Back in April when the District 150 Board of Education decided to discontinue live broadcasts of the board meetings, they presented it as a cost-saving measure. I had this to say:
In other words, this move has little to do with cost savings. It’s simply a further manifestation of the district’s desire to minimize, if not eliminate, public input and public access to the school board meetings.
Last night, board members admitted that was indeed the case. From Peoria Story:
Board members acknowledged that the reason they stopped the broadcasts was not, as was initially reported, to save money, but because they objected to negative comments from the public during the public comment portion of the meeting. “It (the money) was never my reason,” Jim Stowell said. “Nor mine,” board president Debbie Wolfmeyer said.
And the Journal Star adds these quotes:
“. . . The board has tried, but I think the board has the responsibility to try to shape the message they want to convey to the public. . . . I’ve heard the same four people at 70 percent of those meetings. . . . and I doubt that very few of them, if any, have any children in the district.” . . .
“I was in favor of taking the broadcast off until we could do something about how to answer people or how to tell our own story – we don’t answer people or questions or rebut anything, so all the public really hear is what other people are saying,” board member Martha Ross said, wanting to revisit the idea because community members have asked her to do so. “It’s their only connection to what’s going on at the school district.”
I would submit that these board members don’t quite understand the concept of petitioning the government for redress of grievances. They think they should get to take our money and feed us back a message they “shape” and “want to convey to the public.” All dissenting opinions should be censored or effectively hidden from the public.
Wow, a friend of mine just turned me on to this blog. This explains so much! How could I have been so naive… So far everything I have read is true. When you stay OUT of the teacher’s lounge, that is a threat too…. because they don’t know what you are thinking. When in reality the job is stressful enough and there isn’t really time for most teachers to take a real lunch, insecurity consumes them. I thought it was just my schools newest administration that sent out spies, picked favorites according to control (who they can control, who sucks up, who is snooping instead of teaching). If everyone was as busy HELPING THE KIDS, partnering, instead of trying to make themselves look good and backstabbing to get ahead, the district would be GREAT.
It is mostly about if you are “in” with the administrators or not, and the administrators (principals) seem to be getting by with this unprofessional behavior and intimidating because it is acceptable and promoted by their superiors. So that way, hey if I cheat, lie, steal, and do questionable things publically it is ok. That way they have something on me and I have something on them. This is very disquisting and not acceptable in the business world and OUR STUDENTS deserve better. It is true, I loved my old principal and was respected. All of a sudden, I am the worst teacher in the world (even though rarely did anyone step foot in my room period) much less to help….
Most of my fellow teachers are GREAT and know what is going on, but are afraid they will be next in line if they “tell” what is really going on or take a stand for a teacher they know has been dumped on, or suspect being bullied…This is a toxic, dysfunctional work environment that really does hamper student learning. What happened to “it takes a village to raise a child… ” scary the village is ready to collapse. Teachers have to worry about their colleagues “spying” on them instead of working with them. Some principals make deals and trade one corrupt act for another with administrators. The ones that pay are those that are least likely to speak up… ones that are actually minding their own business, doing their job often put in positions without any support. Set up to fail because of a personality conflict or some unknown reason. People that all of a sudden don’t fit but have been with the school for 10 or 15 years with no problems now out of a job.
disguisting… it is getting late. 😉
District Watch: It’s that time again. Monical’s at Knoxville and Lake Sunday, August 8 at 6 p.m.–the agenda isn’t up yet, so I don’t know what to expect at Monday’s meeting.
Professional–based on my observations and experiences with D150, those who are “in” with administration could use a character check and should be closely monitored. FOIA has helped with the monitoring. FOIAs via the district server leave no doubt as to who said what, when, and to whom. If I were a D150 teacher whose interview was cancelled or postponed, I would definitely investigate the situation.
You know, the irony of all this talk about who the “in” crowd is and who the “out of the loop” people are is quite disruptive to the educational environment that should be in the forefront in our schools, even though it’s true. Take the D150 union president for example, he has an office on Wisconsin Ave. and is the Department Head for Driver’s Education and the Athletic Directors. He does not work with students at all……therefore, an administrator, correct? Evidently not, he was originally “hired” in an administrative position(taken straight from BoE minutes), yet at the very next board meeting, the job turned back into a teaching position! Could it be that if this job were an administrative position, he would have to resign his position as teacher’s union president and lose his $20,000 union STIPEND(besides his $100,000+ teaching salary)? The fact that he sits at the administration building says plenty. How many other “teachers” in D150 have their office on Wisconsin? Many believe that the teacher’s union president is out to help HIMSELF and a few close friends, while stomping on the very teachers he was ELECTED to support. Question: who is he supporting? administration or teachers, many of us want to know. He appears quite comfortably cozy with the new superintendent and hr director.
