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| No, this isn't a picture of School Committee members and Union Leaders sitting together at Barnstable Court today! I just thought this page needed a picture of some buzzards. |
There were some interesting reports coming out of Barnstable Court today. The Judge listened to arguments from legal counsel representing the Superintendent as well as the attorney representing the Town's litigation insurance carrier and took the matter under advisement. A ruling is expected in the near future.
It was interesting to note that the four Committee members who were being sued personally were sitting in the back of the courtroom with their supporters including the President of the Teachers Union and former members of the Community School Executive Council. Maybe they were negotiating another one of those "handshake agreements"?
It was also interesting that the members of the Committee who were not being sued personally (and could not be in court because they work for a living) had yet to receive any news on the court hearing by 9:00 tonight. I would think keeping your team informed of pending litigation status would be a good committee management practice -- but maybe that's just me.
Details to follow once the judge rules.
18 comments:
I had some time today at work to pop in on MaryEllen Johnson's hearing against Sandwich School Commm. It was very interesting to say the least. If there was any doubt about the school committee women agendas bias and vendettas, there is no question now who they advocate for it's not the school children. It's the union and Community School pool groupies. A year of arrogance, intimidation, undermining of Dr. Johnson's work, Funny thing was that the arrogant School comm members were all sitting (hiding, shrinking) in the last back row. They're named individually in the lawsuit, common sense would indicate they should have sat up front beside the Sandwich insurance company's lawyer. If i could have taken a picture I would have, it was Crossman, Kangas Linehan, Marshall was sitting next to Laura Carlisle, president of the teachers union. Plenty of seats and the president of the union sits right beside the S.C. chairwomen Marshall. Ellie Gaffney was there representing the Comm School pool crowd.
The judge took it all under advisement which is common practice the judge has some serious work to do figuring out this mess. He appeared a bit surprised as to why the school board members are attempting to hire another superintendant when this disaster has not been resolved yet. A contract is a contract. The former school committee gave notice of the recessed meeting by SACAT, front page of the papers and bulletin board at high school. Appears it was posted in several areas. Where is the blatant violation of open meeting law?
The Truth Maker would add that the hearing before a Judge held this afternoon at the Barnstable Court house was taken under advisment by the Judge. Both sides made compelling arguments.
The union was well represented by the majority members and their spouses. Dr. Johnson also had a few friendly faces in the crowd.
It goes without saying that several comments made by one Lawyer lacked a little honesty in the presentation[That would be my opinion. One thing I heard was something to the effect of "Who would want to be a Superintendant in Sandwich, given the present unresolved problems?"
Perhaps, after I digest and compute the whole hearing I will be in a better position to report more of the actual conversation.
How much has been spent on this fiasco so far? I would question the sanity of anyone who would apply for the Supt's job given the current chaos.
Prediction: The Supt wins, and the Committee is forced into buying out her contract plus damages. OR, the case continues to trial and the insurance company tries to cut their losses by offering a settlement agreement funded by the insurance company and the Town (as they did with the Asst. Supt.).
Either way, the taxpayers get screwed and the Supt's reputation gets tarnished by these uneducated buffoons.
The Truth Maker would ask?
Bob, why did they need the school secretary at this hearing? They could have obtained a recorded outline from the court, that would have been less costly.
What the heck, it is only taxpayers money, being wasted.
Thanks for the report on yesterdays court proceedings. I hope the Enterprise at least got a picture of the School Committee members with union president coming out of the court room. The Cape Cod Times didn't mention it. Clearly, it is a big part of the story, especially in consideration of what is going on nationally. Not to bright of Mrs. Carlisle I must say, in fact pertty brazen.
While I truly like and admire Mrs. Gaffney she is behind the times and really should let this play it's way out. The view she has of the Community School based on a 1978 promise made during it's inception, does not bear in mind the financial situation the town is in. It is not practicle to hold on to something just because... The Community School has to change with the times to accomodate the economics of town government.
I am told the School Secretary was there strictly as a spectator. I do think her choice of seating (with Marshall and Carlisle) was very unfortunate and showed very questionable judgement.
If people were trying to terminate my boss, I can't imagine I would be sitting and chatting with them at the trial.
I think a group of dodo birds would have been a better illustration!
