Interesting data from yet another "anonymous" yesterday, suitable for "9-R E-Notes" but off topic here, where no one has been discussing graduation rates. Comments here focus on the persistent 9-R leadership problem once again growing acute - all prompted by Herald coverage of Mary Barter's recent actions to reprimand a 9-R Board member who, yes, is outspoken and yes, "rough around the edges" - by his own admission. However, that doesn't give anyone a green light to intentionally manipulate a situation to discredit him, does it?
Unfortunately for all of us, Barter's apparent "rush to judgment" could be interpreted as an opportunity to publicly confirm some unsubstantiated rumors that she reportedly leaked to key community leaders in 2005 -rumors that have been recirculating since November when Lynch joined the School Board. What's most unfair about rumors is the way they put someone in the position of being assumed guilty until proven innocent. In that context, the board's vote to pull the discussion item about Mr. Lynch's "behavior" from Tuesday's agenda should raise eyebrows. (The agenda item's language was posted verbatim in comments a few days ago here)
What prompted the board to table the discussion last Tuesday? Only one member voted to keep the discussion on track. She was right to do so. An open discussion at that time would have provided the transparency needed for all concerned, (board, public, parents) to know what's been going on. Given that it might have led to Mr. Lynch's vindication, why was it tabled? Did the arrival of last minute information contradict Mary Barter's version of the truth? Is it possible that Barter could knowingly have misled the board about the supposed "disruptive conduct" at DHS. Lynch has made himself an easy target with his atypical board demeanor – a far cry from what some once described as the “clubby congeniality" that led board members to defer to the Superintendent Barter as their “eighth board member.”
But things have actually been different with 9-R's new board. They do speak up from time to time. Not as often as some would like, but questions of substance and concern have been asked that would never have seen daylight in the past. Last year, some key board members paid a price for pushing the envelope by persisting in getting unfiltered information about the culture at
The board is again working in less than ideal circumstances. They did not invent this culture - they inherited it - but now they are the only ones who can change it. More than a few people are upset about Superintendent Barter reprimanding an elected official. Can anyone envision City Manager LeBlanc issuing a "reprimand" and threatening legal action against a City Councilor? More likely, wouldn't he or any other local leader first initiate a conversation with the full Council? Who's ultimately in charge of the way 9-R is run?
What is particularly disturbing is the pattern in which Mr. Lynch's actions again seem to have been blown out of proportion. For what end? In 2005 the unsubstantiated rumors about Mr. Lynch's character leaked to a key community leader were later denied. But as rumors, the charges developed a life of their own. We suspect these were also used at some point to influence the Board in a private Executive Session. It is our understanding that only a judge can obtain access to the recordings of an Executive Session. Will that ultimately be necessary? We hope not. Would an apology make any difference at this stage?
Barter has stated publicly that "this is a community that thrives on word of mouth." Who are we becoming as a community, if we quietly retreat in the face of what looks very much like an abuse of power? At the least, we must raise questions and insist that the board gather all the facts, and only then make a determination based on full input, not word of mouth.
A year ago, after much public acrimony, the board committed itself to playing a more active and visible role on our behalf. We hope they will find their way now in restoring trust, transparency and openness.
What is needed is honesty in all public dealings, nothing less, as they address board and superintendent roles and behaviors. It is possible they could eventually be facing a dangerous liability situation. Whether a lawsuit results or not, a very sad situation has been allowed to develop on this superintendent's watch. For someone with the skills and savvy that our superintendent possesses, it's puzzling and troubling to witness.
So, Ms. or Mr. "anonymous" - why not request a durangoschools.org blog to discuss 9-R's phenomenal success with the achievement gap. For now, on this site, we are hungry for a community conversation about modeling of higher standards of public behavior. This latest incident with Lynch only makes changes in 9-R leadership and its relationships more urgent. With the superintendent search process in full swing, we wish the board and committee members the best!
38 comments:
Events surrounding the latest controversy at DHS certainly raise some questions regarding authority. Perhaps the Durango Herald can dig deep enough to get to the bottom of the following because the taxpaying public has a right to full disclosure.
1. Was there a public School Board meeting where a vote was taken in favor of abdicating the board's authority to Dr. Barter on the Paddy Lynch matter? (If not, then statute and board policy have been violated by an employee usurping the board's authority.)
2. Was there a public School Board meeting where a vote was taken in favor of the action of a letter of reprimand for Mr. Lynch? (If not, then statute has been violated.)
3. How did Dr. Barter gain the authority to write the letter of reprimand to Mr. Lynch? Unless the authority was granted by the board in a public setting and recorded in the minutes, it was not legal and violates statute.
4. The board is required to meet with an individual board member in executive session for discussion of events in question and discuss the action to be taken. Any action must come directly from the board through the board president and only after deliberation with the board member. Did this occur before the official reprimand was sent?
