Open Thread Post - Wednesday?

Yes, it's going to be Open Thread tonight. Be our eyes and ears at the School Board meeting for those who can't go or watch. They don't take shots of the audience so if you recognize any of the usual suspects, let us know. I want impressions, details and your thoughts.

(If you go see Wendy Kopp, let us know how that goes as well.)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Is the meeting on live somewhere?
ArchStanton said…
Should be on Ch 26 at 6pm

-just started
Rufus X said…
Seattle Channel's not streaming it live? Argh - No cable.
Anonymous said…
I can't find it live either...ugh...why do I have these children keeping me home?!?!

Frustrated Mama
SE Mom said…
Sucks, can't find a channel for Direct TV or for live streaming!

Waiting to hear summaries from those watching live or at home.
WS said…
for those of us stuck at home and without cable, West Seattle blog is posting fairly live updates at the top of their home page.

http://westseattleblog.com/
Anonymous said…
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Northender said…
Very passionate comments - fiery ex- principal Ricky Malone asking for a timeline on who knew what when - teacher saying failure of "board oversight"
Anonymous said…
It is lively downtown tonight. Public not letting board off the hook. At least one of MGJ team is there, Ed director Michael Tolley.

Parent watching
Jamie said…
a very articulate Eric Blumhagen is telling the board that there are things in MGJ's and DK's contracts to fire them with cause. Dishonesty, in MGJ's, and failure to perform duties, in DK's.
Jet City mom said…
Security was not letting people in despite that there was only about 5 people in the lobby. I and a teacher from beacon hill just snuck in about 5 min ago.
Saddened said…
There have been some exceptional speakers! Rickie Malone and the gentleman that followed her and the teacher from Ingraham were real good. It's important to know that the African American community is just as outraged as everyone else about what corruption happen with the culprits. Its not about race it's about corruption on the backs of kids.
Anonymous said…
There is a live stream on King5.com

-curious
Anonymous said…
Just sent from MGJ to all staff. 6:57

March 2, 2011


Dear Seattle Public School Community,

I write this letter from Charleston (SC) where I have been since mid-winter break. As it has been reported in the media, my mother became very ill while on vacation and she continues to recover in the hospital. It has been a difficult and scary time for my family and me and it has also been very difficult to be away from Seattle during this time.

It is important to me to thank you for all that you have done to support the children and families of our city. We have accomplished much for which we should all be very proud. I thank you for your commitment, your efforts, and your dedication as we worked to achieve the goal of Excellence for All.

While we have accomplished a great deal, we all know that there is much work to do in order to achieve the equitable system we all envision. I ask you all to remain strong in your resolve for achieving results for all children. The children and families of Seattle, now more than ever, need us to remain focused and committed and I know you will deliver.

Thank you again for the work you have done and will continue to do to ensure all children receive the education they deserve.

Sincerely,


Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D
Superintendent
Anonymous said…
One speaker just called this a public lynching.

Partent watching
Jeanne said…
King5.com has a live feed - just check out their homepage.
Northender said…
Huh - Peter Maier just said he in fact was given a copy of the Sutor report when it came out by Fred Stephens..he says Stephens promised to keep eye on program and didn't. Did he just throw Stephens under the bus - hard to tell...
Anonymous said…
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Jamie said…
MGJ's letter is mystifying.

DeBell just talked about putting parts of the strategic plan on the shelf - ya-hoo. Looks like the termination of MGJ and DK is a done deal
wsnorth said…
Ding Dong the witch is gone, the wicked witch is gone!
Anonymous said…
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ArchStanton said…
Sounds like Susan Enfield will be calling Maelissa, Charlie, et al in the next few days, eh?
SE Mom said…
Thanks very much for the info about the live stream on King 5.

Betty Patu, what a firecracker! I admire her for letting her opinion be known and her conviction for serving SE Seattle.

Would like to know though, what program was she referencing that she stated Dr. Enfield closed without engaging the affected community?
Anonymous said…
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Sahila said…
the Board being spineless again.... should have fired with cause...

not sure the incoming will be better than the outgoing....

just hope like hell she really is only 'interim" but I have a feeling that once she has her feet under the table, it might be hard to dislodge her...
seattle citizen said…
I agree with Dan Dempsey's testimony that this was too fast. Not only is it against board policy to have an introduction/action item on the agenda (and this with only 22 hours notice), but it could appear that there is haste to get it over and done.
Why?
The same items could have introduced as...introduction items tonight, and voted on as action items in two weeks. Why the hurry?

Yes, we "want to restore confidence," but at the cost of due diligence in meeting board protocol and making sure it has been discussed at length? By acting so quickly, I fear that there are aspects to this scandal, and the larger question, "should the superintendent be terminated?", that will be shuffled quickly under the rug.

This correlates to Mr. Alexander's comments, the gentleman who accused the board, the audience....us...of acting to quickly and having us a "lynching." In a sense, he's right: There was an investigation, there is, I think, prima facie evidence of wrongdoing, but given the intertwing threads we have discussed here the last week or so, the growing nature of this scandal, the roles of many players beyond the (mainly) African Americans who have been identified so far for censure...it begs a bit of time to get the bigger picture, to acertain who was connected to who and for what purpose. There are connections all over the place, evidently, and to act solely on this small aspect, and in a ruch, and outside of board procedure...it's dangerous.

That said, I'm on board with the feeling I got from the meeting that lots of people just want to move forward, redirect action and effort back into the classroom, collaborate, etc. That all SOUNDS wonderful, and I back that 100%. But I also don't want this to be a done deal, these actions taken in haste to "put it behind us," because I fear the magnitude of the problems will go unaddressed and that we are then participating in...vigilante justice without due process.
Unknown said…
Steve Sundquist was appalling in his continued support for all the great things Dr. Goodloe-Johnson achieved.

Harium Martin-Morris sounded like he'd downed 3 martinis just before the meeting. He wasn't sure...on the one hand...on the other...

The rest of the directors were mostly pretty good. Betty Patu got by far the most support from the crowd.

Peter Maier was the most assured and articulate I've seen him ever, and actually apologized.

Micheal DeBell also apologized, and stated he wanted to revisit the strategic plan and shelve the things that weren't working.

Under advice from counsel, they voted to terminate without cause, which requires a severance package ( I believe one year's salary), but is final, with possibility of lawsuit, and is ultimately probably the cheaper way to go.

Na na na na
Na na na na
Hey Hey
Goodbye
Unknown said…
I meant, with NO possibility of further lawsuit...
Unknown said…
By the way, we still need a new school board come November, and we need to keep a very close eye on the new "interim" Superintendent.
Anonymous said…
I left after the 7-0 vote for termination without cause. I felt so giddy, I nearly skipped out of the JSCEE.

The public testimony was spirited. I was glad to hear people tell the Board to reconsider MAP and the TFA contract. I hope they do.

Before the vote, Noel Treat explained why termination without cause was a better choice for the Board. Apparently the contract lays out very specific definitions of cause and it was his opinion backed up by another attorney that MGJ would likely win a court challenge at substantial cost to the District.

Some interesting comments from the Board.

Carr outlined a series of governance and oversight measures the Board has agreed are necessary to prevent something like this from happening again.

Harium was absurd. He said something along the lines of "I am the only African American on the Board and no matter which way I vote it is going to be about race."
The rest of his remarks were unintelligible. He needs to go.


Betty was wonderful. Her remarks were about putting kids first, ensuring equity, and her concerns about the SE schools. She was supportive of teachers and community and got the loudest applause.

KSB mentioned that the silver lining in all this was the opportunity to make cuts to Central Administration to get to 6% and how the savings must go to fund classrooms. She said she was not happy with the budget scenarios and she was going to ask for new ones. She used the term "delayering" of administration.

DeBell talked about shelving parts of the Strategic Plan and determining which parts to keep based on teacher and community input. He also recognized the SEA's No Confidence vote. I thought this was interesting since no one seemed to notice it when it happened. He pointed out that no one has taken responsibility or shown any contrition for their part in this scandal.

Maier apologized and talked about how he had been deceived.

Sundquist went on and on about his outrage and then listed what he saw as MGJ's legacy. This included the SAP, neighborhood schools, Performance Management and the school report cards, the new teacher contract and academic assurances. There was grumbling and booing. He needs to go.

After the vote, some SEA members started singing, "na na na na na na na na hey hey hey goodbye" until Sundquist hushed them up.

I am very pleased that she has finally been fired, but still deeply concerned that it took this long.

semi-hopeful teacher
Meg said…
Sahila - I don't think they took the spineless route in this case. I think they took the least disruptive, best-odds case. They're done with both Goodloe-Johnson and Kennedy for less than $500K. It's galling, but reasonable.

I cannot help but hope that Dr. Enfield will, whether she believes in it or not, look to prove that she's different by doing the following things:

1) killing the science alignment. It's hugely flawed, and likely to harm the best science programs in the district, rather than raise the overall level of science. Scrap it and start over when there's money. Because it's in her old territory (as CAO), it might best prove her desire to set herself apart from the now-former Superintendent Goodloe-Johnson.

2) make some real cuts to central administration, instead of "central office" cuts.