So now we have a “professional” who says that there are suck ups and spies that do not teach but are sent by their principal to bully his/her taechers. To what end do you think this principal is bullying the teachers? Without names, because I think that we can discuss issues such as this without getting personal. Do you think that the principal thinks they are helping the students in their mind? Or do you think they are not considering the students at all? I have got along with my principal ever since she got to my school, so I can not relate to your problems, but I would like to know what you think.
“Average Teacher” I strongly recommend you read this book. Whether or not you “get along” with your principal is irrelevant. A professional demeanor should be first and foremost. As I always told my students, “we don’t have to be friends, but we will be respectful of each other and our opinions.” Some personalities (bully)do not make good leaders. PERIOD.
This summer I decided to read a book called Breaking the Silence: Overcoming the Problem of Principal Mistreatment of Teachers by Joseph and Jo Blase. I hadn’t gotten any further than page 13 when I read this:
“When people are mistreated at work, their focus of attention is diverted from completing their work to try to understand and manage the mistreatment…in other words, to SURVIVING. A fearful and stressed teacher will generally downshift to the lowest mode of functioning. Creativity and innovation suffer. Mistreatement of teachers is especially damaging because such mistreatment is often clearly visible to students.”
It is my hope that Dr. Lathan makes this book a priority read for ALL principals in this district. It is not hard to see which schools have principals that are BULLIES.
Sharon, as to the agenda, I think you can expect it to move briskly from Old Rumors, Idle Gossip, and Self-Righteousness to New Rumors, Idle Gossip, and Self-Righteousness.
non….have you EVER been to a D150 Watch Group Meeting? We focus on problem solving, not problem creating……the district did a good job of that by themselves. Hopefully, our new superintendent will be able to remove/replace the “dents” instead of filling them in with “bondo”.
I guess what some think is bullying, others may see as holding us accountable. I do agree that there is always a more respectful way and that should include never addresing a teacher where they can be overheard by others unless it is something that can not wait.
average teacher, I am glad you gave at least that much of a concession. Belittling teachers in the presence of their students is NEVER a professional way to hold someone “accountable”. Also, calling your teachers and staff mean “pet” names on the radio is NEVER a professional way to hold someone accountable. Perhaps these are some of the reasons WHY I prefer not to work for a bully.
Sharon + 1, I think we agree a lot more than we don’t on what makes an effective admin. I don’t work for a principal that people believe is a bully, so I can’t relate, but I would not like that behavior either. However, I have seen some former faves claim that their new admin is a horrible person and claim that they played favorites (when in fact they were just mad that they were no longer the fave)
there are bad bosses EVERYWHERE!
In schools, law firms, hospitals, city government, Target, Sears, the candy store, McDonalds – we all have bad bosses and loyalty and moral issues.
No boss should belittle any employee publicly. How about that?
How you conduct yourself regardless of whatever field you are in is what makes the difference. In most fields if people don’t like it they GET ANOTHER JOB SOME PLACE ELSE, MAYBE EVEN IN A DIFFERENT FIELD. UGH!
Do you see any other large group of professionals on blogs critizing their employer? NO, because that would be UNPROFESSIONAL.
average: completely understand. That is what happened at Lindbergh after the thief left. The new principal treated everyone equally but a few of the past principals favs didnt like it. Guess they thought they deserved better treatment than everyone else…..go figure!
See, Sharon +1, now we are seeing eye to eye. And what I have been talking about is the public perception as was just demonstrated by the comment above. I don’t agree that it is unprofessional to discuss leadership as a quality and how to make the education process work better. We all want to improve our workplace and what you see as complaining is actually a few teachers discussing their jobs and how to make it better for all. We know that CJ’s blog has become so big in Peoria that most admins read, even though only a few post like Steve Ptasek from Richwoods.
I’m not a teacher and I hate my boss [but love my job]!
I love Peoria, but hate Peoria politicians!
I love my family, but hate my neighbors [just the guy next door]!
“Will you whining teachers get a grip
August 7, 2010 at 12:00 pm
there are bad bosses EVERYWHERE!”
Look… let me make something perfectly clear. An administrator, superintendent or principal is NOT the boss of a teacher. That is like saying a U.S Congressman is the boss of his district.
They work for the teacher, Their job is to make the teacher’s job easier. They are supposed to do those things that free the teachers to perform their tasks without worrying about non-classroom related things.
ONLY in the business model of Capitalism would they be viewed as “bosses” in a system that claims to be interested in education.
