 pm
“BROAD”, that’s your sign! Just like Clayton’s Ed Heatley–SACS Appointed Supt.–watch the majority of the District’s Money go to the so-called “Key Major Stakeholders–(Business Community), SACS will be happy and restore full accreditation–ASAP. They don’t care about–Major Voting Population nor the Lil Black Child. Scandalous!
APS parent
June 15th, 2011
3:59 pm
“Stakeholders” — apparently a mumbo jumbo technocratic term du jour poplular in the world of education babblespeak.
Mark Spookedgart
June 15th, 2011
4:34 pm
Are you saying that SACS is a joke? How did you know? You darn smart aleck! We try to keep our hidden agenda hidden. Yes, we try to help the “Major Stakeholders.” Yeah, baby!
Struggling Teacher
June 15th, 2011
4:35 pm
@TopSchool
The influence of Buckhead on APS has really changed and diminished since you left in 2004. That’s why the schools in Buckhead are losing staff, even when enrollment rises, not able to get APS to pay for training, nor getting enough money to buy books for their students. The schools on the South side get coaches, teachers, books, and training for whatever they want. They have promethean boards in every room, whereas Buckhead schools have to try to find the funding elsewhere for any new technology.
Things have changed. They really have.
Quoted from dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com
June 15th, 2011
4:43 pm
“”"With all appropriate respect, in addition to academic progress, schools exist to perform many other functions in order turn the K-12 youth of our nation into functioning adults of as high a degree as is possible.
Sadly for teachers (not administrators who have sold out)only the academic progress seems to evaluated often at the detriment of all other aspects of education.
What we have is a confluence of opposite symbiotic forces operating as we educate children.
All of these nefarious forces profit from the resulting chaos to make money (Collegeboard, test makers, educational publishers), some to gain elective office ( W. Bush, Obama), others to make a small fortune (superintendents), some to unilaterally re-engineer society (Bill Gates, Eli Broad), and others to provide high income/low work employment for friends and family (BOE’s all over the USA)
Trouble is, we, the gullible and easily divided public take the bate..And how we run with it!
Imagine if some entity (State or Federal) declared that any defense lawyer who lost a death penalty case could no longer practice?; if any medical doctor who lost a patient to cancer or to a high speed accident could not practice?; and if any paramedic who failed to resuscitate a Lake Lanier drowning victim who had been under water for 20 minutes could not work in emergency services??
Would that be OK?”"”
Looks like it OK while the teachers get &^%$*ed!
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
6:35 pm
The schools on the South side get coaches, teachers, books, and training for whatever they want. They have promethean boards in every room, whereas Buckhead schools have to try to find the funding elsewhere for any new technology.
Things have changed. They really have.
REALLY…??$#%#%^&^&$
What you don’t seem to understand is this…the walls …materials …supplies…teachers….
are not of value without honest ethical leadership.
A system that does not have a fair process of due process…a system to file a grievance without retaliation…a system and administration that does not falsify attendance documents and qualifications for awards and achievement…is a failed system no matter how many good teachers and “promethean boards” you have.
YOU MISS THE ENTIRE POINT…you can have all the supplies and new technology you want …but without honest ethical leadership that supports teachers that attempt to disclose unethical conduct with the corrupt administration.
This is why APS test scores were falsified under their administrators.
The attempts of former employees of APS to disclose their unethical conduct and the officials in positions of authority through out the state…Professional Standards, the State Board of Education, and as far as I AM CONCERNED the GBI and judicial systems continue to pretend these administrators are not criminals.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT SUPPLIES AND THE BEST TEACHERS…
The APS system could careless about following a democratic system of rules and regulations to monitor the actions of their administrators.
Those teachers still enduring the slavery of APS would not dare to speak up about anything they observe for fear they will lose their jobs.
They would not begin to complain about supplies or the needs of children.
APS employees have learned to keep their heads down….and follow follow follow.
If you think you are struggling now …try using the APS system of filing a grievance to disagree with the administration or better yet…attempt to figure out where all that money for children goes…
Your school is probably allotted the money…the principal at JACKSON milks the parents and the system with both hands. She convinces the system to give her the funds in her general account while the PTA raises the funds for the additional needs of the school without knowing the principal is milking both ends.
Ask too many questions and…
You won’t struggle much longer…because you won’t have a job.
Nothing has changed…
I challenge you to TEST the system…Attempt to ask some questions…about $$$$
and watch what happens.