3) make sure that line item budgets for the last 4 years are on the district website.

I suspect that those three actions alone would likely give her some political capital with the board, teachers and the community.

What do the rest of you think? What would be an adequate show of good faith by Dr. Enfield?
GreyWatch said…
what about kennedy?
Anonymous said…
"I'M melting....LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!....oH wHAT A WICKED wORLD!" JS
Unknown said…
This just came:

March 2, 2011
Dear Seattle Public School Community,

I write this letter from Charleston (SC) where I have been since mid-winter break. As it has been reported in the media, my mother became very ill while on vacation and she continues to recover in the hospital. It has been a difficult and scary time for my family and me and it has also been very difficult to be away from Seattle during this time.

It is important to me to thank you for all that you have done to support the children and families of our city. We have accomplished much for which we should all be very proud. I thank you for your commitment, your efforts, and your dedication as we worked to achieve the goal of Excellence for All.

While we have accomplished a great deal, we all know that there is much work to do in order to achieve the equitable system we all envision. I ask you all to remain strong in your resolve for achieving results for all children. The children and families of Seattle, now more than ever, need us to remain focused and committed and I know you will deliver.

Thank you again for the work you have done and will continue to do to ensure all children receive the education they deserve.

Sincerely,

magoodloe DH(6)

Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D

Superintendent
Sahila said…
I want to acknowledge the dozens, if not hundreds, of people who have worked their arses off over the past couple of years, doing what the School Board should have been doing, to get Seattle Public School District to this point tonight...

Its been a privilege being associated with you all...

lets hope things go steadily uphill from here...
Anonymous said…
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hopeful said…
I hope Enfield cuts all ties to MGJ by ditching MAP. Why keep MGJ's company's test?
Sahila said…
@Anonymous...

I hardly think losing two "leaders" mid year is going to hurt the children and the district anymore than the damage those leaders have done to the district... the dollars that got diverted away from classrooms for example, being spent instead on pet projects, closing and opening schools, testing etc, etc... the list goes on and on...

the district will be fine... the kids will be fine... the principals and teachers will be fine...
Sahila said…
and it wasnt political...

It was incompetence....
StepJ said…
I was very encouraged to see the public testimony of so many teachers tonight -- hoorah! Perhaps the era of fear, intimidation and retribution is over.

Betty Patu's comments tonight contained a fire and lucidness I have been hoping for.

Enfield's comments were all the right words. I will watch and wait to see if the right actions.

As for the Director comments prior to the vote on the Superintendent I would rate them the following...

Super Weasel (Really don't want to vote her out but clouded vision or trying to maintain public approval come first) Sundquist with a bullet, and Martin-Morris.

Weasel: Double-speak that cannot be pinned down for sure...Maier and Carr.

Tiger: Eloquent, fierce or both, in favor of changing direction and giving the SI the boot...KSB with a bullet, DeBell and Patu.
Observer said…
Anonymous, the board went out of it's way to say that they were very displeased with having information kept from them, and the financial scandals. Those go beyond politics in this case.

having said that, I was disappointed to see and hear all the booing and catcalls. It was unseemly and distracting, and gets in the way of making valid points.
kjt said…
Meg--
I think that Dr. Enfield and the board could demonstrate more respect to the teachers by,

1. Eliminating the TFA contract and
2. By getting rid of MAP testing that was purchased when Dr. Goodloe-Johnson served on the board of the company selling it. This money is much better used in schools.
Meg said…
Anon 9:03. You are right to ask such questions. We should consider our own actions.

The leadership and full honesty provided by the now former superintendent was an issue even before the program headed by Silas Potter came under media scrutiny, and it was in question on multiple fronts.

I would be happy to discuss with you online or offline why I think so. I'd be happy for you to remain anonymous, if you're more comfortable with that, and for my name to be public.

If you're about to scold anon 9:03pm, I'd remind you that none of us - not central administration, not anyone - does their best thinking without listening, really listening, to criticism.
Sandy Blight said…
Really Anonymous, you sound like a parent who abuses a spouse and expects that she keeps quiet because you educate your children. This is about behavior and that goes a long way towards ensuring Excellence in the Classrooms.
hopeful said…
Anonymous--

Give me but one district service that will be delayed by the exit of MGJ and Kennedy, just one.
Patrick said…
Anonymous of 9:03 PM, you think it's completely political that a District employee was diverting most of a million $ a year into favors for political allies and friends? And that at every layer of management the response was to hush it up as PR problem rather than to do something about it?

I think the ex-superintendent got more respect than she deserved.
lassen said…
I agree with you 100%, Hopeful. Especially since it sounds as if MAP will cost millions in a computer upgrade? That was amazing to hear in public testimony tonight. If that is indeed correct, it is time to press hard to discontinue this test. We cannot throw good money after bad. It is time to demand bold moves from this Board if they wish to restore public and teacher confidence, and MAP is the first place to start.
Anonymous said…
I am a teacher and absolutely support the firing of MGJ. However, I am appalled at the reaction by the audience members - to start cheering and singing is a juvenile response. I don't allow my students to do that if one of their classmates faces a consequence for wrong doing. Why can we do it as adults? Show some civility.

Annoyed but hopeful for the future
Unknown said…
Anonymous, she was an extremely bad leader, and harmful EVERY ADDITIONAL DAY she worked at Seattle Public Schools. This was not a political firing, it was the sacking of a manager by a Board that had been "deceived on numerous occasions" (that's Peter Maier, direct quote.)

Supports that help students? Her administration actively removed student-centered resources and funneled them to cronies like Silas Potter, or NWEA, the company that sold SPS the crappy MAP test.

Get real. You would have apologized for Nixon, too, I guess.

And we don't even know the full extent of this little Potter-gate yet. There's more to come, count on it.
hopeful said…
Anonymous,
I thought so, you can't think of one service these two "leaders" actually provide. Don't blame yourself because, they DON'T provide any. I think the school system will actually run better now that they are gone.
ArchStanton said…
@seattle citizen: As happy as I am to be rid of them, I agree that it was a little too quick. Someone may be hoping to sweep whatever else there is under the rug, but I don't think it will be easy. Besides, it would have been fun to watch them squirm for a couple of weeks.

-------

re: Enfield - I can't say that I know much or have strong feelings about her either way. I do think that the board and community have made it pretty clear that it will be hard to return to "business as usual" - not impossible, but certainly there will be more scrutiny. It could be her opportunity to shine. Now that she's not under the thumb of MGJ, she might be able to "take the ball and run with it". It would be hard for her to screw things up worse than they already are and if she doesn't make lemonade out of the lemons she has been handed, no one will fault her.
hopeful said…
Eleuterio,
Nicely put!
southmom said…
Actually, just for the record, many of us in SE Seattle do not consider the NSAP any thing to celebrate or any kind of an accomplishment.
RR said…
SPS needs to update the Superintendent page on its website. Hours after the meeting, it looks really outdated: http://district.seattleschools.org/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=200318&sessionid
Seattle Citizen, I hear what you are saying. We can only wonder about a couple of things:

- would it be different if MGJ had been here the whole time? Would she have fought back to defend herself? Note, not one word to defend herself at all. We do know that there were negotiations and they couldn't reach an agreement so maybe she said, forget it, you'll have to pay me off or take me to court

- she didn't come back to defend herself. The biggest fight of her life and not a word? Nothing to defend her integrity?

You have to wonder if she wanted to go. You have to wonder if she worried about what might come out. You might wonder if she thought it looks better for the next job to just say, "I wasn't going to defend myself against such unseemly charges so I left."

No one picked on her. She didn't defend herself and there's the difference.

Both you Anonymous; sorry but your remarks will be deleted. Not because you are right/wrong and I agree/disagree. No anonymous statements. You are welcome to repost with a name/moniker.
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jan said…
Anonymous:

Well, since reading the blog from time to time (and posting, at least tonight) evidently doesn't include reading the posting directions about anonymous postings, I have copied your post below, so it won't get deleted: Anonymous said:

I read this blog every so often and it makes me cringe every time. Do we ever think for once about the students? firing a superintendent for something completely political does have impacts. For one- district services that helps principals teachers and students will be delayed or even put aside, there wont be as many supports, a lack of direction and movement. For what? Just to say to the public, mostly you and your readers, who make up a very very small amount of our city, that they actually did something?? I hardly think that dismissing two leaders midyear does anyone any good. The audience members should be ashamed at how disrespectful and hurtful they were.

I can't think of a single district service that "helps principals, teachers and students" that will be delayed by this. Can you name one? I AM hopeful that a number of initiatives that specifically HURT principals, teachers, and students might be delayed. Science alignment, for one. Harsher cuts at the school/student level, for another. If I had more time and space, I would go on.

There won't be as many supports? She was busy removing as many as she could from areas like ELL, Special Ed, etc.

A lack of direction and movement? Well, I guess. There was a train, heading straight over a cliff, with our kids on it. If that train wants to slow down and meander around on the plains a little, while we figure out a better direction, I am not complaining.

Dismissing two leaders midyear who have failed to do their jobs, lost the support of teachers (see the 90%+ no confidence vote), lost the support and trust of the board, who relies utterly on them for information, and lost the support of every student I have spoken to -- nope. I think their immediate departure does many many people a LOT of good.

