 |
See the tiny sweat ball running down his nose? |
His lawyer, Mike Brown, argued that the superintendent wasn’t aware of many of Reid’s actions, only signing off on things he entrusted to her.
Brown also said that the superintendent never asked for the high-priced tickets from vendors, including tickets to the Masters in 2008 and 2009.
Brown also said that the superintendent never asked for the high-priced tickets from vendors, including tickets to the Masters in 2008 and 2009.
Judge Cynthia J. Becker didn’t buy that argument. “Do you have to ask to be bribed?” she said.
===
I love you Cynthia Becker!! "Do you have to be asked to be bribed" is equally as brilliant of a catchphrase as "I'm gonna to slug you!"
One question: HOW WAS THIS CLOWN EVER THE SUPT.OF THE 26TH LARGEST SCHOOL SYSTEM IN AMERICA???
This trial is going to be sordid and ugly, and no teacher worth her/his salt is going to choose DCSS first as their preferred place of work. It will continue to be a cabal of friends & family, sorority sister & fraternity brothers, Eddie Long's New Birth machine, dynasty clans like the Freeman's and Edward's/Guillory, etc. Our BOE will allow the Central Office to waste millions on junk such as eSIS and America's Choice, and made up admin jobs such as Director of Corporate Wellness and curriculum coaches and family/parent center staffers who make much more than our deserving teachers. Then again, what do you expect when our head of academics, Morcese Beasley, who loads teachers with mindless, time-consuming busy work, and then dismissively and condescendingly tells then "there is no I in team but there is a U in unemployment"??
P.S. If it weren't for Pat Jarvis, Vernon Jones and Sid Dorsey, Pat Pope-Reid would go down in history as DeKalb County's most devious, conniving and arrogant public official.
DeKalb school corruption suspects plead not guilty
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5:59 p.m. Friday, August 13, 2010
DeKalb County schools’ former chief operating officer may have violated school board policies, but she didn’t break any state laws, her attorney argued Friday.
Patricia Reid is one of four people charged with running a criminal enterprise at the state’s third largest school system.
On Friday, Reid; former schools Superintendent Crawford Lewis; Reid’s former husband, Tony Pope; and her secretary, Cointa Moody, pleaded not guilty in DeKalb County Superior Court.
A judge now will decide whether some of the charges should be dismissed, as defense attorneys have argued, and if there is a need to move the trial out of DeKalb, as requested by Reid’s attorney.
A grand jury indicted the four in May on charges of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, theft by a government employee, bribery and falsifying a public document.
Prosecutors say Reid steered multimillion-dollar school construction projects to her then-husband’s architecture firm and select vendors. In exchange, Reid, Lewis and Moody received cash, sports tickets or other perks, prosecutors said.
“This case is about people who took money they were not entitled to. They knew they weren’t entitled to it,” Special Assistant District Attorney John Floyd told the judge. “They altered documents to hide it. They created false documents to facilitate it.”
. . .
But prosecutors say there are “scores” of instances over three years that show Reid was the mastermind behind this criminal scheme.
“To some extent, Ms. [Reid] is reading the indictment with one hand over her eye,” Floyd said. “The indictment alleges 32 acts involving theft and acts of 13 false statements.”
Prosecutors allege the defendants funneled more than $80 million in contracts to associates through some type of fraud. Pope directly received more than $2 million of that, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the criminal activity, which began in 2006, involved 171 different acts, including bribery, theft, tampering with evidence, mail fraud, hindering the investigation and skirting competitive bidding laws.
Lewis’ lawyer, Mike Brown, argued that the superintendent wasn’t aware of many of Reid’s actions, only signing off on things he entrusted to her. Brown also said that the superintendent never asked for the high-priced tickets from vendors, including tickets to the Masters in 2008 and 2009.
Judge Cynthia J. Becker didn’t buy that argument. “Do you have to ask to be bribed?” she said.
===
(Click on the title of the article to read it in it's entirety at the AJC - there's lots of good reporting in it.)
151 comments:
Our main hope is that they turn on each other and every ugly detail comes to light.
What about the charges that Lewis took female employees to the Bahamas and the Ritz at Reynolds Plantations ($300 to $500 a night), used school system money and conducted no school system business?
I prefer: "Do you have to ask to be slugged??"
I really, really hope our DA Gwen Keyes presses Lewis on the Bahamas/Reynolds Plantation trips, with DCSS female staff, on DCSS p-card. I believe he re-paid the school system, but only after the trips came to public light.
And this tells 'ya what kind of man he is: His wife was battling cancer at the time.
@ Anonymous 7:59 pm
Any certified employee who has knowledge that another certified employee has violated the Georgia PSC Code of Ethics (e.g. misuse of school system funds)and doesn't report this to the PSC is in violation of the Code of Ethics and is subject losing his/her certificate.
If a female employee went to the Bahamas and/or Reynolds Plantation with Dr. Lewis, and they did not conduct school business, and she was aware that the trip was being paid for with school system funds, she was obligated to turn him in or risk losing her teaching certificate within 90 days.
I guess the evidence from the court case will tell us what really happened. Meanwhile, the question is:
Is the PSC looking to see if there were certification violations on the part of of Dr. Lewis and his female companion?
Anyone can ask the PSC to launch an investigation into this. I'm surprised no parent or school system employee or taxpayer has asked the Ga. PSC to investigate ethics charges for Lewis and his female companion.
See below that any knowledge of an ethics violation that is not reported is an ethics violation:
".....failure to make a required report of a violation of one or more standards of the Code of Ethics for educators of which they have personal knowledge as soon as possible but no later than ninety (90) days from the date the educator became aware of an alleged breach unless the law or local procedures require reporting sooner; and
3. failure to make a required report of any violation of state or federal law soon as possible but no later than ninety (90) days from the date the educator became aware of an alleged breach unless the law or local procedures require reporting sooner."
http://www.gapsc.com/Ethics/index.asp
...click on Code of Ethics
Here is the web page that tells how to file a complaint with the PSC regarding ethics violations:
http://www.gapsc.com/Ethics/GuidelinesforFilingaComplaint.asp
Even if the female employee cuts a deal with the DA, she is still at risk of losing her teaching certificate if she had knowledge of an ethics violation and did not report the ethics violation to the PSC within 90 days from when she became aware of the ethics violation.
Again, anyone can file an ethics violation complaint:
http://www.gapsc.com/Ethics/GuidelinesforFilingaComplaint.asp
Hey any lawyers in the crowd, why did DA Gwen Keys state in her indictment that Crawford Lewis went on the DCS p-card paid trips to the Bahamas and Reynoldstown Plantation with DCSS female staff members, but not name them??
And why wasn't this a crime, even if he did eventually pay back the system when it went public?
He still used a gov't entity credit card to make a non-business related trip without permission.
Apparantly some bloggers are convinced that a high ranking DCSS administrator who's last name rhymes with Cherry was on the Bahamas trip with Lewis. But why didn't Keys name the DCSS staff members who accompanied Lewis on the taxpayer dime?
Cere,
Please do a blog on the opening of school from the persective of parents, students and staff. Today was the 5th day of the year and that rooms went without air. There were large trash cans in the halls to catch the leaks. The men from plant services are spread out all over the county. Every time I see them they are really working. But we have old buildings that are in need of repair.
Someone took their eyes off of the school house. We are on the front line. If you are a principal, an AP a teacher, etc and work in the school you have a special trust.
I know that there is more accountability for everyone, but we seem to get blamed for everything.
We should be held to a high moral and ethical standard, but the people above us should be required to also have high standards.
What has happened to us?
It sounds like Lewis is taking the Blagojevich defense. This man has a PhD and is supposed to be educated and he doesn't know what these high ticket items mean and he just signs off on things and doesn't look at what he is signing.
I don't buy it and hope that the jury won't either.
The paying back of funds by the authors of the books in question does not mitigate the crime! Robbing a bank and then later returning the money is still bank robery!!
The same goes for all of the questionable profits made by DCSS over the years.
