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
V for Vendetta
December 10th, 2012
8:20 am
I think the answer here is pretty obvious. Which is why I think APS will vote to extend.
Another Voice
December 10th, 2012
8:36 am
Atlanta. The City Too Busy To Hate … but not too busy to whine and complain.
Does anyone really think that the APS Board could manage an effective search for a new superintendent, or would it just be more of the same level of incompetence we see everyday from them? Starting with engaging a QUALIFIED search firm, instead of some rinky-dink outfit that barely does anything more than post an ad in the education trade publications, review resumes and sends five to the board for interviews? I think not. So stick with Davis for at least another year.
the good doctor
December 10th, 2012
8:41 am
hummm… I say give him an opportunity to finish what he started…
Bob
December 10th, 2012
8:45 am
”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 removed administrators at North Atlanta high because of politics then lied about it. Calling someone a liar is strong language but in this case it is the besst word to use. North Atlanta was never slated to be taken over by the state and Davis told us it was. If Davis does not like to be called a liar he can show us what actions the state had taken to take over the school. Mr. Davis, if I am wrong I will admit it, please fill us in on who with the state approached you concerning the takeover. And did the state specifically want the adminstrators released or did you just remove them so you could say you acted ?
muddy waters
December 10th, 2012
8:59 am
I agree with Another Voice. While Davis’ performance has not been flawless, he’s accomplished much difficult work that needed to be done in a short, transitional period, for which the School Board can’t take much credit. In other words, his track record is better than theirs.
He has never been positioned to be the permanent “answer.” When the School Board’s search yields a superior candidate — one who wants the job (are you listening, DeKalb County?) — THEN hire that candidate, thank Mr. Davis and let him ride off into the sunset.
I don’t have any kids my own but I like to think of all these kids as “my kids.” Do what’s best for THEM.
JB
December 10th, 2012
9:31 am
I can understand and sympathize with the anger and frustration of NAHS parents. Terminating Davis in retaliation will not change the situation or solve a single one of their short-term challenges. It is likely to create and/or exacerbate several new and existing long-term problems for NAHS and everyone else in the District. I respectfully ask that they outline their needs, work with Davis and the Board to find creative solutions to those specific issues, and allow Davis to finish the other projects he started.
Bob
December 10th, 2012
9:35 am
JB, how do you work with someone that looks you in the eyes and lies ? I can outline one very important need, tell the truth !
Democrat Man
December 10th, 2012
9:53 am
Bring back Beverly Hall.
She fundamently improved APS.
She can save DeKalb County BOE.
Inman/Grady Parent
December 10th, 2012
10:02 am
Another Voice, the good doctor, & Muddy Waters: I totally agree with y’all.
intowner
December 10th, 2012
10:05 am
I am surprised that only 83 folks are signed against Davis. Given the squalling from NAHS and the fear at Grady that this too shall come their way, 83 is a paltry number. You’d think the number of Stepford Moms would be legion, 83 ain’t no legion.
Further, there will be some serious contenders for numerous school board seats in the next/upcoming election. Let that dust settle, and let them find a new Supt that they start a new relationship with.
Besides, if most of this fracas is really coming from Ruben McDaniel and not Supt Davis, getting rid of Davis isn’t gonna do squat to quell the potstirring by McDaniel, i don’t think. If he’s feeling his oats so much as to come outa the woodwork to actually *do* something and do something this high profile, what does he care about Davis? Doesn’t stop his axe grinding on NAHS skulls one little bit, esp as Kasim Reed seems to have his back~
Meli
December 10th, 2012
10:07 am
Mr. Davis completely mishandled the NAHS situation. Does he deserve to be fired for it, considering APS is still under a cloud of suspicion over the cheating on test scores, and firing him would surely lead to a full-scale SACS investigation and the overwhelming likelihood that SACS–who’ve stayed out of this so far–would uncover many more skeletons under the floorboards and be forced to remove accreditation from a major city’s school system? Well it depends on how well the rest of the APS board thinks they’ve hidden those skeletons.