As for audience behavior tonight? I wasn't there, haven't seen it. While one could argue that rudeness directed at a woman who had the temerity and bad grace to blackberry during meetings because, if she heard one parent, she had heard them all, and who seemingly never responded to emails or any other requests for information from the little folks is excusable -- I won't excuse it. Two wrongs do not, in fact, make a right. On the other hand -- MGJ wasn't there to see it, and I would bet money she will not ever bother to watch the video.

So -- I hope two things. First, I hope that MGJ's mother's health improves (mothers are pretty irreplaceable). And second, I also hope that MGJ never, ever again is put in a position where she has the opportunity to damage a school community the way she has damaged ours.
Anonymous said…
Will someone help me out here with regard to Betty Patu's comments?

Does the SE really get fewer resources? And if so, how would more resources keep kids from killing each other on the streets? She seemed to be saying that the schools have the capacity to keep kids from killing each other. Did I miss something?

Wondering
Chris S. said…
Sorry, but for everyone complaining about audience behavior - was this your first meeting? Don't you think those of us who have been down there, away from our families on Wednesday nights for two years have earned the right to talk back a little? We started out polite, really.

I wasn't gleeful - I think there is still a long way to go before I can be even relieved, but it was telling that the teachers, in general, were pretty happy. It must have been really bad.
Chris S. said…
Oh yeah, but EVERYONE please keep going/watching the board. It could make all the difference in the world.
ArchStanton said…
As to the disrespectful behavior of the audience; it all seemed pretty tame to me at home and not very different from any other board meeting that featured highly charged agenda items.

It certainly could have been a lot worse given the years of pent up anger and frustration that I know people at that meeting had. If you ask me it was still all pretty "Seattle Nice". I'm glad they expressed their passion to the board and for the media/viewers to see.

Democracy and free speech ain't always pretty.
Ballard parent said…
While I appreciate everyone's commitment to education, I believe this group has become less of a watchdog group and more of a witch hunt. I think it will only harm our students when your hatred, name-calling and totally disrespect for people (and yes, the superintendent was a person) gets in the way of rational thought. I can honestly say that I believe this group would not be happy with ANY superintendent, even if he or she walked on water.
Chris S. said…
Wondering: I just learned from Michael DeBell that the W in WSS means "weighted" and the weighting is so that schools with higher poverty (FRL) students get more $$. Also, Title 1 grants are available to those schools, and LAP funds are available that follow particular students with needs.

Now, a quick glance at a spreadsheet Harium had seemed to indicate that the grants (Title1, LAP) approximately balance the PTO fundraising by the remainder of schools. So it would seem that the higher FRL schools come out slightly ahead in net dollars.

However. 1) probably not enough dollars to counteract additional need. (which Title 1 is supposed to do.) and 2) It's really not clear whether the dollars make there way to school as greenbacks, or as some purchased service someone else deems helpful, like an extra principal or mandated professional development. Whereas parent-fundraing can be spent however the community wants.

There are, of course, other kinds of resources, like access to decision makers, political capital, etc. I can't say much about this but people have suggested Betty Patu "represents" many more schools than other directors.
Anonymous said…
I taped it. Heading into the kitchen to fix a big bowl of popcorn, complete with butter and salt. Then will pour myself a beer. Then settle in. Been waiting for this blockbuster for more than two years.

The only downside of tonight is that when the lights go back up, the wrecked morale of teachers, the newfound cynicism of the public and the daily reality of students shortchanged by misappropriation of funds and priorities, will be on display.

"T2"
ArchStanton said…
@Ballard Parent

This is hardly a homogeneous group of like-minded ditto-heads. Sure there are some cliques and we can be mean at times; in fact, we're often mean to each other.

If you know of a candidate that walks on water (or is even just a good swimmer), I promise to give them a fair shake.
wsnorth said…
Anyone questioning the audience's behavior tonight obviously has not been observing the behavior of MGJ and staff the last several years.

That was NOTHING compared to the disrespect they have shown us. Logic, reasoning, and analysis of facts and data does not work with these people. Believe me, we tried all that!!!!!!
Karl Crabs said…
I was curious about some of the other termination options mentioned in MGJ's employment contract - resignation or mutual agreement. Apparently MGJ decided early on she wasn't going out gracefully and had her lawyers busy for quite a while making sure she got her severence payment. Everyone knows now the district will always choose to pay severence. So why even bother with the phony clause in the employment contract about "termination with cause"? Clearly, the district will never use it.
kprugman said…
The state should have moved in and locked the doors - do a forensic audit and bust the entire group. With an interim special appointed staff, schools would not be disrupted. Fear should not be the rule of law in Seattle.

We may never know entirely what went on or how many people were actually involved. The entire board should have resigned after they fired the sup. and let justice run its course.

Why suffer through another four years of deceit and incompetence?
Meg said…
Karl - the last two superintendents, Olchefske and Manhas, reisgned.

The previous two superintendents chose to resign rather than force the board to buy them out. Goodloe-Johnson, for her own reasons, chose to risk termination over resignation.
Meg said…
and so much for typos. "resigned"
Fred said…
To Ballard Parent
You are missing the point. Parents of all people should be the most outraged because funds were being diverted directly away from your child and school. If anything you should be thanking the brave advocates and staff who were putting themselves on the line for your child's education. What these upper management folks did with your tax money was criminal.
mirmac1 said…
Actually, I would say there was an active engaged crowd. For the most part, polite, but ready to cheer or groan at the appropriate time for the appointed seconds allowed.

What pleased me immensely as a person of color in a packed room of many colors was a) the tremendous respect shown for Ms. Hollingsworth (a very classy lady) and b) the cheers for Patu's making a stand for her kids, her teachers, and her district. The people cheering were not the "rah rah close the achievement gap" lip service crowd. We want to see real substantive steps to help kids in struggling schools. I gotta hope the (two) guys who backed MGJ hadta see where our hearts and minds are. Yeah, MGJ's human, but many of her actions have been inhumane! We weren't attacking (lynching, loaded word)MGJ for her race, we attacked her actions or lack thereof in damaging relationships and failing to bring about true progress and improvement of our schools.
wsnorth said…
And "Ballard parent" for goodness sakes, you must be "South Ballard" because MGJ and staff practically proposed putting Ballard High School in the Ingraham attendance area.

How is that for idiocy and disrespect (but apparently, there is nothing illegal about it).

If not for the Ballard community "rising up", the dividing line would be 5 blocks North of the school! Those of us in "weaker" communities were not so "lucky".

At least it didn't take us 30 years to get rid of our incompetent evil dictator.
Megan Mc said…
Ballard parent, as others have pointed out, "this group" is really just a collection of random bloggers who have no connection outside of occassional posts. There are some regular posters who do have their own "group" (ie the Shadow School Board and Seattle School 2010, Alternative School Coalition, APP parent association).

This superintendent poisoned her relationships with so many parents and teachers that its not surprising that many posters find reason to complain about her in this forum. As for future superintendents I think you are right that no one will be deemed acceptable by everyone in "this group" because this blog is made up of so many different people with different values. It doesn't mean that the individuals who post here are "all" negative all the time.
wseadawg said…
For once, the board made the correct decision, based on the evidence. It was abundantly clear from DeBell's comments, which are always carefully measured, that MGJ was defiant and evasive to the bitter end, as was Kennedy.

As for civility, wow, maybe if MGJ hadn't bragged about "not losing sleep" (translation: it's all about me) while closing and tearing apart schools, friends and communities, all to please her puppet masters Broad/Gates/Walton/Duncan, I might treat her with the respect due any human being. But guess what? You get what you give.

She'll move on, and so will we. We're all grown ups who have to take it on the chin when we deserve it from time to time, which from all accounts, MGJ justly deserved.

I've never to this point seen Sundquist or Maier as angry as they appeared tonight. That says a lot, as both have been virtual lapdogs for MGJ up to this point.

Whatever we may know, my guess is the Board knows a whole lot more, and it ain't pretty. Dual 7-0 votes? That's a helluva statement folks.
hopeful said…
Ballard Parent,
You really have no problem knowing that 1.6 million of our tax money was misappropriated? You have no problem with 5 million of our tax money going to a pointless computer test that gives our students nothing but headaches and is not correlated to the state standards? You have no problem with the bloated administation? I wish I could be so carefree with our collective money as you are.

And the building my child goes to still has not been earth-quake proofed. You have no problem knowing that the 500 children who go to my child's school are in a building that has not been retro-fitted because the money for retro-fitting (the facilities levy) has gone into central administration instead? I am amazed .
wseadawg said…
Ballard Parent: Point taken, and I respect your dissent. But my kids have been on the losing end of two of MGJ's moves, and my neighbors in WSNorth (like WSNorth, for example), have been absolutely screwed by the NSAP, mostly because of the Cooper heist and the closure of schools in an area of increasing population, causing severe and dangerous overcrowding conditions in several schools. Gee, is it any wonder bullying complaints go up when kids are packed into schools like sardines? All about the kids? Really? Not where I'm at.
Megan Mc said…
I think keeping Enfield as acting Superintendent was the right thing to do because the district will need some stability if they hire a new CFOO to clean house in the central office. Right now I think our schools have proven that they can manage things pretty well on their own and what they really need is for the central district to back off. I would have to have someone new come in and start making a lot of changes after we have been through so much already. Once everything is cleaned up downtown then the board can look at who the best person to lead our schools would be.