The hvac dept. needs to be given to a company, there is not enough people on the pay-roll to handle the large number of schools dekalb has. The men are over-worked. It is not there problem. It would also help for them to hire a person over the dept. who has the qualification to run the dept. It is way too hot for our kids not to have a/c.
Also they need to stopped giving failed principals jobs like the one at the sam moss center. He is a educator and that is where he should be in a school.
I think that the presumption is that the female in question didn't know that Dr. Lewis was illegally using the P-card to pay for the trips.
Bernstein is one of the best attorneys in town.
If the trial is moved out of DeKalb and metro Atlanta, it will take so much of the fun out of it!
Next time I get reprimanded for something I did wrong, I will just plead "not guilty." It seems like the thing to do.
HOW WAS THIS CLOWN EVER THE SUPT.OF THE 26TH LARGEST SCHOOL SYSTEM IN AMERICA???
Because the Board of Education at the time didn't like the taste of a superintendent who had the audicity to make policies that parents didn't like and do fire people that the board did like.
BJ, LCG, CF, EA, etc wanted desperately a superintendent they could control. And because Dr. Lewis was so far over his head, he made a great puppet.
I wish Dr. Beasley would take a trip to the Bahamas instead of aimlessly doing the ridiculous lesson plans that keep on using multiple intelligence----a theory that has little to do with education and has been debunked.
I dare you to get into Georgia Tech/UGA because you can "draw", "dance", or "sing" the SATs!!
The HVAC department doesn't know what it is doing, which is part of the problem. I have worked in schools with HVAC issues and watched the guys stand and look and scratch their heads. Those that knew what to do and how to fix the systems were let go by Reid.
These jobs need to go and we need to contract out, as we'd get much better service.
While there is no "I" in team and a "U" in employment there is a "C" in charlatan...
Really 4 years in the classroom only? You must be in the 95 percentile of educators?
Why can't you apply to function in one of these 95 percentile states? No relatives or connections there?
Lewis got what he deserved. He was telling his buddies three months before Johnny Brown was fired that he would be the next superintendent. He, along with all the other upper level Central Office upper mgt. did everything possible behind the scenes to get the BOE to can J Brown. Of course, the feckless BOE went along with it.
Oh, the day is coming soon when a new supt. will come to town and can Bob Moseley, Ron Ramsey, Frankie Callaway, Audria Berry, Marcus Turk, etc.
I created a new post below this one for a discussion about how the massive layoffs have effected the schoolhouse.
Scroll down the home page to read it - it's called, "Fallout from the massive cuts".
Turk warned Lewis not to use the P-card for the Bahamas trip and then approved it. When will he be held accountable? It was only after the use became public that Lewis paid it back! Just like the county car he had fized up and then purchased at a below blue book value. Lewis knew what he was doing!
He knew exactly. He's sly like a fox. He left so many meetings with the sympathy-getting comment, I have to take my wife for cancer treatments. (And then he promptly drove off to the Ritz with a female subordinate and 'did no work').
So, what do I have to do to get on his jury?
;-)
Oh Crawford, did some work in the Bahamas and Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation alright!!!
"I think that the presumption is that the female in question didn't know that Dr. Lewis was illegally using the P-card to pay for the trips. "
My understanding is that the female in question has been with Lewis for years and people who reported to her knew this. Was this common knowledge? Does no one else see a problem with this high ranking employee who receives promotions over the years?
When did that high ranking female realize she was not on "official" business in the Bahamas? When did notice that the nature of the "unofficial" business involved moral turpitude?
Lewis was a very compromised leader, what with secret relationships like this and a penchant for lavish spending. It's no wonder Pat Pope could do as she pleased. She was most likely very aware of his precarious situation(s) and most likely held them over his head rendering him powerless over her. (Just guessing.)
Even the BOE members who didn't hire Lewis backed him. Womack has said on several occasions, in public venues, that he thought Lewis was being railroaded and was innocent. Not sure what exculpatory evidence he has on Lewis' behalf, but he should get it over to Mike Brown, stat!
@ Anonymous 10:11
If this high ranking employee has been with Lewis for years and received promotions, she should be fired. A teacher would be.
Furthermore, if any improprieties occurred during school hours, that is called stealing time from the school system. The Professional Standards Commission should be investigating her to see if she broke the Code of Ethics.
Has no one filed a complaint with the PSC regarding ethics violations? I read that Mrs. Tyson has asked the PSC to investigate Ralph Simpson and Carol Thedford. Has she also asked them to investigate this female employee? If Mrs. Tyson has any knowledge of ethics violations on the part of this employee, she must refer this to the PSC or risk her own teaching certificate. The PSC is very clear on this.
Tyson has a teaching certificate? Why, she has not used it since the Reagan Administration.
It's not good PR to lose your teaching certificate. When you apply for a job in any school system to be in any instructional capacity, you will be asked for your teaching certificate. This is why I'm asking if this high ranking employee has not had ethic violations charges filed against her.
An easier solution, create a list of high-ranking school system employees who DO NOT need to be investigated for ethics violations.
Will SACS be investigating cronyism on the part of a female employee if she was with Dr. Lewis for years and received promotions while maintaining a relationship with him? It seems that should be a priority.
Correct me if i am wrong but i thought that two main things were going to happen with the splost money was new roofs, hvac units. How in the hell can these teachers teach with the large numbers of kids in these rooms without a/c. I heard that work orders are backed up and a large numbers of things did not get done this summer.
I watch them on the news today and conita seen very relaxed, lewis sit most of the time with his back to them. Lewis you were told that pat was doing under handed things and what did you do?. He had a meeting with us and said we were dam lying, remember it was at the sam moss center. Oh you were rideing high and you could't be touch. You beleave every thing she said, but then you were so stupid and she knew that. Pat had agenda from day one and she knew that none of those clowns on the board were smart enough to pick on it and you just sign off. She played you all and every last one of the board members and that central office need to go.
I hope the trail is held here in dekalb and let the tax payers judge them. The truth is the truth and going to a another county won't make any difference.
After reading the ajc report on pope/reid's life she always looked down on people she was the queen. Now i see why she wanted every one to look up to her she has some real problems. Hopeful she will have many, many years to think about it. The money that she stole belong too children and for that they all need to go to jail.
Hey, what's the consequence for Lewis' friend who decided to use the P-Card and go on the trip(s) with Lewis? Does she get reprimanded?
Wait ... don't tell me ... I bet she probably didn't know she was doing anything wrong.
Is she still getting paid, by the way? How is she being treated by her peers? Is it just business as usual in DCSS? IS SHE STILL WORKING, earning a big salary at the same job? Perhaps she's been demoted? Perhaps reassigned? That has been the status quo for other innocent employees who have suddenly found themselves in the precarious position of having to fight for their very livelihoods at the whim of someone at Central Office.
By the way, are these kingpins the same people who accuse other innocent people of wrongdoing, who by the way DO lose their jobs? Oh, my ...
There's something very wrong with this picture. These things always come back to roost when you least expect it ... they don't just go away.
You all know who you are. How do you sleep at night with all the boogymen (aka whistleblowers) out there?
Will SACS be investigating cronyism on the part of a female employee if she was with Dr. Lewis for years and received promotions while maintaining a relationship with him? It seems that should be a priority. ....
AGAIN, please tell me this woman won't get off scot free? Surely a few out of the 15,000 employees at DCSS won't just silently stand by and watch that happen.
Although speaking out about what's right and asking questions does present a very real risk.
Yes, true that. I've known people at DCSS who have actually lost their jobs under the guise of "reassignment" who was actually doing their very best to be good employees and good stewards of taxpayer money. And people who shouted about it were quickly silenced. Fear is a powerful thing.
"Oh, the day is coming soon when a new supt. will come to town and can Bob Moseley, Ron Ramsey, Frankie Callaway, Audria Berry, Marcus Turk, etc."
WONDER OF WONDERS! Hey, you think their names and faces be plastered all over the news??
Crawford and Audria sittin in a tree ...
One thing's for sure ... I would vote for Lewis and Pope-Reid over Zepora any day. Now that's a statement.