5. The superintendent has NO authority to allude to or threaten legal action without direction taking place in a public setting by the board to do so. Dr. Barter threatened legal action against Mr. Lynch. Was this under the direction of the board and are there meeting minutes to substantiate that the board came to this decision and directed Dr. Barter to do so?
The board cannot choose to selectively enforce policy, let alone permit statute to be violated by an employee. These are questions that should be answered fully for the constituents of 9-R.
Thank you Leesa for those insights ... most people have no idea how local school boards - elected representatives - work. My understanding is that, ironically, the question Lynch had posed with the Student Council president ran along those lines... i.e., how does the system work? Who's in charge? How are decisions made? Why, indeed, do we have the kind of public education system we do... wouldn't it be great if students and adults attempted the big one together: what is an education for? Some great civics lessons could still come from this incident.
Does anyone else find the language used in the letter a bit shocking? Warning Lynch that if he violates her directive, "legal action may be taken against you."
According to the Herald, Barter's letter cited "sections of the Colorado criminal code pertaining to disorderly conduct; interference with staff, faculty or students of educational institutions; trespassing at public buildings; harassment and stalking; and loitering." Powerful images that one wouldn't use lightly.
What must now be determined by the board is whether or not any of those claims were applicable at all. Everything I have heard to date (not first hand, I admit) indicates otherwise.
Obviously, at the least, this could have been handled with more grace.
Frankly, I don't understand what is going on. Why is our school board involved in so much controversy all the time. The city council is not. The county commissioners are not.
The best I understand it, Paddy Lynch did a Paddy and it came across as rude or something to a youngster from the high school. So Paddy made an appointment with the youngster through his mother to meet him at the high school at a convenient time for the student between classes. Seems Paddy wished to apologize for coming across differently than he had intended. Sounds honorable to me.
But, maybe that's not what happened. Maybe Dr. Barter's "reprimand" that somehow went public was the truth. I don't know--but I do know that the student and his folks know what was true. What, if anything, have they said?
Then there is the agenda item that two of the school board members, Tammy Capdevielle & Melissa Youssef proposed then had dropped, that indicates that Paddy has been writing them e-mails that they don't wish to read. So, why is that a public hand washing--don't read his e-mails. Tell him so in private, and set up a filter such that they go straight to the trash--or are returned. However, I do wonder why this agenda item was withdrawn.
Things are so messy with our school board.
Could someone who knows tell the rest of us what the hell is going on...
~Nick
Well, I think you are wrong Nick. I have read emails regarding Jasper's families truth of what happened that day, and they are poles apart from what is in my opinion, Dr Barters attempt to slander a man who doesn't do things the way she wants our school board to do things.
I for one am glad that Paddy doesn't just nod his head like one of those 1970 toy dogs on the back window shelf of a car.
The emails beg the question as to what Diane Lashinsky was thinking when she added to the drama. I am hoping she was acting on misinformation and not adding to this nonsense knowingly.
I have no idea why the Board pulled the agenda item. I agree that Tammy and Melissa should have kept things under their hats with regard to receiving or not receiving emails from Paddy. It wasn't necessary to make that comment public. I wouldn't be ashamed to sit on a board with Paddy. He might do things unconventionally, but at least he is not afraid to speak up. There's something to be said for not being intimidated.
I'm told the school board withdrew the item from the agenda, in light of the emails supporting a different version of events - i.e. the version of events that Paddy spoke of.
The sick part of all this, apart from it being swept under the rug, is that the Durango Herald have not put the terrible article and it's accusations right. I know they have the emails that would show Dr Barter acted rather strangely and Paddy didn't do the things he was accused of. It was a sensationalized version of events, and it needs to be corrected.
I'm hoping once the superintendent search is over, the school board will redress the balance of this slander against Paddy and put things right.
This will all be a thing of the past, if we select the right man for the job next week.
Dr. Owens would make our district proud:
http://www.lindamoodbell.com/
downloads/pdf/press/
keith%20owen%20article.pdf
One of Beulah Heights Principal Keith Owen's proudest moments was meeting
with President and Mrs. Bush and Secretary of Education Paige at the White
House in January 2003. At a news conference, the President cited Beulah
Heights Elementary in Pueblo District 60 for its academic achievements.