That would also give people within the district who would be interested, a chance to put together a resume and articulate their vision for what Seattle Schools can become.
Dorothy Neville said…
It was a fascinating evening. A packed room. I got to meet Joy Stevens. She said she's been exhausted, that Seattle Times has been practically living in her office. She was glad to meet me and put a face to a name as well. Said that I was the first person to ask for the emails between the bunch (Nderu, Potter, Stephens, Kennedy) -- the SAO got them more directly. But because she had already prepared them for me she had them ready when the media came knocking last week. I wish her a nice vacation in Hawaii.
Jan said…
Meg: you were so nice to anonymous at 9:03. I hope my reply to him/her wasn't too "scoldy." -- At least, maybe I get credit for reprinting the comment, so it didn't get totally deleted. At any rate, I was trying to be civil, even if I utterly failed to be as nice as you.

So, then I went away and thought about YOUR comment to anonymous's post. And here is what I concluded:

I disagree with MGJ's leadership and vision in so many areas that have nothing to do with Pottergate. I also think she managed badly -- and that, in the end, was her undoing. But it is true. I have many other reasons, that are more "political" for wanting her to NOT be the Superintendent of my children's and my city's schools.

It made me realize -- what if she had truly been this community's choice for a leader (rather than the choice of just the ed reform crowd, their business/corporate financial backers, and the Directors whose terms they financed. What if there had been a real, city-wide conversation before she ever came about ed reform, teacher evaluation systems, class size, high stakes testing, etc. And a majority of Seattle parents and taxpayers had all stood up and said -- yes! THIS is the change we want!

But you know, I am pretty sure I didn't miss all that. It never happened. There was something LESS than honesty in the way this thing started from the get go. The contract where the board agreed not to manage her -- and to immediately notify her if anyone ever criticized her. (What management ever agrees to creepy terms like that?!)

But what if, when she arrived, she had worked hard to pull the teachers into her vision, and been accessible and willing to include community views and concerns. What if she had gone to bat for the teacher evaluation system that the District and the SEA had been putting together --instead of having teachers work on it for a year and then tossing it in favor of a harsher one? What if she had been all over town, reaching out to parents, teachers, etc. -- instead of having to be told to improve in that area by the board? What if there had been an open, non-retaliatory atmosphere at headquarters, where concerns were openly aired? What if she and Kennedy had arived at board meetings months ago with budgets that put schools first, and cut management to the bare minimum in an all out effort to maintain every possible advantage for teachers and kids in schools during tight times? Who might have packed the room tonight, from the Stanford Center and the schools, if she had been an inclusive, inspirational leader who poured her heart into supporting her teachers and staff, and getting money to classrooms?

And it's true. If that was how I had viewed MGJ -- I would have hoped for a different decision tonight, and I would have viewed the Board's decision with a heavy heart.

And so, maybe that is how anonymous at 9:03 saw it. Maybe that is why he/she cringes, and why he or she sees as a huge disruption something that seems to me more like the first step in restoring the District's fortunes.
Anonymous said…
wseadawg is absolutely correct about the effect of NSAP on several West Seattle Elementary Schools (particularly Schmitz Park). The overcrowding is now getting dangerous. The speaker Robert Femiano was correct...there are not enough bathrooms and sinks to handle all the students. At one school teachers have to line up to use the toilets during their breaks. Sundquist knows this, but ignores their complaints. He had an opportunity to change the situation during the review, but he did not. Sundquist is on our list of first to go during the next election cycle. The number of people lining up to oust him grows with each passing day.

For those living in West Seattle, drive by and look at the double-long-double-wide classroom trailer they just dropped on the Schmitz Park playground. It looks like a FEMA reject. It has an industrial heat pump hanging off the side, and you can bet the the formaldehyde foam block insulation will soon be making students ill. Wait until the district has to deal with that health nightmare.

- In my neighborhood
Anonymous said…
How many of you Good People on here actually think that "Dr." Enfield of Stanford and Harvard fame will NOT be appointed permanent Supt.?.....The Betting window is now open...I'll take all your action....Cha-ching!!............JS
Dorothy Neville said…
I thought Maier's apology was heartfelt. I have been very critical of him but I think in the past few months he has shown his character. He has been getting significantly more impatient with the staff not following through, not preparing valid professional presentations of data. He knows he was wrong not to follow up on the Sutor thing, he knows he was wrong to blindly trust that it was taken care of. He knows he should have listened to his gut that consolidating the CFO and COO into one position was not appropriate (But it's what Maria wanted. As I snarked to Chris Jackins, she did that because she only had one available loyal crony for the job, so of course he had to do both.)

I think the flaw in these board members is that they are mostly successful professional men and women who are used to working with other professionals collegiality with mutual respect. So they automatically feel that the district staff will act the same. Even with evidence to the contrary, they really want to believe that the men and women in the district also want to work together professionally with mutual respect. So coming to see the truth really hurts. But Peter has seen the truth and will never be the same. (I will probably still disagree with him on issues, but I respect him more now.)
dan dempsey said…
So who is making Book on....

#1 How long it will take the Broad to remove MGJ as poster gal?

#2 Who will be the next Broad Poster Superintendent?
Anonymous said…
Dan.....I don't know you but that speech you gave tonight was brilliant My Man!....thank you from a Lot of us...:) JS
dan dempsey said…
Next UP ....

March 8 Appeals court hearing on the ($1.2 million wasted) "Discovering Math" HS adoption.

Why is the District taking this to appellate Court?

Will the District actually continue with their k-12 Math folly?

What does former CAO and now interim Superintendent Enfield have to say?
dan dempsey said…
JS,

Thanks ... Check this Blog for too much information on many topics,

Cheers,

Dan
Anonymous said…
Will do... U R a ROCK STAR! JS
dan dempsey said…
Rep. Reuven Carlyle is looking for a meeting on Seattle Schools HERE.
dan dempsey said…
From the NY Daily NEWS

Gloves come off for Gov. Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg in LIFO teachers crusade

ALBANY - Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. Cuomo's war over the law governing teacher layoffs went nuclear on Wednesday with verbal bombs dropping from New York City to Albany.

City officials slammed Cuomo's hastily announced plans for a new teacher evaluation process, saying they would do nothing to overturn the "last in, first out" law requiring layoffs be based solely on seniority.

"If it doesn't repeal LIFO as the law of the land, it simply kicks the can down the road - and it will kick some of our best teachers to the curb and that would be a travesty," Bloomberg said.

Cuomo aides shot back, comparing the state Senate bill Bloomberg supports with Wisconsin-style efforts to evade collective bargaining with the teachers union. "New York is not Wisconsin," Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto said.

The battle between the two political heavyweights is the latest skirmish over education funding since Cuomo took office two months ago.

Bloomberg had endorsed the Democrat.

"It's a pretty simple formula," said a source close to the situation. "You have the governor with an 80% approval rating and a mayor with a 40% approval rating. The governor can do what he wants."

Cuomo's proposal was announced moments after the GOP-controlled state Senate adopted a Bloomberg-backed measure Tuesday that would allow the city to disregard seniority rules for layoffs.
cascade said…
The firing is the top headline in the newspaper from Maria's old Charlston school district.
Trapped inside said…
As an employee, I agree with "wsnorth". Its about time some disrespect flowed in the direction of MGJ and Kennedy. There are a lot more "enforcers" that need to hit the road downtown and turnabout is fair play.

"Shouldn't have took more than you gave".
-Dave Mason 1969
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
SkritchD said…
Wow, didn't realize that Susan Enfield is Melissa W's doppleganger until watching the board of directors meeting last night.
Anonymous said…
Last night’s board meeting provided a lot of clarity for me. First, the board did not ignore the audit, it was made clear that they started to look at things last summer and that the investigation was started in December. So the firing was not rushed and in fact, the methodical way they approached the situation allowed them to get rid of Kennedy at the same time. I also do not think they are done!

I also realized that it didn’t matter that they extended her contract last June, they were always on the hook for one year severance. And one bad performance review was not going to help them with "just cause."

The other thing that was made clear is that the directors were not happy with MGJ on many levels. This "scandal" was just the lynchpin needed to get her out the door. For example, I think that although unsaid by any director, the 17% stat was in their minds when considering firing her.

I am going to bet my last dollar that we see a change in MAPS - down to two times a year, as a start.

I also think you will see the elementary counselors restored in the next couple of weeks.
I think you will see some cuts of management positions, and possibly coaches shortly also.
I think Enfield has known for a while that she would be put at the helm. I also think she will be closely managed by the board. I am going to remain optimistic that she will provide honest, transparent leadership, knowing that I will not agree with all the decisions coming from her. And if she proves herself worthy I would support her as MGJ replacement.


