A divided APS school board decides today whether to dump embattled school chief Erroll Davis
Should Erroll B. Davis Jr. stay or go?
DeKalb is not the only metro school district with a consequential decision pending today.
While the DeKalb school board will vote on a controversial five year plan that includes school closings and redistricting, the Atlanta Board of Education will take up superintendent Erroll B. Davis’ contract extension today,
And the stage is set for a close vote.
At a meeting last week, the nine-member APS board changed its policy, now requiring a super majority of seven votes to extend the school chief’s contract rather than a majority of five votes. At that Dec. 3 session, the board delayed a decision on Davis’ contract for a second time, reflective of the residual anger over his abrupt leadership changes at North Atlanta High School in October.
There are two petitions at Change.org, one for Davis and one against:
The one in favor of keeping Davis — which has 241 supporters this morning — states:
Erroll Davis is the best person to serve as interim superintendent. Davis has proven he is a non-political leader, capable of making tough decisions. Davis came to APS at a moment of chaos, following a decade of turmoil and educational neglect. He restored a significant measure of stability and trust, earning him the support of Atlanta’s mayor and many APS parents and teachers. Extending Davis’s contract provides stability that permits our children to learn and grow.
The one in favor of replacing Davis — which has 83 supporters this morning — states:
Please allow Superintendent Davis’ contract to expire without renewal, and move immediately to find a new Superintendent for Atlanta Public Schools to take over when Davis’ term ends this summer. Atlanta needs a superintendent who can communicate well, work effectively with school leaders, and rise above political maneuvering to provide the best education possible for our students.
For a sense of the public divide over Davis, here is an excerpt from Talk Up APS, which is a system-sponsored blog. Please note that this is not my account, but a report from the official APS blog of some parent comments made during the Dec. 3 board discussion of Davis’ future:
Cynthia Briscoe-Brown- I am here today to ask each of you to vote against extending interim Superintendent Davis’ contract. He lacks the leadership essential to this position. Every one of his stated reasons for “Bloody Friday” have been proven false. This superintendent has lost the confidence of a significant number of the community–he should not be allowed to continue. There are highly qualified individuals who would welcome the challenge of leading APS into the future.
Yvette Bolwaire, former NAHS parent: I come as I did last month in support of superintendent Davis. He has proven time and time again that he is not only willing but capable of tackling, SACS, redistricting and most recently North Atlanta High. It is his responsibility to do what is in the best interest of all students. I am in total support of his decision to restructure NAHS and how it was carried out. What has been characterized as Bloody Friday by some was seen as a long awaited glimmer of hope by those who have waited for years.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get School blog
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110 comments Add your comment
Ray
December 10th, 2012
12:28 pm
You didn’t answer my question, Bev, why don’t you run for the board if you know everything and you’re so great? Then we could all set back and comment on your efforts. I think it pays around $18,000 per year. That’s worth it for all the abuse they take, don’t you think?
atlmom
December 10th, 2012
12:32 pm
seriously – if you get rid of him, who’s going to take the job? who would want that job? supposedly he had to be coerced to take it in the first place. And if the board is so dysfunctional, why do we think they can do anything better?
It’s such a mess. And let’s say it gets fixed – you get all new board members and they are awesome.
Then what? what happens if in, say 5 or 10 years voters vote in a new board that is less than awesome and you’re back where you are now?
the system doesn’t work.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
12:35 pm
@outdated, reread what I said; I didn’t say she was a strong leader, I said by all accounts she was considered a strong reformer. Therefore, perhaps we need to redefine what needs reforming; is it mainly training of the teacher (something “education experts” have gladly taken billions from taxpayer’s claiming they had the cure)
Or is what we need to fix the authority we give teachers when it comes to holding students accountable for work and behavior?
Giving teachers the authority to remove the student who acts like a “rockstar” might bring a much larger return on investment than any “rockstar” superintendent out there.