Under Dr. Owen's leadership of this Title I school, fourth grade reading
scores on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) jumped from 50
percent to 86 percent in three years. Also, CSAP third grade reading scores
have climbed from 62 percent in 2000 to 95 percent in 2004. During the same
period of time, this predominantly Hispanic, high-poverty (both 68 percent)
school closed the achievement gap between minority and white students by
almost half. Beulah Heights third grade Hispanic students achieved 100
percent proficiency on the 2002 Colorado CSAP reading assessment. As a
result, later that year Beulah Heights earned designation as a National
Distinguished Title I School. The school also has made significant progress
in reducing its special education population from 10 percent to two percent
at the end of the 2003 school year. Many of those students have been able to
overcome learning disabilities with the intense focus on reading skills. The
student mobility rate has dropped from 30 percent to 17 percent. "As parents
have seen our success, they want to keep their kids in our school," Owen
said. When you talk to Owen about how he has turned around this previously
lowperforming school in a few short years (he arrived as principal in 1999),
he credits an outstanding staff, great students, and strong support from
parents and district administration. "Through hard work and focused use of
resources, we've learned that it can be done," Owen said.
Intense focus on reading
Owen believes that reading is critical for student success in later grades,
so that became the focus when he was named principal five years ago. Through
a partnership with the school district, using the research-based
Lindamood-Bell (LMB) reading program, Owen was able to focus resources on
staff professional development. "My goal was for every teacher to become a
reading expert," he said. "As a staff, we agreed to be absolutely focused on
reading."
CASE COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES
I N P O I N T
NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS SUMMER 2004
Spotlight on Best Practice - Beulah Heights Soars to Success
According to Owen, another invaluable resource is lead teacher Gina
Gallegos, a literacy specialist, whose job is to guide and coach teachers in
their daily practice. "I work with teachers to model best practices and to
serve as a mentor," Gallegos said. As part of the initiative, Owen explained
that teachers identified 80-100 students who were most at-risk and targeted
them for intensive work using direct instruction. Read to Achieve grant
dollars were used to provide extended day opportunities for kids. Gallegos
said that embracing the LMB program, which emphasizes research,
collaboration, strong staff, and good communication, has been central to the
school's success. In addition, teachers have been empowered to use data from
CSAP scores to target instruction. Beyond that, celebrations of incremental
progress are vital. "Also we've worked with teachers to instill the love of
learning in kids," Gallegos said.
Strong leadership is key
Anyone who knows anything about education recognizes that behind every great
school is a great leader. Strong schools don't make themselves. So what
leadership strategies has Owen employed to make such a positive difference
in student achievement?
"First, I focused on assembling the very best teachers I could," Owen said.
"That meant some staffing changes. You have to have people on board who have
high expectations for what kids can accomplish. "As I worked with staff, I
constantly asked, 'What do you control and not control? What can we do to
help all kids be successful?' Then, I set about providing the very best
tools to staff for teaching reading," Owen said. Gallegos was quick to point
out Owen's strengths as a leader. "Keith respects teachers and has created a
culture of collaboration. Also, he is a visionary," she said. Owen also is a
recognized leader in his profession and CASE. He serves on Colorado
Association of Elementary School Principals board of directors. He was
honored as Colorado's National Distinguished Principal in 2003.
Support from the district level
Owen stressed that district-level support has been essential to his success
and must be a part of any sustained efforts to improve achievement. He said
that Superintendent Joyce Bales and the school board have been committed
over time to investing in strong leadership with a clear focus on school
improvement.
A role model for others
Beulah Heights regularly opens its doors to visitors from other schools and
districts that want to learn more about replicating its success. Also, Dr.
Owen will be presenting at the August CASE Convention about the reading
success in Pueblo 60.
If Paddy is unconventional then I say we need far more of it from our school board. The submissiveness to the will of the superintendent simply isn't acceptable.
School board members need to COMMUNICATE with one another and with the public. For two to suggest that they no longer want to accept communication from a fellow member is repugnant and perhaps they should re-evaluate their purpose on the board.
I certainly wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Durango Herald to set anything right. If anything, the Durango Herald has its own agenda and will only report what it wants to report regardless of the truth. The Durango Herald is a very poor vehicle to receive the truth about anything that happens in Durango.
I have to wonder why Shalee Cunningham withdrew and if Dr. Barter had something to do with it?
9-R is a mess and has been for many years. Dr. Barter has not been a leader, she's been a tyrant, dictating policy and seeking her own agenda. Why has the board allowed her to do this all these years? Why doesn't the board stand up to her?
Paddy Lynch has been singled out because he is outspoken.
Will a new superintendent put 9-R back together again?
"The efficiency of the truly national leader consists primarily
in preventing the division of the attention of a people,
and always in concentrating it on a single enemy." Adolf Hitler
Reminds me of what some in the administration are doing to one on the board.
"The size of the lie is a definite factor in causing it to be believed,
for the vast masses of a nation are in the depths of their hearts more
easily deceived than they are consciously and intentionally bad. The
primitive simplicity of their minds renders them a more easy prey to a
big lie than a small one, for they themselves often tell little lies,
but would be ashamed to tell big lies." Adolf Hitler
Does it all make sense now?
