The December 5, 2012 editions of
The Huntsville Times and Al.com were just full of
news and information they wanted us to know about the Huntsville City School system, beginning with the above the fold, banner headline on page 3A announcing
another sale of a
school building to developers, despite
residents concerns about what's in store for the property.
Bob Broadway, owner of The Broadway Group, could not be reached for
comment Wednesday. School board member David Blair, whose District 2
included East Clinton before the school was closed in 2010, declined to
detail what he had been told about Broadway's potential plans.
Turning to page 4A, there was a 3 column, above the fold, black and white photo of Huntsville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski with a female student looking at her
government issued IPad, announcing he was
one of four education leaders in America named "Tech Leader of the Year" by Tech and Leaning magazine for his implementation of digital curriculum.
A profile of Wardynski on the magazine's website
states that Huntsville City Schools "completely transformed education
for its nearly 25,000 students" in just one year under the direction of
the retired Army colonel, who is described as a "brave and visionary"
leader.
Also on page 4A, to the right of the above mentioned article, was the announcement the Huntsville school district had
another legal victory last week as
Madison County Circuit Court Judge Jim Smith upheld the
legal lynching of Huntsville City School Teacher Shirley Taylor.
Taylor, a third-grade teacher,
was fired by Superintendent Casey Wardynski after she was accused of
mistreating students. Documents submitted as evidence in the district's case
show that she was reprimanded by University Place's former principal, Towana
Davis, for her behavior toward the children.
Davis accused Taylor of creating
a "hostile learning environment for students," in part by telling one boy in
November 2011 that "he wasn't going to amount to anything or make anything of
himself." The boy's mother wrote a letter to the school to complain after her
son came home in tears.
Are you kidding me? This is one of those rare occasions when I agree with
Radio Boy,
But, is it possible that she was just trying to motivate? I know
from first hand experience that complaining to school officials in
person or in writing about teachers creating a hostile learning
environment didn't get the teacher fired.
Surely there was more. This is the real kicker.
Smith's ruling, which overturns
the decision of the administrative law judge, points to the language of the
Students First Act, which went into effect in July 2011.
"Notice by certified mail or
private mail carrier shall be deemed received by the employee and complete for
purposes of this chapter two business days after the notice is deposited for
certified delivery in the United States mail or placed with a private mail
carrier for next business day delivery," the law reads.
Nothing in the statute requires
the board provide evidence of delivery, Smith ruled.
Say what? The statue requires notice by certified mail, but they don't have to provide evidence of delivery of the certified mail? Why didn't they hand deliver this letter like they
hand delivered her termination letter?
She first learned she had been fired the following
day, when a notice of the board's decision was hand-delivered to her at
University Place.
When it is unfavorable to a minority employee district officials are quick to
dispense what they perceive as justice.
The same is true for students. Why are they so unwilling to give
due process to Shirley Taylor?
An administrative law judge agreed with Taylor, ruling in August that
district officials had violated the requirements of the Students First
Act by not ensuring Taylor received her notice of Superintendent Casey
Wardynski’s intentions. Court documents indicate that the U.S. Postal
Service did not deliver the document to Taylor’s Madison address because
it had incorrect information that she had moved and left no forwarding
address.
According to
AL.com's Crystal Bonvillian Ms. Taylor actually did not move. She was
living at the same home she'd lived at for several years. The Postal
Service's information about a move was incorrect.
Again, I wish I could say I am surprised the judge ruled in favor of the School District, my question is, with all the real estate deals, and digital learning initiatives, Teach for America Teachers replacing trained certified, educators, and privatized child abuse ......... "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"
Read on, read often.