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
6:44 pm
“Students now have all their textbooks loaded electronically on a laptop, which enables them to access the current learning tools and technologies they need to compete in the 21st Century workforce.”
WOW!!!!! ANOTHER INVENTION OF FLASH CARDS AND A BOOK…
AND who owns these new gadgets?
Awaiting moderation
June 15th, 2011
7:09 pm
@APS parent…before we start writing off candidates based on their college alma mater, let’s remember that Dr. Hall had a Doctorate from Harvard…and see where that got us.
We need someone that has experience and is able to work with people. Someone who doesn’t have all the answers but reaches out and is able to put teams together. Someone that would rather give students award then be the one that travels around the country collecting them…
Awaiting moderation
June 15th, 2011
7:30 pm
In the US News college ranking edition they rated University of Central Fl number 7 in a list that was rated by professional peer groups…it was just ahead of Wake Forest, Clemson and a lot ahead of U of GA.
Also the candidate that attended Tougaloo also attend U of Mississippi…again just look what a Harvard grad did for APS
chillywilly
June 15th, 2011
7:31 pm
@Top School – I hear you and believe you man. I heard that several APS Fixed Assets staff members were terminated after they provided APS top administrators with compelling details of missing & stolen computer equipment & info on critical errors made by an inventory contractor.
APS Parent
June 15th, 2011
9:10 pm
@Awaiting moderation: I agree that where a candidate attended undergraduate and graduate school is not the be all end all for determining if they are a good candidate. Nonetheless, it is a factor, and these candidates did not go to very highly ranked schools. According to the US News and World Report rankings, which again are not the be all end all, but they give you some idea, the University of Central Florida is ranked 179 for undergrad universities (not including colleges, so UCF’s overall ranking is actually lower), and its education grad school is ranked 91. I do not know what the “professional peer group” ranking for UCF is that you cite. Tougaloo College is ranked #166 among undergrad colleges (again not including universities, so its overall rank is much lower). Jackson State Univ., where one of the candidates received her doctorate in education, is unranked, which in the US News and World Report rankings appears to mean that the school is basically off the cahrts low. The University of North Carolina-Charlotte is ranked #191 for undergrad universities (again, not including colleges, so its overall ranking is lower), and Virginia Tech’s education grad school is ranked #100.
These are all pretty low — below average — school rankings for all 3 candidates. While this is just one factor in assessing the candidates, I would have thought with all of the problems and controversy and bad press APS has received over the last couple of years that the school board would have aimed a little higher.
On a final note, per the APS website, I don’t see that Dr. Hall has any Harvard degree.
TaxPayer
June 15th, 2011
9:10 pm
Yes, I wonder which sorority these women belong to? Pls donot hire another woman to run nothing. They play games, isloation games, sorority favorities and just keep confusion going all the time. You are anti-social if you fail to play their mind games or donot belong to AKA or Delta sorority. Never mind if you cannot teach, just so you fit in.
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
9:16 pm
Top School Administration
Nova
Hey Chillllyyyyy......
June 15th, 2011
9:18 pm
What say you, chilly about the new want to be chairwoman and her brand of mafia wars? As a insider, where do you stand on the opening for chair? Stay tuned and more details will come to the surface about the Muhammad mini-mafia. Whooo hoo!! Can’t wait. I think a mistake has been made by underestimating the REAL APS parents, what we know, and what we will reveal when the time is right. We are sick of our kids getting their educations sabotaged by the constant disruptions that are allowed because of fear. If APS allows this person who has total and absolute disregard for the education of the students who actually live in the district, then we will be in worse shape than we already are..if that is possible. I hope you are reading this APS board so you will know what the REAL APS students have to deal with….maybe the SACS folks should look into this while they are still around.
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
9:21 pm
The new APS leader needs a degree in ethics…
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
9:26 pm
A degree ” to go ” in Administration obtained via a “drive thru”
The Nova Degree in Administration.
Awaiting moderation
June 15th, 2011
9:37 pm
@APS parent
I agree with you that degrees matter…I think we have both made our points.
My mistake… Dr. Kathy Augustine Asst. Supt. just received her Harvard degree. Dr. Hall is Chair of Harvard University’s Urban Superintendents Program Advisory Board where she mentors participants in the doctoral program. So I guess you could say her legacy will continue with our countries best and brightest!!
@Top school what if we just start with someone who has ethics…not sure any degree will ensure sound ethics
atlmom
June 15th, 2011
9:53 pm
Kira Willis. Where is her name?
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
9:58 pm
Both Hall and Augustine are cut from the same cloth.