The only position in the school that is a boss, is the teacher, and THAT boss better realize they are only the boss of the classroom itself, not the children and certainly not the community they profess to serve.
I AM a teacher, a damn good one, and I approve this message.
Charlie, I approve your message, also. Those not in the classroom used to be called the “support staff.” That meant something, but it has lost its meaning. I had a principal who called himself a CEO. CEO doesn’t spell support.
Teacher are very important. So are administrators. So is the school secretary who seems to run the school. Couldn’t do with the business manager. The whole idea of a team is that all parts of the team are important—when anybody on the team thinks they are more important than others, the team stops functioning well.
Sharon + 1: No, I have never been to a meeting. My comment was based on the level of much of the discourse that occurs among the teachers here. Sniveling and sniping does not equal “problem solving.”
Typo above–I meant couldn’t do withOUT the business manager. My apologies.
Well, let’s go ahead and use the team/sports analogy, then.
The teachers are the coaches, managers and players, the administration are the people in the office across town paying the bills and ordering the foam fingers. The office staff is the field crew, stadium employees and shower attendants. The public is the referee or umpire.
Who is it that makes it a game? Who do the fans come to see?
I never mentioned sports Charlie. Never.
That is a problem with education and many organizations. Each group thinks they are more important than all the others. Organizations work when EVERYBODY is working together and when nobody thinks they are more important than the team. I hate hearing teachers talk like they are the only important cog in the system. Same with administrators. It is all about ego.
“The whole idea of a team is that all parts of the team are important—when anybody on the team thinks they are more important than others, the team stops functioning well.”
Oh… that isn’t a sports metaphor? What kind of team is it? I thought yo were “pitching” a sports metaphor… I guess I dropped the ball. You win!
No, team can mean any group of people with a mission. Teamwork can take place on a sports team, in a business, in a family, etc. Businesses create “teams” all the time to attack problems.
150 observer
Charlie’s analogy works. It may actually help people see how EACH PART of a team is important.
Not all parts of a school are under extreme public scrutiny, just like in a sports organization. Teachers are the ones that are under extreme public scrutiny, every single day! As is noticed on here, teachers often get blamed for a lot of the woes of the district, when it may be more appropriately placed on a more “hidden” part of the team–parents!
Before I get clobbered over the head—There are many in our Team 150 that believe that if discipline/responsibility/accountability had happened at home, many problems may have been avoided. That didn’t happen for whatever reason, and now we are left with where we are now.
Unfortunately, our “fans” (public) expect the coaches, managers, and players to fix whatever is ailing their beloved team. They want it fixed NOW (delayed gratification isn’t an option anymore). It’s going to be dam near impossible to fix in 1 year what has been broken for 5x that long. “Fans” have started switching their loyalties to other teams (Dunlap, Morton, PND, homeschool). That is NOT unusual. It is Dr. Lathan’s job as top administrator (GM, if you will) to shake things up. That means re-aligning structures, re-evaluating job performances, releasing under-performing players, coaches, & managers. Will it be easy? You couldn’t pay me a $$million to do what she needs to do. Apparently she is up to the task, or she wouldn’t have applied here.
And for the record, my children had the benefit of having me as a SAHM for as long as they could remember. When my 2nd oldest was a sophomore I went back to school to be…(GASP!) a teacher!!!! I have always been involved in their lives (sometimes more than I should have). Last week, one of my children came home and told me that his girlfriend was pregnant. Guess I need a bigger village.
I suspect administrators are under public scrutiny also. Just ask D150 admins.
Parents are the biggest problem at D150. Not teachers or administrators.
“Parents are the biggest problem at D150. Not teachers or administrators.”
Really?
Parents, you say, are the highly trained and certified experts hired to perform a task they seem unable to accomplish no matter how much money or how many innovative programs they try to implement?
“Businesses create “teams” all the time to attack problems.”
Not District 150. There is little cooperation between teachers and administration…they are on opposite sides of the field. Sorry, there I go slipping into that sports analogy, again. Once more and I’m out.
unfortunately the coach for the teachers union is also a player on the aminastration team. Every play he wants us to make, he seems to have already given the administrators the heads up. Kinda like a double agent…
Unfortunately, the “coach” of the teachers union was elected by his peers. Also, unfortunately alot of those peers are apathetic towards involvement in the union. Thus, getting an elected representative that appears to only take care of himself and those that support him.
If union members want better then they have to get more involved and do better homework on whom they elect.