Beyond NAHS
December 10th, 2012
10:07 am
It’s not just NAHS (though the lies that accompany that are outrageous)… Davis’s administration fails to recognize that schools are built on relationships: between teacher and student, between admin and teachers, between staff and community. All small school high school teachers forced to re-interview to keep their jobs last spring, interim principals not given a chance to interview for those jobs after they stepped into a tough situation, interims replaced by interims, administrators removed without cause mid-year… When the district treats employees like widgets, moving them around like interchangeable parts it sends the message: “Don’t work too hard here. Don’t go the extra miles for these families, because you’re not going to see it through. Don’t build better programs, because the change is so constant nothing is sustainable.” Or to students: “Don’t rely on this adult too much, because she may not be here tomorrow.” APS is losing and will continute to lose good employees who are disempowered by this approach. Mr. Davis has done some hard, necessary work, but he and his approach are also doing real damage. He has said himself he wouldn’t want to be a principal. Let’s get someone who understands and respects the work.
V for Vendetta
December 10th, 2012
10:08 am
I would have thought that the North Atlanta debacle was enough to raise serious questions and doubts about him. I guess not. Wonder what it WOULD take…?
Oh, right. Beverly Hall already showed us.
Meli
December 10th, 2012
10:16 am
Firing Errol Davis at this point would raise too many suspicions with SACS. He was asked to step in and take care of the debacle with APS over the test scores, and now suddenly APS members are requiring a super majority to reapprove him, which they never wanted before? Makes you wonder what other skeletons he may have unearthed beneath the floorboards at APS.So far SACS has stayed out of it. Do we really want them stepping in with a full-scale investigation using a microscope on everything involved, and pressured to remove accreditation? That depends on how well APS thinks they’ve covered up the activity that simply wasn’t caught.
Maude
December 10th, 2012
10:21 am
He lied to the parents and public about North Atlanta High School about to be taken over by the state. You only get to lie to me once. Then it is time to go. So good-bye.
charles
December 10th, 2012
10:25 am
APS has long been a system that resents rather than encourages their few high performing schools. It will be interesting to see how central office copes with many of these schools going charter to better serve their communities by listening to the very parents who contribute so mightly to that very success. Imagine what the system wide performance numbers will look like when only those schools tightly controlled by the administrators downtown are left? Then there will be “two school systems” = those run by central office and the board of eduction and those run by a partnership between educators, students and involved parents. Let the games begin and may the better approach win.
Sandy Springs parent
December 10th, 2012
10:26 am
It is amazing how race blinds some folks. Lets see the obvious errors or Error’s ways except for the fact that he is nothing more that Kaseem and McDaniel’s butt kicker. All who appear on the down low.
It has been a year and a half and we are no closer to going after Bev Hall. No claw back of her fat bonuses for cheating, no RICO charges. We have mainly just have a parade of tea
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
10:30 am
“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”
Supermajority? Isn’t that what McDaniel and others who wanted to protect Hall asked for when they tired to prevent Butler, and the entire truth about the cheating scandal from being ousted by the Furious Five (catchy eh? wonder who thought of it.)
Hmm…dare we say McDaniel was hoisted by his own petard?
Perhaps McDaniel will recall this next time Markie Mark asks him to do his dirty work for him.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
10:36 am
From Meli
“Firing Errol Davis at this point would raise too many suspicions with SACS….now suddenly APS members are requiring a super majority to reapprove him, which they never wanted before?”
Well thank goodness Meli came along, to make sure we got our daily dose of partisan hacks
Umm, Meli, who do you think all but demanded a supermajority in the first place, under the (so called) guise of good governance?
Youuuuuu, guessed it Meli; Markie Mark and SACS.
Hoisted by their own petard shall we say?
RCB
December 10th, 2012
10:36 am
The Board has no choice now but to extend his contract. They’ve done nothing for a year about finding a permanent replacement. BTW, exactly what WERE the consequences for Hall? That nice retirement package?