Truth in Moderation
December 10th, 2012
12:40 pm
@ B. Fraud
Here’s a video that would make you proud! A college Prof exposing FRAUD and the true enablers:
“PROFESSOR WILLIAM BLACK-WE’VE DECRIMINALIZED FRAUD”
http://www.silverdoctors.com/professor-william-black-weve-decriminalized-fraud/
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
12:43 pm
“Bev, why don’t you run for the board if you know everything and you’re so great?”
I never said I knew everything, Ray; but if you can point out a specific error in my posts, you’re welcome to.
And yes one can run for the board, but if the voters don’t want quality and integrity, then they end up getting what they fully and richly deserve.
And Ray, when you see people like LaChandra Burks-Butler and others getting re-elected, despite the widespread, systemic cheating that was reported in this very paper going back to 2001 what does that say to you about the level of integrity voters actually want in a board member?
And you really think the gravy train ends at $18,000?
Quaint.
Democrat Man
December 10th, 2012
12:48 pm
Bring back Beverly Hall…a true public servant.
I’m growing tried of people making fun of Ms. Hall.
She lifted APS from the depths of despair.
She would be a welcome addition to the DeKalb County BOE.
The Phantom
December 10th, 2012
12:48 pm
Maureen,
If you were able to cross-reference the names on the petition that supports Davis, you would see many names of SEACS members. The same group that ED has promised his total support to, via improvements (ongoing renovation, new principal, restructuring, etc) of Jackson High. Not surprising, because frankly the school needed it, but be aware that is where many of the votes came from.
And totally surprised that the “anti” petition is so low. Do the NAHS parents know about it?
And is the new definition of INTERIM now mean forever and ever?
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
12:53 pm
Maureen don’t you yourself have a poll feature on this blog? The sports guys use it; Wingfield uses it as well if I’m not mistaken.
Wonder what a poll here would say about the merits of Davis?
Dr. John Trotter
December 10th, 2012
12:55 pm
@ Beverly Fraud: I have been away for all while from Maureen’s illustrious blog, though I do promote it both on the MACE website and my personal blog. Just been busy since my return from Brazil. Kicking ass and taking names, and have a couple good juicy pickets lined up for this week. Christmas presents for the administrators, of course. But, I see that you have been doing a marvelous job holding the fort down. Give’em h-ll, BF! Ha! Some have accused you of being me and vice versa. I take this as a compliment, but we both know that it ain’t so, and Maureen can verify this with our IP addresses. I believe that you are now spending a little time out of the country too, right? When you return, let’s sit down for lunch and compare notes about the bullsh-t that goes on in the name of American Public Education (APE). We are putting a book together on it now. It’s a scatological exam of the fecal control of public education in the United States. APS is just a shining light of this phenomenon. I’d like for you to write a blurb for it…under your famous or infamous blogging name of Beverly Fraud, of course. You may want to get a job in the Atlanta area one day. So, you will have to remain anonymous!
I love your posts, BF!
http://www.theteachersadvocate.com
http://www.georgiateachersspeakout.com
Bev, holler at me when you get back, OK?
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
12:56 pm
I will and I do.
But maybe it is not a big deal. Satire is a good activity. Maybe in context, it is satire. I’m some stricken with the observations in this thread. The whole “drive everything to the middle ground” and “if you don’t fit that, then move on and find somewhere else” seems to be the emphasis from out public education managers. I note this whole emphasis is not just from the county, it is redelivered by the state and comes from far away, some foundation somewhere probably being paid by or set-up by who knows.
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
12:59 pm
@ outdated
awwwww….I’m in your head.
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
1:01 pm
actually, it would be really entertaining to see B Hall brought back to local education. tragic for the kids but damned amusing
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
1:07 pm
@Dr. John,
if your book includes higher ed, be sure to save chapters for GPC.
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
1:09 pm
@ atlmom
while I believe ED has to go, you are very correct in your larger point. the whole damn APS system is
broken, probably beyond repair.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
1:31 pm
“I’d like for you to write a blurb for it…under your famous or infamous blogging name of Beverly Fraud, of course.”
