Thursday, August 19, 2010
A "Book Gate" Update
Ahem. Some facts:
According to the AJC, although she claims these books were ordered by principals all over the system, in reality, Yvonne Sanders-Butler personally ordered $11,494 worth of her own books - using school system money. On top of that, her sister, Annette Roberts, principal at Rainbow ES, ordered $14,184 worth of Butler's books.
She is correct in saying that others were selling books, which is what may have lulled her into a false sense of security. Certainly, she was referring to Assistant Superintendent Ralph Simpson, who has sold more than $15,000 in books to the district. The AJC reported, "All told, the school system found three educators-turned-authors raked in a total of almost $100,000 in sales to district schools."
Now, how can you think this is ethical? These educators need to put themselves in an imaginary corporate job. Say you are an IT professional. You write a book about widgets. Then, you use a company purchase order to buy $10,000 worth of your books. Do you really think you wouldn't be fired for that? Really?
There's a bigger issue here and it's one of paradigm. How can anyone have thinking this wrong-headed? How can anyone think that they are entitled to taxpayer dollars? How can anyone actually have the nerve to sit down, write up a government purchase order and buy $11,000 worth of their own book?
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203 comments:
1 – 200 of 203 Newer› Newest»Obviously this behavior is unacceptable for a variety of reasons (ethics, professionalism, the law, etc.).
But it's too easy to use terms like corruption, graft, misappropriation and self-dealing to describe this.
The misconduct of DCSS Board Members and Administrators is prevalent throughout the system. So many are engaged in so much, it really does appear that 'everyone is doing it'.
But it is not acceptable. The institutionalized 'normal' of using one's public office -- as BoE member, system administrator or school principle -- to rig deals that reap personal profit (at taxpayer expense and student detriment) is outrageous.
And the conduct of these individuals is a symptom of a much bigger and more wide spread disease. This conduct reveals a malignancy that's destoryed our DeKalb County schools from the inside.
And this malignancy has a name.
Greed.
Greed, plain and simple, has destroyed our public schools.
The greed of Board Members directing contracts to their personal businesses and jobs to their family members.
The greed of administrators selling their goods and services to the schools that already employ them.
The greed of employees who take and use without any concern for its impact.
The greed that day in and day out is more important to them than the students, teachers and our public schools.
Greed. It's an ugly word.
Greed. It's a dirty motivation.
Greed. It's what's driven these individuals.
And it has destroyed our public schools.
Hey Yvonne, seriously, how many days during the school year were you out of the office promoting your books? It was a running joke at your school that YB was out of town on TV again.
You have every right to self-promote (and you are incredible at self-promotion, bless your heart). But do it on your own time, not during the school year.
I guess we have to give her a break considering the lack of examples from leadership; Dr. Lewis, the leader of her organization, took trips to resorts with female staffers including an out of the country trip on the school system's purchasing card! Butler had no examples of ethical behavior in the workplace! She's actually a somewhat sympathetic figure in this mess.
W O R D !
( @ Soccer Dad 10:31am )
W O R D !
Well said, Soccer Dad. How are these greedy actions justified in the "takers" own mind?
A possible reason?
Cognitive Dissonance
This is the feeling of uncomfortable tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time.
Dissonance increases with:
-The importance of the subject to us.
-How strongly the dissonant thoughts conflict.
-Our inability to rationalize and explain away the conflict.
Dissonance is often strong when we believe something about ourselves and then do something against that belief. If I believe I am good but do something bad, then the discomfort I feel as a result is cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is a very powerful motivator which will often lead us to change one or other of the conflicting belief or action. The discomfort often feels like a tension between the two opposing thoughts. To release the tension we can take one of three actions:
-Change our behavior.
-Justify our behavior by changing the conflicting cognition.
-Justify our behavior by adding new cognitions.
Dissonance is most powerful when it is about our self-image. Feelings of foolishness, immorality and so on (including internal projections during decision-making) are dissonance in action.
If an action has been completed and cannot be undone, then the after-the-fact dissonance compels us to change our beliefs. If beliefs are moved, then the dissonance appears during decision-making, forcing us to take actions we would not have taken before.
I'm all for DCSS administrators writing books and having other professional opportunities. But there has to be a seperation between their day job and their outside interests. Heck, if you've written a solid book, there are thousands of school systems with millions of teachers, staff and parents as potential customers. Any appearance of impropriety with your own school system isn't worth it.
Devil's advocate isn't my favorite role, but think for a minute about a college or university. I've taken classes where the professor was the expert in a field, and we have used his or her textbook in the class. One physics class comes to mind, taught by a Nobel laureate who also had written a text. The book was acknowledged to be the best in the field and, yes, it was a state university (though not in Georgia) and public funds had bought it.
If an educator is an expert in something and writes a book because of his/her special expertise, should his/her students NOT use it, while other students in a neighboring district or state might do so? Is it automatically an ethical error, greed, corruption, etc--or is it something that a lot of people do when they get older and wiser, and want to share their insights?
This is all pretty small-scale, given the percent of royalties that authors generally get, 10% at most. Not that the size of an ethical infringement matters--but more to say, it's hard to see that anyone thought he/she was getting rich off of book sales to DCSS.
Here's the $64,000 question regarding Butler I've never heard answered: if her no sugar in school/healthy, nutritious school meals program was so successful at Browns Mill to warrant national press, why didn't DCSS duplicate it at any other school??? Why wouldn't DCSS administrators run with it and roll it out across the system?
How these books were purchased is part of the equation. When Thedford made two different purchases of the Simpson book on the same day just under the $5,000 trigger, it's more than a red flag. It was clearly a firable offense.
For the Butler situation, when your sister spends $14k of her budget to purchase her family member's book, it's more than justifiable to hold her decision to scrutiny.
Regarding your paradigm! They think they are entitled. There are more and more people who think they are entitled to OUR tax dollars. I can names the names in DCSS who think they are entitled to a job there since their Mommy was a BOE chairperson. Jamal "where's waldo" Edwards comes to mind. The Guilroy's also come to mind. That's 300K, we can save, right there! This is the paradigm that our DCSS leadership has created.
This is why we need to drain the swamp of the entitled at the Palace. Until this happens nothing is going to change! NOTHING!
Tyson, Turk, Mr. Rev. Dr. "there's a U in unemployment" Beasley, Moseley, Thompson, Mitchell-Mayfield, Berry, Ramsey, Edwards and Guilroys must go. For good measure any relative or friend mentioned above should resign too! Nothing is going to change until this happens! Hopefully, the electorate will handle the 5 positions on the BOE, however with the New Birth mafia, I highly doubt we'll be able to get all 5 off the BOE through elections.
IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE AT DCSS, THE TIME IS NOW!!
Teacher has an excellent point as I'm sure many of us took college classes that required us to purchase a book written by our professor. In this case, I think it is more a matter of how transparent this was.
Without question, this was considered acceptable behavior in DCSS. There needs to be a policy to govern situations like this. As stated earlier, if an employee has a financial interest in a vendor that provides services for the school system (greater than some threshhold such as 25 or 30%), it should be disclosed when vendors attempt to get on the approved list.
Everyone needs to be reasonable with this as through mutual funds, employees can own stock in a company such as Coca Cola. Would you prevent them from selling their products to DCSS because of that?
After reading the articles on this topic - DCSS staffers writing books then having the school system purchase them something struck me - doesn't this "crack down" seem a little to coincidental ?
Rather than the school system challenging a high ranking administration official for collecting a full time pay check from DCSS and also being a Georgia Legislator (where he is absent from DCSS for 40 days + a year) they go after these individuals who sold books. I agree that what these individuals did was wrong and unethical but the overall $$'s involved is so small when compared to how ever many years Ron Ramsey has been collecting his $115,318.37 in 2009.
Overall I think DCSS leadership is attempting to throw everyone off the real issues with these real but overall nickle and dime by comparison offenses. Also, if there was an issue, fire the individual(s) - don't demote them - if they exercised a large lapse in judgment fire them.
I've taken classes where the professor wrote the textbooks or one of their colleagues. The textbook supported the approved curriculum. The college administration approved the use of these textbooks. In addition, every textbook I used written by a professor in the college I was attending had been peer reviewed.
These books were not textbooks approved as supporting the state or county curriculum. They were self published motivational books not subject to peer review. I think there are many differences in these situations versus the college textbooks written by professors.
Anonymous 11:36 has a good point. Where was our Internal Investigations director and/or department in all this?
Scandal after scandal has hit DCSS, and not one of them was brought forth by this department. Internal Investigations should be answering questions as to why none of this was investigated until it was in the news media taxpayer dollars were misspent. Has anyone emailed BOE members on their concerns about the department of Internal Investigations? I would be interested in hearing their responses.
There is no doubt, DCSS is waving their left hand, while their right hand is still doing the things that so infuriate so many of the stakeholders in DeKalb. Folks we need to watch both their hands and frankly until the entire bunch at the palace is shown the door nothing will change! Our DCSS leadership is a fraud and until we have 100% change at the top we can expect overcrowding, mildew and mold all over the older facilities and incapable people in jobs that carry six figure salaries!
I'm saving my money for a couple hundred copies of the autobiography when it comes out.
C?Y!
Very good points in your post Anon 11:40! I wonder if Dr. Butler will try to say her books (on nutrition not motivation) were reviewed by her peers (other principals) and thought the message in the books could benefit their school? Remember Dr. Butler says there is a correlation between her sugar free curriculum and academic performance. How that is measured would be interesting to see but that message is out there.
Should have said sugar free diet not sugar free curriculum.
I don't think this is at all similar to a college professor using a text book written by herself or a colleague. Ms. Sanders-Butler and her sister both taught at elementary schools, yet ordered over $10,000 worth of books written for adults. A few copies for teachers to use as a resource might have been appropriate, but unless they were teaching adult nutrition classes, it makes no sense to order the books in anything near that quantity.
as a teacher, the only time we ever hear form internal investigations is when they come to the school at the beginning of every school year and show their scare video about what teachers can get in trouble for; apparently, their crime fighting doesn't extend to administrators or county headquarters employees.
I'm interested in the fact that none of the news media have commented on the lack of our Department of Internal Investigations investigating "any" of the inappropriate activities of the DCSS administration. Has anyone heard this department mentioned in an print, Internet or TV news report?
Currently a "high up" in the special ed dept is requiring much work of both special and regular ed teachers that will go directly toward the writing of HIS book!!! I wonder how the parents of the children whose data is being used would feel if they knew?
dI think the people defending the book sales are missing the point. The major concern for me is the number of books bought and the fact that they had to adjust the purchase orders. Why would any school need that many copies of one book? It appears to me the purchases were made so the authors could make money for themselves. It is unethical. IF anything, some copies of the book could have been donated to the school-after all they were also receiving very good salaries.
Anon 11:36 has nailed it. This is nothing more than a head fake diversion. Watch my left hand while I keep on taking with my right one.
DCSS is currently getting a little respite because of the Atlanta (alleged) cheating scandal. What I don't understand is why Governor Perdue has injected himself into that one. while the state's these very clear of
DCSS.
Maybe we should start talking to our state representatives to put a little pressure on Sonny. We deserve equal treatment.
Yes, where are all those books? On the media center shelves? Did the school resell them to parents? Or, were they given to parents?
I don't see the comparison between Butler's "sugar free" health book and a research textbook by a Nobel Laureate. Sorry.
The fact is Yvonne Butler herself - used school funds to purchase $11,494 worth of her own books.
On top of that, her sister, Annette Roberts, principal at Rainbow ES, ordered $14,184 worth of Butler's books.
Now, Butler is trying to make us believe that her books were purchased by all kinds of principals and teachers in the school system. However, that is not true. Butler and her sister virtually embezzled tax money.
Here's the test -- where are all these books? Does anyone recall a delivery of several hundred books to either Browns Mill or Rainbow ES? Did anyone receive or buy a copy? Was the order ever actually fulfilled??? It would be very, VERY easy to "order" books that never quite make it to their destination when the fox is guarding the henhouse as it was in this case.
FWIW, because the issue of Ramsey's dual service comes up again and again, Georgia law appears to prohibit only elected county officials from serving in the General Assembly.
Does this explain why my kindergarten student doesn't have a handwriting book this year? It wasn't written by a DCSS big wig! If you child doesn't have the appropriate books, let the county know!
My friend's child doesn't have an AP Calculus book, and won't have one anytime soon.
@ Anonymous 5:15
I don't have a problem with Ramsey's dual service. His pay is the same as every other legislator (less than $20,000 a year) - I looked it up. I saw so many posts on this blog talking about his "fat" legislator salary, I was surprised how little it really was.
The Internal Investigations department he heads did not protect the taxpayers from scandal after scandal and so much waste of taxpayer money. I don't know what the problem is with this department, but there has to be a problem when so many ethics violations have gone on openly and his department stood by. Is it because he is a state senator that no BOE member has questioned Ms. Tyson about the functioning of this department? That doesn't sound very good for DCSS students.