Sandy Springs parent
December 10th, 2012
10:42 am
Whoops A parade of teachers who have lost their jobs. Several whose cases had to be dropped, nothing but the the investigators bullying. The truth is Error has not cleaned house and many of the problems continue at Trinity street.
The bus route fiasco in the worse areas of town that would have sent small children walking through dangerous areas on the way to school.
Of course there was the mess of redistricting last year which showed that Error did just get it.
The North Atlanta situation based on anonymous claims of racism are just absurd. Every statement is show to be wrong. We once again see that McDaniel has an agenda. The bigger question should be why the actual upper class white children who are the children o
Mountain Man
December 10th, 2012
10:42 am
“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. ”
Any of you English teachers want to comment on use of commas?
Panda walks into a diner and orders a sandwich. After eating it he pulls out a pistol, fires it into the ceiling and makes for the door. The bewildered manager rushes after him, saying “Why did you do that.” The panda hands him a book on wildlife and says “Look up Panda”. This is what the manager found:
Panda – large black and white mammal- native to China – eats, shoots, and leaves (from the book Eats, Shoots, and Leaves.)
dougmo2
December 10th, 2012
10:48 am
Here is a better question: When will Paul Howard decide to ask for an indictment against The Beverly Hall Crew? It seems to me that he is sitting on his hands,doing nothing,hoping that the fervor will blow over. It has been almost 18 months, why is he waiting? Then again, this is the same DA who could’t get a murder conviction in the Cobalt Lounge killings.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
10:51 am
Time for a history lesson:
From Meli.
Firing Errol Davis at this point would raise too many suspicions with SACS. He was asked to step in and take care of the debacle with APS over the test scores, and now suddenly APS members are requiring a super majority to reapprove him, which they never wanted before?
Umm, Meli, who do you think asked for the supermajority in the first place?
That’s right; Markie Mark
And as stated before, this board could be seen en masse, dancing on a stripper pole at Magic City barnyard animals in tow and Markie Mark STILL wouldn’t remove APS’s accreditation.
Worst case scenario? They do some sort of “probation” so that Deal/Markie Mark can do a political power play and remove the board members that won’t play ball with the “bidness” community. (You remember the “bidness” community don’t you? Those “stalwarts” who tried to cover up the largest cheating scandal in United States educational history; kinda makes the “talent” at Magic City look like upstanding citizens in comparison, one might say…)
Atlanta Mom
December 10th, 2012
10:52 am
Mr. Davis stated that NAHS COULD have been seized by the State. That was an accurate statement. He did not say the State was coming in. Seems to me that he was trying to get the parents’ attention.
http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2012/10/10/was-north-atlanta-high-ever-in-danger-of-state-takeover/
Mountain Man
December 10th, 2012
11:02 am
My opinion is that Errol Davis moved a little too hastily on teachers SUSPECTED of cheating. Thus a large number of the “fired” teachers have been reinstated.
If they get rid of Davis, then they will have to look for another superintendent (of the proper color, of course).
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
11:06 am
Is there a more damning indictment of Davis’s utter unwillingness to lead than the fact that he has been at the helm for well over a year and has yet to address discipline?
I would say “You’re doing a great job, Browie” yet don’t wish to offend the willfully ignorant and uninformed who will see a racial connotation, instead of a reference to Bush’s Nero, former FEMA head Brown.
So I won’t.
Sandy Springs parent
December 10th, 2012
11:14 am
Whoops again the I pad. Why don’t they find out why the residents of the zone don’t send their kids. Why should Buckhead residents have to pay what the mayor termed the Buckhead Private school tax. This school should be majority white, and clearly one of the top performing schools in the state. If it mirrored the neighorhod demographics. Why doesn’t it and then after it does. It should be used as a model for others.
Without these changes you will see continued failure for all.