Po3
Ballard Parent, you make one big (and incorrect) assumption - that everyone in that room making noise was from this blog. This isn't an organized group in any way, shape or form.

I have gone to dozens of Board meetings and half the time have no idea who is who and they talk about issues that I may or may not have heard about.


If you saw the meeting, coming on the heels of this crisis, and thought everyone would sit on their hands, then I'm surprised. Children, tax money and trust are emotional issues.

I didn't see the meeting yet but I probably wouldn't have participated in everything but then again, I don't think everyone did.
from Charleston said…
We were happy to see her go from here. We were concerned for Seattle, because you were concerned, too. Now we wish you better times, as we slosh through a mess that still remains in Charleston that neither MG-J nor her hand-picked successor have the ability to fix. Perhaps it's time for some self reflection among those who run graduate school programs in education administration. These programs are turning out some real loosers.
Greg said…
On Susan Enfield as the new (interm) superintendent, I wonder if she could actually do quite well. She certainly appears well qualified. I remember when she first came to this district, she seemed to be thoughtful and responsive, at least in the first couple months. My guess is that she quickly got slapped down by Goodloe-Johnson and reverted to a much more submissive and less public role to survive in what must have been a fiercely political atmosphere.

There is some chance, I think, that Susan Enfield could be quite good as superintendent, especially if she finds again the passion she seemed to have in the first couple months, especially if she seeks to set herself apart from Goodloe-Johnson, especially if she focuses on shrinking the role and reducing the cost of central administration.

After this long, it feels a little weird to be getting hopeful and optimistic about Seattle Public Schools again. Perhaps I am just setting myself up for disappointment.
from S. Carolina said…
Applicant must be willing to travel from state to state, bouncing from one contract to the next, promising everything and accomplishing nothing while being highly overpaid and enjoying a spectacular benefits package. Candidates with little or no experience mismanaging or stealing taxpayer dollars need not apply
Sue said…
Kay Smith-Blum was a rock star. That was my impression from watching her comments last night.

Harium Martin Morris was a disaster.

Michael DeBell was NOT happy - and made some telling comments about the fact that MGJ and Kennedy and upper management had made no statements of contrition through all this. I was wondering about that too. I am sure their lawyers told them to be quiet, but I would think a canned statement would have been forthcoming at least.


I still think Carr, Sundquist and Meier have to go.

I thought the crowd was well behaved, but I can see how it would upset those only used to Seattle nice.

So, I am cautiously optimistic.
ArchStanton said…
Enfield's statement at the Stranger for your records:

http://www.thestranger.com/images/blogimages/2011/03/02/1299133798-20110302_dr_susan_enfield_appointed_interim_superintendent.pdf
wseadawg said…
I want to give a shout out to the RBHS PTA folks who showed up again to advocate for their school, giving us all the inside scoop on the needs they have and the problems they face.

Honestly, I feel like the district has been deliberately indifferent toward RBHS and the SE in general. Is it because they need the schools and test scores to be so bad that people will support charters or privatization?

In the past, I have wondered why we didn't close or merge the two South End High Schools, until I saw the student counts that showed over 1000 RBHS area kids going elsewhere. As a community, and especially with the new NSAP, I'd like to see the rest of the area rally to support the SE schools and PTAs any way we can. We need to do this so district staff, Board members, and local politicians will stop playing the North End of town against the South, as they always do and to get the truth out to the general public that wants to keep bashing teachers, single parents, poor folks, etc., as if they all just need to "shape up, & pull themselves up by their bootstraps." Poverty, hunger, violence, lack of economic security, and general insecurity affects kids educations whether they have the best teacher in the world in their classroom or not.

So big thanks to the RBHS PTA folks for speaking out about the real issues in the SE and how to fix them. You folks are an inspiration and we are hearing your rallying cries. Thanks for all you do, and please keep it up.
charlestontoseattle said…
From S. Carolina, don't forget falsify metrics. Doesn't anyone remember the scandal in Charleston?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/education/31charleston.html

This Charleston principal, MiShawna Moore, was held up to be a miracle worker by Goodloe-Johnson for her test score improvements and Goodloe-Johnson took the unusual step of making MiShawna Moore the principal of two schools at once. Those test score improvements were getting Goodloe-Johnson national press attention and was one of the main reasons she was considered an attractive reformer candidate for Seattle superintendent. But, with impeccable timing, almost immediately after Goodloe-Johnson left South Carolina and moved to Seattle, the press broke the story that those impressive test score improvements were all falsified.

That's just the worst example though. Anyone who looked at Maria Goodloe-Johnson's track record in South Carolina could have seen what was coming to Seattle. Goodloe-Johnson had low approval ratings as South Carolina superintendent and was widely distrusted for her management style, one that emphasized executive power, crisis politics, and reorganizations forced from the top over measurement, engagement with the community, and positive impact on students.

The evidence was there from the beginning that Goodloe-Johnson was a bad choice for Seattle. While it is good that the Seattle School Board finally figured it out and took action, Seattle had to suffer with this incompetent and power-hungry superintendent for nearly four years. Had the Seattle School Board been able to see what many of us saw from the beginning, Seattle could have avoided much pain.
Anonymous said…
In comments from Portland, there were some issues with standardized "anchor assignments" imposed during Enfield's time in Portland. Here's the link to Portland Public Schools:

http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments/curriculum/2133.htm

Another reader
Eric B said…
I thought that the people in the room were a little over the top. I can definitely appreciate the pleasure at seeing MGJ gone. I did not like the gratuitous yelling during public testimony. It's hard enough to get up there to speak without being drowned out from the back. But hey, I can understand it.

The response to the gentleman supporting MGJ was appalling in my view. I didn't agree with anything he said, but he has every right to come to a public forum and say his piece without being shouted down.

I was a little surprised that Noel Treat didn't come back up during the Kennedy item to give a legal opinion as to whether they could make "for cause" stick. That said, it's small potatoes in the grander scheme. The Board all got a pass on the "without cause" issue for the Superintendent from Noel Treat.

Does anyone know who voted against Enfield as interim Supe?
Not ArchStanton said…
Here's an easier to use link to The Stranger article ArchStanton mentioned:

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/03/02/meet-dr-susan-enfield-seattles-interim-superintendent

and here is an easier to use direct link to the PDF of Susan Enfield's statement:

http://www.thestranger.com/images/blogimages/2011/03/02/1299133798-20110302_dr_susan_enfield_appointed_interim_superintendent.pdf
cascade said…
The Alliance for Education's annual breakfast is coming up on April 15.

How 'bout a bunch of parents and teachers register and put these questions to the Alliance board members about their staff and its direction?:

What is your response to the fact that Sara Morris, your current CEO, was on of the most vocal stategists and backers of Goodloe-Johnson's administration, even when the teaching corps and many parents/public were screaming "stop". Why did you not ask her to consider toning it down, or ask her to step down?

Why is it that you, content in your hubris as Titans of Business and Philanthropy, refused to get curious about what the rest of the community thinks?

Why oh why have you changed from a fundraising group to a lobbying group? And one pushing divisive national issues (NCTQ) and clearly backing the wrong horse (Goodloe-Johnson)at that?
Anonymous said…
"Does anyone know who voted against Enfield as interim Supe?"


Patu, she expressed a lot of concerns prior to the vote. Something about the closing down of a program in the southend. She did not name the program, so it is hard to understand everything she was trying to convey.

I got the sense that whatever dealings Patu had with Enfield, Enfield was operating under instructions of MGJ. So hopefully, moving forward they can hit the reset button.


Po3
anonymous said…
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cascade said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Megan Mc said…
Re civic insiders: cascade said...Because, let's face it, their "help" has hurt us. Badly.

This is an important point. Hopefully she will hear from parents and teachers that theirs is a "help" we could do without.
cascade said…
Whoops, both my posts disappeared. Here is the one Megan is talking about and I'll try to rewarite the other.

And Part II to the other post. Anyone think that the old Superintendent Whisperers eg insider pr consultant Karen Waters (Strategies 360) and Sara Morris are already in Enfield's office and "shaping" her tenure? Someone needs to confirm, but I'd bet on it. Who do you turn to in crisis? Same old, same old. NOTHING will change unless not just JSIS paid staff but also the civic insiders who allowed this mess to propagate, in the face of community opposition, are themselves removed from their Advisory status. Because, let's face it, their "help" has hurt us. Badly.
anonymous said…
First, I think there should have been a public apology from MGJ. Not an admission of wrong doing (as I'm sure her lawyer wouldn't allow that) but an acknowledgement and apology for what happened under her watch. That didn't happen. No acknowledgement whatsoever. I think that speaks volumes.

Second, I thought KSB was fantastic last night and articulately laid out several SPS financial blunders that occurred under MGJ's watch (employees being over paid by HR, poor tracking of pay for K funds, losing the grant for the American Indian Education program), she showed a pattern of funds mismanagement. She also called for a reduction in Central office staff, and pairing down the strategic plan to just the basics.

Harium was a joke. I won't even comment on what he said, it was so ridiculous (brought race into his vote yet again).

Michael DeBell was great. He apologized and called the super out for not apologizing herself. He also wants to see the strategic plan reduced to focus on only the basics, and wants to see the central office reduce bloat.