Georgia Professional Standards needs to apply their ethical rules of conduct and remove their license and certificates to serve in positions of authority.
Any one with common sense, love of education, and has the ability to see right from wrong …
should be able to serve this position with honor.
It takes more energy to cover up than it does to do the right thing.
That’s why this chaos has continued to fester for the last year…
The root of what is wrong is still in the process of being covered up.
That’s why Beverly still sits in her APS office.
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
10:05 pm
Ed.D. Nova Southeastern University – Educational Leadership
Warren T Jackson Elementary
Superintendents are mercenaries
June 15th, 2011
10:05 pm
I never see emergency room patients ask about the alma mater. Quit trying to rank schools. If they ain’t online or run by the Broad folks, leave them alone. Where did Alvin Wilbanks get his degrees? Who cares?
Sara
June 15th, 2011
10:09 pm
This procesis a farce!!!! The rumored Interim Supt has stronger credenials. There are people in the District who arenot tanted by the Hall?Augustine mess who have stronger credentials han these wannabe Sheros!!!
TopSchool
June 15th, 2011
10:18 pm
Nobody cares …but Buckhead cares…these elite schools set the ground work for the buddy system.
Drop a few names and you know where you stand on issues. It is the code system for Atlanta.
Inside the perimeter —-outside the perimeter.—– North and South —- Public and Private—-
Is there anyone that will not sell out to the politics of Buckhead and the Business Community?
Ethics in Atlanta??? I think the leader needs to be the janitor from any APS school.
They usually know the scoop…and can tell you where the problems start and stop.
The HONEST LEADER IS SITTING UNDER THE ROOF OF APS…AND most of those at the central office could tell you who that needs to be.
APS Parent
June 15th, 2011
11:50 pm
@Superintendents are mercenaries: No, people probably don’t ask where their ER physician, or other physicians, went to medical school, but maybe they should because your chances of being a victim of medical malpractice are much greater with a physician who went to a second rate, or third rate, medical school. Likewise, if your want to hire a second rate superintendent, your chances are best when you start with candidates from second rate, or third rate, schools.
Superintendents are mercenaries
June 16th, 2011
12:12 am
@APS parents: Really? Be serious!
20/20
June 16th, 2011
7:55 am
Brenda Muhammad has been on the board forever and hasn’t done anything. Check her record and does she actually live in the district now! None of her schools have benefited from her sitting on that board all of this time. She loves running around with the Atlanta politicians as a show boat dressing well and driving a nice car. She is a real joke and is only there for her own benefit to acquire favors for her family. She should not be the chair of anything associated with APS at this point in time and it is really time for her to go. Is there a decent candidate in that zone that can be elected? What is her real address?
Doris M
June 16th, 2011
8:23 am
All I can ask is that everyone pray for the APS. The district has dropped from a relative high point to the lowest point in the entire area within the realm of Beverly Hall. Just give us a new superintendent who is ethical and who possesses real leadership abilities.
APS parent
June 16th, 2011
10:48 am
I agree that Brenda Muhammad is an unimpressive school board member. She attended a recent meeting re. potential redistricting, and from her comments it was apparent that she was completely uninformed and clueless about the issues being discussed. It was embarrassing, and I actually had to cover my face and suppress laughing at a couple of her remarks. Now she is supposedly in line to be the new board president when Mr. El steps aside. Great. It’s no wonder we have the three superintendent finalists that we have with Ms. Muhammad making that decision. I’m just disappointed that some of the other school board members who know better did make sure that at least one of the finalists was of a little different or higher educational background and quality. Sigh.
APS parent
June 16th, 2011
10:56 am
I’m disappointed that the other school board members did NOT make sure that at least one of the finalists was of a different or higher educational background and quality.
ATL Resident/Educator
June 16th, 2011
11:15 am
Glad to see so many responses. The ink on the new super hasn’t dried yet. I just don’t understand why there was so much job hopping with these candidates.
20/20
June 16th, 2011
11:50 am
PRAY yes, but God helps those who help themselves and the voting citizens in Atlanta and the APS employees must take action now to help this board do the right thing. Call down to the APS board and leave messages for every board member one by one = (9) calls for (9) days telling them to bring another list of candidates not finalist to the tax payers and host public hearings with suggestion boxes to get the public vote and recommendations regarding the candidates.
Cobb and Fulton County pulled that gangsta undemocratic, untransparent move of forcing new superintendents on the tax payers and watch what happens. That man appointed superintendent in Cobb County is a joke and the place he left wanted to get rid of him and didn’t care where they dumped that reject.