Getting ahead in school is usually a good thing; at least, about 35 students at Cross Keys High School, in Dekalb County, used to think so. In the 8th grade these students were presented with an opportunity to sign a “miracle” contract. This contract stated that by their sophomore year they would have completed the four required mathematics credits for high school. The students were also told that after the completion of those 4 math credits they would have their choice of math both their junior and senior year. Now they are juniors and are now being told that they must take Advanced Placement Calculus, a college level mathematics course. Most of these students in this “hybrid” program struggled with pre-calculus last year. This two semester class is weighted on a 5 point scale meaning that it counts higher than an average class. This class could ruin their GPA. In light of this, the students asked to be placed in a normal Calculus or AP Statistics class. To this they were told that they had no option but to have their schedules altered drastically and be placed into AP Calculus. The student’s parents and guardians were outraged. They have been calling, e-mailing, and complaining all the way up the Senator of their county’s district. The principal, Dr. McMillan, several teachers, and several people, namely Ken Bradshaw, Don McChesney and Robert Mosely at the county office are trying to be of help. Yet several of the people at the same county office, for example Wanda J. Audrict, and Eugene P. Walker are not. They say the students must take AP Calculus because of this contract that has magically disappeared and are also showing indifference to the matter. Neither student nor county has this contract. None of the students or their parents want this. Get the word out. Fight with us. The last time we checked this is the United States of America. Being discriminated, ignored, lied to, and railroaded by a county should never happen! The parents have the right to choose what is best for their children. Help us fight by proclaiming this injustice!
-DeAnna Parker, Laura Moreno, Iris Sanchez (C.S.A.)
Apparently, Butler sent every DeKalb principal a copy of her book along with an invoice. The principal I talked to sent it right back.
Not only does Ron Ramsey draw an annual salary as state senator of $16,524, but he also earn a per diem of $128 per day. It doesn't matter whether a state senator lives in Valdosta or 15 minutes from the capital, the per diem is the same.
Ramsey gets $5120 in per diem when the state senate is in session for 8 weeks.
But it's not just for the eight weeks the senate is in official session. Anytime Ramsey goes to the capital for a meeting, hearing, etc., he receives the per diem.
So in addition to the over $150k in salary and benefits Ramsey receives from DCSS, he makes another $20k-25k-30k plus as a state senator, which takes him away from his DCSS for well over two months a year, but likley much more.
DCSS retire Melvin Tucker is at the Internal Affairs office daily. He receives a salary and also his full DCSS pension.
Ramsey is part of the cabal of entrenched DCSS administrators who pushed out Johnny Brown and are now scrambling to make sure the BOE doesn't hire a new supt. who will clean house. The Moseley, Turk, Ramsey, Berry, Hunter crowd are very samrt people who will be ruthless to keep their overinflated salaries at all cost.
Ms. Parker, Ms. Moreno and Ms. Sanchez,
The same math problem is happening at Chamblee HS. My kid doubled up on math in 9th grade so that he wouldn't have to take Math I, Math II etc., which I believed was introduced with insufficient vetting and teacher preparation. It was an accomodation the county made when the state imposed the new math curriculum on the high schools and a bunch of DCSS parents complained.
Perhaps I'm dreaming, but I think I do remember the contract that required the kids opting out of Math I et al. to take AP calculus their junior year. Regardless, there are plenty of unhappy Chamblee juniors and their parents, juniors who had tremendous difficulty with last year's analysis (pre-calc) course.
It is unreasonable to force students and parents to make binding decisions as to the students' junior year math classes two years in advance. I remember thinking when I read this requirement, no way in h*** will this stick.
I cannot believe that adults are behaving in such a way regarding AP Calculus or Regular Calculus. What really matters here is to do what is best for this group of students. As adults a decision should be made on what is best for these students. A contract could be changed to benifit the students. These are students and as adults we need to be flexible in making our decisions.
All decisions must be made with the students best interests first.
Ella
-DeAnna Parker, Laura Moreno, Iris Sanchez (C.S.A.)
How bizarre. I don't understand why these students need to take any more math whatsoever - they have fulfilled the requirement for a high school diploma - 4 credits of math, correct?
I think it's time to hire a reputable education attorney.
The students needs should be put first and the students should benefit from the experience.
Why are these individuals being so inflexible?
Ella
@ Anonymous 6:01
"Now they are juniors and are now being told that they must take Advanced Placement Calculus, a college level mathematics course."
Part of the State "Report Card" for DCSS is the number of students taking AP exams. There has been a huge push for more and more students to take AP classes in the recent years. Go to the website below and click on National Tests - AP exams:
http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=102&CountyId=644&T=1&FY=2009
District knew that they would be short books. Last year we had to send our extra books to other schools which left us short if the classes grew larger (which they did) this school year.
The district had to know that a book shortage would occur if they went from Block to Periods scheduling. We figured it out here and we're not making the big bucks that the administrators are in DCSS.
My son does not have an AP cal. Book either. I cannot believe it. He has been signed up since last spring.
Ella
@ 5:45 P.M. -- You got to be kidding me! Principals, please weigh in.
If I'm reading this correctly YB bought the books in bulk with taxpayer $ (pocketed the author royalities from each purchased book), then is reselling them to principals who will purchase the same books a second time using taxpayer money? Please say it ain't so!
Cere, The state requires 4 credits of math to be earned in high school. The problem, as I said before, is that no one laid the path out for the parents. I will say that for the best students in math this is a huge benefit, many are able to take college level math classes their senior year.
There is a body of research that shows for students to be successful in math they need to be enrolled in those courses their senior year of high school.
That was indeed the deal for those students. It was a decision that needed to be weighed carefully. I never felt it was explained correctly. The way I explain it to people is that you need to work backwards. Is your child going to need to take two AP or other very advanced math classes in high school? Are they that kind of math student? I find that the schools do a crummy job laying it out.
The 5 point scale is actually a benefit. An A in the class is 5 and a C would be a 3, even a D would be a 2. AP courses can really help a GPA and even a C does less damage than a C in a regular class or the same damage as a B in a regular class.
Only Tucker changed from the block to 7 period. Everyone else is still on the block, unless something happened that I don't know about.
August 19, 2010 6:51 PM
So I must have missed something - I guess some of these credits were earned in 8th grade?
Also - Arabia is on the 7 period day.
Guess what? Butler also started an Arts Gala prior to starting her get rich scheme with Book Gate. For two to three years, this woman mandated teachers to buy $50.00 ads for the Arts Gala Booklet. Plus, parents, community leaders, and everyone bought into her scheme. Teachers were afraid not to follow her directive. Think about this, I wonder how much money Butler made sense all of the teachers were forced to purchase an ad. The second year, she demanded teachers purchase a $25.00 ad for the Arts Gala. Both events were well attended by students parents, teachers, and friends from the community. To this date, not one teacher at BMS can tell you how much money Butler made from her Arts Gala Events. Guys, this another probe that DCSS should investigate on Butler.
Then, she had the nerve to call a press conference with channel 5 to try and sway people that her books were for the children. If the books were for the children, then Butler should have given every child a free book in BMS and the county. Not one teacher received a free book, were are told. They had to purchase Butler's books. Now, where and what she did with the money or coded it nobody knows.So, where are the books. This woman used our children for her self publicity to promote her books to gain money for her bank account. Plus, teachers at Butler's sister school didnot receive any free books. So, again,both are guilty of stealing and should have been led out in handcuffs. Butler needs to know that DCSS jail doesnot serve sugar free food. She is very cunning as you viewed her on channel 5, talking fast just like a corrupt politican. As we can see, she didnot miss her calling. Oh, maybe all of these big shots that she likes to rub noses with will come to her defense. I would love to see her income taxes to see how much money she claimed as earned or loss income. Oh, if you need a good laugh, check her out on Martha Stewart.com "Yvonne Butler and chicken salad, listen to her conversation with Martha Stewart and she is even lying on National TV. Tom Joyner, Tavis Smiley, CNN, Upscale, and other school districts got duped by Butler. View her website. Someone needs to post on google the ajc article. Good bye, queen of deception from DCSS/
What the three young ladies didn't mention in their letter makes the whole situation even worse. Many of these students have been taken out of accelerated and AP classes in other subject to fit AP Calc into their schedules. This contract, signed 3 or 4 years ago, is overriding current student needs.
Now we are on the "Sister's behavior/actions. Books and Crooks. Is this the best we can offer our kids and community. WHY? WHY TUCKER NATION? Why is Dr. Simpson walking TUCKER HALLS as an AP? Why TUCKER? Why have this happen? Ethics in question and no one else has the opportunity to apply for the job.
This is a bit off topic, but the shortage of textbooks brought this to mind. I think one of the outrages that is not being mentioned is that, if a student is in a high school on the 4 X 4 block, it is DOUBLY imperative that schedules, books, etc. be in place on day one---because missing one day of instruction on the 4 X 4 block is like missing TWO on any other schedule.
So students whose schedules are awry, who don't have books, desks, etc. on the 4 X 4 block get behind VERY quickly. Imagine the stress to the students and teachers!
I am appalled by the numerous stories this year of problems, many--of course--having to do with eSiS, NCLB, and the general lack of quality support from the county level. The guidance counselors are overwhelmed. If the county administrators REALLY wanted to help, they'd deploy everyone on Mountain Industrial to the schools---not to sweep in and sit in classrooms observing---but to help with anything that needs to be done: fix schedules, run and get textbooks, haul desks, whatever it takes to make the schools work for the students and teachers!
I thought Arabia was on the 7 period last year.
I can't totally explain for it this year's seniors but for the current middle schoolers, this is how I understand it to work.
In 6th grade, you do all of 6th grade math and 1/2 of 7th. In 7th, you finish 7th grade math, and some or all of 8th grade, by the end of 8th grade I think you have finished Math I, the ninth grade math. Math II in 9th, Math III in 10th and then on to AP etc.
None of the neighborhood kids have Spanish I or II books.
They are using old ones and not the books on the state adoption list.
Do you know if they have Latin, French, or German books?
Where are the new books?
I read where Butler even had her personal makeup lady applying makeup and lashes on her during instructional time right before her camera shoot for one of her airings on televison or books deals. Now, how can this lady use DCSS time to promote her personal books and still get paid from DCSS?All I can is, Butler has a big nerve to think that what she and her sister did was ethical. Both either paid bills with their check bonuses or perhaps went shopping with their checks because not one teacher at either schools can recall receiving free books from either principal I am told. Butler needs to listen to that old song- For the Love of Money.
No AP Calculus books at Chamblee, either. The school gave my son the book on CD, though.
Also, he said that Chamblee is letting kids out of AP Calculus into regular calculus and even Math III (I'm not sure of the reliability of his information).
Also, my son's doubling up on math in 9th grade -- he took Algebra II and Geometery at the same time -- may not be the situation of the Cross Keys kids. Did they accelerate the Math I, Math II curriculum or did they take old math?
Butler, where is the Arts Gala money that you guarded for about two years? Did you turn it in to the county? Teachers are saying, they never knew how much money the school raised because you would never tell them.
Another probe for Ramsey to investigate when he get in from the chambers. We really should pay Tim Eberly and Wendy his investigative salary that our county is paying him. Since he failed to find anything wrong with Butler peddling books according to the sugar free talk show host, the district knew about her earned income. IRS , please check out her taxes.
I wonder when Dr. Butler sent her book to all the principals if she used the DCSS interoffice courier system and again abused our tax dollars and our DCSS service truck delivered them.
does everyone remember the book-Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites? by Dr. Marcia Tate
She was a high ranking DCSS employee and that book was shown at every principal meeting and my principal bought everyone in my building a copy.
Dr. Simpson is at Tucker because he mentored Mr. Jackson, the principal and they booted Mr. Jernigan who was already assigned there this year. Mr. Jernigan had to move again, so two buddies could be together. Same old DCSS. No one knew what the heck happened to Mr. Jernigan, he was just gone one day. Then here appeared Dr. Simpson, in charge of attendance in his fancy suits/bowties.
You are correct, Butler resold the books apparently and made a killing off her resales. This lady used DCSS big time. Oh, she says, "I will be vindicated". How arrogrant can you get after stealing from children, parents, colleagues, and the community that entrusted our kids in her quick rich scheme. When is her trial date or whatever with DCSS or with Gwen Keyes?
Someone chime in here -- I have always been frustrated by this -- as a non-profit Association, you now have to file extra long, 10 or 15 page tax returns with the feds every year or face stiff penalties-- these forms, for associations with a voluntary membership base paying a couple of hundered dollars (or less) a piece, jump through lots of hoops to comply with this requirement. The tax forms require all sorts of disclosures regarding conflicts of interest: for employees, for vendors and otherwise. It is designed to protect the member and to feret out the fraud. So I ask you: why did Congress exclude enterprises such as DCSS from complying with these disclosure requirements? The members of the association are there voluntarily and the numbers are much smaller than the numbers at DCSS where the budget is raised involuntarily though local, state and federal tax money with guns to the heads (figuratively) of the taxpoayer and add up to multiples of that which is collected by the voluntary association.......
I bet Butler used courier to deliver her books and again, used DCSS. Butler said, She sold books to help the children fight obesity. Her wallet was the only thing that got obese for a long time. Why is she and Lewis proclaiming to love the children of the DCSS? U both stole from the children of the system. Butler and Lewis both like television coverage.
Hopeully, Gwen Keyes will uncover what Butler spent. I am sure it is alarming and distrubing once it really comes to light. Now, she can use some of the book gate money to hire a lAWYER FOR HER AND HER SISTER,MS. ROBERTS.
