Sunday, January 15, 2012

Will Those Little Wet Footprints Be Returning?

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The furor over the Community School pool issues seemed to have died down lately.  All those little wet geriatric footprints (many leading back to Barnstable, Falmouth and Mashpee) had evaporated from the carpet in the School Committee meeting room. People had stopped asking how we could afford to run the pool, if expenses far exceeded income.  People didn't even seem to care where the money came from to build the "cabanas" on the pool deck.

And then it started.  The locker room, which the World had previously been assured was always well-supervised by school staff, became the scene of an assault that resulted in criminal charges.  Then, a lifeguard -- who the World had previously been assured would be supervising the pool area and protecting the kids -- was arrested on statutory rape charges.

And then, in the light of recent events, the Cape Cod Times wrote an editorial reiterating their support for the prior administration's decision to secure the school building and prohibit non-students from the building during school hours. (It was nice to finally see them support something -- but that's another story!)

Maybe this, and the pressures of the upcoming budget, will generate some public interest in asking hard questions about Pool operations?

If so, I have no doubt we will be seeing those little wet footprints again! 

9 comments:

The Truth Maker said...

The Truth Maker would ask Brother Bob, I can see the footprints along the edges of the pool, but are they real?

The best way to run the pool is to keep the school hours free from any other use, other then students.

If safety, is our main concern then recheck every person whom may infact, be in any kind of supervisory role that is watching to assure the pool is operating like it should be.

Now if money is all that we are concerned about, just continue the same way we are doing business today and let the lawyers fight it out with law suits. I am sure that the school insurance companies will like that one.

Why not hang out a sign and tell the world we except any and all for cheap money, because we want to spend the taxpayers money in insurance claims?

How about cori checks on all that use the pool, no matter if they are just swimmers or employed?

We may not be able to afford that, but we can pay out serious money in insurance claims once the law has been violated?

Does that make any sense, I ask ?

Brother Bob how about we propose a another use of the pool . Change the water, make it adaptable for raising fish and sell the fish once they are grown or better yet let the recreational department teach those so inclined how to fish, during the winter months. Still would need to do a cory check in todays world.

Admin said...

A post from "S Holmes" raised a fair question when he/she pointed out the lifeguard had a prior arrest record and questioned the thoroughness of the Community School CORI process.

Although the prior arrest, and arraignment can be confirmed, there does not seem to be any evidence online as to how the case was resolved last year.

The original post was omitted because it used the term "convicted" which can not be confirmed.

Nonetheless, I think it is fair to question the judgement of whichever Community School employee approved this hire.

Anonymous said...

I hate the idea of doing anything just for "insurance reasons". We should be doing things to prevent injuries -- not to reduce the risk of financial loss AFTER a potential injury has occurred.

The Truth Maker said...

The Truth Maker would agree that every step should be taken to prevent any claims from occurring, but given the past legal advise by the school lawyer, one would get the opinion ,that has not been the case.

They have continued to make bad calls , thus we find ourselves in the predicament we are in today.

One could also say that not all of the blame is on the lawyer, as a few committee members have also contributed to the problem.

I know those with concerns will really feel the heat, once a declarative statement is forth comming from Boston.

It is not an easy solution, but one that can be managed

Anonymous said...

The talk of the town is the survey that the administration wants to send out to find out why students and families are doing everything they possibly can to get their children out of the Sandwich Public Schools. Instead of spending any money on a survey, I propose that we start our own list and send it their way. I have started with my top 8. Who can add more?

1. Music teachers who show movies every week.

2. Substitute teachers who bring their infant children to school with them.

3. Ineffectual principals.

4. Administrative assistants who wish parents luck solving that problem and hang up the phone.

5. School days that start at 9:00am instead of 8:50am and end at 3:10 instead of 3:20. Yes that means that each week our children lose out on 1 hour and 40 minutes of teaching time.

6. Way too many half days.

7. The union.

8. Teachers who post on Facebook throughout the day.

TheTruth Maker said...

The Truth Maker would state to poster 9;35 if your comments are correct, then some serious investigation needs to be done.
I hope you have made your comments known to the present super??

With out hearing both sides of your comments, it is hard to verfy all of the facts you have posted.

Anonymous said...

Dear Truth Maker,

Unfortunately all the comments are correct and all have been brought to the attention to the principal (hence #3) and most have been brought to the attention of the superintendent. Thankfully many have already been addressed but the fact that they occurred in the first place is sad.

Anonymous said...

Truthmaker, all of the previous poster's allegations are accurate. I would say the problem is far more wide-spread --- way too many teachers are using irrelevant movies and other non-related activities to waste class time.

Way too many teachers are getting away with murder. Have you heard about the school employee who was fired for being drunk, and then filed a union grievance? Or, a second employee with the same problem who beat an in-school police visit, remained in the classroom with "help" but was later busted on the road in another town?

It's a great union ... it's all for the Children you know.....

Its hopeless. said...

Sleepy sandwich. The union leaders and Marshall's posse w al their special projects I.e.pool comm.school have been running the schools their way since 1972. Parents taxpayers keep sleepin. We had a.chance w Dr.Johnson but no one fought for our kids interests. No wonder we r sending our kids to out of town schools.