What about employees who were not considered for the positions this woman has gotten because of her relationship with Dr. Lewis? How do her competitors for the job feel? They were not granted a fair chance to get the job.
Did Lewis recommend this woman's promotion and salary while he was having a relationship with her?
What a terrible role model for our students. Is this not cronyism at its worst? Why would SACS and the PSC not be asking this woman questions?
Cerebration, I'd like to ask that you remove any and all posts regarding the UPROVEN ALLEGATION about Dr. Berry. This blog does not know that to be true yet continues to repeat it as though it is. If someone believes it to be true, they should publicly identify themselves and allow questions regarding their knowledge on this topic.
In the meantime Dr. Berry's reputation, both professional and personal is being harmed. She is a hard working graduate of DCSS who came back to work here and the mother of young children. Have some decency and at least allow the legal process to proceed before allowing this feeding frenzy to publicly convicted her. DA Keyes-Fleming did not identify the female employee in the indictment so there must be a very good reason she did not.
You may want to post the following link about the Online Defamation Law as a reminder to those who post information without knowing it to be true,
http://www.eff.org/issues/bloggers/legal/liability/defamation
I'm enjoying all of this and look forward to the whole cabal falling apart. But the root of the problem may be with the BOE. Considering what has happened in the past 8 years might not we be better off with an appointed board rather than an elected one. Low level elected offices such as school boards allow crooks and fools to be put in charge of way too much money as well as the quality of education. Since so many voters have no idea about the background of those they elect the election can be swayed by a megachurch or an education professional organization. An appointed board would be made up of capable people from the community. It's time has come.
I was expect the move for a change of venue, I hope it's not too far away I want to go to the trial on one of my furlough days.
@ Anonymous 6:29, how would an appointed BOE solve the problem? Who would appoint the BOE, the officials elected by the same voters that elect the current BOE? In fairness, that would not solve any problems.
Unless you could identify who would appoint the BOE, would could end up with exactly the same problems. It should be noted that there are some municipalities around the country where the BOE and/or superintendent report to the mayor and/or town council. Washington DC comes to mind.
Beasley-----why don't you come help me with my 4th grade lesson plan?
Since you only taught 4 years, you probably don't know how long it takes when 2 or 3 index card would do....
So this is why DCSS goes through these elaborate assistant or principal interview panels hoaxes even though the "cabinet" has already chosen the person? How sad!
Why don't the "patsies" who competed against these "insiders" join and sue the DCSS?
I agree with the previous poster - we should not be naming names unless we have indisputable proof. Anyone who has, please come forward and let the DA know, if you have not already done so.
That said, I fervently hope that the DA's office has identified the female companion(s) and has plans to use that information in the prosecution of the case. If this does not come out, there will be a torches and pitchforks moment.
I have been thinking about school choice for a few months, and I have come to the conclusion that I choose for my neighborhood school to be the best that it can be. I think that we have too many choices in DCSS, that take funding and attention away from our neighborhood schools. DCSS would be better off getting rid of its Theme schools, magnet programs, art schools, and the like and concentrate it's efforts on making its neighborhoods schools better places for a quality education.
It seems to me that DCSS has bitten off more than they can chew. They have too many administrators at all levels from AP to the top with very little actual classroom experience, which seems to be the norm in DCSS rather than the exception. Too many people are chosen for who they know or who they are related to instead of what they know.
We have HVAC people with very little experience with HVAC work, and our systems are constantly down at one school or another and do not get fixed for months on end. I know that it wasn't until parents called and complained that the HVAC system at my old school was fixed and they had all winter to do it.
I realize that nepotism is in many work places, but what I have seen in DCSS takes the cake to even small town, rural America. Too many of our highly paid employees have little experience, degrees from inferior institutions, and are over paid for the type of job that they have.
Things happened this week and we only know through rumors what they were, because once again Tyson was not transparent or forthcoming with the transactions. I sat through
Tyson's transparency speech in the spring and continue to wait for it.
We need independent people to come in to right size incomes and the number of jobs in our central office. Our system has forgotten that it is not a job maker, but should be focusing on the education of our children.
Our neighborhood schools are suffering and will continue to suffer if something is not done immediately. Many of our once good schools are over crowded, while other schools barely have enough children in them to remain open. More schools are not making AYP and I fear this will just continue to get larger with the current administration.
I am all for school choice, but I feel that everyone should be able to choose their neighborhood school first. This past week, I have heard from several parents of kindergarten children how unhappy they were with DCSS, and I told them with sincere honesty, it only gets worse.
We can do better for all of our children, not just a handful. We must do better for all of our children. They are our future and deserve the very best that we can give.
DeKalb Parent, I couldn't agree with you more. I have already bought my torch and pitchfork, at the local Sears.
I also think that discussions on this blog can be very therapeutic for those of us that have fought so long for OUR school system. CLew abused his power to silence my family. A few years ago, we asked the BOE and a few members of the leadership to look at the things we uncovered through a FOIA, Freedom of Information Act. Instead of answers to our questions, we were ridiculed in public, trashed by some media members and called names by some of our tax paying friends in another part of the county.
There are some other folks like us who feel this current and past BOE, minus a few, and CLew's cabinet, which is still in place, took advantage of their posts and did whatever they want, even though there were policies in place to guard against their poor and sometimes criminal behavior. Their chickens are coming home to roost and the picture of CLew on this thread speaks volumes. He knows he has been caught and I can only imagine what the DA uncovered on his hard drives. Clew was not a smart man, however he knew he was helped by others to game a system that has been corrupt for years. He just thought he could continue down the same path as past administrations.
Like Zepora's poor excuse to Wendy, before she threatened her. "This has been going on for years!" That does not give you the right to do it yourself. If she wanted to help the system, she should have exposed the real stuff going on. Folks we have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg and if I was Turk, Moseley, Thompson, Mitchell-Mayfield, Ramsey, Guilroys or Edwards I would start "lawyering" up, at your expense or just do the taxpayers a favor and resign. The DCSS gravy train has finally been derailed. Some are trying to get it back on track, but there are passengers who are standing in front of it demanding a new engineer and conductors to get us moving again.
I fear Dr. Beasley's hire is an example that the real experienced and honest folks out there, that could turn DCSS around, want nothing to do with DCSS until there are signs of a honest turnaround.
Anon 10:28 said,
Like Zepora's poor excuse to Wendy, before she threatened her. "This has been going on for years!" That does not give you the right to do it yourself. If she wanted to help the system, she should have exposed the real stuff going on.
Amen to that! I do believe that we will begin seeing some action, some that has been mentioned in this blog.
I do have a question about how far back should we go to expose misdeeds? Do we want to go back to those hired by Jim Cherry, Jim Hinson, Robert Freeman, James Hallford, Johnny Brown and possible take action against them? Do we want to identify every employee, current and former, that has enriched themselves off the taxpayers of DeKalb with products or services they sold? If the answer to these questions is yes, we could be in for a long ride that hits almost every community in DeKalb.
Well, the school board did do some cleaning house last week of corruption and book sales in the Dekalb County School System. Individuals lost their jobs, were turned over to the DA, turned over to the Professional Standards Commission and other actions were taken.
There is state law which already prevents school employees from selling their products to schools as it is a conflict of interest. The news media requested information and the school system investigated and took action against these employees. The school board has had to clean up many messes the last year. These individuals are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, the school board felt it necessary to take action now so the consequences ranged from being fired, demoted and or turned over to officials for further investigations. This will all be in the Sunday newspaper. We like being the headlines in the newspaper in Dekalb.
Anon 10:51 Reassigning the
people involve in the book sales is a diversion to make it look like something is being done. A paltry $17,000. Millions are being wasted in the administration alone. The diversion is to keep the job machine going.
Air conditioners. 30 were stolen. Just a question. Did DCSS re-buy the stolen ones? Do they have Serial Numbers? Probably not
However, this is not new for Dekalb County School System is it. Was this not the behavior modeled by superintendents in the past in DeKalb County? How do you think many of the ladies worked their way up the ranks at the central office? This has always been the word inside the school system for some time. However, Dr. Lewis is the one who got caught.
