I couldn't agree with you more with the fact that we do not need a
total state takeover. That would be counterproductive. You see the
mess they cause in the other districts. It's a joke. Remember who
was overseeing and making recommendations as well as signing off on
all documents out of the Asbury Park School District...... The
state. Nothing went through the Superintendent without them signing
off, namely the head of the Abbott division in Trenton, who I might
add, just resigned his post.
The thing that amazes me, I mean this with all due respect, is the
fact that this site primarily worries about everything but the school
district. Do you realize that this is the single biggest employer in
the city with the largest budget, which is about three times the size
of the entire City of Asbury Park's budget? This is almost $100
million. Why aren't more residents demanding answers to the hard
questions. Like what about the shredded documents? How can the
Assistant Superintendent command her secretary to shred three
gigantic garbage bags of official documents, and still be there to
give more orders? What about Lewis' suspension? What about the
budget mess and 23 recommendations from the auditor. Middletown also
has a suspended Superintendent. The residents up there keep
questioning and pressuring. That's what needs to happen here.
As for the ballsy move, maybe someone needs to make the threat. You
still have a high school that is completely out of hand to contend
with. They need a strong leader in the school, which they don't have
right now. If they get a good replacement, it could work. --- In
AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "apoojo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "apeaexec1" <apeaexec1@> wrote:
> >
> first let me commend any volunteer for serving on any bd. with no
pay
> no bendits, too many problems and very little help from the people
> above you, in this case the state of n.j. since the 80s to the
> present every state supt. has made a photo op., repeated how they
are
> going to help, yet we continue to be slipping backwards. while the
> bd. cannot put items on the agenda they can make motions directing
> the administrators and professionals to look into situations or
> problems and report back to the bd. i am happy this has started.
> while it may seem impossible to remove tenured employees, it is not
> especially if the have purposely supplied false data to the state,
or
> feds. several years ago the bd. refused to take actions on the
> supts. requested appointments of top administrators, they were
> faulted and replaced, the next bd. acted on the supt. appointments,
> and both the union and some bd. members say they were terrible
> appointments. which bd. was right? who knows. Again i put a
majority
> of the blame at the state level, local bds. have so many mandates,
> with almost no flexibility. I am against a totall state takeover,
> for several reasons, the most important being their results in
other
> districts they have taken over are worse then ours. that being said
i
> offer a ballsy solution to part of our problem, the bd. make a
> motion at the next meeting putting the state on on notice that on
> June 30, 2007, they are closing the high school, and operating a
> preschool to grade 8 system. this would do several things, mostly
> positive, it would give you more time to focus on fewer problems,
it
> would stop segregation, it would certainly provide the students a
> better shot at an efficent educational system. and it really
wouldnt
> be that hard for the state to divide 300 students, between
> surrronding districts.
> it almost sounds too easy, oh yea the state is not going to be to
> happy with this, but what are they going to do take away your pay
and
> benefits?
>
> think you need to get as many people as possible to attend these
> > meetings and express their frustration in a broken system that
the
> > administration does not want to fix. The staff members,namely
the
> > teachers, can not do their job if there is no administrative
> > support. I will be posting the full text of what was said at the
> > board meeting so that you can see exactly what the reasons are
for
> no
> > confidence. We have been trying to straighten this mess out for
> > years.
> >
> > I am in full agreement with you that Frank and few others truly
> have
> > nothing to gain personally by being on the board. They really
want
> > to fix the mess. This is going to be a pivital year with five
> seats
> > up for election. It takes strong people to stand up and fight for
> > what is right. Attending these meetings and demanding answers as
a
> > resident, parent, taxpayer and even staff member is what everyone
> > should be doing at these meetings monthly.
> >
> > I believe that umless something is done extremely fast, we may
> never
> > be able to fix these problems. With the right person in charge,
> this
> > mess can begin to be fixed. There are some links in the chain of
> the
> > union that of course, like any other organization, need some
> > assistance. But they, in no way, cause the amount of the
problems
> > that the administration has done over the past 8 years. Like I
> have
> > said, you need good administrative support to advise you what you
> are
> > doing wrong and how to correct the problems. Right now, in the
> high
> > School and Middle School, you don't have that.
> >
> > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "2fine4u" <sharon_b283@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dear Frank and other friends, of AP:
> > > I am very proud of the Effort, made by you and other caring
> adults,
> > > of this community, to solve what appears to be, "the
> unsolvable"!