Now the CO issue, one would think that an Engineer could show leadership on an engineering problem. But instead Erorr Davis leads by covering up his incompetence lets blame someone low on the totem pole. No, Error, you are wrong, the man on the top is where the buck always stops. As an engineer I can look from afar and tell you have a cracked boiled lining. Why wasn’t someone notified when the boiler lost water levels and steam pressure and it cracked the lining. Why wasn’t the boiler on an automated BMS that reported to a central control room. This controller room shouldn’t have had certified boiler operators and controls engineers monioring the read outs from all of the schools 24/7/365. Not $7.25 hr contract security guards. But $25-30hr boiler operators preferable with 4-6 year gained via a Navy Sub or a Union apprenticeship program. If this had been done some one accidentally leaving shut off a water nine valve would not have had such catestophic implication. This goes back to not prioritizing and managing your budget . You can not cut facilities to the core thy have life threatening implications. You can not give certain project to patronage buddies who are incompetant. You can not contract out high skilled crafts meant for lows killed skilled workers to save $1.
Davis has got to go!!!!!!!!
living in an outdated ed system
December 10th, 2012
11:15 am
I think the “right” answer is the most difficult pill to swallow. Davis has made several bad decisions and under normal circumstances should not be allowed to continue to serve. HOWEVER, the most important thing for APS, IMO, is stability for the children and the system, and I would reluctantly vote to leave Davis in the role so that APS can continue to “stabilize” and then make the job more attractive to a rock star candidate. I don’t think any high quality candidate would want the job right now, and so it would be painful to cause more disruption to a system already in major disarray.
HOC
December 10th, 2012
11:18 am
Give him a chance. The problem with education is we never give anyone or anything an opportunity to actually work. The North Atlanta event should not be the only determinant. Atlanta has a difficult population with varying socioeconomic groups. To search for a leader now would be very disruptive!
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
11:20 am
Well let’s get the “snarky” quota taken care of for today:
As if APS didn’t have enough systemic dysfunction to begin with, now it has a year long plus case of ED to contend with.
Can’t be good for the ole self esteem…
pb
December 10th, 2012
11:20 am
Beverly Fraud,
Think the guy’s nickname from Bush was Brownie, not Browie. But I get your point. Maybe Errol will have to take the blame for the mess at APS, and hit the bricks. But I sort of doubt it, because who are they going to get who is better, right now?
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
11:20 am
non political?
a guess if you consider race baiting, lying, and cronyistic non political…
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
11:22 am
I’ll say it:
if Erroll was white, he’d be gone.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
11:25 am
HOWEVER, the most important thing for APS, IMO, is stability for the children and the system, and I would reluctantly vote to leave Davis in the role so that APS can continue to “stabilize” and then make the job more attractive to a rock star candidate.
@Outdated, I would put forth the proposition to you that if anything is “outdated” in education, (or at least deserves to be) it’s the notion that a
snake oil salesman“rockstar” candidate can bring real and lasting change to a school system.Or have we forgotten a decade’s worth of Beverly Hall? Or Rhee in D.C.? Or Duncan in Chicago? Or the many “Broad Academy” minted rockstars who have been complete and utter disasters elsewhere?
bootney farnsworth
December 10th, 2012
11:29 am
we don’t need rockstars, their egos are a large part of what dug this hole.
we need workhorses who put getting the job done – colorblindly- than getting ink.
the last thing APS needs is the sort of stability Erroll brings
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
11:40 am
Thanks pb for catching the typo…
Don’t know who a better superintendent might be, but I’d lay odds (where is Jerry Eads when you need him?) that 3 drunks, 2 street preachers, 3 turnstiles and a urine soaked elevator from MARTA’s Five Points Station could choose a better candidate than the current 9 on the board or any search firm they may hire.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
11:44 am
Well, if we are merely looking for “stable” why not bring in someone whose past, while admittedly checkered, has beendecidedly more stable than that of APS’s the last couple of years?
Talking about Lindsey Lohan, of course
living in an outdated ed system
December 10th, 2012
11:46 am
You guys are ridiculous. When I say “rockstar,” I mean a STRONG leader. A strong reformer, a respected leader. Beverly Hall was not a strong leader – she failed in leadership.