Clean house? They only reassigned the offenders. In the private sector they would be fired! Please tell us how the board cleaned house? Who was fired? It's tough finding this information out. Please tell us how the BOE cleaned house!
A comment REGARDING the blog above:
"You may want to post the following link about the Online Defamation Law as a reminder to those who post information without knowing it to be true,
http://www.eff.org/issues/bloggers/legal/liability/defamation" ...
When my innocent friend was "defamed" by DCSS no one seemed to care about his reputation; in fact was told that as long as there is "no economic loss" judges don't care about loss of reputation, libel, character assassination, untruths, and the like.
TV reporters are protected from stories they do about people that may or may not be true ... even if they unprofessionally decide to report one side and not even check their facts to see if they are true. Something about freedom of speech and freedom of the press ...
People who have the power to stop such reports don't seem to care as much about the truth, unless of course it's happening to them.
Ok, so I had to remove references to Dr. Lewis' mistresses that called them out by name. I do think some of those comments had merit though, and I've recombined them below without names attached. Please do this in the future-we all know who you mean. If you do have new input with a name, please email it to me privately at
reparteeforfun@gmail.com
I'd like to know what you know... Or if you feel more comfortable - please send it to the DA and/or the anti-defamation address anonymous shared above.
Thanks - I appreciate all of your cooperation. I understand how hard it is to not call these women out by name - especially if they have stepped over you in a promotion situation. In my opinion, this kind of relational behavior is not far removed from actual prostitution.
Anonymous said...
You forget to mention XXX. Not often one of your highest ranking administrators takes a trip to the Bahamas on a school system p-card and keeps her job.
August 13, 2010 7:59 PM
Anonymous said...
XXX, how was the Bahamas trip?
August 13, 2010 8:12 PM
Anonymous said...
XXX has a doctorate degree. There's no way she didn't know Lewis was using a DCSS p-card for the Bahamas trip. She knew Lewis' wife was battling cancer. Unbelievable that she still shows her face at the Central Office. To throw salt on the womb, she's in charge of an army of instructional coaches who do nothing to improve the teaching of students. XXX and her army just create busy work, just like Morcease Beasley's m.o.
August 13, 2010 10:13 PM
Anonymous said...
Lewis also has another friend at XXX Elementary School (XXX) who may have accompanined him as well. XXX was not his only long time companion. XXX was promoted over everyone else too. She worked with Lewis when her son attended his elementary school. From here, there romance grew over night from being a teacher to an assistant principal. where she could not get along with anyone. She bragged that she would have her school soon. Within a year, lewis gave her a new position as a principal at XXX elementary. XXX, watch out! you might be called in with XXX about you and lewis' trips too.
August 14, 2010 8:46 AM
Anonymous said...
XXX comment ... If XXX isn't the unnamed female companion of Crawford, then let her sue. She will not because she is. However, XXX is not the only one of Crawford's female companions, so she shouldn't feel all that special because of any sort of sex magic. She's just the one with the highest billing in the DA's case. XXX.
August 14, 2010 11:00 AM
What's the saying, "You lie down with wolves, you get up with fleas".... Time has come. These ladies are probably feeling very itchy about now.
You can spout all the laws if you want, but like a previous poster said. If a person feels defamed by something, then sue! It's very tough to prove, especially if what has been said on the blog is true. The exploratory phase of the trial would be very revealing and interesting. Plus, the judge would be very unhappy if the person doing the charging was not very truthful to begin with. One should not waste a judges time with baseless accusations.
Could this anon. person talking about laws etc. be the named womans legal representative? Come forward and tell us the truth, I bet the DA would be willing to cut a deal with th.e named woman.
Cere, you're the greatest!
Ralph S. is going to be an AP at Tucker H.S? Was there a missing AP there?
Teachers are really upset at the current DCSS management team so they might be rough on you.
But I heard some good things about you, Ralph, so I think you can learn from your mistakes.
Why don't you use some personal leave and apply for a AP position in a small district away from the Atlanta are----and reset your career?
I heard nothing good about Selina (carol).
ZEPORAH has been throwing her weight around the DCSS for years...long before she was a BOE member. I have always heard the her infuence came from the fact that she was one of the plantiff's in the integration lawsuit against DCSS. Can anyone find out if this is true?
Is Carol Thedford now going by the name Carol Moon? Any relation to the former BOE member?
While I certainly agree with the complaint "made up admin jobs such as Director of Corporate Wellness and curriculum coaches and family/parent center staffers who make much more than our deserving teachers" it immediately made me think of yesterday's news from UGA, that the chief jock (er, athletic director) just got a contract for $2.4 MILLION for 5 years. I have to wonder how many professors get $480,000 a year. It's not just in DCSS that one can find "educational" priorities screwed up in GA--though I'm certainly not Zepora, so I'm not arguing that's an excuse, just pointing out a sad cultural norm.
That Chief Jock you speak of raises money for the athletic dept. If he does his job like his predecessor, he'll be worth the $480,000/year.
Now having said that, I do think that the "Head Jock" should NOT be paid out of educational state funds but should get a cut/percentage of the proceeds he raises for his dept. There are other public Universities, in other states, that do this. Those states give their "Head Jocks" a base salary, comparative to other Dept. Heads, in those schools. Then he is paid a bonus, a percentage of funds raised for the athletic dept. Much like a sales person at any corporation. Nowadays, Athletic Depts., at the big schools, have become huge marketing arms for the universities. The TV dollars they receive, along with the donations amount to huge dollars and believe me UGA and others can afford to pay these Head Jocks out of those funds instead of using OUR tax dollars.
Anon 2:32 I agree that the salary paid to the new UGA director seems high. But he is paid by funds from people who voluntarily pay to see the UGA teams play and from donations. Teachers are paid from funds extracted INvoluntarily from taxpayers. These funds are supposed to be properly managed by elected officials.
DCSS could make a lot of money from people paying voluntarily to see a match between unbeaten Slugger Zephorah and another proper weight class opponent. Just kidding. You have to laugh a little to be able to live in this dysfunctional County
Yvonne Sanders- Butler is out finally! Sunday's paper gives a big description of how, when, why, and what. See Sunday's edition - Read All About It!!!
I heard that R. Simpson was demoted to an assistant principal. The next day, I am told, her resigned.
The DCC maybe the 26th largest district in the U.S., but information moves quick in this system. School workers and county employees know a lot, but they fear retaliation. We need an internal audit of what these people know. I'm sure that some stories would be hearsay, but the same stories may have some validity to them. The audit needs to anonymous, especially if you what to find out about "friends and family" members getting the "cake" jobs. Employees are very upset now, especially since they are now getting paid the least amount of the metro school in this area. I'll bet ol' Johnny is sitting back drinking a brewsky, loving every minute of this.
2:54, Thanks for the comedy, you have to laugh at DCSS, cause if we didn't we'd all be crying!
I thought the $480k came from donations and NOT from taxpayers. By the way, I hear he's worth the money we're paying him. Let's hope he stays out of Buckhead, and stays home, in the Athen's area, with his family watching movies and eating pizza.
Again, thanks for the laugh. I'd love to see Zepora and SCW pay per view.
Z. Roberts, T. Bowen, F. Callaway, F. Edwards, etc., if your children are soooo highly qualified, why didn't they apply for positions in other counties? And does it seem odd that ALL of them have "cake" jobs in the county? Folks, this is nepotism at its best. I have been teaching for 8 years and have a Specialist degree, but Z. Robert's daughter makes more than me. C'mon folks. Also, if these people are re-elected, what kind of Super do you think that they will hire? I'll tell you, one just like the others. I know of one excellent teacher who has more than 25 years experience and has been L-certified (administrative) since the 1970s. She has applied for numerous AP gigs and has never been even offered an interview. C'mon folks. Wait a minute, I have the solution. Befriend one of the BOA members and then you will get your AP job. Too late now, she's retired.
In light of what all is going on in DeKalb Schools, why would top DCSS administrators apparently try to protect a high school teacher who took his students to a bar and paid for them to drink wine on a school night? Why are they failing even to pursue an investigation of this teacher?