April 15th there will be a Tri-board meeting at the Durango Park and Rec Center at 5:15 PM. At 6:30 PM the Region 9 school board superintendents will be visiting all the school boards in the region on the developemnt of a Career and Techincal Education (CTE) regional consortium. This will be in the DHS cafeteria. They have been working on this for years as was written on the 9-R website. Go figure. My understanding is that 9-R spent $35,000,000 of taxdollars on renovating/remodeling the high school back in 2004/05. Auto, Welding, and Woods downsized to 1/5th of what they had. Can you imagine what kind of ventilation system was put in for an initial $6000? Especially when it was contracted so you know everything was at least three times the price. I can!! Why were we tripping circuit breakers at least 10 times a class period? Why were the welding and auto put into old language classes? Hello...public, are you getting this? When I was hired as a Metal Fabrication instuctor the program has 68 students signed up, equipment was in disrepair and the curriculum was antiquated. I re-wrote the curriculum to reflect AWS (American Welding Society) standares. I got the high school designated an Educational Institution Member to advance Science, technology and application of welding and allied processes. I believe Durango High School was the first high school in Colorado to become a School Excelling through National Skills Standards Education (SENSE) as I had agreed to abide by provision of AWS QC10 and AWS EG2.O. We had 34 students take the AWS Entry Level I test, 10 of them passed; Kevin Applegate, Ben Swartzman, Josh Lovelace, Sam Zalesky, Brian Taylor, Silas Hatch, Calvin Brevik, Stirling Balliger, Coleman Baird, and Chelsea Cooper. Hello public...you had 10 students get from your high school what they would have gone to a vo-tech school. Now you want to give it all away to a consortium???? You could have the BEST vocational programs right here. Now you want to bus your students to some far away location with rising gas prices, and the risk of another bus running off the road in winter, the lost social interaction of their high schools, segrigating the "blue collar" from the college track, and a host of other problems yet to be addressed. My dad used to tell me you "can sell the public horse shit if you wrap it up nicely and call it something else"....I am sure if he were here, he would use this as a fine example. They are going to tell you how 'great' it is for the children, how much more they will get from it, how it will save you money. Get real here folks!! They are going to tell you this, because they will get more money, ....your money! Your taxdollars. This has been tried before in Pueblo I believe....and guess what?? The students weren't getting what they said. It will be the same here. Barter wants to discredit me, get rid of me when I was a teacher...why? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DOWNSIZE A PROGRAM INTO OBLIVION WHEN THE ENROLLMENT GOES FROM 68 TO OVER 400 AND HAVE STUDENTS CERTIFIED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL!!! How many of you knew that she tried to invalidate the AWS Certifications of these students? That's right Mary Barter tried to take them away from the 10 students who worked their butts off studying, working, welding weekends, holidays, and after school. Where were these people who are coming out of the woodwork now, three years ago when the rest of us were going before the board? Where were they when I was running for County Commissioner? Why now? ....because Barter is trying to pull the wool over the taxpayers eyes again. Don't fall for smoke and mirror tricks....AGAIN. I do not know why the public is so naive as to not see what is going on. It is about GREED...not your children as they would have you believe. Look at the whole picture....see who is behind it. Ask yourself why Uroda resigned but still has a job for 9-R. ...and to Nick, I know what is going on. My opinion is that Barter has to use every trick she knows to keep the board unstable, and the truth be known...she has to do what she must to keep me quiet while she does what she does best. Other board members have gone into schools without signing in. The superintendant broke policy and does not have the authority to give a board member a directive/ripromand. When I see Christy Zeller coming before the board to talk about "rumors" and me, I saw her come before the board defending Barter when Mr. Voss was being 'burned at the stake'. I told the community long ago that we needed to let Barter go. I said it then...and I say it now. There is no lost love between Barter and I. I don't feel pity, remorse, or sorry for her....why? Because there have been many good people pay dearly for trying to stand up to her. If the community is really looking for the welfare of our schools, students, teachers, staff and their tax dollars.....then take a look at what is really happening. You don't have to believe me. Check yourselves, take the time to see what is going on behind curtain number three. Follow the money. Padraig Lynch
What's so funny is that Mary Barter SUPPORTED Greg Spradling when he was watching PORNOGRAPHY on his school computer during the school day -- and we as a community and the 9R Administration say "Oh...that's OK".