> > I
> > > applaud The efforts of the Board President, its' officers and
> > > concerned parents, of a broken system, not by the board, but by
> the
> > > administration, whose calculated moves, hurts the kids, the
> parents
> > > and the board. It makes us look like a bunch of uncaring,
> > > unconcerned, individuals. What is the solution? What
safeguards
> > > does our board possess, to rid ourselves of these miscreants,
> bent
> > > on "having it their way", instead of the RIGHT way, so that
the
> > > children of this community, can build self esteem, self worth
and
> > be
> > > proud to say, that they are from Asbury Park? Are their any
> > avenues,
> > > by which, the teachers union, rid itself of individuals, who
wind
> > up
> > > having this community, in an untenable situation? What do we
get
> > as
> > > a community, for ineptness? Do we have the right to fire,
> indict,
> > > sue them, for creating a losing situation? What can I do,
> outside
> > of
> > > attending board meetings, that turn into shouting matches? I
> hate
> > > conflict, mostly because it doesn't solve, anything. Maybe
it's
> my
> > > age, because all of the fight, seems to have blown out of me.
I
> > > don't know, but if the board has an attorney, what does he/she
> say,
> > > for all of the legal fees, paid for their advice? What I'm
> asking
> > > is, what can I do or collectively, what can the concerned
parents
> > and
> > > friends of these kids, do? I know you don't have all the
> answers,
> > > (the legal ones); I had to chuckle, 'cause I know what I'd like
> to
> > > do! Does a firing squad, come to mind? Seriously, I just had
to
> > > commend you, because I know how tough, it is. Still, praying.
> > > Sharon
> > >
> > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "asburycheech"
<asburycheech@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi Sharon, Fred, et al.,
> > > > Last night's BOE meeting was quite an event. We were
> > supposed
> > > > to start at 6:30 since Commisssioner Davy wanted to address
the
> > > > community and answer some questions. She kind of got lost,
so
> we
> > > > started when she arrived at about 6:45 or so. Lots of
> questions
> > > from
> > > > the audience (they had been written in advance on index
cards,
> > but
> > > > she also took a lot of questions directly, too). She had
been
> > > > scheduled for a half hour, but ended up speaking for two
> hours.
> > > > Sorry to say, most of it was generalities, (in my opinion,
> which
> > is
> > > > not necessarily the board's), but her presence there for the
> 2nd
> > > time
> > > > in a few months shows they are watching. She even promised
to
> > > return
> > > > to speak with a group of parents next time at a non-board
> meeting
> > > > setting.
> > > > Frankly, again in my opinion, nothing is going to change
> > until
> > > > certain people are fired, retired, indicted, or whatever. The
> > > meeting
> > > > ended past 11:30, which is unusual for a BOE meeting. Robert
> > (who
> > > > conducted the meeting extremely well past a few icebergs)
> offered
> > > the
> > > > motion--over administrative objections--that the board
attorney
> > > > investigate the falsification of student enrollment data so
> that
> > an
> > > > administrator might actually be held responsible and suffer
the
> > > > consequences. Glad to say, it passed unanimously. Maybe I'm
> > being
> > > > too optimistic, but I really think that the whole situation
is
> > > coming
> > > > to a head, and heads are what are needed to roll. The
> > > Commissioner's
> > > > favorite word last night was "accountability", but she, more
> than
> > > > anyone else--again my opinion--is the person responsible for
> our
> > > > being unable to sever the suspended Super. from his
continuing
> > > > paycheck.
> > > > Among the speakers last night was the APEA president who
> > > > announced that the staff at the high school had
overwhelmingly
> > > voted
> > > > no confidence in their administration. Having been a union
> > person
> > > > myself, I can tell you that such a move is one used extremely
> > > rarely,
> > > > and indicates how desperate the situation must be. He
> indicated
> > > that
> > > > the Middle School might well be next. A parent, very
> > emotionally,
> > > > and that was understandable, stated that she could not send
her
> > > child
> > > > to the Middle or High School because of what she perceived as
a
> > > > chaotic learning environment. Had the suspended
Superintendent
> > > > offered the board more than lip service three years ago, we'd
> be
> > > well
> > > > on the way to solving at least the Middle School problem,
since
> > > there
> > > > wouldn't be a Middle School today, but a 4th K-8 elementary
> > school
> > > > there, but one of the charter variety with its own special
> rules
> > > and
> > > > programs. But that's a missed opportunity that can never be
> > > > retrieved. I do have to say, on a positive (!!) note, that
> Greg
> > > > Brewington and I attended this morning's assembly at the
Middle
> > > > School about the contributions of African-Americans
throughout
> > our
> > > > history. McDonald's every year sends a troupe of four very
> > > talented
> > > > performers. The program was great, and the students in the
> > > > packed "cafetorium" could not have been better behaved or
more
> > > > attentive. It was truly a great experience, especially after
a
> > > rough
> > > > night at a BOE meeting!
> > > > Frank D'A.
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
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