I think someone posted this before but, if he is listed as an adminstrator how can he be the leader of the teachers union. Not to mention if he is in the adminstration hierarchy he should not even be a member of the union and that goes for any of his flunkies that have vague job descriptions that are working for the administration and not their union brothers and sisters.
Maybe we should just disband the union since it appears that we are divided into two camps. Those of us that support Bobby and those of you who apparently believe that Bobby has been betraying us. A union is only as strong as a united front and half of our Union insists that we should strike to get a pay raise in the midst of the worst recession since the dpression. We have not had a decent contract since 2000, partly because the general public sometimes feels that that contract is more responsible for our economic troubles than the last two super’s are. But many in our union blame Bobby for not getting us a raise and want to replace him with a strike first kinda guy. This whole smear campaign is nothing more than that.
I could not disagree with you more…ave. teacher. Unless you have seen first hand the way Bobby has betrayed us, you have no idea. I have heard him yell at teachers who call him for help. He appears to want to help himself and friends then the districts administration.Even teachers that voted for him are highly disalusioned by his “turncoat” behavior since becoming an “administrator”.
Emerge, on her blog, is speculating that there will be a revolt over a new teacher evaluation tool. She speculates that Bobby may be perceived as working with the administration instead of with the teachers in the development of this tool. Personally, I believe Bobby will be judged by whether or not he handled the transfer of teachers due to the closing of Woodruff. Average teacher, I thought the union members voted in favor of the current contract. After the contract was settled, I didn’t hear teachers “within my hearing range” complaining about the contract. I believe that Bobby is more apt to get into trouble if he does not adhere to contract language–which in the end is more important than a raise at this moment. The clause about administrators not being eligible to be president of the union does exist. I guess it comes down to how to interpret “administrator”–I believe that was the case when Bobby won the last election. Of course, Jeff did not raise that as an issue but I did hear others discussing it at the time. Maybe Bobby’s current position could be interpreted more “administrator” than “teacher.” It is a legitimate issue for the union to consider.
In discussing how Darling can be a teacher and an administrator, how can Mike McKinsey be both the internal auditor and the assistant controller? Those two positions are on completely opposite sides, aren’t they? One keeps an eye on the controller and the other works for the controller. Wouldn’t this be a conflict of interest? Are we paying him two salaries?
Sharon, I agree with your level headed critisms of Booby. He just got moved to Wisonsin Ave. this year and we can always start new with Jeff this year. I just think that people are upset about some things that are happening this year, but Bobby is doing the best job that can be done in the current situation. Bobby is and has always been there for us.
Sharon, I am sure that those people were nothing but polite with Bobby and he just started yelling for no reason other than they were asking for help and he did not want to do all he could to help them. (sarcasm)
you are correct ave. teacher. those teachers were crying and he started yelling at them……regarding placements. He has no clue. Oh. his office was on wisconsin for the last couple of years. He needs to resign. He is literally in bed with admin. Really even his supporters are disgusted by his behavior……which appears to scream me me me…..
Average teacher, I don’t want to leave the impression that if Bobby leaves, Jeff takes over. That would hardly be the case. There would be another election and I would be amazed if Jeff would run again. Sorry, but I have heard some of the stories about Bobby’s handling of the legitimate complaints of teachers for whom contractual procedure was not followed in their transfers. I don’t know about the magnitude of these incidents and/or if the majority or even a significant number of teachers are ready to rebel, etc.
Your’re right Sharon + 1, Bobby’s office has been on Wisconsin for several years. He did not just move there.
I could be wrong about when he moved, but I thought my friend at Richwoods said he still had a classroom there the past school year. In fact the couple times I was there, I thought I saw his name on one of the doors. But I am sure you guys know more about it than I do. I don’t get up to RHS that often.
Ave., does it matter how long he has had an office at Richwoods or the district office? Really! You are not seeing the forest for the trees. When you work side by side with people, they become your peers……Bobby Darling is the president of the TEACHER’S union, he needs to be with his PEERS…..
Sharon if all you have on Bobby is that his office has moved out of RHS and he raised his voice at some irate teachers, then you do not have much on him. I think it would be easy to find him on Wisc. Ave.
I am not sure I understand the question addressed to me by “average teacher”. I have worked alot of jobs and in many other environments besides teaching, and I have worked for professionals and unprofessionals in all environments. A colleague is your equal not your boss. It is the bosses job to see what is going on in your building PERIOD. I have never worked in an atmosphere were equals are basically rating your job performance, and there is no clear definition of procedures. It changes at every level… I feel new to the administraton at my building but there is little done even when you ask to have meetings to be clearly instructed on what is expected. How hard is that? I have never been at any job where I was not considered an “excellent” employee and by many different bosses and many different working environments, so SORRY no I don’t think it is because I am now not a fav. I wasn’t a favorite (or pet) of my last principal. That person had favorites too, but was professional in behavior in front of parents, students and administrators… You obviously have no clue what you are talking about. Sorry, but your question really doesn’t make any sense.