Just sitting her thinking....I can list a handful of folks who got their positions from the friends and family plan. I could list them all, but you may be about to make a connection of who I am. By October I'd be on a PDP for just being me and by May I'd be gone...Hey, I have a son to feed here people.
Years ago, when the Dekalb legislative delegation asked the state to create two new districts on the DCSS Board, Fran Millar said that they were being created specifically for the two women who would run for them, Simone Manning-Moon and Zepora Roberts.
Watch out other metro counties, here we come....former DeKalb teachers. We are tired of the discipline problems and Aps and principals who don't value us. We want to teach w/o interruption....w/o students cussing up and down the hallway, or without them skipping our classes and going outside for a smoke. Most discipline APs are a joke. There's a discipline form on firstclass, but they'd rather you send them an email so that they can decide whether a write-up warrants one.
a high school teacher who took his students to a bar and paid for them to drink wine on a school night? Why are they failing even to pursue an investigation of this teacher? ... WHAT? WHO? This is not news I've heard. Please elaborate.
By October I'd be on a PDP for just being me and by May I'd be gone...Hey, I have a son to feed here people.
I know the above blog comment is true because it happened to me.
Congrats to this Blog for getting the ball rolling on the Simpson book scandal. It stated here the AJC picked up on it now heads are rolling, the Sunday AJC says people involved have been dismissed. Keep up the good work. BTW this site has not been blocked by the DCSS web filter -yet.
Imagine that the DCSS does not want school system employees reading this blog. What a shame?
I guess it is because we tell it like it is and they do not want the truth told. We believe in transparency on this web-site which is something DCSS does not know the first thing about.
You know that your school system isn't in a "good place" when problems aren't allowed to be discussed in an open and frank manner. This has been the case for YEARS in DeKalb County Schools. Principals are only allowed to paint rosy scenarios, even when their buildings are falling down around them. If they DO raise concerns, they are punished instead of their concerns being addressed.
And then it trickles down from the principals to the teachers. Teachers are told to never speak negatively about anything and, again, if they do, they are punished.
And then we parents and concerned community members go to school board meetings and raise these concerns and we're called "background noise." How can our children EVER get the education they need in this atmosphere?
Do you honestly think anyone in the DCSS MIS can figure out how to block a website from their employees? Maybe Jamal "Where's Waldo" Edwards can wake up or show up long enough to read a manual and figure it out.
If I win the lottery, I am hiring a law firm and a couple forensic accountant to understand why Dekalb County is paying these astronomical sums for trailers built in the 70's? By Jupiter, why can't we get new ones? Who goes out and leases USED cars from the previous decade?
Is there bribery involved?
Dear Dekalb County,
I am not associated with company below in any manner (see links below). I simply wanted to give you a visual of the current look of temporary classrooms in the USA. With all due respect to Third World countries, the Lakeside High School trailer park has the appearance and feel an area in desperate need of American disaster intervention.
http://www.ramtecheducation.com/floorplans/CLA-2976A-COLOR.pdf
http://www.ramtecheducation.com/portables.html
"One question: HOW WAS THIS CLOWN EVER THE SUPT.OF THE 26TH LARGEST SCHOOL SYSTEM IN AMERICA???"
Because of backroom sweetheart deals with the then-school board chair and probably others. Lewis got his dream job and the chair's family got teflon status and high paying jobs. That would be my guess.
"I was expect the move for a change of venue, I hope it's not too far away I want to go to the trial on one of my furlough days."
Hell, I am UNEMPLOYED now thanks to these people. You can be darn sure I will have plenty of time to attend this trial!
Anon 6:31: Absolutely! These folks feathered their nests on charlatanism and empty graduate diplomas earned in cooperative groups. It's all about teacher abuse in Dekalb County...
I just read the AJC. The DCSS better come better than that. We aren't fools. Ramona Tyson, if you really want to show me something, you would fire the children of the goodie goodie board members. And the dumb woman who refused to be demoted...you are just as dumb as they come. You will go from six figures to the unemployment line. Don't worry, you will see other former employees that they wrongfully got rid of.
Thats the problem. Many of you people don't know school law. I'll bet that Simpson had someone to write his dissertation for him as did some of the other employees.
Ramona Tyson, you need to clean house. Now you are trying to pick at Simpson and the others. Fire those that you know are on the friend and family plan, but that would include firing yourself.
They got rid of Clayton's board. Now let's get rid of DeKalb's. Dr. Walker, I hope that you are intelligent. Because really, you didn't get it on the other end.SMH
From what I understand the hiring practice for AP or principals goes like this:
1. High Administrator "A" wants his/her special (friend, relative, lover) person hired/promoted.
2. Human Resource decides on the pool of candidates making sure "Special person of A" is better qualified then the other candidates through the screening process.
3. Interview panel composed of High Administrator "B" and 4-5 other panel members interviews "Special person of A" and his/her weaker applicants.
4. ..If the panel perceives "special Person of A" as the better qualified. No problem. Deal is done! Case closed!
( I am told that there a set of questions prepared by HR for the panelist to ask. From that set 5 to 10 questions are selected to ask every candidate. No follow-up question is permitted. Some panel members are floored by the ability of candidates to answer these questions and suspect prior knowledge of the set of questions)
5. Now if the panel is deadlocked, it becomes the job of the High Administrator "B" to advocate for the special friend. This is done very smoothly.
a. Because every lay (parents) person suspect that High Administrator "B" knows his/her stuff, they slowly change their vote and reservation.
b. Feeling too uncomfortable to argue with High Administrator "B" and sensing that the Special person will be their supervisor within a few days, the teachers on the panel just nod.
6. For so-called privacy reasons, every person on the panel is sworn never to discuss the files of the candidates and the reason why a particular one was chosen.
7. With APs and principals selected in this manner, how can our schools do well? How can master schedules be built? How can teachers be used wisely to meet the needs of the students? A school is indeed in a very precarious situation when the average teacher knows more pedagogy, more about discipline, and has much more intelligence then the school leaders?
8. Thus beholden for their high salary to their benefactors, how can the newly-minted AP or principal stand for right and morality in the face the cabinet's incompetence?
Does anyone know who the candidates for the Clarkston principal job were? Who the High Administrators "B" and “C” in this case were? One may have been demoted to AP now…. I guess there will be some loose lip if this High Administrator "B" did resign.
"Many of you people don't know school law"
They have no idea about school law.
One hand they exceed the limits of State and Federal laws with regards to students and parents under the doctrine of customer service (Immigrant/ESOL are excluded here) while on the other hand, these principals pressure teachers on maternity leave or on sick leave to come grade papers.
Dekalb is so lucky to have such docile teachers....Just 1 state over, there would have 100's of judgments against those "shake & bake" administrators.
Ralph,
You have been wronged. You did what others did or were doing with these books. All the high folks praised you for writing this book to motivate students. They had you on PDS24 talking about the book to risk kids....
How were you supposed to know that this was illegal/unethical?
Here is some advice from Jimmy Swaggart ( he is still on TV you know)----Apologize AND TELL EVERYTHING YOU KNOW to the AJC and the Dekalb DA. Make your downfall the catalyst to fix Dekalb for all the future students. Come on, Ralph, the average South Dekalb student is like you were in high school: smart, driven, but not well prepared academically. Give them the chance you did not get...
We will all forgive you. You might get a talk show...This is your calling. Do it!
Ralph,
Don't take the bullet for the team!
The team does not deserve it.
Apologize AND TELL EVERYTHING YOU KNOW to the AJC and the Dekalb DA. Make your downfall the catalyst to fix Dekalb for all the future students.
Come on, Ralph, the average South Dekalb student is just like you were in high school: smart, driven, but not well prepared academically. Give them the chance you did not get... ( Imagine what you would have become had you been properly educated?? )
We will all forgive you. You might get a talk show...This is your calling. Do it!