A name of course, that does not reflect on any education figure, alive or deceased; any resemblance is purely coincidental!
Thanks for the shout out, Dr. T. And speaking of this blog, as much as Maureen and company used to have a regular cottage industry of blaming you for a litany of woes in ClayCo, I would hope they gave you credit for being years ahead of the curve for pointing out the unethical and yes illegal activity in “gangsta” DeKalb and “gangsta” APS.
By the way, I’m thinking of a career in professional wrestling. I would come to the ring (wearing my “Broad Academy” belt,) and show off my “researched based” moves which the announcer would say that clearly do not work in real life (yes saying “real life” is part of the irony) at which point I am immediately pinned by my opponent, only to go back and erase the “official scorecard” and be declared the winner.
If only Gordon Solie were alive to announce it. Maureen, any chance we can have a blog on how the erstwhile Gordon Solie inspired untold numbers of students when it comes to descriptive language?
Or is that a little outside your realm of reference?
Ray
December 10th, 2012
1:36 pm
You’re hilarious, Bev.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
1:54 pm
Went out for a drive in the car. On the radio the commentary announcer editiorial show, doing a twisted “political talking points” rant, saying Obama wants to hand out unemployment checks, people should would work hard for 35 years and then they’ll get somewhere, and that there will always be rich people, get used to it. Just this bizarre landslide of irrelevant churning mixing misinformation with coaching people to do more. Got 3 jobs? Well, get 4!
Point in, there is no counterpoint on the radio. It is like kabuki theater from a single source provider. Reagan removed the anti-trust laws. Today, there is no room in the media for counterpoint to the brainwashing / bullying. Yes, and the “work hard” rhetoric was from Rush Limbaugh who has a $500 million contract. I mean seriously. And they can just pound people who don’t know any better with this stuff. There’s no counterpoint.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
1:55 pm
That’s half a billion dollars being paid to a propagandist.
Another Mom
December 10th, 2012
2:05 pm
Some people didn’t sign the petition not to extend his contract because 1) they didn’t think it would make a difference, and 2) fear of retaliation
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
2:08 pm
“while I believe ED has to go, you are very correct in your larger point.”
@bootney, safe to assume pun not intended?
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
2:13 pm
bf, you have to put your “adjectives” in quotation marks because so few have a vocabulary. scary.
Jerry Eads
December 10th, 2012
2:25 pm
With tongue obviously (I hope) in cheek: APS definitely needs to can Errol. He is far too competent, honest, caring and intelligent. APS definitely needs to get busy to find someone more like a previous superintendent: totally self-centered, aloof, and crooked, who has no qualms about faking progress by cooking the books and with no qualms whatsoever about throwing any and all of the teachers under the bus to escape responsibility. Let’s indeed stop any turnaround and get back to the old days as soon as possible.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
2:44 pm
From Jerry
“He is far too competent, honest, caring and intelligent.”
If true Jerry, qualities he oddly chose not to display during the NAHS debacle.
If true, especially given the abusive corporate culture under the previous regime, he would have been well served to address APS’s blatant abuse of the teacher grievance law (according to Dr. John Trotter and not a single APS official has refuted it as far as I know)
To say he is better than Hall? And which of the aforementioned drunks, street preachers, turnstiles, or urine soaked elevators from Five Points Station wouldn’t be an upgrade in integrity from Hall?
Has it been a turnaround; or a carousel?
It's All a Ruse
December 10th, 2012
2:48 pm
Has anyone brought up the fact that he has taken on full pay period from the employees under the guise of best practice new pay dates. Then HR has the audacity to lie and say employees were paid too many times last year. NOT TRUE!!! This year, not only are there more furlough days, there are ONLY 23 pay dates. He never addressed it until employees began questioning it…and then, as mentioned above, his administration LIED about it. Maureen….where is the investigative reporting on that one????? The administration only made it public knowledge 2 weeks ago, despite the fact that we have been questioning it for months! When you are making in excess of $300,000, a full pay period loss may not affect your pockets, but at the rate of $63,000 it HURTS!!! Way to go, Davis and crew. Sneaked that one right in, didn’t you???