Peter Meier sounded great too. If you didn't know his cheerleading history you might think he was a great Director. Who knows maybe he's finally coming around. He was visibly mad, as mad as I've ever seen him, and he apologized.

Betty Patu, in her somewhat incoherent but big hearted way, spoke about how the NSAP and strategic plan did not help SE schools. She said they don't get funded, need more money, etc,etc,etc. Hmmm...I don't see that? I see a new STEM school that took a lot of money to create. A new international school. A new focus on the table for Rainier Beach. App moved into Thurgood Marshall. A thriving Montessori at Graham Hill. And South Shore K-8. Sure there are still struggling SE schools, but to say nothing was happening there is just wrong. There has been progress in the SE. Of course there is a lot more to do. But Rome wasn't built in a day. This work will take time, and I do hope we keep progressing in this area.

Sherry Carr, was mad, but didn't say much, except that she was mad.

Sundquist seemed disingenuous. He spoke as though he wanted to fire MGJ, but then sang her praises and spoke of all the good she'd done. Odd?

Enfield gave a good speech at the end.

Can we start a thread on Enfield? I don't know much about her, her background, her qualifications to be super. Who hired her? Was she hired by MGJ? How long has she been CAO?

Thanks!
Greg Linden said…
Melissa, you might check the Blogger comment spam folder for this blog if comments are disappearing. I had a problem with false positives on spam a while back that was also causing comments to disappear.
Anonymous said…
Last night was quite an interesting watch. I do wish some on the audience would have been a bit more contained after the vote, the cheering was childish. As much as those parents dont care for the Sup, I think a bit of dignity from them should have been warranted. That said, i felt the board comments were interesting. i have never heard Smith-Blum speak before, now i can see why some on this blog like her. Did i hear right she was one who asked not to renew the Sups Contract or make it a one year contract and renew after a year? I like her.
Martin-morris, his comments made me feel he would be the one desenter, i was wrong.
DeBell-lots of talk about nothing
sundquist-in a way still drinking the coolaide.
carr-I question her request to have a team of auditors that would report to the board. the district doesnt need employ more, why not us and outside Accounting firm to audit the Districts Financial practices.
patu-firey, a good person for the SE.
Meir-he was given the Sutor report, why didnt he share with the board? did he feel it not necessary? was he protecting someone? he needs to go.
One issue i feel this whole scandal is missing. This mess was allowed to go unnoticed because it was under the BEX blanket, not until the State Audit did the whole scandal unravel. So, my question, what other issues are under the blanket of the BEX? That whole program should be audited by the state, and the Board should request a complete audit of it.
jpr
Bruce Taylor said…
Thanks for the belly laugh, Dan. Yes the Broad Academy may want to update the home page for its superintendent academy, which is dominated by a giant smiling photo of MGJ. I am going to bookmark that page and look at it every time I need to feel happiness and/or a sense of relief.
cascade said…
The other lost post was along these lines.

Anyone notice the Alliance 4 Ed's Annual Breakfast is coming up April 14th? (New Headline Speaker! LOL)

It would be GR8 to have parents and teachers show up and ask Alliance Board members...

Why these past 2 years, especially, their hired staff led by CEO Sara Morris has been more focused on applying national ed reform trends to SPS (witness the NCTQ dog n pony) than finding ways to directly support children in the classrooms?

What happened to the Alliance being a fundraising organization vs. a lobbying organization? Especially one advocating for items that much of the teachers and parents, in the trenches, have not supported?

From what I can see, the Alliance staff is growing and sustaining itself in a pattern much like Central Staff at JSIS? Could it be that lobbying means you have a reason for your own bureaucracy to propagate itself? What percentage of your fundraising dollars go to staffing, anyhow?

And finally, how does it feel to know that you Titans of Industry and Captains of Philanthropy insisted on backing an administration that many others in the community had been begging you to notice was the Wrong Horse.

In summary, go to the breakfast, ask the Alliance to whip out their personal mirrors, take a long look, and examine whether, good intentions aside, they aren't simply another part of the problem downtown. An examination of tactics, if not of mission, is much in order.

WV says "Baltic". Yessirreeee, that pretty much describes the failed politics of the NationState of JSIS administration and its civic insiders.
Jet City mom said…
Don Alexander spoke regarding MG-J and expanded on what Harium would bring up later.
I have been acquainted with Mr. Alexander for many years & have a great fondness for him, although his spiel seemed to me more that he felt he needed to defend a woman who seemed to be vilified in the press- rather than he was actually familiar with the facts and absolved her from the details.

I also thought the crowd was relatively well behaved ( I missed the meeting a while back that Mr Alexander had to be forcibly escorted out- he still has some spunk)

I was impressed with Meiers speech, and it reminded me that there have been times at other meetings where I was heartened by his insight ( unfortunately it wasn't as consistent as I would like)- the contrast with Martin-Morris made him out to be even more clueless than I thought he was.

I smiled when that DeBell advocated for closing down the Strategic Plan -
although when the directors spoke about the "good" that MG-J is leaving us with - all I could think was " WTF?".
The destruction that she has left through virtually every part of the school district- outweighs the few bright spots.

We also need to keep cleaning house.
SPS Alumna and Mom said…
I am so relieved to see that some people are prepared to give Dr. Enfield the benefit of the doubt. I know parents and teachers who have dealt with her directly, and have found her caring, smart, honest, and responsive.

Like a couple of others, I thought the behavior of the crowd was juvenile and disrespectful. I'll confess I don't generally attend Board meetings, so I don't know what the standards of decorum and respect are. I certainly wasn't expecting a sporting-event type atmosphere in what I think everyone can agree was a serious and sad proceeding.

I don't know if anyone can provide insight on this for me: what are Betty Patu's concrete issues with Dr. Enfield, or with district policy in general? People on this board seem to really respect her, but I found her comments last night hard to decipher. She seemed to be playing to a constituency rather than saying anything substantive. Her comments about lower resources really rankled me, not because I think SE schools are adequately resourced (I don't), but because weighted student funding (to say nothing of Title I) at least tries to address the profound levels of need in these schools. Dr. Enfield wrote her doctoral dissertation on funding equity, for heaven's sake. I don't get Patu's opposition to her. I'm not trying to be facetious; I'm
honestly asking.
Patrick said…
Which Board member was it saying the scandal was just one misbehaving employee? I was out of the room at that moment. He just doesn't get it! I expect a certain number of individual employees to try to get away with something; that's not the scandal. The scandal is the employee's supervisor going along with it, and that supervisor's manager hushing it up while allowing it to continue, and the manager's manager also hushing it up, AND the board ignoring it.
mirmac1 said…
Again, I'm struck with why the SE and its director are put in the position of being ignored and/or outnumbered. Isn't this *ss-backwards and contrary to the whole "achievement gap" blather. It's long past time to help those like RBHS teachers and PTSA.

Yes, you rock Ms. PTSA. You must not have had the koolaid at the last Seattle Council PTSA meeting.

Finally, I hope the other directors noticed the love heaped on Betty Patu for her convictions. You better back her up.
Anonymous said…
SPS Alumna,
Sounds like you know a great deal about Dr. Enfield's background including her doctoral dissertation. I am sure if you read this post's comments prior to yours, it will give you some insights and answers to your concerns and questions RE: Betty Patu. If you want to ask her questions directly, Ms. Patu also hosts coffee chat- just check this blog for time and place.

Ms. Patu may not speak with the savy, (MBA) managerial, ivy-leagued educated style, but she is honest and speaks up for her constitutents whose needs are great. She has the tenacity to ask questions and is rightly cautious with her vote. As a northend parent, I am happy to see someone on the board who is a watchdog for us since my board representative speaks pretty, but does little else.

Northend parent
dan dempsey said…
VIDEO IS NOW STREAMING for the March 2, 2011 School Board Meeting.
Anonymous said…
Anyone know of a link to a download of the board meeting video? I'd like to put it on my iPod to listen.

Scrawny Kayaker
SPS Alumna and Mom said…
Anonymous/Northend parent,

I don't know that much about Enfield that isn't readily accessible to anyone with an internet connection and/or public library. I know others who have had positive experiences with her (as I said).

On the subject of Ms. Patu, you seem to be agreeing with me that she is representing a constituency, and that her constituency is one facing many challenges that are less concentrated in other parts of the city. What I asked was, what ARE her specific issues? I didn't say I had a problem with her style (though you seem to have inferred that); I just wanted to better understand why she thinks this specific interim appointment is going to harm the south end. And was there a better candidate, from her POV.
Northender said…
I wondered if Ms. Patu was referring to the closure of the African American Academy? I too found her passion encouraging - at least she showed she truly cared about her job.

I also wondered about Mr. Maier not sharing the Sutor report with the rest of the board - that seemed odd to me - or perhaps he was just really trusting of what Mr. Stephens assured him would happen? There's something there worth following up on...