It is a great deal of "good old boy" in DeKalb. If you are a SWD graduate or your family has history in DeKalb, then you get administrative jobs easy. It use to be that you had to be a principal to be considered for those cushy positions in the Central Office. Has XXX (Director of Title I) been a principal-NO, has currently Superintendent been a principal- probably not. These people dont even know what its like to run a school and now they are running our district. How could this happen? Simple, hook up cause I know your family or Im giving you some bedroom pleasures.
Ralph did not deserve this. Why cant someone that works for the DeKalb County have a great idea and sell their idea as long as it helps students. So, what they are saying is that if you write a book and live in NY, then its ok for the schools to purchase your book, even if it doesnt relate to the students in GA. Yet, the book seller in NY, wont pay taxes in GA, wont spend money in GA, ect...Any fortune 500 company would pay their employees for a good idea or if they are saving the company money. We are so backwards. It will cost more money to fly the person down from NY to discuss their book or product vs getting Simp to drive his car and speak about his book.
I'll bet that Simpson had someone to write his dissertation for him as did some of the other employees.
Now, who in their right mind would take the time to write someone dissertation. No one in their right mind. It would take a great deal of money to pay someone to do something like this I would think as this is not an easy thing to do so I suspect he wrote it himself.
I think Dr. Simpson does need to get credit where it is due.
My buddy "Cowboy",
See how you got paid back for making the XXXston position happen for the right person?
You probably ain't getting XXXdar XXXve HS in December. I think it's a pump fake to keep your eloquent mouth shut.
You got charisma---you should be on radio or TV. You can be the new Montel Williams! You'll make more money than these miserly $123 000.00 you made as Assistant Super.
Really, did the supreme leader know that the fix was in for XXXXston HS and that you got the goods AND STILL DEMOTED YOU. The supreme leader might not be there in December to give you a shot at principal.
My son is starting at a DCSS high school. He came home truly excited about school because of a teacher. The gentleman apparently has his doctorate from Harvard. To hear my child tell it, the teacher knows how to relate to children, is incredibly intelligent, makes the material make sense, and makes the children think in new ways. But the man does not care at all about being addressed as "doctor." I wonder if this is because he is confident and competent enough that he does not need the ego boost? How does this compare to all of these "doctors" in DCSS marching on our dimes? Doesn't Harvard have an education school? Why not get somebody from there as super? Time to really clean out this ghetto.
I don't care who or how the book was written, however I do care that princiapls and AP's were trying creative book keeping to hide the fact they were buying books. Once again, did Turk know about these purchase orders and sign off on them? It's time we put the DCSS check book online, like so many other systems have started doing. Ramona transparency, honesty, trust will begin when we see the former cabinet of Clew resign or fired. They knew this stuff was going on, they had to!
"Now, who in their right mind would take the time to write someone dissertation."
Aren't these services, under the term of dissertation/thesis consulting, offered by Kaplan, Phoenix, Nova centered private consultants?
When I am paying 25-30 thousand dollars for a PhD, what is 2-3 thousand more?
Cowboy,
Sooner or later these women are going to get angry with you.
Take the lead before they do.
Purge your conscience while striking a blow for all these disadvantaged children. Give them a chance!
Ramona,
Did you the usual fix was in at Clarkston?
Can you correct it? Is it too late?
Resume/curriculum vitae should have some weight.
Ramona,
Did you know the usual fix was in at Clarkston?
Do you need the mother as an ally for the sake of political expediency?
Without the cabinet you'd be lost, right? You kind of way over your head, right?
Is it too late to give this crown of thorns to someone else? Is the wine bitter?
Resume/curriculum vitae should have some weight.
"Now, who in their right mind would take the time to write someone's dissertation." 9:03 PM
Here's who -- in his spare time between working full-time for DCSS, starting up a church, and threatening teachers. From his website:
"Dr. Morcease J. Beasley offers services in Improving Instruction, Leadership Development, Program Evaluation and Research, Instructional Management Audits, Dissertation Writing, Dissertation Editing, and Statistical Analysis for Dissertations. Please request services using the link provided below." [http://www.apassionforleadership.com/DrBeasley.htm]
Beasley claims to write dissertations for others, but he won't share his own doctoral dissertation with the people who pay his salary -- DeKalb County taxpayers. Beasley is a charlatan and a shyster --and he needs to go. Go now!
DSW bloggers should step back a moment from the shared anger and disappointment. This blog has a useful purpose, but recently it's turned to attack mode.
I like others have considerable investment in the system and am angered, but we need to be forward-focused to make a meaningful difference.
With 15,000 full and part-time employees it's not unlikely that 1% of them (~150) are really P.O'd and could find this blog a convenient medium to vent.
They certainly have the right to do so. Our readers should keep in mind the same. Maybe, just maybe, the district isn't as screwed up as we think it is. Or who am I kidding....
Cynical? Yes!
Every year the a@@@@oles change the format or tempo of lessons and ask the teachers to chase the illusive lesson plan format required to please the boss.
Dr. Beasley--- who made AYP at Stephenson HS ( AYP was easy to make during the first 3 years of its implementation) before he fled on the coattails of Johnny Brown to Texas. Dr. Beasley did not make AYP at Columbia High School last year---he fled again to safer grounds) is now having 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers sweat 3 hours or more of lesson plans every week to justify his safe harbor.
Crazy enough, these plans have to keep pace with the curriculum--all 4th graders throughout the county have to be in the same place more or less even if they all did not start at the same level.
This is how stupid this is-- Dr. Beasley had every 4th grade teacher test their students to see what he/she needs to teach the students based on the students'level and he turns around to require uniform lesson plans and pacing without getting the results of said testing.
This guy really has a valid PhD??
Dr. Beasley made the teachers give a big print 32 page reading comprehension assessment to all 1-5th graders. Teachers had to photocopy 32 pages for each kid in the 1-5th grade.
Does that diktat signal competence and common sense?
Teachers, does Dekalb County own the rights to make this many copies of the material under copyrights and fair use laws?
Has anyone read the classic "The Treeslayer" James Fenimore BEASLEY?
@ Anonymous 10:11
"Maybe, just maybe, the district isn't as screwed up as we think it is. "
Yes it is. DCSS has huge challenges. Very few people get the chance to work in schools all over the county. I did for many years, and it is as bad as many posters.
This blog has much anectodal evidence. But I'm a bottom line person who prefers to look at the numbers:
1. Over 15,000, but only 6,400 are teachers
2. An independent audit that said 2,500 non-teaching employees are over paid almost $15,000,000 a year
3. An ever increasing teacher turnover rate
4. A steadily declining AYP rate:
2003 - 2004 86%
2004 - 2005 77%
2005 - 2006 71%
2006 - 2007 79%
2008 – 2009 71%
2008 - 2009 78%
2009 - 2010 56%
Numbers don't lie. By all indexes, DCSS is a failing system.
From everything I've heard, Gwinnett County's superintendent Alvin Wilbanks is arrogant and dictatorial. However, 90% of Gwinnett's schools made AYP this year.
I think this blog is a reflection of the frustration that parents and teachers have regarding the school system serving their children. Go to AJC Get Schooled Blog run by the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. You will see the same frustration and anger expressed there. Maureen Downey's blog gets thousands and thousands of hits a day. Blogs may not even be read by most people, but they often are a good barometer of what the public thinks. The election upset of Senator Scott Brown in Massachusetts was greatly attributed to blog discussions that coalesced a frustrated and angry electorate. If everyone was happy and content with the situation in DCSS, believe me this blog would get few comments and little notice.
@ Anonymous 10:40 pm
"Dr. Beasley made the teachers give a big print 32 page reading comprehension assessment to all 1-5th graders. Teachers had to photocopy 32 pages for each kid in the 1-5th grade.
Does that diktat signal competence and common sense?"
If we're giving such a test for students, why aren't we putting it online and then delivering the results to teachers? Isn't anyone else concerned that we taxpayers have spent hundreds of millions (not tens - but hundreds) for student technology, yet we are still giving these pencil-paper test? Our school system is so far behind the eight ball in technology it pitiful.
If the trial is moved out of DeKalb and metro Atlanta, it will take so much of the fun out of it!