Anon 8:54
Apparently, you haven't lived here long enough, or you haven't been paying attention.
Brazen? No. Business as usual.
Think long and hard about the rock-solid constituencies that the alliance of Laura Carlisle and Ellie Gaffney deliver to the voting booth in this town. Hello, they got Marie Kangas elected, they could get my dog elected. Short of a Libyan-style revolution, I wouldn't put money on Sherry ever being defeated.
The most depressing part of all of the past 10months - 20+ years is that all of these women genuinely think that their sole "status quo" agenda is somehow "for the kids". They have very powerful KoolAid, and it's widely dispensed and consumed.
Even if Dr. J prevails in court, they'll appeal, keep it ugly, ramp up the lies and the whispers, making parents, teachers uncomfortable, stoking the drama. They will never let go. Never.
The husbands of these women must be a bit worried about the financial costs to their households after yesterday's hearing. Dr. J's attorney was clear with the judge he is not letting them off the hook (even though they all sat in the last bench trying to hide from the judge, no arrogance yesterday)for their retalitory and defamation against Dr. J professional reputation.
Wait til Dr. J's lawyer parades in all the current and former elected officials on many of the town boards to testify about all the long overdue financial changes that needed to be done in Sandwich School system.
Dr. Johnson was directed by the Guerin Simmons board to clean up the schools and implement all her progressive programs. Dr. Johnson notified Ms. Carlisle that uncertified teachers (who had been teaching in our schools for 25 yrs) had time to become certified, but if they didn't they would have to find employment somewhere else.
Remember the audit cited K-12 Education dollars were used for 25 yrs to run the Comm. School this was also a flagrant violation of Mass. General law. Marshall says the old "in kind services" to try and fluff off the use of the K-12 dollars for C.S. Ladies you can't use K-12 Monies to run the Comm. School.
Dr. Johnson ticked off Laura Carlisle Union President, Ticked off Marshall who wanted her hand picked superintendant that would mind her demands. Ticked off Cape Cod Collaborative by stopping the excess of hundreds of thousands in frivolous transportation costs. Ticked off the Comm School by making them pay their own way.
Dr. Johnson has ticked off lots of people and groups that had a great little gig going on for many years.
Guerin & Simmons opened the can of worms then told Dr. Johnson to kick all their arses and stop all the mismanagment in our schools. I guess this would explain why those groups despise Dr. J so much.
Teachers, Parents, Taxpayers need to rally and support Dr. Johnson's efforts during these difficult times. May electon is your chance to begin ridding our schools of this nonsense once and for all.
The judge yesterday appeared perplexed too as to how the board could be hiring a superintendent under these circumstances and said it might be difficult to find anyone willing to come into this situation.
Have to comment on the above blogger's statement, Dr. Johnson should leave like any professional would. It is rather odd to think that it is professional to let your hard earned professional reputation of decades, the importance of hard earned advanced degrees, yoursence of self and right go down the tubes because of a provencial culture and ignorant actions of a committee plus those who support them. No one is perfect and that would include Dr. Johnson. But the result of her work as instructed by her former School Committee is constructive and evident in improvements to the district in a time when funds are being cut for education. Her ability to keep her priorities straight regardless of the swirl of mismanagement and small town politics at play since her arrival is evident. Her ability to handle a budget in budget shrinking times is evident.
What happened to her is unfortunate and smacks of ignorance and small town politics as well as a particular brand of provencial backwards culture Sandwich can call it's own. The Bullying mentality that relates to the samll town stuff is part of this too. And of course let's not forget the unfortunate timeing of open meeting law changing plus a lawyer on the schoo'ls side that must be in place just to perpetuate the above mentioned negatives Sandwich is forced to suffer until something changes.
I'm sure Dr. Johnson has made mistakes. One would be taking on the three jobs she had for too long. Maybe another that others have made would be coming to a place that lives 10 - 15 years behind the times in terms of professionalism. The bubble keeps a lot out and one thing it has kept out is a realistic view of how the wider world operates. Logic and fair play have been ignored by some in power where Dr. Johnson has been concerned. They have the power because they have been here longer? The truth is they don't want things to change. They want the schools to remain a cottage industry.
The cards have been stacked against Dr. Johnson since she became Super. But I would call her professional by any streach of the imagination. She is fighting for her reputation and the chanace to make a living. The same thing the union claims to be fighting for.