When I read about Greg Spradling watching pornography, my son was still in Middle School, and I put down the newspaper and thought to myself "Well, I guess Greg just lost his job" -- but NO!!!! Not Greg. He was Mary's fall guy eventually, when dozens of parents stood outside DHS and the Administration Building waving banners that called for Greg and Mary's firing. It's like she kept him on, despite any reasonable parent or teacher or community member assuming she would fire him for his indiscretion, and I can only assume in my opinion it was just so he would "watch her back" for the rest of his tenure. Then, when the banners called for both to be fired, Mary gave us Greg's head on a plate to shut the banner waving public up. Then she had to resign herself, because the School Board did not RENEW her contract.
It is like a witch hunt. It's like Paddy is Mary and Deb Uroda's last stance.
They will get 'im no matter what.
Here's part of my favorite Winston Churchill quote. There's something to be said for honor and value, for truth and justice, for virtue. All values currently lacking under the current 9R Administration.
"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old." Sir Winston Churchill
There's one member of the 9R administration who knows the truth (actually, there are two, but one is definitely not speaking). The one member knows the truth is either too sick, or too scared or too drunk to speak the truth, so she compounds the lies by adding to them.
Be honorable -- do the right thing and put Durango out of it's misery, by telling us the truth, and not the spin you have been feeding us for 8 years. A good friend of yours told me that you are only acting on the superintendent's instructions, and that you are really a decent human being.
I almost had sympathy for you, but so far, you fail to show any of us that you are a decent human being, because from your new back row seat, you continue to stir the pot at your end, even when it is damaging Paddy.
Stop it! Either truly resign, or speak up, and help our community get back on track with educating our children.
Dr Barter is out of here in less than two months. Paddy Lynch just needs to write a letter to the editor putting right the lies from Dr Barter.
Until today I had never heard anything quite as specific or condemning ever reaching anyone including the board of 2005.
But it's all anonymous sources - and "mounting evidence" and the newspaper is not a court of law where both sides bring their version of the truth to the table.
I would focus on the culture and the secrecy of the whole Barter era and whether or not the information Chuck got last week jibes with the information that Mary made available to the Board in 2005.
It's about as close to "jiving" with the truth, as the Bolton letter to the board shows how far apart the truth is....and yet, Chuck has that letter, and chooses to sensationalize the "mystery" of what the truth might be.
Lynch should resign so the district can move on. Bottom line is that his actions were inappropriate for a teacher. You wonder why he did not have any support from his fellow teachers at the time he was "let go"? Seems very clear now. If this blog was truly put in place to help 9-R and not just to get Barter out then think about who you are supporting now.
I just came back from an evening out with high school teachers present, and the bottom line there was that Barter is out to get Lynch no matter what, and these people all supported him. It might be clever PR to sully someone's reputation, but people can read between the lines, because they are intelligent enough.
It was said that the Herald compromise some articles, due to certain advertisers threatening to pull the plug if the 9R stories are not written in a certain way.
As far as I can remember, this site was set up to talk about education in our community, because the Spin Nurse over at 9R was feeding the community fairy tale nonsense.
I'm not being funny about your theory on whether or not Lynch had teachers supporting him publicly at DHS when he was let go, but the day Dr Barters letter was read to staff about how she may have to step down, the DHS staff cheered and clapped. The irony of course, was they cheered when she got to keep her job. The intimidation and fear just gets everyone cheering eh?
I didn't see or hear of anyone supporting Greg Spradling either. I don't think they lined up for Shane Voss. The only people brave enough to speak out are people who are not afraid to lose their jobs, and they seem to be parents, community members or retired district staff.
Go figure. Oh, the lessons we teach our youth.
Lynch isn't the problem with our district. The problem was here long before Lynch arrived on the scene. Our district will "move on" when Barter and Uroda walk out the door on 12th Street and turn the lights off. Approximately 56 days to go.
If Paddy is the man I think he is, he will only fight harder for the staff and kids at our high school. Ms. Youseff and Capdeville, I certainly hope by the time your kids are at Durango High School you won't have to witness what the rest of us are talking about. You have been at Riverview Elementary. It's a very different scenario at our high school. I highly recommend that you read every single email you receive from Paddy. Don't keep your blinders on. He speaks for several students and many parents in our community. Sadly, so many of us can't wait until our kids graduate and are out of that high school. I hear it way too often. It should be the best of times. In my opinion, and the opionion of my kids, Paddy is a voice that is trying to make it better, not only for our kids, but the future students at Durango High. Keep it up Paddy!! 55 more days!
Can't stand it!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dr. Mary F. Barter is willing to put any parent, student or teacher through hell just so she can appear to be right. I know personally how she responds to conflict or opinions different than hers. She forced us to request Due Process for our son. Our son has a Specific Learning Disability and based on the opinion of SJBOCES she was determined to exit him from all Special Ed Programs. We prevailed with private evaluations and after spending thousands of dollars on advocates and lawyers. Our son remains in SpED and is receiving some support at the high school now. We still fight for everything he deserves and are the only family in town who gets 9-R and BOCES's Lawyer at our son's IEP. So intimidating for him he refuses to attend his own IEP meetings. She is a incharge of our precious children and she does not deserve this honor of serving in this role. We settled out of court because Mary Barter and SJBOCES, Randy Boyer, knew they would lose much more if we were to go all the way. Anyone want to hear more about this journey call me!