@ Anonymous 5:45 and 6:01
Re Cross Keys and Chamblee HS students taking AP classes.
It's good PR for DCSS to have so many students in AP classes.
Visit the Georgia DOE webpage below. And you wonder why these students are being "pressed" into AP classes?
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_communications.aspx?ViewMode=1&obj=1921
When Butler was a principal, who were her area directors? Some of them really protected this lady. If they had been in Butler's school I am sure they could have discipline her some kind of way. Since everyone knows that the school ran itself because I am told that Butler worked only one day per week if that.
Mr. Horace Dunson was the area asst superintendent for Browns Mill with Dr. Butler. For one region meeting with all of the principals, a few staff members and myself had to prepare a sugar free food spread for them. Mr. Dunson was there and gave us high praises on the success of our school and our sugar free program.
It is good PR for schools and school systems to have students take AP courses, but the instructional plan for the students on this accelerated track was for them to take two years of very advanced high school math.
Should they be able to opt out?? Probably, but if most kids do, it will probably mean the school needs to reassess offering the option moving forward.
It was initially designed to be for a very select group of students. I don't know the reality of the implementation.
@ Anonymous 9:11
Horace Dunston was Mrs. Butler's supervisor? How is he still an area director? Please look at this video:
http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2009/07/update-on-mlk-grade-changing-horace.html
Regarding the Cross Keys HS AP enrollment issue ... This issue isn't keeping numbers up for AP. The kids want to be in AP Biology which they spent all summer prep'ing for and it is at the same time as AP Calc. This should be a no-brainer and hopefully the word will come down from the mountain tomorrow that it will be AP Bio for this group.
@ the mommy 9:15
I think this was a plan to up the AP participation as much as fast tracking the students. DCSS will pack as many students as possible into APs whether they will do well or not. This AP Honors is a very big deal for them. Ask DCSS teachers who teach AP classes if the all those students who the DCSS counselors place in AP are really good AP candidates.
@ Kim Glocke
They will probably be able to change then. As long as the AP numbers are up. AP biology is more difficult than most college freshman biology courses (which it replaces but only if they score a 3 or better depending on the school). I admire the fact that they want such a difficult challenge.
@ Kim Glocke
To take AP bio and receive college credit, they will need an AP bio certified teacher. The College Board will not give students college credit for the AP class no matter what they score unless they are taught by an AP certified teacher. The College Board runs AP bio classes every summer to certify AP bio teachers. If they want college credit, the parents should request that an AP bio certified teacher teach the class.
Regarding "Book Gate" ... I am surprised that no one is thinking of some of these shenanigans in terms of intellectual property.
If I'm on assignment at a corporate client managing a technology project and gather information on their time that I later publish as a case study to sell on the open market, I have stolen my client not only the time I used but also their intellectual property.
Relics of my work for them are their property, documents, all communications, and even patentable ideas developed on their project by me. I can hold the patent but only as their agent.
In this light, the BEST these folks could have done would have been to sell the books for the benefit of the system or another non-profit educational organization (and not a cousin's non-profit). The WORST they should of done would have been to return a percentage of sales to DCSS. Yet, they manage to exceed this worst standard and keep all the $$$.
In my line of work, these are all offenses for termination without notice.
The analogy to published professors is absurd since those textbooks are distributed and sold around the country and even the world. Somehow, I don't think these publications rise to this level of marketability or credibility.
Can a teacher or administrator write a book and get it published for their sole benefit? Absolutely. But there must be a bright line separating the time researching and writing the work and their job. There must be no direct marketing of the work on "company time" or to DCSS decision-makers - let a publisher sell them, preferably elsewhere.
I'm pretty sure the AP Bio class is lead by a certified AP teacher. Now, there is a highly qualified teacher with almost no students in the classroom since they were all forced into this AP Calc class after school began.
This is an easy one - move them back! There'll still be plenty of kids in AP Calc and there'll be no drop in AP enrollment for CK or DCSS - no brainer. I can't figure what is the sticking point for the central office. Again, I think this one should go away tomorrow - any more delay is a shameful waste of everyone's time.
To take AP bio and receive college credit, they will need an AP bio certified teacher. The College Board will not give students college credit for the AP class no matter what they score unless they are taught by an AP certified teacher. The College Board runs AP bio classes every summer to certify AP bio teachers. If they want college credit, the parents should request that an AP bio certified teacher teach the class.
I am not sure this is true. I actively participate at College Confidential and kids self study for AP tests pretty regularly and get credit for their results. For the life of me, I can't imagine having a child like this, but they do apparently exist.
Does my child have to take an AP course in order to take an AP exam?
No. However, research indicates that students who take AP courses score higher on AP exams than those students who do not take the courses. The courses may not be called "AP" but should be designed according to AP course descriptions. The courses may be designated as an honors course, a tutorial, independent study, a college-prep course, or advanced or experimental course
I just returned from a long ODE meeting where Womack, McChesney and Beasley entertained questions. My favoirte comment was from McChesney who said the system was recovering from 10 years of mismanagement. He said "We are still discovering bodies".
Womck said next year is gonna be even worst than this year in regards to finances.
Beasley came across as responsive to people's issues especially with the lesson plans. It seems that principals at the school level are the ones making paperwork for teachers worse. I'm waiting too see if his actions make things better in the long run.
I think 10 years is generous, I might go with 20 or 30.
Butler's uncle (Lonnie Edwards) supervised his famous niece at one time. Annette Waller did too.
Once a thief , always a thief. She is not remorseful. I think in the end, she is going to turn state witness on her other principal friends (s) in DCSS. Is she on television again tonight? pray not.
What a nerve to steal and think that you did nothing wrong because it was for the children. OOps, poor children never saw any of the money.OOPs, Butler.
Anon 9:27, actually you do NOT need to take a course from an AP certified teacher to take the AP exam. You can even take the exam without having taken an AP course.
College Board, which runs the AP exams, does not give college credit. They just give an exam score. Credit is given by the college you attend, depending on your score. The college doesn't know, care, or ask about the teacher.
I have heard of a student at my son's school who took an AP exam without even taking the course. I know another student at another DCSS high school to whom this was mentioned as an option.
Please go to the College Board website and see the first question in the FAQ, "Can I take the AP exam if I haven't taken an AP course?"
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about_faq.html
Also, we aren't recovering yet, we are possibly in intensive care, but on life support and very critical.
Did he happen to discuss the visits of his staff?
DCSS BookGate and Corruption would make a Best Seller. Yvonne, can we use your publisher. Yor and Lewis are the characters, setting, plot, of the book.
Is Butler's website still ongoing. I hope someone will text all of these folks that had her on their show and let them know how much money this fool wrote out to herself.
Mrs. Butler and her husband claim to have lost $400k implementing this program and book ... huh?
My guess is (and it is a guess) that their plan was to make a whole lot more out of this than they did in the end.
Since the question has come up of what our current 11th graders were told when they signed up for the accelerated math track as 8th graders, here is an excerpt from the DCSS Accelerated Mathematics Course Option FAQ. The document is dated November 16, 2007. It was on the DCSS website and copies were handed out at an information meeting at Henderson for students and parents on math options:
----
6. What courses will my 8th grade student, following the accelerated math path, take in the 9th grade?
The student will take Geometry Advanced and Algebra II Advanced – 2 different courses. The Geometry course will require students to take the End of Course Test (EOCT).
The student will then take Pre-Calculus – 10th grade
AP Calculus, AP Statistics, or Discrete Math – 11th grade
AP Calculus, AP Statistics, Discrete Math, or a Post-Secondary Option – 12th grade.
-----
It wasn't a plan to increase AP participation. As I recall, it was the state's and county's response to pressure from parents who pointed out that the 8th grade class of 2007-2008 would lack an accelerated option because they fell between the cracks of the math curriculum switch. As point 3 of the FAQ says,
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3. What are the advantages of enrolling my student in the accelerated math course?
The accelerated option will allow students who would have been on the math path to take AP calculus during their junior year of high school to continue on that path.
----
At the math information meeting held at Henderson in 2007, the speakers discouraged students from signing up for the accelerated option. Maybe other schools communicated a different message. Also, success in middle school math courses doesn't necessarily indicate that a student has strong math skills. Many A students struggle when they hit high school math. As bloggers have noted, it's tough to make a commitment for junior year courses when one is in 8th grade.
Perhaps I'm dreaming, but I think I do remember the contract that required the kids opting out of Math I et al. to take AP calculus their junior year. Regardless, there are plenty of unhappy Chamblee juniors and their parents, juniors who had tremendous difficulty with last year's analysis (pre-calc) course.
________________________________
This is High School, a student who finds he is in over his head, should be allowed to adjust his academic plan. This contract issue is bogus, in my opinion. We have no way of knowing that a student is going to have trouble with a high level math course that is planned for two years in the future. If the student is having difficulty, then an alternative class should be allowed. There is no point in setting up a student to fail. Sometimes, taking a class that will allow a student to get some additional experience before moving on to the next level is the right move. These students might then be ready to take AP Calculus as Seniors.
By way of example, my daughter nearly failed Algebra II as a high school sophomore. The guidance counselor recommended that she take Algebra III. The class was exactly what she needed. Her senior year she successfully completed the Trig and Analytic Geometry class we originally planned for her to take during her Junior year.
Mr. Dunson allowed the selling of lots of buying and selling of lots of things in his area, he has to also sign off on all budgets, including title 1. But everyone knows he will throw you under the bus to save himself, that is why he is still an AAS. Be careful if you work in his region. All of this happened during his watch and he allowed it and as long as you don't get caught, he will not say a word. Get busted and he is no where to be seen! A CLew yes man! The board ladies (Roberts and Copeland-W) love him too b/c he is a yes man for them too. They just have to say they don't like you if you piss off one of their buddies and you will be gone. Poor teachers get railroaded because the kids of the friends of these board members get a well deserved grade of an F
@ANON 9:47pm
Dr. Beasley is a fantastic communicator. He will say all of the right things. However, I don't believe it is the principals adding the paperwork. It doesn't make sense. All of the principals have suddenly decided this year to add this incredible amount of paperwork? Why? Because Dr. Beasley is in charge and making demands! I've personally read his e-mails with multiple attachments. Administrators are starting to keep a "Beasley" notebook with all of his communications and directives just to be certain they follow all of the new procedures. If he shifted the paperwork blame to the principals, then he is scapegoating them. I have no respect for this man if he can't even take responsibility for his own decisions to "improve" teaching and learning in DeKalb.
"Mrs. Butler and her husband claim to have lost $400k implementing this program and book ... huh?"
I found that comment to be almost delusional... Whose $400,000 did she lose? Did she sign up investors??? What on earth? I simply find this comment unbelievable - I'd have to see documentation.
McChesney & Beasley are examples of "a poor escuse" always passing the blame plate. If this started ten years ago, where was McChesney as a citizen & educator who lives in DeKalb?Wommack is a bully, when will he be reported?
Beasley's intent is to simplify and create a method in which the lesson plan process is easier. He said that collaboration and teachers sharing plans is OK and a good thing . Principals had told teacher otherwise. Many principals are conservative in their approach to education and err on the side of giving more work for teachers is a method of making a better school. I think a few principals may even have a sadistic side and and use pointless busy work as a method to show teachers who's in charge. This does not improve schools at all it just causes more turn over.
"Beasley's intent is to simplify and create a method in which the lesson plan process is easier."
The lesson plans would a hell of a lot simpler if they were "of the teacher, by the teacher, for the teacher" and only of benefit to the students instead of the benefit of the hierarchy of paper pushers.17
I am sorry but this stuff with Beasley last night sounds like typical DCSS baloney. Blame someone else.
Yesterday, my daughter took a computer test to determine what kind of learner she is. This is bs and a waste of time.
Tyson and Dr. "Measley" Beasley will be at the DCPC on Sept. 1st. I for one can't wait. I just hope they take questions and answer them honestly.
Also, let's hope that they take questions from the crowd and NOT, like they usually do, taking questions on a card and then Robert Moseley decides what questions get to be asked.
I'd like to remind the DCSS leadership that DCPC is run by parents and NOT by them. Please DCPC leaders we need an OPEN & HONEST question and answer agenda, decided by the DCPC leadership and NOT by DCSS leadership, like they have done in the past.
Also, is DCPC planning a debate or forum with the BOE candidates for District 1? We need an opportunity to ask Redovian the tough questions in a public forum, as well as the candidates who are running against the imcumbent.
How did Dunson get away with being caught on tape lying about the grade changing with no consequence?
http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2009/07/update-on-mlk-grade-changing-horace.html
When you watch this video, you'd assume that Dunson would have been canned immediately. He must know a lot of dirt to keep his high paid job. We can't do better than this clown??? And even worse, Dunson and Ralph Simpson are now in the same school??!!
Someone should look into the books Dr. Beasley wrote and sold to the "Dept of Humanities" back when Johnny Brown was Supt. Dr. Beasley (who, BTW, is JB's nephew) sold the books to Goldye Sanders, a JB minion, who then gave them to everyone in the Dept. The book was called "Twelve Keys for Achieving and Sustaining Phenomenal School Improvement". Interesting title, in light of the fact that Columbia HS, where has was principal last year, did not make AYP.