At this point the unfair treatment of Dr. Johnson goes beyond the pale. The "company line" against her does not serve our schools or our community. Steps should have been taken months ago to work this out as adults and professionals. It is not Dr. Johnson's professional ethic holding this up in my view. I am saddened by the standard so many seem to have where this issue is concerned.
Trish,
Please do pull papers. Please post the laws. I have contacted Martha Coakley's office to file my own complaint against the 4 members of the SC. I have also contacted the MTA to launch an investigation of the union leadership. I have all the emails telling me who to vote for, telling me who to select for employee of the year and proof of threats and relatiation toward teachers and their children. I am willing to do this because I am leaving this town at the end of the school year, but I do not want the corruption to continue for my friends and neighbors.
I think Trish needs to stay in Bourne.
I admire Johnson's willingness to get continually beat over the head by these unprofessional, uneducated, and incompetant bozo's. She is obviously willing to stand up for what she beieves in and not let the bullies continue to run the schoolyard.
She seems to have made great improveents in the District and the only ones that seem to be fighting her are those that have been forced to change their ways.
Maybe she's not a great politician -- but she seems to be a great educator. I worked in Sandwich when the district was run by a great politician -- nothing good happened there then ... just as nothing good will happen if the union is allowed to regain control of the district (and I'm speaking as a member of another teachers union).
I don't think there's anything "unprofessional" about being willing to fight for what you believe is the right way to do something.
I am sorry to hear of teachers being run out of the district, but I know it is true. Considering the national debate about unions in general and teacher unions in particular, it is very sad to hear that a teacher in the union can't even find justice in that organization at the State level. It would seem that the state union is content to have corruption and power plays rule the day. I hope the citizens in Sandwich will stand tall this May and vote for a different agenda. It is time to pull away from the ways of ths past and give our kids a future! It will give our town a future too. We are not a small town any longer. We are a suburban community of 23,000 people in a rural setting. Our kids need to thrive in a global world and economy. Sandwich will not survive small town politics much longer.
Bob,
Please tell us what we can do in light of the dismissed case. Can Mary Ellen appeal? If she does, to whom or in what fashion would our support be most effective.
I honestly do not think parents, teachers and even some administrators have any idea what we are losing. And what we stand to lose if MEJ is not here for at the very least, one or two more years. Please help.
I would like to tell everyone what they must do in light of the dismissed case. The good and honest people of the Town need to stop sleeping while the Town is being taken over by those that think altered ethics are the way to go. Those that act as public officials and employees must hold to the rules that are set in place by the public and hold integrity as the highest value. Our Country is in jeopardy (all the way up through the US Attorney General's office) from those that want to write their own rules and hide facts from those that pay their salaries. Those that sit on the sidelines and do not speak out against injustice, in effect, condone it. This is not an isolated matter here in Sandwich, it is all over what once was the great USA. Everyone you know should be stepping out to preserve the morals this Country was founded on. Those that wish for others to do the work while they "have other interests", will be shocked at the price they will pay for that inaction.
6:42 It's too late, go back to sleep Sandwich taxpayers, teachers and parents. The people that were not paying attention the past two years and failed to vote have made their beds and now our children will suffer for adults inaction.
Dr. Johnson was the best shot in regaining control of the schools from the union. She expected people to do their jobs and the dead wood teachers, administrators didn't want to change their 25 yr ways.
Now we will work part time jobs so we can give our children an excellent education in private schools. We can't afford to pay more taxes and private school so we are also discussing moving to cheaper town.
The new superintendant will plead for a 6% raises every year now to pay the greedy MTA union contracts. Get ready for an annual override, using the it's for the sake of the children tactics.
We had a chance with Dr. Johnson, we blew it big time Sandwich.
What a sad commentary Sandwich. It's your future, your children, who will pay the price. How dare you allow petty people control of your childrens' education. It is a travesty that standing up for what is right, as Dr. Johnson has done, results in her removal by a "fat cat good ole' boys club" that people fear to heartily refute. What might have happened if the media was rallied to post an annalysis of her opposition's position in Sandwich and raking the muck exposing what everyone knows is taking place? My heart goes out to Dr. Johnson and all those who are fighting so hard for educational excellence in Sandwich.
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