I want to hear more! You are a great example to us all Mimi and I am happy you are in my life. If it wasn't for Mary, you and I would never have met on the steps of the Administration Building all those years ago whilst fighting for a Free and Appropriate Public Education for our sons. At least we have something to be thankful for!! If it were down to Dr Barter, my son would be in 11th grade now with a 4th grade reading age.
I'm so grateful for private tutors with a scientifically proven method of teaching up their sleeve.
If you want to know the story about Durango School District 9-R teaching a dyslexic to read in a foreign language, when 9-R can't teach them to read in the English language.....call me!!!
That was a 3 year fight...but it had a happy ending thanks to Diane Lashinsky and Priscilla Huston and the fabulous folks up at Fort Lewis College....oh, and my unwavering persistence to do the right thing for my child.
P.S. Are you still in Mexico...lying on a beach.....get off the computer!
If the School Board can not enforce white robes for Honor Students, then the Honor Students should NOT wear robes, and stand out that way. I'm sure the other students will support them.
Diane Lashinsky is wrong to not reward excellence for fear of offending 300 or so students. Why would they be offended? I've watched my son get recognition in sports, art and writing, and only ever seen his peers applaud him with excitement and enthusiasm.
I would be pleased if my son even gets to graduate, let alone wears a red robe. Just as I would be thrilled if he wore a white robe. It's too late for that to happen, possibly too late to wear red too -- all the same I would be just as excited and proud to watch other students walk up in white, because I would understand what it took for them to get there and weep with joy just like their own mother's would!
Principal Diane Lashinsky said “every child is special,” (Herald, April 17), and she is right. Every child is special, but does that mean we do not recognize those who go above and beyond the norm and strive for excellence? Who will not stand by a fellow human and glow for them in their time of greatness? Our children need to be recognized for distinguishing themselves from the norm and standing out in the crowd in positive ways. As a society we are so quick to spotlight the negative happenings, to "make an example" of those who do "wrong" and yet we fain from celebrating those who rise above the mediocrity and strive for greatness. When I was a child I was taught that whether I won or lost a game, to be happy. To be happy for my accomplishments and to honor others for theirs and NEVER to be a "poor sport". If we do not allow those Seniors who have worked so hard and given their all to shine the way they deserve to shine, then I am embarrassed to live in a community of "poor sports". Excellence deserves recognition, it is what pushes us toward greatness and keeps us moving forward. If we take away the incentive then for what reason do our children have to strive to make a difference? Do not rob these young men and woman of their recognition. Teach their peers that it is by honoring them for their greatness that they too will shine. We all shine when those amongst us shine and if we snuff out those in this world who illuminate then who will light the way? I for one, whole heartedly believe that we will be doing a great dishonor to every student at DHS if we take away the right of those individuals who have earned the right to wear those white robes with honor.
What message are we sending to all of our children if Lashinsky takes that away from them? Is the message one that will serve their highest potential in life? I will not be a part of dimming down the spirit of our youth! They are our hope of a better tomorrow, they must shine if we ever hope to repair the damage that has been done to our world. They are our future leaders and scientists and teachers and PARENTS and that moment to let them shine starts NOW. It does not mean that the other children do not deserve to be honored for their hard work the Graduation Ceremony is there to do just that.
As principal of DHS,Diane Lashinsky has been honored. She stood out amongst the rest of the applicants applying for that position. Our society is built on recogition for your success. What if that recognition was never made, would she hold office? Of course not! If we as a society said "everyone can apply to be principal regardless of their accomplishments because "we are all special" there would be no motivation to be great. Why would any one strive?
If we do not honor these young men and woman with their honor they are not the only ones we are hurting, we are robbing their peers of the chance to practice humility. We are all missing out on great life lessons of integrity. What is saddest is that had the vote been given to the students I feel in my heart that even those who are not graduating with honors would have wanted their fellow student to stand apart. We could learn a lot from their camaraderie.
Is Diane Lashinsky taing away the white robes? That's outrageous. How can she do that?
How about teachers going to MYSpace and then having students expelled for what is on their MYSPace? Isn't that an invasion of privacy?
What kind of a community do we live in?