Lets give Bootney the APS job.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
11:48 am
When the district treats employees like widgets, moving them around like interchangeable parts
This is a government schools management culture in Georgia. How it got to be that way, who knows? Any sane professional would not want to work in this kind of condition where one can be uprooted and moved around as standard operating procedure. There is much frequency of this type activity. It has the effect of focusing all power on the central office and everyone else is powerless, can be destabilized and removed at will, it can be done with a phone call. It gives huge power to a small group of people, is core to the main office blight / power thing going on. The favored few get taken care. If you are not part of the networked-connected bunch, highly likelihood of getting churned and moved around.
Poor Boy from Alabama
December 10th, 2012
11:55 am
Erroll Davis was never supposed to be more than an interim superintendent. Two years is long enough unless folks can make a credible case that Erroll Davis is the kind of leader who can improve student performance. Nothing about his performance to date gives me confidence that he’s the right choice for the job on a permanent basis.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
11:58 am
But outdated, by all accounts the education community (with the notable exception of Dr. John Trotter at MACE) the “bidness” community (including this very paper) praised her specifically for being a strong reformer.
Perhaps the key is to redefine what we consider to be “real reform” in education.
Perhaps we start with…discipline? Holding students accountable? You know, real reforms.
living in an outdated ed system
December 10th, 2012
12:00 pm
She was not a strong reformer. She had an “ends justifies the means” mentality and only cared about test scores. There are many strong leaders out there, and I can tell you, none will want the APS job right now. The kids need stability, period.
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
12:00 pm
Opinion: Davis did one bad thing, and everyone makes mistakes, especially with the multi-dimensional aspects of education work. Question is, how are the people he removed, how are they fairing? Was it ever made right? Do they have their dignity? -because they were treated in a rough manner. So what do they have to say about it? No communication on this anywhere. Like most education workers, they must want to hide in a corner somewhere. It’s like any time outside management shows up at your building, you’re in for a bad time. Sometimes you’re in for a real bad time. Same year that I delivered very high test scores from my students and as a result got zero recommendation or recognition for it, same year some board of education member camped outside of my classroom door for thirty minutes having a nice chat with somebody. NEVER a good omen. These folks run schools like they’re private country clubs for their own pleasure. No, not the NAHS parents who are so often scapegoated. What does it matter. They tore my school apart before I got there, and now they’re tearing it apart again. Sure is a lot of change and rearrange afoot. Might be a good time to go camping until this stuff settles out. No doubt the favored few get the good set-up. There is just massive instability in school management in Georgia. It is completely crazy, never seen anything like it anywhere. Hey neighbor, want to make 100k a year management salary? Get this mail order degree and come with me, we’ll put you to work….
Beyond NAHS
December 10th, 2012
12:00 pm
@ Private Citizen – Maybe that was part of the problem at NAHS: Administrators who had been there too long, had too much support from the community and thus a threat to central office? New Principal not going to be able to do Davis’s bidding with the existing, connected-to-the-community staff?
And sane professionals don’t want to work like that, but some of them do it for the kids, who really need them to stay. APS is a system where many kids need stability at school (because they don’t have it at home), but they’re not getting it under Davis & company.
Ray
December 10th, 2012
12:00 pm
Beverly Fraud: In your opinion, is there a single good person associated with Atlanta Public Schools? Why don’t you run for school board if the current board is lower than “drunks, street preachers, and MARTA turnstiles and urine soaked elevators”?
Private Citizen
December 10th, 2012
12:12 pm
Ray, that’s BF’s one liner. I agree they need a new line, and maybe a new user name not based on harassing somebody. I suggest “Little Flower.” There we go.
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
12:14 pm
Actually Ray, I know of a couple, but would never dare mention them by name, lest they face the administrative retaliation that permeates the corporate culture of APS.
As for the school board, I never did say they were “lower” than the assortment from the Five Points Station; I merely asserted that the Five Points Station assortment might be more likely to name better candidates for superintendent.