Ray
December 10th, 2012
3:05 pm
Thank you, Jerry Eads, for being at least one sane voice on here today. Erroll Davis is a decent, intelligent, and reasonable man, and APS should keep him on.
George
December 10th, 2012
3:32 pm
You dam people are funny or maybe just plain dam stupid.He was doing a great job until he cleaned out North Atlanta Highschool.the School is for everyone not just a few dam parents.Enroll is a dam good man because he does not need the money i would tell all of you to go to hell including that dam Board.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
3:59 pm
“You dam people”
The Army Corps of Engineers made an appearance?
Error Davis Has Got To Go
December 10th, 2012
4:13 pm
He began by ruining the teaching careers of many of whom were innocent and found guilty with little or no evidence.
He has reorganized the HR Department by hiring a contract HR Director. Unheard of.
He is trying to get rid of custodians by contracting their positions.
He has also cut the salaries of the lead custodians without due process.
Error Davis is picking on the low paid employees instead of THE PEOPLE
at THE TOP WHO MAKE WAY MORE THAN A CUSTODIAN.
This man MUST GO. Or we will be stuck with ANOTHER BEVERLY HALL.
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
4:42 pm
@ beverly
i wish-I’m not that clever.
but the “point” still “stands”
Inman Park Boy
December 10th, 2012
4:43 pm
So who are you going to hire? Some other hack from another failed urban system? They’re a dime a dozen.
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
4:45 pm
@ Erroll,
same MO he played with the USG.
a question asked by many of the GPC 282: how many Asst. VPs have to be laid off to keep a full custodial staff?
answer: we’ll never know
Dontavius
December 10th, 2012
4:46 pm
Just because someone is a “good and decent person” doesn’t make them a good leader. And just becaise someone is white or black doesn’t make them a good leader. Hire a proven LEADER and give him/her the authority to LEAD!
Wilbur
December 10th, 2012
5:00 pm
I hope the mayor and the council are listening. In the public’s mind government is all linked whether they actually are or not. APS’ choices will affect how people view the city of Atlanta and Fulton county. If APS follows it’s usual course they will keep Davis and give people more reason to distrust the decision making process in their governments.
Davis made some decisions at NAHS and then lied about why. He needs to go.
Jerry Eads
December 10th, 2012
5:19 pm
Didn’t say he was perfect. Said he was very good. NObody could take on a basket case like APS and even try to turn it around without ruffling some feathers.
You guys want magic. Ain’t none. Just hard work. Errol, indeed, does not have the ‘woo’ factor like some others to keep everyone happy when the pain hits. He didn’t come to be loved by you. He came to turn around a disaster.
I’m not close to the high school in question. He may well have made a mistake. He may also have done what had to be done but for some reason could not publicly share what the real problem was.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
5:57 pm
He may also have done what had to be done but for some reason could not publicly share what the real problem was.
That’s not cool and it’s not good government. They’re not running a private business, they’re funded with taxpayer money from property owners. There is no “for some reason” and “could not be known” unless you want cloak and dagger government. And I sure hope you don’t.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
6:02 pm
Government is supposed to codify good policy and then follow rule of law. If it does anything else, you’ve got deal-makers and hoodlums. That’s all there is to it: codify policy and follow rule of law. If someone is operating outside of policy, they are in error of mission. Government applies to each and every one of us equally. That’s why it means something to be a citizen and to be taxed and paying taxes for services. Property taxation is very serious. Your property can and will be seized if a property owner does not pay the tax. In return, the government is supposed to codify what they are doing, as it applies to all person, and to follow the code of law.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
6:06 pm
A name of course, that does not reflect on any education figure, alive or deceased; any resemblance is purely coincidental!