LOL at Butler telling folks that she and her husband lost $400,000 on the book program. Well, guess what? No one believes her story. Let us hope that Gwen Keyes investigate Butler's income taxes from the time she started trying to manage her former school until she got caught. I think she was praying that she could have made it out of the school system before people really found out that she had duped the system and our children.
If you watched her famous press conference the other night on Fox, you probally wanted to change the channel after viewing such an arrogrant woman who betrayed everyone except herself. She has a degree in counseling I am told, maybe she will counsel herself and use strategies to help herself take responsibility for her stealing and get to root of why did she think that what she did was right. The stupid woman wrote a check out to herself and I bet resold her books and made a killing. If they invested that large amount of money into the book program,why on earth was she still working for DCSS? She thinks the taxpayers of Dekalb County School System and of course, Dekalb County are stupid to believe that she only made $63,000. An audit needs to be done from the time she was placed /appointed by her friends as a principal.Besides, did she really pass School Law? Everyone in DCSS knows that she was given the job as a principal and wellness director because she loves the lime light and tries to rub noses with Who's Who's. Has DCSS investigated where and how she spent her school's Arts Gala that she promoted for about three years prior starting her second money hungry scheme. Again, remember, Butler's embezzlement scheme was, "Alarming and Disturbing". Now, what other adjectives can we use to describe how shady her money deeds were. DCSS was probally too embarrased to really tell the taxpayers the real amount of money she embezzeled in her book scheme. Let us hope that Gwen Keyes will dig much deeper that DCSS and uncover how much money her company, "Ennvoy" has made and of course, view her income taxes. Earned and lossed income from this woman probally helped her to get a big income tax refund. Where was Ronald Ramsey during her bookselling days? All of her former Area Directors need to be let go as well for allowing this woman free range to do as she pleased and neglect an entire school for her personal greed.
LOL at Butler telling folks that she and her husband lost $400,000 on the book program. Well, guess what? No one believes her story. Let us hope that Gwen Keyes investigate Butler's income taxes from the time she started trying to manage her former school until she got caught. I think she was praying that she could have made it out of the school system before people really found out that she had duped the system and our children.
If you watched her famous press conference the other night on Fox, you probally wanted to change the channel after viewing such an arrogrant woman who betrayed everyone except herself. She has a degree in counseling I am told, maybe she will counsel herself and use strategies to help herself take responsibility for her stealing and get to root of why did she think that what she did was right. The stupid woman wrote a check out to herself and I bet resold her books and made a killing. If they invested that large amount of money into the book program,why on earth was she still working for DCSS? She thinks the taxpayers of Dekalb County School System and of course, Dekalb County are stupid to believe that she only made $63,000. An audit needs to be done from the time she was placed /appointed by her friends as a principal.Besides, did she really pass School Law? Everyone in DCSS knows that she was given the job as a principal and wellness director because she loves the lime light and tries to rub noses with Who's Who's. Has DCSS investigated where and how she spent her school's Arts Gala that she promoted for about three years prior starting her second money hungry scheme. Again, remember, Butler's embezzlement scheme was, "Alarming and Disturbing". Now, what other adjectives can we use to describe how shady her money deeds were. DCSS was probally too embarrased to really tell the taxpayers the real amount of money she embezzeled in her book scheme. Let us hope that Gwen Keyes will dig much deeper that DCSS and uncover how much money her company, "Ennvoy" has made and of course, view her income taxes. Earned and lossed income from this woman probally helped her to get a big income tax refund. Where was Ronald Ramsey during her bookselling days? All of her former Area Directors need to be let go as well for allowing this woman free range to do as she pleased and neglect an entire school for her personal greed.
All of the new mamdates coming out of Dr. Beasley's office DO fill a book...a book of documents he lifted from his AP's and others in previous schools systems in which he worked. Some of them are so full of errors and misspellings, it is not even funny.
The lesson plan mandates have put teachers over the edge. They are told to assess their students to determine their multiple intelligence strength so lesson plans can be differentiated to meet the needs of each child in the class, yet it is OK to write one set of plans for the grade level..He wants benchmark data submitted to him every six weeks, which means teachers must copy scores on to a classroom summary profile form from data that is attainable in the Instructional Data Mgt.System...funny, this form doesn't ask for any data on CRCT scores or any other measures that a teacher could use to design effective instruction for her class, just student names, their multiple intelligence and their benchmark score. Again, all of this data is available in IDMS, but imagine this....teachers have not been trained on how to use it!
Dr. Beasley is operating under a regime of fear, threats and intimidation. Principals have been told they better not ask for any help or they will be put on a professional development plan or worse, be told they can't handle the job so they must go. And the Annonymous feedback link that has been given to teachers??? Don't post anything there because he will get his staff to hunt you down!And the best yet?? He has told his staff that when he denies their requests, they are not to exhibit "professional brattiness!!!"
While Beasley is at it - collecting all this data - I would hope that he plans to collect data regarding the actual drop out rate - and whether or not students who take an AYP transfer are successful and end up graduating from their new school. Is this solution working? Do we have ANY data on it whatsoever - or are we just giving out transfers and then turning the other way?
@ Anonymous 6:42
"Beasley's intent is to simplify and create a method in which the lesson plan process is easier. He said that collaboration and teachers sharing plans is OK and a good thing . Principals had told teacher otherwise."
Dr. Beasley is in charge of curriculum and instruction and the principals all report to her. If they understand there is a problem with draining instructional time from students due to excessive paperwork for teachers, why aren't they communicating this to the principals? Who's in charge here?
Since he doesn't directly instruct students, Dr. Beasley primary commitment is to facilitate instruction. That means he ensures teachers have as little impediment as possible to instructing students. Parents need to ask their friends and relatives who are teachers about the paperwork requirements.
(This email was sent to Principals from Beasley.)
Subject: Lesson Plans
To: Bulletin Principal All Bulletin AP All
Cc: MORCEASE J. BEASLEY Area Asst. Supt. Area Coordinators AAS Adm. Asst. Bulletin K12 Secretary
Attachments: Lesson Plan Template 2.doc 48K
Please review the information below and attached.
Thanks.
Greetings Principals,
In an effort to support our teachers, please work with your teachers to streamline the lesson plan process by utilizing templates that result in minimal pages of lesson plans. I have attached such a template. If they already have a template they are pleased to work with, I am most supportive of that as communicated. There is no expectation that they re-write lesson plans that may have been written with such templates. I am supportive of the template as long as the three-part lesson is reflected.
Additionally, please work with your faculty to ensure that they have the opportunity and your support to write collaborative lesson plans and to avoid redundancies of lesson plans as much as possible. It is acceptable for one teacher to post a collaborative lesson plan developed with the support and input of their peers for the grade level or if they are teaching the same subject. I appreciate all the energy that teachers are putting into the writing of lesson plans. However, I do not want us to lose our focus--That being quality levels of instruction by engaging teachers producing improved learning outcomes. It is not our expectation or intent to burn teachers out by having them write lengthy lesson plans. Please do not allow this to impede the progress we are making. As leaders, we are counting on you to remove this perceived barrier.
Let's keep it simple. Our teachers are really trying. Let's support them in the teaching and learning process.
Have a restful weekend.
Sincerely,
Dr. Beasley
Dr. Morcease J. Beasley
Interim Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning
Department of Teaching and Learning
Email) Morcease_J_Beasley@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Setting the Standard for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Robert G. Moseley
Deputy Chief Superintendent for School Operations
DeKalb School System
1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Robert_Moseley@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
(It would be great if DCSS would put together a committee that includes actual TEACHERS who are currently in the field to come up with effective user friendly lesson plans that can actually be used in a real classroom situation. Teachers should also be compensated for their time in such an effort. No more unrealistic counterproductive paper pushing mandates need to be sent down to teachers. They truly don't benefit teachers or students. Administration needs to collaborate with teachers to effect real positive change in student achievement. If in fact that is what DCSS administration is trying to accomplish.) The management model of DCSS has not been conducive to this type of collaboration. Good leadership listens and is responsive. Anything less than that is just bullying.
@ Anonymous 7:29 pm
"Dr. Beasley (who, BTW, is JB's nephew) sold the books to Goldye Sanders, a JB minion, who then gave them to everyone in the Dept. The book was called "Twelve Keys for Achieving and Sustaining Phenomenal School Improvement."
Where did the funds to purchase Dr. Beasley's book come from? Did Goldy Sanders pay for the books out of her own pocket or did DCSS taxpayer funds purchase Dr. Beasley's books like Dr. Simpson and Dr. Butler's books?
This sounds like a good question to ask BOE members.
There is no need to have parents ask teachers about the enormous amount of paperwork and documentation that is now required...I can speak for myself!
He apparently believes someone died and made him boss because everyone now reports to him...who gave him all this power as an INTERIM supt? Lesson plans must be uploaded to his "Teaching and Learning" conference in the DCSS email system by 7 a.m. every Monday morning...so guess what I do all weekend long trying to make my plans meet his expectations? He has access to these lesson plan conferences in every school and has told his staff that they are to print out the plans from a teacher, get in the car, drive to the school and go into the classroom to make sure the teacher is doing what is written on the plans. Not only do we have to write the plans, but we have to analyze them to identify what strategies we are using and the "depth of knowledge" that each lesson has. Now didn't DCSS just purchase new reading and ELA textbooks and materials? Wouldn't you hope that they purchased materials that are research-based and are inherently rigorous and use a variety of instructional strategies? Wouldn't you hope that all instructional materials are of that calibre? If is use the instructional materials as written, why do I have to spend my time playing match the strategy and knowledge from a list he has put out? And one more thing...going green DCSS? I have used more paper in the last 2 weeks copying placement tests, multiple intelligence surveys, etc. than I ever have before...and that is when the copier works!
Correction:
"Dr. Beasley is in charge of curriculum and instruction and the principals all report to Ms. Tyson. If they understand there is a problem with draining instructional time from students due to excessive paperwork for teachers, why aren't Dr. Beasely and Ms. Tyson communicating this to the principals? Who's in charge here?"
That email from Dr. B with the lesson plan template attachment came as as result of the outcry from teachers and administrators. It is just one another one he lifted from someone, not anything designed to facilitate lesson planning. There is a date on the bottom of it that says "effective June 2009" and a place for teachers to write notes from each block of instruction...must be something that was used at Columbia last year since elementary schools are not on block schedules!
@ Anonymous
"He has access to these lesson plan conferences in every school and has told his staff that they are to print out the plans from a teacher, get in the car, drive to the school and go into the classroom to make sure the teacher is doing what is written on the plans."
At last! Now we know what those 1239 Central Office personnel are doing! Since we have 1 Central office person to every 5 teachers (6,500 teachers/1239 Central Office workers), they can easily police teachers' paperwork. After all, most parents would agree that extra paperwork is definitely more important than someone being in a classroom and actually teaching. Of course, our students are sitting in huge class sizes in order to accommodate this - but that's just a minor detail.
As we deal with all that is adverse within the DCSS system, including bookgate, let us not lose sight of the other wrongs that CONTINUE. Is it true that a high ranking administrator has expanded his private charter schools from preschool/elementary to 10th grade? Someone said that they saw it in an edition of Crossroads newspaper.
Also, as I reviewed the most recent organizational chart, the majority of the directors are in the same pink and green sorority!A board member, recently retired deputy director, cabinet memebers, etc. This is absolutely absurd. I heard that this has been going on for years and continues. Also, many of the Instructional coaches, under their pink and green director, go out to schools with pink and green, key chains, etc. This should be forbidden as some teachers feel intimidated if they are not part of this sorority. I also was told that many join this sorority as they feel that this is their only way to move up. Wendy, where are you?
Did any one ever post the Beaseley spreadsheet and multi-page "instructions" that were distributed during pre-planning? They are even more compromising than the lesson-plan nonsense.
All of this about books and authors in Dekalb is really "off the chain".The real question should be whether Butler and Robert's schools made AYI every year they were principals.
A lack of a policy and going back to what was known and acceptable by Halford and Lewis should be acceptable...right or wrong. Then a policy should should be developed and communicated to all with consequences.
In these cases, I don't feel the punishment matches the behavior. I know they wish the good DR. Lewis was stiil here!
I'm glad i live in Rockdale. This county is screwed.
Beasley Spreadsheet?
As far as I know, I have not seen it posted.
If you are comfortable giving it to me, I will post it. I know you need to be so careful because of the vindictiveness, fear and intimidation that is rampant in DCSS. But, ask anyone at Chamblee Charter High School who knows me, including teachers who have been there for 10 - 15 years, and they will tell you I am extremely trustworthy and can keep a confidence. Somehow there has got to be a way for teachers to let us know what Beasley is doing while still feeling safe that their identity will not be revealed. Maybe putting the information in my hand instead of sending it via e-mail is the answer.
If you feel comfortable with doing this, you may contact me via e-mail, shspruill@gmail.com. I will meet you in a public place.
It is time to take back our schools and put the charlatans, thieves, thugs and rogues on notice.
The recent emails from Beasley have not come directly from him. They are from Robert Moseley.