It is so easy to do an internet background search today and the lazy sorry elected board members won’t take the time to even do that in the best interest of the children. So we are going to do it for them and forward all of the info to them and the bloggers, including Channel 2, 5, 46, and 11 to boardcast along with the ajc to sound the alarm. The children in Atlanta are counting on us the caring adults to step up to plate and handle our business now!
Top School
June 16th, 2011
12:58 pm
The CURRENT policies and procedures are not followed…
Why make more?
The video taped depositions and the broken policies have been recorded at
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
The CURRENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WERE NOT FOLLOWED.
And an SAFE AVENUE to report this wrongdoing with out consequences of retaliation are evident in the depositions.
While this individual and others stay employed by APS and have obviously not followed the policies and procedures …and did not suffer consequences for doing so…
Keeping them in positions of authority and make new policies and procedures fails to solve the problem of corruption.
Compare the policies in just two of the video taped depositions to what is written in APS Policy.
1. Daughter works at school
2. Fraudulent attendance with comp time.
https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/policy.aspx?PC=GAG&Sch=4004&S=4004&RevNo=1.93&C=G&Z=P
PRAY that someone steps up to the plate and tells the truth.
Top School
June 16th, 2011
1:03 pm
No APS employee shall use his/her influence or authority as an APS official to affect the employment of an immediate relative, including hourly employees, contractors and vendors. Such influence and/or authority includes participation in decisions regarding hiring, reappointment, placement, evaluation, rate of pay, salary increases, promotion, tenure,
monetary awards and/or discipline even when the related employees are not in the same line of supervision or authority.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta#p/u/36/tHyr95P7JF0
“Reorganization Money” Diverted to REICH’s daughter on APS PAYROLL
Reich hires immediate family members to benefit from the additional money she has acquired as a result of “thinking out of the box”. ( another play on Reich’s Rhetoric..Reorganization Plan, AKA-3 Year Plan, Miscellaneous Pay, One Time Payment???? Too many names to juggle!)
Top School
June 16th, 2011
2:11 pm
Fraud Employee Compensation Time
Reich rationalizes her biased use of “comp time”. Teachers on Jackson’s staff were often awarded comp time in exchange for “Reich Loyalty”
A complainant shall not be subject to any reprisal as a result of filing a grievance under this policy. Should any reprisal occur, the complainant may refer the matter to the Professional Standards Commission.
Employees employed in an executive, administrative, or professional capacity (including teachers and school administrative personnel) as provided for under FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) are considered “exempt” under FLSA and are legally not entitled to pay for overtime work.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta#p/u/32/ntiXN8a0Buc
What about gender diversity?
June 16th, 2011
3:40 pm
Women and men tend to have different leadership styles…..
It would have been nice to have seen at least one male finalist.
What about racial diversity?
June 16th, 2011
8:52 pm
It would have been nice to see at least one white finalist as well.
P.I.
June 16th, 2011
10:49 pm
Enter your comments here
chillywilly
June 16th, 2011
10:51 pm
@ What about racial diversity – Regardless of who is chosen for Supt., a white (Mark Elgart, Nathan Deal or Chamber of Commerce ) will still call the shots at APS. APS has a white CIO, a white CFO, a white Controller, a white deputy CFO, a white Grants manager, a white Accounting Manager, and a white HR Investigator (Penn Payne). If you control the purse strings & the techology, you control the school system. There ain’t a Negro at APS with any power whatsoever.
ATL
June 16th, 2011
11:19 pm
Chillywilly you are on point. The Negroes at APS have no power on the plantation except to abuse and mistreat each other including black children and they excel at this deed sadly. The blackfaced mayor is also a pawn in this game with no power and soon he won’t have a office either.
TopSchool
June 17th, 2011
12:24 am
Yes…ChillyWilly …this is the game Buckhead is playing…
Kunte Kinte
June 20th, 2011
11:02 am
Maureen,
Yes I have heard of all them to answer your question and they are much better qualified than ANY of the DeKalb choices, including your sweetheart, Dr. Lillie Cox!
Former university leader to temporarily run APS. Never a dull moment. | Get Schooled
June 20th, 2011
2:16 pm
[...] 1 and will serve until the board hires a permanent replacement for retiring Beverly Hall, presumably one of the three finalists announced last week. (But we saw how that worked in DeKalb.) Davis is leaving the university system [...]
Greta
June 21st, 2011
9:13 am
Shocking and discriminatory – no diverstiy among the APS candidates.