This is not entertaining. It sounds like old-school sleazy two-faced southern lying. It is not charming and it is using another person and toying cat and mouse. You can call it august (accent on the second syllable) but that’s how I see it and it is not like the incoherence from the schools is needing any help or additional chaos to entertain as they seem to do behind closed doors.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
6:15 pm
Somebody produce casebook law and page number that says a superintendent can collectively remove school management staff at will without process and do so and based on what justification. If this is not codified, then Mr. David needs to be censured. They problem is that no entity is regulating these activities. The AdvancED / SACS accreditation system seems to be about as effective as a firetruck showing up after the house has burned down. Considering the leverage school systems have using property taxes, it is rather incredible that they have become allowed to be entrepreneurial in their actions without following defined code of their activities. So AdvancED allows a multitude of ill actions to occur until it all adds up and then maybe they do something? So if this was a person, the can drive wrecklessly, assault, rob a bank, and set the public park on fire, but not until they do one more thing will there be an account of the other actions? That’s sure not the way it works for either private businesses or individuals. There’s law written and we are required to follow them and if you break one of them, someone will come and address it, whether it is the police of the IRS. How is school districts are given a free pass on following process and code?
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
6:19 pm
Somebody oh please find a labor lawyer to identify the code that outlines where this is permissible and defines the process.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
6:21 pm
Does anyone know the Georgia Code or federal labor law well enough to cite the region or heading that covers this action from a superintendent? Or provide other direction on where their duties and method are coded into law? To have piece of mind in a just world, you have to know that your public officials are following the law.
Error Davis Has Got To Go
December 10th, 2012
7:00 pm
@Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
6:15 pm
There’s law written and we are required to follow them and if you break one of them, someone will come and address it, whether it is the police of the IRS. How is school districts are given a free pass on following process and code?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Davis is not following any process and maybe breaking the law.
#1 He did not follow policy when he cut the salaries of lead custodians
and did not inform them nor did he give them a hearing. Then he gave
top salaried employees a raise.
#2 He did not even inform the Board of the salary cuts and the stupid
board members voted on it without knowing all of the facts.
#3 The proposed GCB Policy of the APS violates Section 5-103 of the Charter.
#4 APS is attempting to create a Civil Service Commission and rename it something else to avoid being bound by Section 103 of the Charter. This will affect classified employees who are the
lowest paid employees at APS.
#5 The Board’s Charter does not delegate the authority to create and/or amend the
procedures related to civil service employees.
Davis and his legal advisors are trying to scr@w CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES (custodians,
secretaries, bus drivers, cafeteria workers) while letting the top earners keep making more money.
Jerry Eads
December 10th, 2012
7:23 pm
PC: yep, that sure would be nice.
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
7:51 pm
@ maureen
far as you know, is there anywhere in the country superintendents are elected?
Pride and Joy
December 10th, 2012
7:59 pm
Who’d want to take the job? I’ll take it! It pays HUNDReds OF thouSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR PLUS PERKS.
I don’t feel sorry for any Atlanta or Dekalb sueper. They make as much money as the president of the U.S. GET real.
Maureen Downey
December 10th, 2012
8:02 pm
@bootney, It is common in Mississippi where 64 school districts elect their superintendents.
However, it is rare elsewhere. Of the 14,500 U.S. school districts, there are only 150 districts that elect their superintendents.
Maureen
Ray
December 10th, 2012
8:18 pm
Why would Cecily vote for extending Davis 2 years, but also vote for a 7-2 supermajority requirement, allowing a 3 person minority to block the 2 year extension?
tjatl
December 10th, 2012
9:07 pm
@Ray at 8:18, I don’t know either. But it may rank up there with Richt’s decision not to spike the ball.
Ray
December 10th, 2012
9:49 pm
Yes, tj, you may be right!
JR
December 10th, 2012
9:52 pm
If the Atlanta School Board and City of Atlanta has any common sense and ability to learn (doubtful, I know!), they will dump Errol Davis before he messes up the APC and further like he did the University System of Georgia. He is a classic example of why people in the private sector are not always so good at filling public roles.
Ray
December 10th, 2012
9:53 pm
18 month extension (or 2 years from now). Way to hang in there, Reuben.