But looking at the numerous board members who were routinely reelected during what one would be within their rights to describe as no less than a decade’s worth of academic genocide, it appears that Atlanta is getting the school system it fully and richly deserves.
Pity the children aren’t.
Concerned taxpayer
December 10th, 2012
12:17 pm
“APS has long been a system that resents rather than encourages their few high performing schools.” The same could be said of Dekalb. I think it is because the goal today in public education (at least in metro-Atlanta) is not to provide a challenging education for every student; it is to “narrow the achievement gap.” If narrowing the gap is the goal, then having the non-struggling students improve becomes a problem for the system. The solution in Dekalb appears to be to drive these families out of the County, or at least out of the public schools. Wonder if that was the thinking behind the NAHS debacle
Beverly Fraud
December 10th, 2012
12:27 pm
and maybe a new user name not based on harassing somebody.
@Private Citizen that would presuppose that Beverly Fraud is based on a real person, and I have explicitly stated that any resemblance between the name Beverly Fraud, and anyone else, living or deceased is purely coincidental.
And of course I would fully expect most individuals to see it that way; but there may be some outliers, some “august” individuals if you will, who may see something differently…
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.
tjatl
December 10th, 2012
9:57 pm
Ray, it turned out to be a gutsy move. 2 year extension with super majority vote to quell questions about legitimacy. Could have gone either way, though. If only Richt had been so fortunate.
Tired!
December 10th, 2012
10:17 pm
I posted this on an earlier blog but I think it deserves repeating. This entire vote tonight is nothing but politics at play. Mayor Reed should be ashamed of his actions. I am completely disheartened by the push-over board members who voted to extend this man’s contract. Davis has done nothing but beat up on his employees, hire poor leaders, and talk about kids like they are part of some manufactored line…this is pitiful! The entire city is headed for disaster!
Earlier post…Okay. I have been hesitant about saying anything on this blog for fear of retaliation from APS. But I have had it. I am a principal at APS and have had the worst experience at the past Principals’ Meeting. It was focused on Pyramid of Interventions; a document dated from 2006 which still had Kathy Cox’s name. This session was led by Linda Anderson (hired by Karen Waldon)and John O’Connor. The training was pitiful; it did not have any new learning. In fact, we discussed RTI and Pyramid of Interventions in 2004. When principals asked repeatedly for a formal district-created RTI plan, systematic processes, and clear outlined guidelines…the response was “we will get there but first we have to know what we are doing”. So Anderson and O’Connor asked the principals to use valuable time away from school to read a 6 year old document and complete a pyramid of intervention chart in the auditorium of a school…yes, the auditotium… because you do great team work in an auditorium. Then after a series of ‘busy work’ activities, we had a break to recognize three retiring principals and one principal that took a job with TFA. Then after a song…yes, song from a principal…we ended with a slideshow presentation about leadership. I believe the intended reaction from the video was supposed to rouse enthusiasm and support…however, what was heard were crickets…nothing…not one clap, not one cheer…NOTHING. This speaks volumes!!!! Everyone in the room is tired…tired of being told to be quiet and take it…tired of hearing a lot of jargon from people that do not care. It is a sad day in APS. I am afraid that if the current administration stays it will spell catastrophe for our students!
Tired!
December 10th, 2012
10:25 pm
I wish there were enough board members that cared enough about the kids as they do their careers! This group of 9 has no idea what it takes to run a school system…require deliverables from a superintendent…or know the difference between bull and quality! All of them…all of them should go! This is the straw that broke the camels back. Please know that the APS employees were hoping that you would do something profound to help the majority of the students in APS. And please be aware that the majority of our students do not live in Buckhead…have parents in 100 Black Men…or are a part of the Chamber of Commerce or the Mayor’s Office! This is SAD!!!
Andrea Knight
December 11th, 2012
12:27 am
@The Phantom: As the parent who started the petition in favor of extending Erroll Davis, I have access to the zip code info. I am active in SEACS, so via my social circle there are lots of Jackson signatures. But the biggest zip code was 30307, mostly Mary Lin. And there are signers from across the city including Buckhead.