I never had to deal with it before either. Hope you never do “average teacher…” LOL It does totally horn in on your classroom environment, ALL teachers should be teaching not harrassing other teachers and be allowed to do it. I am talking spreading downright lies, substitutes coming in and complaining about the way the teacher(s) talk about the teacher who is not there, accusing teacher of crazy accusations where they have no proof and cannot produce any because they are lying… but yet they are in with administration so they are allowed to do this. If a neighbor was to do this to you, you could sue for stalking and slander. Still might be able to. You are darn lucky. No one can teach or live really with people making up lies and trying to get them in trouble and no I really still don’t know the reason. Pretty spooky. But I am seeing an attorney.
bamcdaneil, things happen… and sometimes we are so busy and tired from helping everyone elses children we have little left when we get home… and sometimes even though we’ve done our best and tried our hardest,, things still happen. And it doesn’t appear, like you said, maybe you had little outside support (the village needs to be bigger). Also, a LOT of times unplanned babies are the best! And I think they say even inside a marriage at least half the children born were not planned. It is a heck of alot better than having to send your child to drug rehab, or be at their funeral. The glass can be either half full or half empty.
Average Teacher, Please keep track of which posts are mine. I never said anything about Bobby yelling at teachers or moving his office anywhere. That said, I understand why teachers would be concerned about a union president who owes his administrative position to the higher ups against whom teachers may file grievances, etc. The lines can get very bleary, fuzzy, etc. If a person wants to represent teachers (and to be paid well for it), then that person needs to avoid any signs of conflict of interest. That just seems to be common sense. Union members probably should have raised this issue (and voted accordingly) in the first place. Also, the union contitution should be followed or changed–and it would be very foolish to change it. Can anyone imagine someone in middle management at Caterpillar being president of the UAW? What I am saying is that no one should have to throw stones at Bobby–just follow the constitution and the problem takes care of itself.
hahaha, well say what you want but I haven’t seen any other company in the paper/media for corruption and mismanagement as much as 150… perhaps that is why we are “talking” here. We also are one of the largest employers in the area and our union support is questionable at this time. Most businesses have alot of written policies and they are held accountable for following these policies in writing. Alot that happens at 150 is verbal and facts are changed around to meet the needs, or cover up mistakes that were made and lot of lies are told by some administrators at the time.
I have seen a lot of policies not followed, some that are very, very dangerous situations in the classroom that affects students and teachers. Issues that students should never have been returned to the classroom, setting a precedence that the behavior was ok to other students in the classroom also, in addition to no consequences given for behavior that should have called for suspension and possibly expulsion… like weapons being taken and students returning to the classroom. Just little things like that.. there is no gray area! No student that brings anything into the classroom with the intention to use it as a weapon should be allowed back in that classroom PERIOD. It states it clearly in the handbook. Also students with so many suspensions for behavior are supposed to be referred other places, get counseling etc. Perhaps that is why they are not marked suspended on attendance but rather “absent.” That way no one has to deal with the behaviors and we know what happens when behaviors are ignored.
I would die if I thought my own children were in a classroom where this was allowed. I have asked my kids and friends kids about situations at their schools that I have had happen in my classroom, so far no one has said a student that had any kind of a weapon was allowed back in class PERIOD they all were expelled at other schools. And yes the union is aware. So are people at administration building. So now what? Hire an attorney, take it to the media. It is happening out there…in 150 anyway. And it is very, very wrong.
professional, you are right about one thing….I don’t know what I am talking about. I don’t know you or your situation. That is why I asked for some clarification. You seemed angry and bitter, but why did you LOL after you hoped that I did not ever have to go though it? It sounds like you are going through some bad stuff at your school and I hope everything works out. I sincerely apologize for my glibness earlier. It was uncalled for since I do not know you.
Sharon, I can hardly find the + sign on my laptop and I knew it was Sharon + 1 that said it. I was adressing her and not you. Sorry for the confusion.
average teacher–my request wasn’t necessary anyway. I could have made either of those comments as I have heard both and have believed the people who have told me. However, whether or not Bobby yells or whispers is not important–it’s the words and actions that matter. Some of us haven’t gotten over the deal the union leadership brokered with the administration’s plans to restructure Manual. The memorandums of understanding are not in the best interests of teachers. Some of that bargaining was done without yelling–it was definitely whispered, so to speak.