Kid Stuff

You can only hide for so long. Unless you are in the schools system.

Have you ever wondered why you, as an English speaker, have to read El Nuevo Herald to get any news critical of Crew or MDCPS?

Would the fact that MDCPS pays The Herald an average of $70 thousand a month versus $24 a month to El Nuevo Herald for the same period of 20 months have anything to do with the apparent bias? (see http://checkregister.dadeschools.net/ and type in your favorite favored vendor). Notice the $200k this past February and again last October!

Why wasn't the Herald notified/present at UTD's Stewards' march on the School Board 3/20/08? Kathy McRory said UTD never notified her. I sent them a press release the day before and they showed up late after we'd left.

Do the Herald/UTD/MDCPS have something to gain by suppressing teacher unrest while proclaiming the woes of administration?

Consider the Miami New Times coverage over the last couple weeks: news of Evelyn Greer's son's Carlisle Group being lobbyied for (to the tune of $5 million) by Rudy Crew (on behalf of the school board, a move that had NOT been discussed by the board) while the Wall Street Journal (March 12) proclaims Greer's son's company is in trouble with failed financing. Isn't this newsworthy? The memo Crew wrote is widely circulated and was offered to the Herald, they did not respond to the offer.

How about the recent revelation in the New Times that the School Board warehouses dozens of teachers in administrative offices because they engage in critical activities (consider the cases of Shawn Beightol and Patrick "Taz" Williams, the former "locked away" for questioning publicly the burgeoning downtown administrative salaries, the latter for questioning his school's Small Learning Communities grant status - an issue highlighted by the auditor general's February 08 report - when it showed in the red - both exonerated with "No Probable Cause") - No press from the herald when such activity strains the budget further by causing double payments.

How about the recent revelation that the current administrator in charge of night school/adult ed is has no college degree and was placed in his position by Cuevas and now purchases curriculum from Cuevas' company, New Century Learning?

How about Evelyn Greer's botched land sale that was covered by Wakefield in the Sunpost?

I guess conflict of interest is not news when the news organ is also guilty of violating this ethical principal.

The culture of fear that has been engendered by the current MDCPS administration is pervasive and effective - information is suppressed to help control the populace.

Regards,

Shawn Beightol
UTD Designated Steward,
Michael Krop Sr. High

Adult Education is supposed to promote "Education", Its a shame that the person overseeing the school districts adult education programs does not even have the basic requirements to be in the position. Its a joke that this person is making decisions about the use of appropriate curriculum. What does he know about curriculum, he has not even been in a classroom. Its no wonder our teachers continue to leave the school system. Who needs credentials when all you need is some friends in the right places. What happend to Superintendent Crew's initial emphasis on everyone having the required credentials. I guess this only applies to some.

In a recent article, "Kid Stuff," I was mentioned as a former Instructional Supervisor. To set the record straight, I served MDCPS for 35 years as a teacher, district administrator, and multi-level assistant principal. I possessed all relevant degrees, experience, and certification for every position I held. I left the school system as a retired employee satisfied with my career - not disgruntled as Mr. Manrique claimed. I still enjoy my status as a retired MDCPS employee. I am saddened to see what I call, "The Watering Down of Education."

Simply, the placement of personnel lacking necessary requirements is not in the best interest of children and/or adult learners. If you are going to be an educator, go to school and secure the certifications necessary to qualify for the job. If you are going to be a realtor, get the license and negotiate property.

Mr. Manrique drew a personal comparison to Mr. Bill Gates. WHAT! Mr. Bill gates did not graduate college, true. The comparison stops there. I do not believe Mr. Manrique ever applied or was admitted to or enrolled at Harvard University. If Mr. Manrique is on a par with Mr. Gates, then the School Board should use his talents to benefit the system.

Oh, wait. They are, as he is filling two administrative positions - Workforce and Adult Education. Perhaps the School Board should use this as a model and cut staff by a factor of 2, assigning two positions to one administrators across the board.

Ten years ago as an administrator I challenged my staff to seek additional supplemental funding. Over the following years my record stands as earning over 60 million dollars in competitive, supplemental grant funding for the district. In my last year staff and I secured over four million in funds for the district. During my tenure as an Instructional Supervisor NOT a single one of my supervisors ever said, "Thank You."

In the article Mr. Manrique never mentioned the funds I brought into the system. I left the system with a winning style of grant writing accompanied with proven funding results and program enhancements that remain today. To calm Mr. Manrique, I have no axe to grind.

If we are to challenge the learners in our system, do so with trained educational professionals. If we are to run programs with no instructional implications, do so with financial diligence. By the way Mr. Manrique's salary would hire two full-time, certified classroom teachers.

To our School Board and our Superintendent I remain an advocate of the public schools.