I would totally agree with those who call for a total audit - I read a comment on the Seattle Times calling for a full forensic audit and while that's probably cumbersome and expensive - it's perhaps warranted - after all, if Mr. Kennedy didn't notice this $2 million being spent, what else didn't he notice?
Time will tell, hopefully
Moose said…
Regarding the crowd behavior, I was saddened to see a teacher who my child may have next year as one of the many (too many) cheering, booing and singing at last night's Board meeting. I understand that teachers have long been unhappy with MGJ and have had to labor unfairly under her regime. I get it. I agree that she should be gone and it is good riddance. But conduct yourselves with grace and dignity and with the kind of behavior you would like to see in your kids. (The above applies to parents as well.)
Observer said…
Just a comment about Sundquist: as someone who has had to discipline employees in the past (up to and including firing), I simply interpreted his positive comments about MGJ as a normal thing to say, especially when there is so much public focus on her. Look, I don't like her style nor her actions one bit, and she very much deserved to be fired (and for cause, even). But she also deserves a little common courtesy as she is being shown the door, if only to show that we are all functioning adults here.

Pointing out positive aspects was always part of what I did during a discipline process, and Sundquist, as board president, was doing that exact same thing. Anyone from the business world should recognize the language in this setting.

That does NOT mean I think Sundquist questioned her actions prior to this point. Nor do I agree with the positive qualities he listed. Nor do I even think anyone needs to comment about how he was wrong (you can, of course, and opinions certainly differ on this.) I just saw a businessman firing someone in the usual fashion - firmly, with some positive, politic comments to soften the blow, but also without letting her off the hook for why she was being let go.

Just a thought to mull over.
Dorothy Neville said…
Observer, that makes sense about Steve and a professional business like firing. And as you say, we don't need to list all of Steve's failures, we know what they are.

I will say that I made it a point to observe the board during public testimony and most of the board tried to look the speaker in the eye, no matter how painful it was. Steve's eyes were mostly down looking at the table in front of him.

Peter showed some courage admitting that he saw the report. I truly think that he completely trusted Fred and Don to handle it. There was so much going on with school closures that everyone was preoccupied and Peter has probably worked with a large number of honest and reliable folk over the years. He is optimistic about people to the point of denial and two years ago he would have felt completely comfortable with trusting staff to take care of the problem. That said, he could have and perhaps should have revisited it last June when the audit called out the Small Works program for almost two million dollars.
Observer said…
Also, this almost slipped under my radar, but probably deserves its own blog posting:

The City of Tacoma is investigating Percy Jones, who was one of the recipients of RSBDP money, and helped Potter set up the non profit company (along with Ralph Ibarra). He makes some very interesting statements in the article, and it's worth a read to see a little more of the puzzle come to light.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/02/1567525/tacoma-to-investigate-whether.html
Jet City mom said…
I just saw a businessman firing someone in the usual fashion - firmly, with some positive, politic comments to soften the blow, but also without letting her off the hook for why she was being let go.

I would have agreed with this if she had made some movement toward holding herself accountable- and if my family had not been directly & negatively affected by some of her decisions.
What about behaving like a responsible adult & admitting your mistakes?

Even if all she said was she was sorry she did A & B?

That is apparently too much to ask & I am sorry but the situation of her mother becoming ill while they were out of town on vacation- is just one more in a long line of " the dog ate my homework" excuses.

There is always a " good reason" why she wasn't here for meetings, for forums, for her job.

If she was in private industry she would have been let go long ago.
mirmac1 said…
Here's Ron English's reply to Silas Potter's charges:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2011/03/02/2014380667.pdf

I hesitate to put it live because the spam filter has blocked most past live link posts....
Anonymous said…
Can't believe she's finally gone. My question though is how deep is the house cleaning going to go? She has cronies top to bottom in this mess, people with the same hubris as she, that absolutely delighted in maintaining the culture of fear. I would love to see a process to sort those people out.

teacher probably blacklisted from SPSS
Charlie Mas said…
I will suggest that Dr. Goodloe-Johnson could have saved her job, but her nature prevented her from doing what she had to do to save it.

Her pride, her greatest flaw, would not allow her to admit failure, acknowledge mistakes, or apologize for anything. If she had acknowledged a failure to supervise, admitted that she had erred, apologized, and committed to greater diligence in future, it might have saved her job.

Her pathological need for secrecy fostered the opaque financial reporting that allowed Mr. Potter's scheme to flourish. It also precluded her from coming to the Board with the problem as soon as it was discovered. Had she shared information about the problem with the Board she would have saved her job for sure. She was not fired for the scandal, but for covering it up.

Her refusal to cooperate and need to have all of the control (of which the pride and the secrecy are symptoms) also worked against her here. It also made her a highly un-sympathetic character. No one would extend her a second chance or the benefit of the doubt because she hadn't made any positive relationships. Not even with the LEV or the Alliance. They did not extend themselves to save her, did they?

As with all tragic characters, her own personality flaws caused her downfall. Perhaps her story doesn't rise to "tragic". Perhaps she's just pathetic. Just another unpleasant persoon who got what they deserved.
dan dempsey said…
It was said:
"Perhaps she's just pathetic. Just another unpleasant person who got what they deserved."

NO she got a lot more than she deserved she got a Huge Buy Out. She was not fired with cause and the Board refused to ask the SPD Fraud and Forgery unit to investigate her class C felony forgery in regard to the New Tech Network action report.
Another said…
I continue to be fascinated by comments submitted by folks in SC. Here's one posted to the Seattle Times article:

While Maria Goodloe was running the Charleston County School District, Goodloe lost it and went postal on a school board member - coming close to actually striking her with fist. The school board member back then wanted a forensic audit due to an increasing amount of suspicion that public money was being abused, misused, and out right stolen. Goodloe was totally opposed to a forensic audit and managed to stop what likely would have uncovered what has happened in Seattle.

Anyone wishing to comfirm this can verify the same from former school board member "Sandy Engelmen" or Atty "John Graham Altman " in Charleston, South Carolina.

This scandal that Goodloe is involved in could have taken place in Charleston County School District in Charleston, South Carolina. Many people that Goodloe hired still work for that district. Due to this scandal in Seattle, Charleston citizens are once again calling for a forensic audit of it's school district while Goodloe was at the helm.


Here's hoping for more due diligence in checking the background of the next Superintendent.
dan dempsey said…
Here is a little number crunching....

Sundquist stated that the District Spends 750 million educating 47,000 students.

My Oh My a bit of Division yields about $16,000 per student.
Salander said…
It is more than wonderful than MGJ is gone.

Herein though is the next immediate problem. At this moment classroom teaching positions are being cut for next year (again!).

Can someone fix this now, please? Those positions will never be restored.
Dorothy Neville said…
Charlie, you are dead on with the pride, hubris and tragic flaws.

This will play out in her personal life as well. What do you think she will come back to Seattle and let her daughter finish the year at South Shore? So the woman who didn't lose sleep over unnecessarily disrupting the lives of Cooper kids will get to see what that's like with her own daughter.

And anyone who has either been a adolescent daughter or a mom of an adolescent daughter will tell for for sure that pride, hubris and inability to acknowledge mistakes will NOT build good mother daughter relationship.
Chris S. said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
WenD said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
WenD said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
WenD said…
@Another: Thanks for posting this. SPS must have a forensic audit.

Nothing is over. You're right on. MGJ left a lot in her wake, here and back in SC. Our usual suspects (A4E, LEV0, etc) are silent. They could have a lot to lose if a forensic audit is ordered.

The board moved quickly in a crisis. Legislators like Reuven Carlyle also see a need to move quickly by having a "conversation" and about what comes next. For the people holding the purse in the leg or the city, things have to be ok because there's money on the line. None of the players are calling for another audit.

Still, are we going to allow another financial crisis to be paved over and forgotten until it happens again? SPS has been the center of a rolling budget crisis paired with incompetence and theft for 2-3 decades. More?

The board is part of the problem, and their potential opponents in the coming election (all of them MGJ boosters), will use this to their advantage. Reform Inc always exploits a crisis. Facing more chaos, I think the board must move forward with a forensic audit. Without the distraction of an immediate national sup search, they've got the time and they have our attention.
Chris S. said…
Does anyone know the identity of the legal counsel who provided the "second opinion?" Yeah, call me paranoid. I just want to know.
Anonymous said…
Dorothy,

Your comment on Dr. Goodloe and her daughter is disgusting. It's one thing to have an opinion on her as a leader, but trashy to have an opinion on her as a mother. You should be embarrassed.

-Georgetown
Dorothy Neville said…
Hey, I said nothing trashy or disgusting about her daughter, only about Maria. She was a terrible leader because of significant character flaws. Those particular character flaws are most absolutely not conducive to good parenting or maintaining good personal relationships. One may or may not consider such a statement trashy. I don't. You do, we can agree to disagree.

Maria's poor leadership skills hurt each and every one of the 47,000 students in SPS. She loses no sleep over her decisions that have added to the chaos for kids. Now her professional decisions -- her character flaws that do not allow for apologies, for openness, for compromise and admissions of failure are directly affecting her daughter. Unless she is planning to stay in Seattle. You think she will do that? Remain local, have her daughter stay in SPS where she's happy? Hell, maybe she can join the PTA and come testify at board meetings like other parents.
Not a junk mail fan said…
Since this is an open thread, I would like to take this opportunity to call out Chris Jackins for dropping not one, not two, not three, but FOUR pieces of paper on my lawn, all in his name, that trash the district, the former super, the school board and so on.