DCSS First Class emails that are received directly from the originator show a "Through:" line, usually with the name of a higher-ranking Asst or Dept Supt's name, apparently indicating the higher-up's approval.
Beasley's emails are not sent that way. They are directly sent from Moseley and the body of the email contains Beasley's sermonizing.
By the way, Beasley's writing style is pompous, pretentious, and often grammatically suspect. What he says in 5 or 6 paragraphs could easily be condensed into one coherent, clearly written paragraph.
He must like to hear himself talk, and he must love to read to himself what he has written.
If he reads this blog, I hope it has been a rude awakening for dear Dr. B.
"Teaching and Learning"...geez... give me a break! What hogwash!!!
That earlier poster should have said "flow chart," not spread sheet. It did come with several pages of instructions. They were passed out on the first day back. Somebody should be able to track them down ans scan them. They are pretty bad. In the midst of imploding, DCSS goes with a bunch of outmoded "theories" on how students learn and a ream of drivel about what teachers are supposed to do. These clowns are themselves so poorly educated and so profoundly cut off from what goes on in the classroom that they apparently do not appreciate just how stupid they look.
I totally agree that doing lesson plans in detail are a waste of time.
We have been doing all these things in Fulton for about three years. We have been doing it differently in the sense that we get together as a subject area and review the standards and as a group do a general lesson plan where we are generally on the same subject doing about the same thing with the same assessments during that two week period. We also have to monitor our checkpoint testing. However, we can download it easily and play with it on spreadsheets from our interactive site with no problem. The data is easily to access and to analyze. We do collaborative planning which has to be turned in. The main purpose is to have support and to learn as professionals. The principals also wants to make sure we are covering the standards. This is a way to check this and make sure. We must document the standards that are covered. There is a great emphasis place on teaching the standards this way and teachers cannot be isolated and do their own thing. Our test scores are rising. We cannot deny this as a group of teachers even though many of us do not like the process.
We all hated the change. However, in the long run the change is best for the students. We do not like it as teachers. But education decisions should not always be based just on what we like.
Being a teacher is getting harder and harder each year. More and more teachers are retiring earlier. Qualified science teachers like I work with have other choices due to their qualifications. They are going into scientific research areas.
I can see how the way this was introduced probable caused much distress to many teachers. I feel collaborative planning would have worked better and saved teachers a great deal of time and been more helpful to teachers and students in the long run. The research does indicate that collaborative planning is a best practive.
The intent here was to make sure teachers were teaching standards and remediating weaknesses which is not a bad thing at all. Students also do learn in different ways. This is important for the student to know what type of learner they are. However, it would have been nice if the county went at presenting this information by working with the teachers in implementing a plan. Of course, I guess Mr. Beasley may not have had time to put together a committee of stakeholders, to discuss this. Maybe he had to hit the ground running on this one.
The intent was good. The implementation was horrible.
These kids who signed these contracts like my son were students caught in the middle of a change over in math. The students who took the old track in math were the students who were excellent math students who needed to take AP Cal as a Junior and AP Stat as a Senior. These students could not help that they were caught in a switch in a math curriculum.
At that time it was inappropriate for this group of students not to have a chance to take AP Cal and AP Stat. so a group of parents fought to get this changed. Students had to have certain math scores to be able to get into those classes. There were no waivers. Then we did have to sign something that we excepted that track in math. I remember that. However, I do remember students dropping our in Freshman and the Sophmore year in high school in some of my son's classes. Where this students allowed to change then? If so, then why can these students at Cross Keys not change now? Would this not be discrimination if the county allowed any student out and not allow other students out?
The RFP for the superintendent search firm is out. You can see it on the DCSS website at:
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/administration/purchasing/solicitations/documents/RFP_11-26.pdf
Spreadsheet AND Flowchart: There is a flowchart which is this year's bible in the schools. There is also a spreadsheet to record all sorts of student information on and it's a bit much...It might not be the worst thing in the world, but it is very time consuming and having this pushed on us when we are in a time crunch due to the short pre planning week was a bit offensive. The county wide approach to reform through dictatorship and taking away the judgement of each local school can be problematic in many cases. EVERY school is being made to feel as if they have failed their students when the county has failed the students. No smart person can continue to work in a district under a person that they do not consider qualified for the job they are in. Dr. B is a good guy to listen to in public at speeches but his tyrant approach alienates quality people because they know they deserve a better workplace culture and environment. The exodus might be slow due to the economy but there will be one and he is asking for one. He wants anyone who does not go along with him to quit. He is happy to show them the door. Therefore, resignations are not his fear, they are his goal. Then, after all of the "non believers" are gone, he can have full control of his kingdom. What a mentality!
To the point of this blog topic, the following link from the Secretary of State office speaks to code of ethics we should expect from government employees:
http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/georgia%20code%20of%20ethics.htm
Take note of number 7, VII.
Specifically, Dr. Butler and her sister violated OCGA 45-10-23 (page 5 of link below). Their penalty is governed by OCGA 45-10-28 a1 (page 15). It is there in black and white for everyone to see in this link:
http://asu-sacs.asurams.edu/SuppDocs/GA/OCGA_45-10-20_45-10-70.pdf
Reading this thread there is only one option. Mr. Rev. Dr. Measley Beasley has got to go! NOW!
Moseley too!
Ironic we have a Mosley and a Beasley running our school system and Ms. Tyson sits there and wonders why she is even there. I wonder why any of them are still there!
It doesnot matter if Butler's school made AYP or not, she stole money by writing out a huge check to herself. From what everyone knows, Butler was not even at the school and probally didnot have a clue if they made AYP or not. From what is known, the school ran itself and parents and teachers need to be commended for making AYP not Butler. Hey, the teachers never knew when she was in town to manage the school from what we are told, teachers made LOL whenever she was in her building and not trying to be a talk show host on cooking and telling the long stories of her life in Mississippi and when she weighed 200 pounds in the first grade.
No sympathy is needed for Butler, she and her sister stole money. If they tell on their other principal friends who use their books and made money then bring it on.
Again, a special audit needs to be done on Butler according to others who would like to know what did she do with the previous money Arts Gala money that she mandated her teachers I am told to purchase $50.00 ad /$25.00 ads towards this events and never shared with the teachers how much money the school actually made.Now, do the math here. Plus, we are told that , Butler had this event for about two or three years , teachers were forced to attend, sell tickets, come in on Saturday or Friday night and cook chicken wings, etc, plus stay late and clean up after the event. From what we are told, teachers were put on her hit list if they didnot attend or donate their own personal money. $50.00 or $25.00 towards BMS Annual Arts Gala. The questions are:
Who did she submitt this money to and what funds did she deposited it into?
Did the children receive any special books or supplementary materials from the gala events?
Basically, I am sorry, but everyone think this was Butler's personal fundraiser that helped her lauched BOOKGATE.Where was Marcus Turk? Do an audit on BMS Arts Gala and trust me, it will be also, "Alarming and Distrubing" as what was reported in the AJC. Butler and Bookgate, Butler and BMS Arts Gala, these are two of Butler's personal fundraisers that went to her personal banks account and company, Ennvoy. It would be interesting to see her income taxes especially to see how much money Ennvoy made verses how much she made in DCSS / Arts Gala.
Gwen keyes , please do a long audit on this lady since DCSS allowed her to use the system for so long as she acknowledge as well as her sister.
It doesnot matter if Butler's school made AYP or not, she stole money by writing out a huge check to herself. From what everyone knows, Butler was not even at the school and probally didnot have a clue if they made AYP or not. From what is known, the school ran itself and parents and teachers need to be commended for making AYP not Butler. Hey, the teachers never knew when she was in town to manage the school from what we are told, teachers made LOL whenever she was in her building and not trying to be a talk show host on cooking and telling the long stories of her life in Mississippi and when she weighed 200 pounds in the first grade.
No sympathy is needed for Butler, she and her sister stole money. If they tell on their other principal friends who use their books and made money then bring it on.
Again, a special audit needs to be done on Butler according to others who would like to know what did she do with the previous money Arts Gala money that she mandated her teachers I am told to purchase $50.00 ad /$25.00 ads towards this events and never shared with the teachers how much money the school actually made.Now, do the math here. Plus, we are told that , Butler had this event for about two or three years , teachers were forced to attend, sell tickets, come in on Saturday or Friday night and cook chicken wings, etc, plus stay late and clean up after the event. From what we are told, teachers were put on her hit list if they didnot attend or donate their own personal money. $50.00 or $25.00 towards BMS Annual Arts Gala. The questions are:
Who did she submitt this money to and what funds did she deposited it into?
Did the children receive any special books or supplementary materials from the gala events?
Basically, I am sorry, but everyone think this was Butler's personal fundraiser that helped her lauched BOOKGATE.Where was Marcus Turk? Do an audit on BMS Arts Gala and trust me, it will be also, "Alarming and Distrubing" as what was reported in the AJC. Butler and Bookgate, Butler and BMS Arts Gala, these are two of Butler's personal fundraisers that went to her personal banks account and company, Ennvoy. It would be interesting to see her income taxes especially to see how much money Ennvoy made verses how much she made in DCSS / Arts Gala.
Gwen keyes , please do a long audit on this lady since DCSS allowed her to use the system for so long as she acknowledge as well as her sister.
It doesnot matter if Butler's school made AYP or not, she stole money by writing out a huge check to herself. From what everyone knows, Butler was not even at the school and probally didnot have a clue if they made AYP or not. From what is known, the school ran itself and parents and teachers need to be commended for making AYP not Butler. Hey, the teachers never knew when she was in town to manage the school from what we are told, teachers made LOL whenever she was in her building and not trying to be a talk show host on cooking and telling the long stories of her life in Mississippi and when she weighed 200 pounds in the first grade.
No sympathy is needed for Butler, she and her sister stole money. If they tell on their other principal friends who use their books and made money then bring it on.
Again, a special audit needs to be done on Butler according to others who would like to know what did she do with the previous money Arts Gala money that she mandated her teachers I am told to purchase $50.00 ad /$25.00 ads towards this events and never shared with the teachers how much money the school actually made.Now, do the math here. Plus, we are told that , Butler had this event for about two or three years , teachers were forced to attend, sell tickets, come in on Saturday or Friday night and cook chicken wings, etc, plus stay late and clean up after the event. From what we are told, teachers were put on her hit list if they didnot attend or donate their own personal money. $50.00 or $25.00 towards BMS Annual Arts Gala. The questions are:
Who did she submitt this money to and what funds did she deposited it into?
Did the children receive any special books or supplementary materials from the gala events?
Basically, I am sorry, but everyone think this was Butler's personal fundraiser that helped her lauched BOOKGATE.Where was Marcus Turk? Do an audit on BMS Arts Gala and trust me, it will be also, "Alarming and Distrubing" as what was reported in the AJC. Butler and Bookgate, Butler and BMS Arts Gala, these are two of Butler's personal fundraisers that went to her personal banks account and company, Ennvoy. It would be interesting to see her income taxes especially to see how much money Ennvoy made verses how much she made in DCSS / Arts Gala.
Gwen keyes , please do a long audit on this lady since DCSS allowed her to use the system for so long as she acknowledge as well as her sister.
Yvonne Butler's corporation is Ennovy, Inc. The Secretary of Ennovy, Inc. is Hazel Lucas. Is this the same Hazel Lucas who teaches at Brown's Mill ES?
Hazel Lucas was one of the APs under Dr. Butler. She retired a few years ago however I heard she came back to run the after school program.
For those interested in "AP Calc Gate" at CK, it is resolved and the students are free :)
More regarding Ennovy, Inc. Courtesy of Anonymous, we know that the Secretary is probably the same Hazel Lucas that taught at Sanders-Butler's school. Does anyone know who Thaddeus Mayfield and Fulton Porter are? Mayfield is shown as the CEO and Porter as the CFO. Mayfield is also shown as CEO/CFO/Secretary of FOCOM, a Decatur firm that provides market analysis, strategic planning, proposal and bid assistance, and technology planning/installation services. Is FOCOM a vendor to DCSS?
IS THERE.... a list of all the schools that bought those stupid health books?? I know FOR SURE they were bought for the staff at Robert Shaw. Probably by that total failure Euna McGruder. The books were forced on the staff as "helpful resource material". HUH????
Were the Beasley books sold as well? A Passion for Improving Schools or something?
I say to stop all this endless whining, let's just fire this Butler woman and any accomplice to her book fraud. Good Grief, the fact we have to even speak about her still around is the reason why everyone currently in the DCSS leadership need to resign. Once again it's more of the same.. blah blah blah... ENOUGH!
The taxpayers of DeKalb want their school system back. Hey Tyson, you do NOT work for the New Birth Mafia, you work for US! The DeKalb taxpayer.. Fire these people or resign yourself. PLEASE!
To clarify - Ms Butler and her sister have been fired (since they both refused demotions). The other two book sellers were demoted to assistant principals. Butler (and probably her sister) is entitled to a hearing and there is one scheduled, I believe. It's not as easy to fire people in the government as it is in the corporate world.
Also, let's refrain from using the term "mafia" when referencing New Birth. That's over the top really. I do continue to believe that these people are trying as they might to improve opportunities for young African-Americans. I only hope that they are seeking to help all of them, not just a certain, more elite group.