August 13, 2010 9:04 PM
It will do more than take the fun out of it folks. Common tactic to keep people in the dark as to how the prosecuation is proceeding. It will be limited prosecution and nobody from here will be at the trial to see what the effect is. Deals, deals, deals.
Good guess Cere!
"Lewis was a very compromised leader, what with secret relationships like this and a penchant for lavish spending. It's no wonder Pat Pope could do as she pleased. She was most likely very aware of his precarious situation(s) and most likely held them over his head rendering him powerless over her. (Just guessing.)"
August 13, 2010 10:16 PM
Prevous post:
"I hope the trail is held here in dekalb and let the tax payers judge them. The truth is the truth and going to a another county won't make any difference."
Exactly--and it will be moved, mark this post.
Deals, deals, deals will keep this trial from mentioning anybody else that we are after--and doing it in another county will make that happen.
Lewis is a small fish.
"I was expect the move for a change of venue, I hope it's not too far away I want to go to the trial on one of my furlough days."
August 14, 2010 6:30 AM
It will be moved and noone who knows anything will attend. Without real reporting on the "exploratory", the prosecution will get away with limiting indirect testimony and questioning. It's the indirect aspect that we want--the BIG BOYS.
Dorablog's take on DCSS:
http://doraville.org/?p=1059
If DCSS keeps stinking to high heaven, and the county commissioners and CEO keep fighting, we just might lose Doraville and Chamblee when Milton County comes a callin' to Dunwoody. Ron Ramsey's head will explode.
I'd buy a ticket to see that.
Anon, 10:16.. Cynical and I hope to God you're kidding. We should NOT step back any longer. Tyson, her cabinet and the BOE were hoping we would step back over the summer and go away. The situation got worse! DCSS is crumbling all around us and the BOE meeting the other night should be a great indication. No discussion on votes for another family member who was getting a promotion? Are you kidding me? Tyson with her 3 minute powerpoint on how it's going to take 18-24 months to change 247 policies, with blue ribbon panels and committees to discuss what to change and how? Are you kidding me? 18-24 months longer of the same crap we have endured for 20 years? Please!
My family was harassed by BOE members, media members who were in the tank with Clew and who have been taken off the DCSS beat, thank GOD! and cabinet members who said parents rumblings are background noise. Are you kidding me? Please.. We have to change DCSS NOW or we have to shut it down and do something different like ISD's or something. Enough! There are too many folks who are mad as hell and they aren't going to take it any longer.
It's time for change and the taxpayers, who provide the funds for this madness, must make sure these BOE members are voted out, and the Clew-less cainet are shown the door. No more friends, no more families, no more frat or sorority friends and no more New Birth mafia. ENOUGH!
I think I just discovered another problem with our friends in South DeKalb, in our old friend's Cynthia McKinney's congressional district. I have just pulled this off the web, I hope it's wrong, but my source is pretty good.
The Socialist Party of America announced in their October 2009 newsletter that 70 Congressional democrats currently belong to their caucus.
Guess whose name was on this list? Hank Johnson! I am no longer a part of his district, thank God! However, is there anyone who is in Hank's district who would/could care to ask Hank if he really is a socialist? If he is, could people in his district be taking down DCSS on purpose so the Feds will come in and provide their "National Curriculum that Arne Duncan, the Fed head of the DOE,, has been talking about? I'm just saying...
I'm not a conspiracy theory guy but it does make me wonder if our BOE members might have another agenda on their minds. Could DeKalb county tip over like Guam?
Okay, that last line was a bit of a joke, however with hires like Beasley and Clew paling around with Duncan before leaving, I'm just wondering if there is another agenda that SOME might be trying to follow.
This place smells.
Something just ain't right when some pseudo-techno person become interim super with no school-side administrative knowledge and experience. Is that person credentialed enough to earn the PSC's approval?
This person has to rely for so much on his/her assistants that she/he can't effectively wield power.
Is it the price of keeping skeletons buried to have incompetent or crooked superintendents? Or an interim without experience but who asks teachers to pray and have faith in God?
What skeletons must remain hidden at all costs to warrant screwing up the education of almost 100 000 students? What skeletons have resurrected former board members to come back?
Think people! If the competence is based on this person's skills as a cyber-savvy technical wunderkid, why do we have eSIS, FirstClass etc...in such poor shape?
Anon at 10:47 PM
Could DeKalb parents handle a superintendent like Wilbanks? There are no community committees there and a decision is generally a decision. School choice is almost non-existent and Wilbanks has pretty much gamed the NCLB/ESEA system so that the transfer option is meaningless.
Do you think we could handle such a change in DeKalb?
I happen to think, if it is the right leader, it might be what we need for a while. Part of the problem with DCSS is that parents expect to be able to influence the outcome of nearly every decision. That is why the transportation plan has never been fully implemented, it is why schools weren't closed and it is why the calendar was changed fairly significantly months after adoption. One of the lowest performing elementary schools in DCSS just saw their assistant principal promoted to their princial, because that is what they wanted. Is it good for the school, I don't know, but I would think an outsider might better be able to lead such a challenging school.
In DeKalb, involved parents have been conditioned to believe that a decision is never really a decision, especially under Dr. Lewis.
Interesting article in CrossRoads News...
http://crossroadsnews.com/view/full_story/9133383/article-End-drama--school-chief-says?instance=lead_story
Ms. Tyson affirms again that she doesn't want this job permanently.
"SACS President Mark Elgart said DeKalb is not at risk of losing its accreditation at this time, but he said the school system will be at risk if administrators and school board members don’t prove they are learning from the district’s problems."
Full article is found at http://www.cbsatlanta.com/news/24597959/detail.html
Yet Dekalb County School continues its hiring of friends and family practice.
How about looking into that? Why do we have so many of inept sons and daughters of such and such high and mighty in so many AP, Principal, and cushy jobs?
The community is getting ticked off and the community is not just the mythical "them". The p@ssed off community is made of people of color who are increasingly mad at this racial cannibalism.
Greed and ambition not supported by merit in DCSS administration is devouring the future and potential of Dekalb students.
You were not chosen by the Almighty for your high position--there was no calling--, you earned that position for which you have little aptitude through clandestine maneuvers and/or relatives. You compounded your crime by not bothering to acquire experience or skills because you were too eager to get out of the classroom where education actually happens!
The people's anger is rising. Soon, the people will be at your gates.
Dr. Beasley,
Teachers are drowning. It takes them everything they have got stay afloat.
Please, do not also tie a millstone of worthless paperwork around their weary necks!
Let principals be principals!
Many are angry in the community. Many business leaders are angry in the community also. Just that a school board member would come out against a company and make a decision based on this group belonging to a group itself is a conflict of interest by being a school board member. Decisions should be made on what is best for the students.
Dr. Beasley,
Teachers are drowning. It takes them everything they have got stay afloat.
Please, do not also tie a millstone of worthless paperwork around their weary necks!
Let principals be principals!
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like Anon 12:28 A.M. needs to lay of the right-wing nut-case TV and radio commentators and start learning and thinking for himself/herself. Socialism: The new right-wing idiot label for liberalism.
Let's give Anon 12:28 A.M a break. When you have such an incredible confluence of events at one school system, it's not unreasonable to think there's something more at work. Heck, there can't be any other school system in America where the top two former officials are facing RICO indictments. You expect RICO indictments while watching The Sopranos, not from the top two officials in charge of edcuating your kids.
When people have been placed to watch over 1.2 billion dollars anything is possible. I do think DCSS leadership is corrupt, dumb, criminal, trying to cover-up the truth and moronic. They can't resign because having DCSS on your resume, as a leader, will not help you get work anywhere else. I do think that's why they are trying so hard to keep their jobs.
It's truly a redistribution of wealth, not in a socialistic way but in the corrupt and criminal way. The sad thing is this money is for our kids education not for them to redistribute to their friends and family.
Before mocking someone's input, it usually pays to calmly investigate. In doing so, I found that indeed, there is a "Democratic Socialist" group of which both Hank Johnson and John Lewis are listed as members.
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/08/american-socialists-release-names-of-70-congressional-democrats-in-their-caucus/
You can link to the uploaded newsletter on Scribed from the link above.