Was that REALLY necessary, especially the one urging me to register my elementary-aged kid in one of the re-opening schools when I don't HAVE an elementary-aged child? I find ironic that someone so proud of suing the district to save tress was so willing to waste so much paper.

WV-"storfu" would be about right. The F and U sure fit this district's situation.
Anonymous said…
"Here's hoping for more due diligence in checking the background of the next Superintendent."

And hoping that they've learned NOT to let incoming admins hand-pick their cronies for top jobs. Ideally, the Sup, the CFO and the legal counsel should be slightly antagonistic, to keep everyone honest. You wouldn't want them at each others' throats, but they shouldn't be great buddies, either.

Scrawny Kayaker
Anonymous said…
I've never been in a leadership role where I'm in charge of gazintillion amount of budget, thousands of employees to serve thousands of kids and families. I can imagine how I would lead. However, since I've never been in that situation, I am not sure how I would see things and what side of the argument I'd land. I can only imagine it's like running into a swarm of gnats: so many voices; who to believe. It would be a difficult place to be and I'm not sure if I could do a better job. Perhaps that why I've never been offered $264k before. ;)

A friend to Seattle
Anonymous said…
Strategies 360 on the SPS dole.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2011/03/03/seattle-schools-gets-outside-help-with-p-r/

But it really doesn't count(?) because it's private grant funded...huh

Oompah
Anonymous said…
Yes, the fact that Don Kennedy showed the report to Peter Maier is interesting. I believe the emails indicate that the Superintendent removed a report on it from the Board agenda, not Kennedy. Please correct me if I am wrong here. Who had put it on the agenda? Kennedy? How is this chain of command suppose to work. If Kennedy had gone further would he have been fired? Or, perhaps he ignored the situation.

Nonetheless, it seems like Maier could have been asking more pointed questions after seeing it. I don't think I would be able to just let it go until I was presented with real evidence of corrective measures and details.

Was everyone afraid of the Superintendent including Maier? Joanna
Anonymous said…
Strategies 360 as the district's de facto communications face? What's up with that?!?!?! Talk about a closed room with the same 3 people talking to each other. Melissa will you please start a new thread on this? It goes right back to that push poll last year.

Cascade at 8:59 AM on this thread had it right, all right, only more than (s)he said. This Karen person isn't just shaping district policy, she's getting paid for it! I bet the funder is the Alliance. I just really bet it is. When will the cronyism in contractors also get scrutiny?

-skeptical-
GreyWatch said…
Sorry, Dorothy. I agree with georgetown anonymous. No need to speculate on her personal life. It's not our business, and never was. These kind of comments will only generate disregard for this blog and turn off readers. As I've found the blog to be an invaluable source for information, ideas and collaboration, I'd hate to see its positive power diminished. We don't have to be nice, but we don't have to mean either.
Anonymous said…
I don't think Dorothy was being mean. The sad fact is that now this child will have to either leave her school, or return to a place where her mother is so poorly regarded. Kids talk.

-SLP
GreyWatch said…
In other open thread news, did anyone see the WSJ headline on Gates purportedly slamming public benefits as holding back education.

Bill Gates: Public-Employee Benefits Hurt Education

While the headline was a bit over the top (the one with the article is a bit softer than the one which links you to the article), the focus was Gates' frustration with the lack of funding available for education. He should have talked to his buddy Ballmer about his opposition to 1098 is if that is really what he is concerned about. This middle class witch hunt is getting out of hand.
peonypower said…
I think the audience reflected the level of angst, frustration, and exhaustion of parents, community members, and teachers who have been working on day-lighting the poor management decisions of this administration. I know that it has taken countless hours of research, going to meetings, and making contacts in the community by these folks to show just how bad things had gotten.

Was it a little rowdy- well, yeah maybe, but perhaps none of the folks commenting here have had the experience of giving testimony on a crucial decision over the past few years and had to watch as MGJ checked her blackberry or board members shuffled papers and ignored them. People are angry for how their voices have been ignored by the superintendent and the school board, and last night we got to see just how angry they are. Seattle is not usually like that, and the level of frustration apparent should be an indicator to anyone watching that things were much worse than I think anyone suspected. Should they have behaved better, maybe, but I for one am still outraged that it took this long to uncover this mess and that millions of dollars have been lost. My students have suffered and continue to suffer from the recklessness of this administration, and if there is one thing that will earn you my wrath it is impeding a student's education.
Bruce Taylor said…
I have the highest degree of contempt for MGJ, but I have to agree that unsolicited comments about her daughter -- or mine or yours -- are out of bounds.
Maureen said…
Not even with the LEV or the Alliance. They did not extend themselves to save her, did they?


Hmmm, I hadn't really thought about that. I wonder if that implies they know something we don't or if it implies something about their basic constance, loyalty and adherence to their stated missions? The next Super might want to consider this before they enter into a relationship with LEV and A4Ed.

Charlie, you are dead on with the pride, hubris and tragic flaws.


Maybe one of you skilled people could write an opera on the theme. I'm sure we could assemble a cast of student sto perform it!

Re. Dr. Goodloe-Johnson moving her daughter mid year. Unless the kid is particularly fragile, she'll be just fine switching kindergartens. I'm guessing she'll be happily enrolled in some SC class by April, and if not, MGJ is more than qualified to home school her until she lands in DC, or whereever NWEA or Broad is headquartered.
wsnorth said…
@ peonypower.

"Should [the audience] have behaved better, maybe, but I for one am still outraged ... my students have suffered and continue to suffer..."

I am quite surprised at the "audience bashing" myself. I was the "polite Seattle guy" at the back of the room for TOO long. We would do research, ask thoughtful intelligent questions, offer suggestions, then get stonewalled, lied to, ignored and rolled over.

MGJ and staff have been a tragedy for this district and our students. I trusted the district 5 years ago -but no longer.

These are our children! Our money!! Our community. Even - in a round about way - our home values, tax rates, and quality of life for people with or without kids.

Polite didn't cut it in the MGJ regime and the board needed to be put on red alert we are done with this BS. No more Mr. nice guy for me (which actually saddens me greatly, and I will probably wake up and not be able to pull it off).
Name said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Michael H said…
Check out thi slink tothe times this evening on that Tacoma company that Potter paid $163K+.

Grace of Mercy
Dorothy Neville said…
OK, I stand corrected. I won't edit myself because then future folk won't know what the hoopla was about. But I thought I was commenting on Maria, not her daughter. Her parenting and relationships, but others don't see it that way so I am sorry.

Seeing so many kids (and families and teachers) dealing with all the problems of the closures, the NSAP that was two years late -- which added to the overcrowding and sibling issues-- and had boundaries designed for immediate appeasement but in reality unworkable. Seeing all of that which didn't have to happen if we had a leader who listened, who really did use data to make rational decisions every day, well that just burns. The legacy of those decisions will continue. Poor decisions have long term repercussions.
Anonymous said…
Dorothy, I don't think your comments were inappropriate at all. They were obviously (to me anyway) aimed at MGJ, not her daughter. In fact, as I read it, your post was sympathetic to her daughter, asking if she (and indirectly, MGJ herself) would now suffer some of the same fate that MGJ cast on others throughout all of SPS. I get it, even if others don't.

And for those of you who don't believe MGJ's daughter doesn't suffer due to her mom's personality traits, then you haven't talked with parents in her kids's class. Yes, she's adversely affected, but I'm not going to say anything more here and now.

- Not my normal handle
Dorothy Neville said…
That's exactly what I meant. Thanks for saying it more clearly.
Maureen said…
Re audience response at the Board meeting. I admit it made me cringe, but I acknowledge that I'm too sensitive to that sort of thing. I do think the audience was MUCH more restrained than during the last go around with a Supe. As I remember, the audiences during the Olshefke meetings were MUCH ruder and uncontrolled.

I was disappointed in how Mr. Alexander was treated. Of course we didn't agree with him, but he deserved respectful silence. I don't think the noise against him was necessarily coming from the same people as cheered when the vote came down though.

Some side notes on the audeience. It was interesting to me that a whole block of seats in the front were saved for staff. I hadn't seen that before. I wonder if that was to ensure some decorum for the t.v. cameras, or to let staff show that they agree with MGJ's ouster, or what? I wonder if they were 'encouraged' to attend, or if whoever set up the room just knew a lot of them would be there.

I had a good view of the line of senior staff leaning against the north wall. Duggan Harmonn and Ann Chan were standing together. Chris Eide and Bree Desseult were there (thought they might go to the Wendy Kopp talk) standing, next to a woman who looked an awful lot like Liv Finne. Phil Brockman was in the audience.

The audience as a whole was much more diverse (and I mean African American here) than I usually see at Board meetings. Near me, at least they seemed particularly hard on MGJ and supportive of Betty Patu (I wish her speech had had more specifics.)

Lots of teachers (SEA t-shirts-I like the "Human" logo!) in the back, not in the staff seats from what I could see. Some of the best testimony, I thought, was from teachers.

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