Recently, I found an article in "CrossRoads" news pointing to the fact that they are helping all young African-American students. The students at Destiny Learning Academy, a school for at-risk students in DeKalb, has been sending students on trips out of the U.S. to South Africa in order to expand their thinking (much like the Ron Clark Academy.
They continue to fall short on their fundraising, but the men's missions group at New Birth always come to their aid. Last year, this group collected $100,000 in one offering just for the trip for the Destiny students.
Read on about the generosity of the New Birth men -
http://crossroadsnews.com/view/full_story/7102968/article-Destiny’s-trip-to-South-Africa-in-peril?
While in South Africa, the students will be hosted by Pastor John Vannkerk and the congregation of City Harvest International. Johnson said they will stay in the homes of church members and see how Africans live.
This will be the second trip from the school to South Africa. In 2002, the school took 47 students to the continent and raised $100,000 the day before they were to leave when New Birth Men’s Ministry passed the hat.
“It floored me, but it happened,” Johnson said.
He is hoping for a similar miracle.
Destiny Academy is at 3595 Linecrest Road. The trip costs $2,700 per student to cover round-trip airfare, hotel and ground transportation. Donations can be made at www.DAOE.org.
Read more: CrossRoadsNews - Destiny’s trip to South Africa in peril
They're trying. I truly believe that New Birth is trying harder than DCSS to access a decent education for young people. We just need to ensure that there is no co-mingling of funds - that would get the Leadership Academy shut down.
Correction - the $100,000 was collected in 2002. Hopefully, the men of New Birth have continued to help these struggling students. Destiny recently graduated their largest class ever.
After reading the comments on Butler's unethical behavior we decided to view her video on Martha Stewart.Com.which was as one reader on the blog said, "Alarming and Disturbing".
Once the video was viewed, all we could do was sit in disbelief at how many lies Butler told Martha Stewart about Dekalb County School District.
Ms. Butler just "tossed" unsubstantiated figures such as: (1) She weighed over 200 lbs in the 1st grade; (2)She saved DCSS over $427,000 over an eight year period with her expensive "Healthy Lunches" (doing things naturally); was there a Special Lunch Budget ever approved for BMS thru DCSS? This convenient figure need to be investigated. (3)She also stated that she has over 50 healthy recipes that "the school kids said that rocked"; was she approved by IRB to survey the kids? She also struggled to name the 1st three recipes - "Chicken Meat Loaf", "Jelly Natural Cake Surprise", and "Chicken Salad Surprise" (served on bread slices). Martha Stewart even looked baffled, as Butler seemingly "Lied-in-Motion".
Ms. Butler also embarrassed and mis-represented education in Georgia by using ghetto language on national TV; she continually used the word "seasons" for seasoning (even after Martha Stewart tried to correct her); she also repeatedly used "my-naise" for mayonnaise. This was 'ugly" and unacceptable as she was presented on the show as a high-ranking principal from Georgia's Dekalb County School System.
In conclusion, it can be said that this woman need to be fired for incompetency, if nothing else. Of course, we know that embezzlement, coercion, and conflict of interest charges are outstanding. Later, you can probably toss in Tax Evasion and Money Laundering.
Cere, maybe "New Birth Mafia" is harsh. But the connections between New Birth and DCSS warrant scrutiny.
Fact: Many of the Central Office administrators are New Birth members. Does it help when you're up for a promotion to be from New Birth? It sure does.
Eddie Long has been very vocal on his anti-gay & lesbian viewpoints and preachings. Guess what Eddie: There's a significant number of DCSS staff, and parents, and even students, who are gay or lesbian. Take the hate somewhere else.
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2007/spring/face-right/bishop-eddie-long
http://www.projectqatlanta.com/news_articles/view/bishop_eddie_longs_tough_easter_sunday?gid=3037
This is important: DCSS has a number of vacant buildings. Still, the new DeKalb Leadership Prep Academy is renting out space at New Birth for over $120,000 per year.
This is insane!!! There are empty school system buildings, yet taxpayer money is going to a church!!?? Seperation between church and state? There are a few hundred churches in the who would love to rent space to DCSS for six figures.
There are so many other issues regarding New Birth. Residents and anyone associated with DCSS should have many questions regarding New Birth and DCSS. "Mafia" may be too strong, but where there's smoke, there's fire. And the connections between New Birth and DCSS are well worth investigating.
WHO THE HECK SAID ANYONE WAS FIRED?? Certainly not Yvonne Sanders-Butler. She has a "created" job, LISTED as the principal at Browns Mill elementary, but "working" from Business Operations. I have no idea whether or not she really is the principal, but she is definitely NOT FIRED. NEITHER is Annette Roberts. She is the principal at Rainbow elementary. And who the heck is Brandon Butler, also listed at Browns Mill?? He's an assistant principal.
It truly amazes me that all of you only see the wrong that Butler and her sister did. Why is what Simpson and Thedford did acceptable? They knew what they were doing. They both should also be fired. Just because Simpson agreed to pay back money that he should not have taken in the first place does not make him honorable. Also, he created a company account to place his money into and knew that Thedford was making three different transactions for the payment of the books. How are they any different? They all should be arrested for taking money that does not belong to them. If they can arrest someone for CRCT erasures, then surely taking money that does not belong to you warrants an arrest. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!
You are correct. All of them should be fired. Again, Butler may be your friend, or cousin since you are the only one coming to queen bee rescue, she is the queen of deception and everyone knows it. No one is surprised by her actions, everyone was just wondering when she would eventually get caught. Again, hopefully, Gwen Keys will investigate Butler's company, BMS Arts Gala Money that she stole for about three years and dared any of her teachers to ask about it, plus, writing a check out to herself. Actually, it has been reported that she never gave her teachers nor students any free books. They had to buy these books from Butler in which they were sold during instructional time. No one at Rainbow saw any book except maybe one in the library. So, what did Butler write out the huge checks for . One for her and one for her sister. Plus, she made more than $63,000 off her books. Check her income taxes and personal bank accounts of Ennvoy. View her transactions. How much did she actually pocket. When her hearing date comes on August 27, 2010, let the taxpayers send her off in a limousine with a sugar free dinner and hope that she nor her sister returns to the DCSS.Sisters in Crime! If there is anyone who believes that Butler stole money from her cookbook sales for the children, then you and Butler might be twins in Georgia and not know it.
Cerebration, I apologize for using the word mafia. There are other things that New Birth does that does not sit right with me, concerning donations and tithing. I would love to discuss them here but I believe that it would hamper the good things that some of their members at New Birth are doing.
I also think that we need to keep a close eye on the co-mingling funds as well as some of the hiring of members of the church. There are definitely favors being offered here and I just think it's time that all folks to have an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY at being hired by DCSS, not just the sororities. fraternities and other organizations that are involved.
I would like to know how the 100 Black Men of DeKalb can use school property to house their NON-Profit Organization? Do they pay rent for space at McNair High School? Do they use taxpayer funded equipment? Do they pay the same liability insurance that other non-profits must pay when using school property? If you go to their website, they use the same address as McNair. I googled mapped it and it points to McNair High School.
We must keep an eye on funds and DCSS must be an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. If not, then we need to get the Feds involved. Thanks again Cere for keeping this blog together, I feel there are more teachers hanging here and willing to share their experiences. Without our teachers on the front lines we would totally be lost.
To Anon 8:45
Actually my comment was not to defend Butler and her sister, but was to point out that everyone should have been fired because they all were involved in an unethical activity. Fair is fair.
I am sure Butler is going to turn everyone (principals) who she sold her books to in on the 27th at her hearing. So donot be shocked when you see her holding another press conferences. Everyone knows she commands an audience.
Oh, believe me, we have no sympathy here for Simpson and Thedford either. If you would like to read one of our discussions on them, go here;
Best Book Deal in Town
Also, very good points Anon August 22, 2010 9:36 PM - I've been wondering the same thing about the 100 Black Men. Many other non-profit groups would like to have this kind of free office space. And New Birth leadership has already been investigated once by a federal panel - it is always suspicious to them when a minister makes this kind of money.
Anon 9:06,
Thad Mayfield is a good guy. He was one of the co-chairs with Lynn Deutsch for the Citizens Planning Task Force this past spring. There is no crime to being on the Board of the Directors for any firm.
Cerebration 1:54,
To clarify even more, both ladies are on administrtive leave with pay. The media has not been clear on this point. Remember that everyone is entitled to due process. Both ladies refused the demotion thus were placed on administrative leave until their hearing. If the results of the hearing find they violated OCGA 45-10-23, the will probably be terminated.
Anyone know if David Moody is still on the Citizen's Planning Committee? Considering his role in the Pat Pope mess, why hasn't Tom Bowen admitted his mistake and publicly canned Moody?
I have questions about 100 Black Men as well as about athletic funds, trailer rentals, etc. These are all questions that have come up time and again on this thread and others, and we have no way of getting answers. This, in turn, creates suspicion and fuels the rumor mill.
The ONLY way to stop this is the open checkbook approach Cere and others have brought up. I am emailing the Board to urge as strongly as possible that they adopt the idea ASAP. High Priority, folks!!
And while I'm on my soapbox, I see strong discipline with clear guidelines and enforcement power in the hands of the teachers and principals as the ONLY way to go.
If teachers could assume they would have control of their classrooms, that they could count on teaching a lesson without interruption, and that the focus of the students would be on learning, and parents could count on their children being able to learn in a safe environment with few distractions, then I think the problems DCSS has would seem more manageable.
Thanks for sharing the information on Butler and her sister being paid while sitting out.
Hopefully, DCSS will terminate them both! It appears from reading this blog that Butler is a mastermind at stealing money from her former school. Apparently, missing money in question now is, How she spent money raised during the three years she held her personal fundraiser called BMS Arts Gala. So in all, she writes herself a big check to go shopping or cover bills for her company, Ennvoy with DCSS funds, then, according to the blog, had a personal fundraiser for three years at her school and not one person can tell you of anything she purchased with the fundraiser money known as BMS Arts Gala. Here is another red flag for Marcus Turk and Internal Affairs to look into data.The AJC probally will out before Turk and Ramsey investigate Butler.I guess she and her husband funded BMS Arts Gala with $400,000 since this is her favorite figure to throw out.
So, is it possible that she used Title 1 funds to purchase a big pile of her books and then re-sold them to individual teachers and principals in the system? I've not heard of hundreds of people getting a copy of this book for free (well, from Title 1). Yikes - is that what you're saying?
ps - what's BMS stand for? Dare I ask?
Can someone please tell me what was the purpose of the Queen of Cooking (Butler) having television time to say what? Still appeared arrogrant and without a doubt confused about right and wrong.
Did you see her spread of cookbooks that she shared with the reporter?
It funny she forgot to share with the reporter the real amount of money she embezzled. And how much she got back from Uncle Sam. (IRS) Interesting! This lady loves a camera and publicity knowing she is dead wrong for using DCSS taxpayers money for her personal gain. Please, DCSS make an example of this woman when she appears for her hearing next week. We will be watching to see how she allows the camera to display her foolishness and claiming now to be a victim. OMG!!!
BMS stands for Browns Mill School. For some reason, they don't include the word Elementary. That's done with most schools in the district.
BMS- Browns Mill School. From what we are told, teachers purchased their personal copy of Butler's books using their money. So, only Butler and Turk knows which funds she used. From the way it looks, this Butler lady resold the books and made a profit.
From what we are told, children never purchased any of this woman's books, nor did she give them (children) any free books nor her teachers. The math is evident in this embezzlement scheme that Butler mastermind.
Oh, Tad Mayfield I think is Butler's ex brother-in-law. He was married to Butler's sister, Betty Mayfield who also works for DCSS. He is the graphic designer for Butler's website. FOCOM
When is the hearing date that DCSS has set for the embezzlement queen of cooking and her sister in crime?
Let the taxpayers pray that justice will prevail and DCSS taxpayers and children can put this money laundering scheme of the Queen of Cooking behind us and move on. Let us hope that Marcus Turk and Internal Affairs did their homework and investigated all of Ms. Butler's fundraisers while she served as the absent principal on tour selling cookbooks we are told. Browns Mill Art Gala (3 years ) Cookbooks 2002-2010. Someone please do the math here on these two fundraisers that Butler schemed/duped the county, taxpayers, children, and others out. All of her Area Directors should be fired with Butler and Marcus Turk for not reporting her when he saw these unethical figures in 2002. Was Ramsey informed or Internal Affairs? Probally not, Friends and Family protecting fraud. Cunning Butler!
Let us hope that Marcus Turk and Internal Affairs did their homework
Pretty sure that didn't happen.
We will know if Marcus Turk and Internal Affairs let Butler get away with stealing/embezzling taxpayers money on next week. How can you write a check out to yourself with school funds. This woman keeps saying that everyone in the district knew she was selling her cookbooks, traveling, not working and using DCSS resources (children, staff, taxpayers) to promote her company and self (Ennvoy)but turned their heads. But, she failed to say who approved her to write out a check to herself. Come on Butler (Bless your heart) use your counseling degree and not your sugar free degree to figure out right from wrong. Are you sure you havenot been eating sugar. Your mind and memory seems to be a little distorted on your embezzlement verses entitlement, my dear.