Chris Murphy
December 11th, 2012
6:42 am
@Tired: sorry to hear, if any of the above is true. But that is part of the problem: since you use a handle instead of your real name, you’re just taking up space here. I will ask the principal here though, and see what she says.
Chris Murphy
December 11th, 2012
6:55 am
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?
I am not a member of SEACS, but I do post on their FB page, and work with many of their members on our local schools. Yes, we started the petition and pushed it here in SE ATL. Something wrong with that? It was done precisely to counter the other petition that Maureen posted. I think it made a difference, as some Board members seemed to be paying attention to the political winds; we just wanted to let them know there was more than one breeze blowing.
South East Communities for Schools (SEACS) brought to bear a very good force to make sure the Jackson Cluster schools are getting what each needs to educate it’s kids. Davis has promised us no more than any other school, except full support of the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB), which was started before he was hired. Jackson is the only APS HS that has not undergone a renovation under the successive SPLOST bond votes, so it is just getting its due. And- it is getting an app. $40 million renovation, vs. NAHS getting a total of $120 Million (and rising), but NAHS is also planned for twice as many students. Still, it should be obvious from figures like that that Davis and APS hasn’t ‘favored’ the Jackson cluster: what has happened is that SEACS and neighborhood groups and individuals and companies have held APS’s feet to the fire to get the schools here what they need. So far, the principal hires have been terrific, and other plans are moving well- and producing results. Stay tuned for Jackson HS to be noted on a state-wide scale for its performance in many areas soon.
Chris Murphy
December 11th, 2012
6:56 am
@Jerry Eads: appreciate your comments, and using your real name.
Private Citizen
December 12th, 2012
8:22 am
Tired! the response was “we will get there but first we have to know what we are doing”. … asked the principals to use valuable time away from school to read a 6 year old document and complete a pyramid of intervention chart in the auditorium of a school…yes, the auditotium… because you do great team work in an auditorium. Then after a series of ‘busy work’ activities,
From what I have seen, this is a pretty standard method in Georgia of political managers using people’s time and acting like they have done something. I’ve been through many many of those cafeteria concept meetings where every person there looks like Army-issued hash waiting for the meeting to be over so they can back to their unfinished responsibilities. It gets to the point that even the people running the meeting know they are doing a showy ruse. Yes, there is a real lack of relevance. It’s just hockum to give the political caste something to do. I’ve also been invited by a mayor to be on some similar activity, got a nice letter in the mail with gold letterhead and stuff. Went to the meeting and it went like this: main introduction and then split up into three groups to go do assigned busywork. They misrepresented what they were doing. Once I was in the busy work meeting and realised what was going on, I eased on out the door and left and didn’t even say goodbye. I was pretty upset about it. I’m glad I didn’t get any deeper with it because that mayor is toast / gone. I guess I got the invite to join the political class, but my idea of accomplishment is not sitting around with these folks who control and massage everything. I have much noted how much water or pails the principals have to tote back and forth between the school and the outside initiatives. With this RTTT fiasco and testing, etc. the principals do not have it any better than the teachers. Good luck to you and know that there is at least one sane person, me, who knows what you are having to go through to have a few minutes to try and do your relevant work.
Private Citizen
December 12th, 2012
8:29 am
It would be nice if the manager/ leaders got out of everybody’s hair and stopped requiring such an abundance of rituals. It is almost like the main thing the manager’s do is harass people and detract them from their work. Arne Duncan is the worst attention-suck monster ever roamed the face of planet earth. These jerks mercilessly harass professionals and front for commercial interests that are exploiting the public services.
20/20
December 12th, 2012
8:56 am
@Tired I will be praying for you and all APS employees during this time as I am famliar with the stupidity you speak about. John O’Connor is just clueless alone with Lillian Harris and Karen Waldon. They are all just drawing paychecks on the taxpayer dime and dumb and dumber. It truly is a sad era in APS.