The white graduation robes should be allowed. It shows four years of hard work, late nights, long hours, consistancy in ones application. The school board could give the superintendant a directive to allow the white robes....but the question is will they? I heard there was an email that refered to students as "inmates" that went out after the last pep rallye and that Greg Spradling has been down at the high school several times now, most recently today. Why? What business does Spradling have at the high school? Ask youself 'what is the common denominator between Spradling and Lashinski?'. I still believe that the 9-R school board should take a leadership roll in what is happening. For the life of me; I cannot fathom why we can't seem to come out of denial. Why doesn't the school board advocate for outstanding achievement? We do have that in our mission statement.
Padraig Lynch
9-R current school board member,
community member, business owner and taxpayer, advocate for student achievment.
Okay, since someone has to play devil's advocate it might as well be me. Frankly, I don't care one way or the other whether 4.0 students get white robes or not. What I do care about, and this really bothers me, is the tone of the letters to the editor and the tone of entries on this blog that seem to hold to the sickening belief that second place is really just first loser.
Straight A's may or may not be difficult to achieve. Grades are very arbitrary things and to make the insinuation that those who did not achieve straight A's somehow didn't try hard enough or aren't great students doesn't ring true with me.
I refuse to believe that by not getting straight A's the rest of the graduates are willing to accept mediocrity and their GPA's are living proof.
Everything is black and white in this country anymore. You're either with us or against us. You're either a winner or a loser. There is nothing easier than persuading people of their natural superiority to other people... and every teacher knows assigning a grade, a numerical mark, changes the entire experience and meaning of learning. That's what grades do... they create winners and losers.
By all means, give the 4.0 kids their white robes if that's what they want. But don't call my 3.8 GPA student " mediocre," don't call the kid who goes home every night after school and takes care of his brothers and sisters because his single parent is working "lazy" because he doesn't get all of his homework done. Don't become so elitist that you marginalize the hard work all the other graduates have done when you know nothing of their circumstances, their dreams, their desires. Let's talk instead of neighborliness, stewardship, thrift, temperance, generosity, care, kindness, friendship, loyalty, and love.
I support Diane Lashinsky in her decision to celebrate the accomplishments of this year's graduates by claiming they are all special. They may not all be on the honor roll...but they should be honored nonetheless.
In the meeting yesterday at DHS I witnessed many parents and students passionate about wearing white robes. This is not about the students who wear the red robes. This meeting was about recognizing the accomplishments of students who are exceptional in academics. There was no mention of mediocrity, there was no cutting down of these students who work just as hard but are unable for whatever reason in pulling the grade. This is about recognizing people in an individual way. Life is about winner and losers and those in between. School, in my opinion, should mirror this. Real Life! It could be paradise in your world Bill, but it is not reality.
Dear Mimi...I was with you right up there to the end bit about "paridise in my world." It's not paradise in my world and you know it...I don't understand the comment.
These are quotes from the meeting yesterday and the Herald Opinion pages:
"one parent said it sent the message it was preferable to be mediocre."
"I think it"s unfortunate that the distinction is between earning a 4.0 and being mediocre."
"I feel like it's a progressive socialist agenda."
"What kind of socialistic school is being run in Durango?"
"let's all be in the same bundle of mediocrity"
By not recognizing the highest-achieving students, DHS is celebrating mediocrity"
Seems like there's lots of people mentioning mediocrity after all.
Bill and Mimi: I think they are using the word "mediocre" to show the flip side of denying a 4:0 GPA or above a white robe, but not using the word to negate students who scored less. I hear the word, but in my mind, it doesn't make a 3:8 GPA student mediocre. It's just the 180 degree term of outstanding success.
The students should be allowed to wear white. Period.
Some of them write about how this is why they worked hard, and I don't think they meant to say that either. Nobody works hard to wear a white gown. One works hard because that is who they are. The fact that only 23 students out of 400 could pull it off, shows that they are outstanding. I'm sure many have a 3:0 or above, and they would have worked hard too.
My son hasn't worked hard since he was beaten up violently in 9th grade and nobody did a thing about it. He told me then, and reminds me every time we converse about his GPA, that there is no point in being at school or working hard, because it's all a crock. The Administration screwed him in the end over something they could have done something about. They could have honored his sense of justice and right and wrong. Instead they threw him off the deep end and showed him they didn't care. So now he doesn't care. I will happily tell you that Jamie's GPA is mediocre. He hasn't worked hard at all, therefore it must be. The only good thing, is that he applies himself outside of school, so they didn't knock it out of him totally. He will do fine, because of who he is, whatever mediocre GPA he walks away with from DHS.
Oh, that was me. It didn't print my name, but I wrote it.
Anne
After further review...I have considered both sides and agree with the white robe theory. I was just playing devil's advocate anyway...trying to present an opposing view because that's what constructive debate is all about.