@ Anon, August 22, 2010 10:28 PM
Thaddeus Mayfield is listed with the Secretary of State as the Chief Executive Officer of Sanders-Butler's company Ennovy. That means that he is in charge of running the company. It's not a passive position.
He might be a good guy but a lot of good guys have done shady things. Does anyone know whether his firm FOCOM is a vendor for DCSS?
@ anonymous 5:23
"Oh, Tad Mayfield I think is Butler's ex brother-in-law. He was married to Butler's sister, Betty Mayfield who also works for DCSS. He is the graphic designer for Butler's website. FOCOM "
Yes. My understanding is that she's Butler's sister. She has two expired certificates - Mass Communications Cluster - 2003 and Broadcast and Video Production - 2006. Taught for one year and then went to MIS - PDS 24 in 2007. Per the State Salary and Travel audit she makes more than a teacher with 30 years of experience.
I think many are missing the point on many levels...the DCSS staff, entire staff, are forced to use outdated equipment, tolls, supplies, so I can understand why posting info to sites might be more work..hard to do if your technology is not working, or current, Also as to the service personnel, the people who knew what to do to keep the antiquated sytems and equipment running are gone...you cvan only do do much with th eLIMITED funds, and outdated equipment, and a laborious purchasing system...it all needs to b e looked at every department, employee, and function needs to go through a thorough review....
Well, it looks as though Butler and her sisters are members of the Friends and Family Plan. Sister, Betty Mayfield has two expired certificates???? OMG
The entire family is corrupt from what is being exposed. Oh, Butler's hearing is Thursday I think. Look for drama from Butler on Thursday.
Are you kidding, Butler's sister , Betty Mayfield makes more than a teacher with 30 years of teaching experience?
I wonder how much money Butler was paying Taddeus Mayfield? This is really unraveling now. Betty Mayfield and Thad Mayfield were married at one time.
Now, we find out that he runs Butler's company.
There are too many red flags with Butler and her money schemes.
So Philandrea Guilroy's PDS-24 rears it's ugly head in this mess!
I am sure Francis Edwards, FORMER BOE Chairman, will have the final say. Francis has so much power in this system, yet I am not really sure why? She was voted out a couple of years ago.
It's amazing how so many, who no longer work for DCSS, has such power over our "leadership".
How long does this need to go on?
How does Marcus Turk keep his job after this? Can we please place the DCSS checkbook online? The majority of school systems around the country are doing that now. I wish the Georgia Legislature would make it law. I think it is in Florida and other states. Anyone else know about school systems placing their checkbooks online for all to see?
It's spreading! Makes for some enteraining reading! Does this story sound familiar??
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/25/2010-08-25_secretary_busted_for_spending_6g_of_schools_dough_ratted_out_by_granddaughter_br.html?obref=obinsite
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/edwards_book_sales_ok_under_state_law_082510/
Good find! More insight on Lonnie Edwards and the subject of the book can be found at,
http://www.jackson.k12.ms.us/content.aspx?url=/page/745
Interesting quote from the Jackson article on Edwards -
Mississippi code Section 37-11-25 states that it is unlawful for district employs to be “interested, either directly or indirectly, in the proceeds or profits of the sale or rental of any book, furniture, equipment or other property to be used in any public school.
How is it that Mississippi has more progressive ethics laws than Georgia?
Because some employee got caught doing it. That is how these codes are developed.
Cerebration, there was a posting earlier in this blog that identified the ethics law broken by Dr. Butler and her sister. I think we are still ahead of Mississippi :)
Without question, there was an intent to deceive with respect to the books purchased by the Miller Grove principal in how the purchase orders were cut. After reading the article about Dr. Edwards, I blame the school district more than him. According to him, he did not actively sell his book. Unless someone could show evidence that he did, how can you hold the district deciding to purchase the book against him?
This was a story that I'm sure had general interest throughout the district and community. A former teacher sharing how they postively impacted a former disabled student. The student even reached out to Sally Jesse Rafael, not Dr. Edwards. It would be interesting to see when the books were purchased.
I agree. There's no evidence that he did as Butler and her sister did - actually wrote up a Purchase Order and used school funds to buy Butler's own books! Then - it appears as if maybe, on top of that, she RE-Sold those books to teachers and staff!
And on other threads here, we are reading that students in a variety of classes are without TEXTBOOKS!
I have in my calendar that her hearing is tomorrow morning at 8:00am. Does anyone know where it is?
Sagamore 7
I received dr. butler's book twice back in 2006 from my principal at the beginning of the school year and again for christmas. they are both autographed by dr. butler.I don't know how my old principal paid for the books but they are very good friends and dr. butler even thanks her on the acknowledgement page.
@ candi 2:49
What school was that?
A poster said he/she remembers Goldye Sanders bought copies of Dr. Beasley's book for the members of the Humanities department. If that did happen, I'm assuming it was not paid for with DCSS funds.
Butler's hearing is suppose to be on tomorrow. Not sure where this drama will unfold. Let us all hope that DCSS will boot Butler and her sister out the door for using our taxpayers money to buy her own books and then resold them.
Hopefully , Marcus Turk and Internal Affairs had enough sense to go back and check into the Browns Mill Arts Gala that we're told Butler spear headed for about two years. Besides, what and how did she spend the funds that were generated from the Arts Gala remains unknown to everyone. Maybe , Marcus Turk did his homework and can show this woman has a spider web pattern of deceiving the public when it comes to her greed. Keep your fingers crossed that AJC or Fox 5 will cover her hearing. Do they know?
If someone knows, please let everyone know where the hearing will be held. Look for Butler and drama on tomorrow? Stay tuned in.
Butler is friends or was friends with several principals. The schools might be Farrington , Flat Rock or Canby Lane. There are others who are probally avoiding Butler at this moment.
Who is Hazel Lucas? Is she a friend of Butler's? If so, I wonder did DCSS investigate what her role was with Butler and the book sales? Interesting. More and More is unraveling about how unethical and shady Butler really is.Look for her press conference that she'll probally call again after the hearing. Drama Queen of Cooking!
Someone needs to tell Martha Stewart to ask Butler to send her plane fare back for lying about her school district allowing her to serve organic foods at her former school and how much money she saved Dekalb County School District. You must go back and view the video and just shake your head at how Butler lied even when she made up the three choices of her former students lunch choices. When did DCSS allow this woman a special lunch and breakfast menu? Butler is quite a study herself.
The street committee seems to think that Butler is going to walk away with just a slap on the wrist on tomorrow for stealing money and reselling her books.If this does happen, then we can bet Lewis and his crew will walk away untouched as well. let us hope not because tomorrow will be a sad day for honest people who were bilked out of money by Butler and her book sales.
Hmm - check out this Resolution -
A RESOLUTION
Commending Dr. Yvonne S. Butler; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, Dr. Yvonne S. Butler has been addressing the problem of obesity among American school children with impressive results, using her experience as an elementary school principal, public speaker, and author; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Butler has authored three books on healthy living, including her latest book, Healthy Kids, Smart Kids: The Principal-Created, Parent-Tested, Kid-Approved Nutrition Plan for Sound Bodies and Strong Minds, which showcases her passion for healthy living and offers practical, medically sound methods by which schools and families can win the war against obesity; and
WHEREAS, as principal of Browns Mill Elementary Arts and Magnet School, DeKalb County's only National School of Excellence, Dr. Butler put her methods into practice by declaring the school a "sugar free zone," banning processed sugars, high-fat processed foods, and soft drinks from the school cafeteria menu, and the results were immediate and dramatic:
the number of students visiting the school nurse during the first hour of the day declined by
30 percent, teacher referrals for disciplinary concerns dropped by 28 percent, and counseling
referrals decreased by 23 percent; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Butler's program at Browns Mill Elementary has become a model for other
schools across the county, and the Georgia Beverage Association is now removing soft drinks from elementary school cafeterias throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, she has traveled extensively around the country carrying the message of healthy
living to colleges and social and civic organizations, and her company, Ennovy, Inc.,
successfully conducted its Wellness Behavior Management Program to combat obesity at
Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, the first program of its kind aimed at
college students; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Butler has been featured on ABC's World News Tonight and FOX News
and has appeared in such magazines as Essence and Upscale Magazine; and
WHEREAS, it is only right and proper that this pioneer on the front line in the war on obesity
be recognized and commended.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE the members of this body
recognize and commend Dr. Yvonne S. Butler for her innovation and her campaign against obesity.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Dr. Yvonne S. Butler.
That was Senate Resolution 834 - brought by
By: Senators Miles of the 43rd, Tate of the 38th, Jones of the 10th and Reed of the 35th
Is that the Emmanuel Jones that's going to help DCSS with its SACS and ethics problems?
Good Grief! It is Emmanuel Jones. You mean to say there was a GA. Senate resolution commending Yvonne Butler? AAAAGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
When will it stop? That should be the very first question to Mr. Emmanuel, did you know you were abetting a suspect in a fraud scandal involving DCSS taxpayer dollars? What did he know and when did he now it?
DeKalb County is really starting to sound a lot like Chicago.
Emmanuel Jones, shame on you for giving Butler the glory of changing BMS. How can she defend her theory of kids not eating sugar is beyond everyone? Plus, everyone thought that theDCSS Research and Evaluation Department must approve your research before you conduct a study of this nature.
Guys, this lady is off her rockers to make people believe that taking sugar out of the school actually improved BMS test scores.If she has the information to substantiate what 900 or more kids ate once they got home and especially on the weekend then surely might your test scores improve. But, how in the world can this lady claim that she played a part in BMS students acadamics improve. From what is known, Butler only worked one day of a week and toured the states everywhere els. I feel sorry for Jackson State if they feel for this woman's theory and no stats to prove such a study was conducted at BMS. If she did conduct a study of this sort,trust me,she used 900 or more children using what kind of test design.Plus, a study of this magnitude would still be going on now if she actually conducted such a study. Again, this is another one of this lady's claim to fame using taxpayers money and lying to community leaders about her accomplishments. It reminds me of politicans claiming to have fought for our country verbally but not one person can find a true account of what you actually did. As you can see, this lady loves the limelight and politicans. I guess they have lying in common. Oh, did this con artist (Butler ) have a hearing today? I would love to hear from someone who attended Jackson State to see how Butler actually fooled the poor people with he lies. Is anything on the internet concerning what Butler did at Jackson State and are they really using her information that she stole from her teachers? Lesson Plans I am told and websites on nutrition.
OMG! So now we know where and how Butler was spending her time selling her cookbooks and using our taxpayers money (DCSS)during the times she should have been at her school. Looks like double dipping her to me. Wonder how much money she made from Jackson State using her sugar free program for college students who are/were obesed and if she gets a percentage of any of her books that are sold? Interesting ! I bet not one dime was given back to DCSS children at her former school.
I bet if we did an audit on her absentees from her old principal job at BMS, we would again be alarmed and disturbing to know how she could just tour and hold down a job with all of her speaking engagements during DCSS work time. Interesting ! Cannot wait to check out Jackson State's information. Oh, check this out. Lonnie Edwards, Butler's uncle is over the school system there, plus I bet, he is selling Butler's books to employees there along with his own book. Guys, this lady is too cunning for me! Did she have her hearing today or is it next week?
Maybe the AJC will do another headliner with her this weekend. OMG, she is quite a study herself.
Let's hope that Eddie Long allowed his pilot to fly Butler out of dodge after DCSS officially released the cooking queen of her cooking duties, and speaking engagements for the county. Actually, they probally would be great friends since they both love fast money.
Let's hope now that Gwen Keyes will do the right thing and press charges against Butler and her sister for stealing funds using the school system's money to buy books and flip em for resales like houses. OMG. Maybe, Butler will show up on channel 5 commanding another audience surrounded by all of her bogus books for adults instead of children as she wants us to believe.
I donot think that Butler had a good day today at her hearing from what we've heard.
She and her sister should be in shackles headed straight to DC Jail with a sugar free diet. Thieves!
No wonder Ramsey turned his head the other way with Butler's shady book dealings because he was part of the Senate Resolution Family and Friends plans who recognized this crook (Butler) for changing her former school lunchroom diet. This is so odd, how can one principal dictate what her students eat verses the menu from the dietian in the county office. ?
Oh, let us not forget about that higher figure Butler used with Martha Stewart about saving Dekalb County School System around $400,000 thousand dollars with this sugar free diet for her students and oh, of course, using organic products. Apparently, $400,000 must be her magical number to toss around since she is saying that she and her husband lost $400,000 with starting up this program themselves. Well, too bad, hopefully they can recoup it with all of the money that she had taken from the DCSS thus far. Browns Mill Art Gala, Sugar Free Cookbooks on Nutrition, Traveling to Jackson State and other places on county time calling in sick and using our children in this scheme such as saying these cookbooks were for obese children. If you notice, she also toss around percentages without any proof. When watching her fame to gain on the Martha Stewart show, she just threw figures out as if she was at some type of auction. Even the anchor of the show (Martha) looked confused. Gwen Keyes need to do an extensive investigation into this woman's (Butler) company called, Ennvoy, and her income taxes to see how much of a rip off that she has used for her busines/DCSS joint ventures of business. Interesting!