I'm not sure what this means, except that the basic tenets of this group are government controls over private industry and redistribution of wealth.
That said, there's a link to the "Second Bill of Rights" this group adhere to. It's not as all-fired scary as you may think -
Second Bill of Rights:
The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
The right to a good education.
There are some in the wealthy class who believe that they are entitled to hold millions of dollars in personal wealth while others suffer with little food or poor access to healthcare, which the wealthy blame on a lack of motivation. The divide had widened between these two classes immensely which brings out radical thought for solutions. Had we treated our working and poor classes more equitably and with respect all along, perhaps we would not have generated such a class-clash.
As far as how this applies to DCSS - I believe that everything good and/or bad in the end is about education. We (and apparently Atlanta Public Schools even more so) are not providing anywhere near an adequate education for our students to move on and enjoy a respectable quality of life. I've stated for a long time that we are beholden to provide enough of an education so that our children can grow up and provide a safe home, food on the table and a happy life for their families in the future. That's why I support vocational schools and tech schools. As it is now, we are not providing avenues for success in life to anyone other than those who can manage AP courses and attend and complete college. The big lie is - very few are able to do this and in the end, spend a lifetime attempting to survive on very low paying wages, unable to maintain a happy family life, which I believe iS a basic American right—one that can be provided by a decent education and job training.
Teachers...Principals...I do not think that the BOE is hearing your frustrations about the level of paperwork and other "inane" things being placed on you this year that are unnecessary to actually do your job. To the extent things are required of you to do your job, do them. To the extent you are being asked to do things to justify other's existence at higher levels at a time when there are so many other pressures on you, please find a way to let the BOE know and do not assume they find out by reading the blog. Perhaps the local school PTAs can collect and report such information. The least that can be done is pressure can be removed from folks in a non-monetary way this year.
ATTN FELLOW TEACHERS:
Don't allow this lesson plan format to get you upset. I put my entire week on the one new plan, creating boxes for Mon-Fri. I set it up in such a way that it will remain the same all year. I just need to go in and change some of the skills, standards and activities as needed. The plan is meant for YOU, not anyone else. So make it work for you. And don't spend an inordinate amount of time on it. Just do what they ask you to do and then close your door and do what's best. However, I do think that teachers need to advocate for limits on the amount of paperwork we are required to do. I did not even know that other states had these laws until recently.
Does Beasley really plan to look over the lesson plans of 6500 teachers every week? What does he expect the principals to do? Isn't that their job? I always thought teachers did lesson plans and principals checked them over as well as occasionally monitoring them in class. At least this is how it's done in Ohio... maybe I'm just assuming. You know what happens when you do that.
Cere, in my experience in DCSS, the principals and assistant principals make repeated announcements reminding teachers to turn in their lesson plans, but no one ever looks at them (or even checks to see if they've been turned in!) unless the administration is gunning for a teacher for some reason.
Cerebration at 10:42,
Thanks for the level headed analysis regarding the class (in more meanings than one) crisis in DCSS.
However, methinks that the this website you speak of is probably bogus and a political smear against two fine Congressmen. Hank's island joke, was just that, a joke, and it went over the heads of everyone in the room, esp. the press (I guess irony isn't translated well through the press.)
And there's no denying Lewis as Georgia's best and most conscientious federal elected official, bar none.
After that diversion, I'm back on the issue at hand, the scouring clean of DCSS!!!
Son of awcomeonnow saying...
Yes, Dekalb's corruption is deplorable. That being said, we are not the only county with higher ups facing going to the pokey.
In Louisiana, William Jefferson ( the politician who was found with bribes in his freezer) has some relatives that were on the school board facing jail time for malfeasance.
In Pennyslvania, one county has 27 public officials under indictment. I believe 5 are tied to the local schools. Some of the indictments are for referrals of juvenile delinquents to a local jail by school system officials and a corrupt local judge.
Persons wanting to make meaningful changes in their areas need to keep abreast of where corruption seems to flourish in the U.S. ( and who seems to be practicing it).
That way, we can prevent our
mis-representatives from appointing persons such as Terrell Bolton. Or look twice at the where new higher ups have worked in the past (Johnny Brown had a long history of working at ethically challenged districts before hitting Dekalb. Either he was a crusader, or he felt comfortable in the surroundings.)
Our next principal shouldn't be from Newark, or DC, or Cleveland (was under state supervision for it's failures).
Similar situations are ripe throughout the U.S.
I'd think twice about a hire from Kansas City, and many parts of Louisiana and Maryland.
Here's a reading assignment for the next few months for School Watchers: follow areas where the schools suck and the corruption flourishes throughout America. I think it's safe to say that we're finding out that things have been in place for a long time in most of these areas to make it happen.
Once OUR homework has been done, pay attention to where proposed Superintendent or higher up hires come from. If it's from an area where some of the worst DCSS front office types would feel right at home, raise some hell about it.
Education - It's the next biggest multi-billion dollar business! Stand back while the hogs feed at the trough and the children starve.
Also - yes, the list of "democratic socialists" may be strictly an Opinion piece, however, once you dig, the tenets are not that horrible. That was my point.
The Johnson - Lewis socialist conspiracy theory may have some merit. But it is more like communism. There is, at least not as yet, a communist caucus in the U.S. House of representative.
The idea is to transfer the wealth from "up north" to establish an upper middle class AfAm society, namely the overpaid DCSS administrators. They are to be the elite ruling class over the Section 8 riff raff and the "up north" affluent taxpayers who are obligated (under penalty of losing their homes)to keep working to support the ruling class.
DCSS has the second highest school tax millage rate in the Metro area trailing only Forsyth by about half a mil. If SPLOST is factored in, probably the equivalent of 3 - 5 mils, then DCSS would by far have the highest millage rate. Dr Walker wanted to raise the rate by 2 mils. He sort of has an elitist attitude, like keeping the riff raff out of Arabia HS.
Only drastic action can save DCSS. The only two possibilities are a new "take no prisoners" super or State takeover. The majority of the current BOE will not let the former happen an the administrators will be fighting against it. Our efforts should be directed to getting the State to step in.
I am not optimistic that SACS will/can do anything that cannot be covered with wallpaper to keep the old machine going.
With reference to this question "Teachers, does Dekalb County own the rights to make this many copies of the material under copyrights and fair use laws?"
The answer is yes. The tests are in a book called "Placement Tests" which is intended for copying. It is part of the new reading adoption.
There are better, quicker ways to assess reading fluency and reading comprehension such as a 60 second timed reading from a fluency passage with different types of questions at the end. You can get a words per minute count and see if the student actually understands what he or she is reading in less than two minutes with very little photocopying.
How I love that picture of Clew! he is worried and he knows we're on to him and have been for months! I hope the trial is close by so we can attend regularly.
He better hydrate properly since he will be sweating it out during the trial.
I hope that the trial is in dekalb so the employees, parents, tax payers can also attend. Why would they do it any other county. Bill campbell, linda sherrcok, Pat jarvis,ralph abernathy, and many more had there trial in the county where the crime took place. Pat knows that she has treated so many people wrong and now she wants to go in another county. She and lewis want to run and receive some sympathy.
When you serve on a juror it is about the truth. You do not discuss it with anyone and you base you verdict on the evidence. They will get a fair trail bottom line.
@Anonymous 2:44, if comments on this blog are representative of the feelings of citizens in DeKalb, it would be difficult to get an impartial jury here. Heck, this blog could probably be used as an exhibit of why the trial should not be here.
As a DeKalb citizen, I would want it to be here so that I could possibly attend however those indicted have a right to an impartial jury. We still must remember they are innocent until proven guilty. That's what is great about this country.
Yep, innocent until proven guilty. But you can be darn sure that no district attorney in the country is going to use the RICO Act for indictments unless the proof is overwhelming.
@ Anonymous 4:03 pm
There are affluent taxpayers all over DeKalb who are unhappy with the schools. I started in 1972 working for DCSS - at Jim Cherry Elementary SChool. I couldn't believe there was a sitting superintendent with a school named after him! His family still populates the school system!
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