I had a lovely conversation with a 2006 graduate, Kristi Newbold, who related her story...she had a 3.8 GPA going into her final trimester. She knew she would have to take an AP class AND get an A in it in order to raise her GPA to a 4.0. She really wanted to end her high school career with a 4.0 GPA...which she did. She said, at that time, 4.0 graduates could choose between a red or a white robe. She chose white because her best friend was wearing white and she wanted to sit by her (her GPA was a 5.0!) Anyway, those who choose to pursue academic success (as defined by GPA) should be recognized for their achievement...they should be allowed to wear white robes.
I just get upset at the mean-spirited sarcasm in some of the "Letters to the editor" that have come out recently. I thought Gordon Cheesewright's letter was very well written though, and I thought he framed the issue well.
By the way...I don't have a student with a 3.8 GPA...my daughter is a freshman whose passion is dance, dance, and English, in that order. She probably will not be wearing a white robe at graduation but that's her own choice. She has friends who WILL be wearing white and I say "good for them."
Ok,
I eat my words and yes mediocre was mentioned and obviously picked up by the herald. What wasn't mentioned was the outcry when the word was used. In every case, whom ever used the word was then asked to explain or rethink their use of the word. Every time the individual would take it back.
Bill, you are so good at taking the other argument. We need that. God knows there are more then 2 sides to every story.
I have just been appointed to the State Board of Education ,Special Education Advisory Committee. All children deserve the individual attention and opportunity for growth and achievement within our Public Education System. I can't get over the possibility of my son, my beautiful dyslexic son, wearing a white robe as a senior for his 4.0 grade point achievement. That would be his greatest accomplishment for a child who didn't learn how to read or write until the age of 10.
A student identified under IDEA and eligible for Special Education Services.
How will the new Superintendent attempt to repair our current situation?(s) How will he promote transparency? How will he reach out to include the community? How will he handle Professional Development for Teachers? Will he support the staff and recruit highly qualified instructors in all areas? Will he do away with the white robes?
Is he aware of the discord in communication between the public, 9-R and BOCES? Will he embrace the many issues listed on this website or pretend there is nothing wrong and business as usual?
Mediocre is when you don't try! That's my take on it anyway. I'm glad you are the devil's advocate Bill!
Jamie's life is art, photography, writing, snowboarding, traveling. Maybe one day he will be the next Ernest Hemingway or Hunter S. because he writes like both of them. It's nothing 9R taught him, he's just a natural. Today he is sitting his ACTs, he told me he would fail math and science, and hopes to pass reading and writing. He was in the top 82% of the country in that pre ACT they took a few years ago. Ha ha ha. Thank god for private Certified Academic Language Therapists, or he wouldn't even have hope there!
If Diane doesn't allow the white robes, I think she will seal her fate. I hate to say it, but our community never gets excited over education per se, i.e. whether or not we have reading programs that work. I haven't seen so many letters to the editor about one topic since Shane Voss got fired. I guess you don't mess with football or white robes, if you want to keep your job! LOL.
I'm thrilled that Dr Owens has been asked to be our superintendent. I heard a rumour he "wanted too much money" -- ha ha. How much is too much? The Herald said $100K -- that's too little. If Mary got $140K or whatever, plus a Jeep, then Dr Owens should get at least that, if not more for inflation. I like a man with a proven track record of bringing up a district. Pueblo was #2 in the state of Colorado in AYP....I bet we can't say we were #1 or in the top 10, whatever Uroda says about us being a leading district in the state of Colorado.
I'm looking forward to having a leader who knows how to get success out of everybody, and not just 23 students. LOL. Aaaaagh. Hit me.
Would someone please tell me who is advising Diane Lashinsky? I'd like to think that nobody is, no colleagues lending a friendly ear of advice. Certainly not the superintendent, who must be having a jolly field day at her new principals expense. The PIO who was put in the back room, must be chuckling with glee at all the bad press this one principal is getting, not to mention Durango High School.
For goodness sake, step up, put on a smile, and let the students wear their white robes, and stop the negativity dead in its tracks. Another five letters just made the paper, and nobody is looking good right now.
What do you think about Paddy Lynch now after his arrest for felony breaking and entering? Perhaps Mary Barter was right after all about his character. To me, I've tried to give Mr. Lynch the benefit of the doubt. Even though he admitted he is "rough around the edges" I thought it might be good to have him on the school board, despite some serious concerns about him. This latest incident shows that he is not the kind of person that should be leading our school district. All those who were so vocal in their support of Lynch sure are quiet now ...
Oh, Pleeze.
Paddy dug his own hole. We certainly supported him and believe his presense has raised awareness and brought to light many unanswered questions under the leadership of Mary F. Barter.
Our time for supporting him is done in my opinion, but I don't regret it nor see how any of this name calling will help us all begin a new chapter. As far as Mary Barter and the truth, Pleeze!
Post a Comment