When Butler was a lowly guidance counselor/LTSS, she made it CLEAR that it was merely a rung on the ladder Up To The Castle. Many poor, academically challenged children suffered because of her blatant refusal to follow the mandates of her position. The faculty and staff were sickened by the disservice done to children who deserved so much more.
Jeff Dickerson
Here are some concerning excerpts from Dickerson’s website:
"Dickerson Communications helps clients hone positions and arguments that position them in the best possible light. Close contacts with media personnel ... make it far more likely that clients of Dickerson Communications will get their public messages across.
"Dickerson Communications is able to reach the media ... through contacts made effective by familiarity and nuance, and by interacting with media personalities by virtue of being a media personality.
Remember how Dale Davis used to regularly and routinely quash media investigations into DCSS -- even after media members were presented with undeniable evidence of DCSS wrongdoing? It would be interesting to know if Dale Davis is now working for Dickerson Communications. Does anyone know?
We are paying this guy Dickerson with our very limited tax dollars to "spin" the truth and pull the wool over our eyes! The net result is useless fluff that serves no purpose other than to cover up. Meanwhile, our students sit on the floor, without textbooks, in overcrowded classrooms located in toxic buildings.
As Mark Twain said, "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." I would add, telling the truth is also free. You don't have to pay a spin-meister like Dickerson to make things "look good."
When was Dickerson first hired? How much have we already paid him? Who else does he represent; who is on his client list?
Hellooooo out there ...!
Does anyone know who now does the printing for DCSS since the DCSS printshop personnel were laid off?
Someone has to know.
Someone out there has to create the purchase orders, approve the purchase orders and approve the invoices for payment.
Who does the printing for DCSS?
Is it, by chance, now being done by The Processing Center?
@ Anonymous 10:49
What is The Processing Center - a printing company?
@ Anonymous 10:40 am
Jeff Dickerson sounds very smart and very close to the AJC. Look at his website. No doubt this is why Ms. Tyson and the BOE hired him. The AJC is the one of the main media players investigating and breaking stories that lead to the indictments, firings of upper level DCSS management, and investigation by SACS - not to mention the unrest of the electorate for BOE members running in the fall. Sounds like a perfect person to deflect some of the bad press for the DCSS administration.
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/about_us/fox_5_people/Georgia_Gangs_Jeff_Dickerson_060909
@ Anonymous 10:56 AM
What is The Processing Center - a printing company?
The Processing Center is a for profit company owned by New Birth Missionary Baptist Church [www.newbirth.org]. The Processing Center provides graphic design, print services, shipping services, and CD/DVD copying services [http://printserv.newbirthmarketing.org].
@ Anonymous 11:40
Printing contract for DCSS:
BOE notes 8/3/09:
System-wide Printing and Copier Services Contract Award
Rationale
To approve the award for various firms for System-wide Printing and Copier services.
Quick Summary / Abstract
Presented by: Ms. Patricia A. Pope, Chief Operations Officer
Summary
The award of this contract will provide for a safe and healthy learning environment by providing printing and copier services for all K-12 facilities and administrative centers.
Details
A mandatory pre-proposal conference was held on July 15, 2009. Twenty-eight (28) people were in attendance, representing nineteen (19) firms. Proposals were received on July 27, 2009 from five (5) firms. This recommendation is based on the review and evaluation of the proposals received. The awarded offeror(s) will be responsible for all standard activities necessary to ensure the success of the Program based on the Owner’s Criteria and Narrative Scope of Work; including, but not limited to, furnishing all personnel, equipment, and supplies necessary to comply with DCSS’s requirements for printing and binding services; typical printing industry services (typesetting, design, developing, color separations, offset/copy printing, bindery services such as stapling, laminating, padding, and stitching is required); monthly service reporting of printing activity at each school and/or facility is required; turnaround times should be available within 24 to 72 hours upon request of the school system; and online ordering.
The DeKalb County School System's Standard Form of Contract for Services will be used.
Financial Impact
The services for the System-wide Printing and Copier project will be allocated from various general fund accounts.
Contacts
Ms. Patricia A. Pope, Chief Operations Officer, 678.676.1331
Supporting Documents
Printing and Copier Services- Advertisement for Sealed Proposals.pdf
Printing Services - Final Score Tally.pdf
Requested Action
It is recommended that the Board approve the award to various firms for system-wide printing and copier services. Interprint Communications, Darby Printing Company, Lyte Enterprises, LLC dba Minuteman Press, and Accurate Printers, Inc.; have all been deemed the most responsible and responsive offerors whose proposals are the most advantageous to the Board based on the evaluation factors, for the system-wide printing and copier service project.
Status
Approved by Board Attorney
@ Anonymous 11:40
BOE meeting notes 8/3/09:
System-wide Printing and Copier Services Contract Award
Quick Summary / Abstract
Presented by: Ms. Patricia A. Pope, Chief Operations Officer
Summary
The award of this contract will provide for a safe and healthy learning environment by providing printing and copier services for all K-12 facilities and administrative centers.
Details
……..The awarded offeror(s) will be responsible for all standard activities necessary to ensure the success of the Program based on the Owner’s Criteria and Narrative Scope of Work; including, but not limited to, furnishing all personnel, equipment, and supplies necessary to comply with DCSS’s requirements for printing and binding services; typical printing industry services (typesetting, design, developing, color separations, offset/copy printing, bindery services such as stapling, laminating, padding, and stitching is required); monthly service reporting of printing activity at each school and/or facility is required; turnaround times should be available within 24 to 72 hours upon request of the school system; and online ordering.
Financial Impact
…Printing and Copier project will be allocated from various general fund accounts.
Requested Action
It is recommended that the Board approve the award to various firms for system-wide printing and copier services. Interprint Communications, Darby Printing Company, Lyte Enterprises, LLC dba Minuteman Press, and Accurate Printers, Inc….
As other bloggers have pointed out, the malfeasance is widespread:
http://www.ajc.com/news/cherokee/former-school-district-employee-601253.html
As to when Dickerson was hired and what DCSS has paid so far:
The school board voted unanimously Friday to extend a contract with Atlanta firm Dickerson Communications. The $18,750 contract is for crisis communication services from Sept. 1-Oct. 15, interim superintendent Ramona Tyson said.
The district has already paid Dickerson Communications $25,000 from May 9-Aug. 31....
The district laid off its internal communications staff earlier this year as part of $104 million in budget cuts.
Tyson said the district is seeking a more experienced staff and attempted to hire two new public relations officers, but they all wanted salaries too high. Instead, the district will issue a request for proposal for a private public relations firm for the year.
Dickerson will handle communications until that bid process can be completed, Tyson said.
Calculating on what has already been paid, this is a bit over $6,200 a month. How does this cost compare to keeping Julie Rhame and hiring some permanent employees to work for her?
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-schools-extend-contract-601004.html?cxtype=rss_news_81960
Julie Rhame cost DCSS $116,314 + benefits (est. 25%) = $145,392 which works out to a little over $12,000 a month so having this guy does come out to be less expensive. Plus, he has impeccable connections with the media (many years at the AJC) so I would think Ms. Tyson and the BOE figure he will able to keep DCSS off the front pages of the main and metro sections of the newspaper. Personally, I want the AJC to publish the DCSS mess. That seems the only thing that will get us a new BOE and a new administration. I don't think parents are dissatisfied with the teachers although Dr. Beasley and the rest of the 1,200+ Central Office personnel are hoping they can place all the blame on the most overworked group in the system. they seem to forget that parents trust these folks with their most precious possession, and they're seeing the teachers get knocked around right now. That's one reason parents are upset. They don't really want someone with low morale in the classroom all day with their child. I think the DCSS administration thinks parents are not too bright. If they don't think that about parents, they sure do a good impression of it.
Anon 4:17, thanks for doing the math I was too lazy to do...
I, too, am concerned that media coverage will be curtailed - the guy has connections at AJC (he worked there) and thus WSB, as well as being on the Georgia Gang, at FOX5.
Y'know, I really hate that I am so cynical and suspicious of the motives of DCSS admin (as well as most of the BoE). I automatically impute low motives to any decision they make...
I want very much to trust these people - think posted checkbook, regular community forums with Board members (where the members actually answer questions), questions directly answered by administrators at Parent Council meetings (not passed through the hands of a "cabinet member", job/salary audit, cessation of statements from officials so transparently untrue that they make me spit my coffee...
I don't think the AJC is going to back off. The big red target on the back of DCSS isn't going away.
(musings continued)
So what is it going to take to get us where we need to be - where we all feel like our schools are being treated equitably and the folks running DCSS are actually working "for the children"?
Breaking the district up would be a gigantic effort and take a lot of time - I watched what it took to create the City of Dunwoody. There was a small core of people who spent almost all their time working for it. Creating school districts (ISD or charter clusters) would be as labor intensive. Do we have people willing to do that? Where does that leave the areas that don"t have that dedicated core?
(I was at Fernbank Museum with a group of senior citizens recently, and there were three elementary school groups there - from Clayton and APS. All those kids (4th / 5th graders) were polite and enthusiastic. The older folks were loving asking the kids what they had seen, what was their favorite, what do they want to learn more about. When I look at those children, my belief is confirmed that if we can just get the kids what they need when they are young, there will be VERY FEW lost kids - they all want to learn, they all want to be engaged, they all can have their passions sparked.)
I feel completely ineffectual - swamped by the problems that exist throughout the county. It is hard to look beyond my attendance zone, but I firmly believe that fighting for our own turf is a sure way to get nowhere (look at all the different opinions about what should be done with the "found" $40M). EVERYBODY desperately needs fixes to their area schools. There is no question that redistricting and not fighting to keep too-small, non-effective schools open is needed.
How can we work together to think county-wide? Ideas, anybody?
Anybody
I really think the key is in the hiring of the superintendent. Getting one who is strong and accomplished, who cleans house, who hires top notch, reputable top people, who can recruit experienced principals to lead our most challenging schools, etc, is what is needed to turn this system around.
If they hire someone who isn't this person or worse yet, someone who is from the inside, we are done.
I didn't realize Jeff Dickerson who Ms. Tyson has hired to do public relations is also APS public relations consultant. Here's a video of him deflecting the CRCT cheating questions plaguing Beverly Hall and APS:
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/crct-investigation-sparks-controversy-071210
Is Jeff Dickerson still the publicist for New Birth? Boy, the DCSS administration sure does go for those New Birth connections.
I read where Butler did nothing as a counselor for the children that she was paid to serve. Well, from what everyone says,she failed the students at her former school too. Climbing to the top of the castle and leaving her school to run itself. But taking credit when the school made AYP using CRCT information to support her theory about academics increasing since sugar was not allowed in her school. From what is known in the district,she likes to hang around "stars" and see her name in lights as if she is at the Apollo in New York. I wish someone knew what happened at her hearing on Friday. She probally lied like she has done on her television fame shows, radio, magazines, and speaking engagements at Jackson State University about how she lost weight and how much money she saved the county. If you check it out,there is no records of any information to properly substantiate her claims about kids not eating sugar after they left school. So,how can she claim to have saved the children? Butler was incompetent as a guidance counselor, administrator, and wellness created director. Somehow, she was promoted over a qualified person with a real Ph.D for the wellness director position. The D.A. should take a real look into her company, Ennvoy and income taxes and see how she rolled money from her booksales through DCSS into her company and then probally claimed losses at the end of the year to get a big fat refund. This Butler woman has gotten over in Dekalb County. If were Butler, I would write my last book and entitle it- "Oh, How I Got Over In Dekalb County School System". This is a old hymn that she most likely should be familiar with.
The ban has meant that Browns Mill’s cafeteria serves more vegetables and fruits than before. Skeptics initially said that would mean higher food costs for the school, but it hasn’t. Sanders-Butler said the change in the kinds of foods the school provides students has actually led to $600,000 in savings over the past 10 years.
After perusing the internet and reading some of the presentations and articles taken from World Education, Butler was quoted giving a figure (savings) for the school system as $600,000.
First, the savings on Martha Stewart for her school (Browns Mills) saved the district a little over $400,000.
Taxpayers, this lady is a big liar and has the internet load up with articles promoting herself.
This is tuly a sad time for Dekalb taxpayers to note that this lady has been a con artist and not one single top official had enough sense to question her motives or check her school accounts since the county voted to take away her purchasing card. This should have been a red flag along with a call to Internal Affairs.Instead, they allowed our money to be abused/embezzled along with our school district's name, schools, and children using interviews, televison coverages, radio, magazine publications, written articles to Education World and lord knows where else.
All of the pions knew Butler was running a money game,it was the big people whom she enjoyed rubbing noses with and dropping names that fell for her game.
Shame on Dekalb County School System Administration for not conducting a check and balance system on their famous cooking queen of television.
YButler is being represented by GAE Attorney B.A. Watkins/ Thomas. Not clear about the last name, but he does work for GAE members.
Listen, to all of the folks that are paying due for GAE, this is where some of your money will go to represent a person who was nominated as Principal of the Year by GAE who wrote out a big bonus check to herself through purchasing her own books. Now, she needs representation. Wonder, what is next for this television and fradulent fake author of nutrition?
Is she fired for good? Please say, yes. Stealing from taxpayers and children. IRS view her taxes!!! Ennvoye is a fake company ripping off taxpayers as well.
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