The Coup d'etat of the J.O. Johnson High School PTSA

 

Huntsville Superintendent Casey Wardynski, center, and school board president Laurie McCaulley, right, listen Monday afternoon as Huntsville resident Carlos Mathews talks about the choosing of possible names for a new northwest Huntsville high school to replace Johnson High. Behind Mathews are pictures of astronauts Ronald McNair and Mae Carol Jemison, whose names may grace the new high school and a new junior high to be built on the same campus. (Crystal Bonvillian/cbonvillian@al.com)

Cue in music to The Harper Valley PTA

I want to tell you all a story about the Coup d'etat of  the J.O.Johnson PTA

After a prayer vigil to pray for peace and equality in the school district

Mending fences is the last thing on the mind of superintendent Casey Wardynski,

Well the next day, he and district 1 BOE representative  , and the president of the Huntsville Council of PTSA's went  over to the  J.O.Johnson PTSA  elections.

As Wardynski and  McCaulley, looked on  Elisa Ferrall told members of the J.O. Johnson Alumni Association they were not members of the PTSA because there was no record of their membership.  Imagine that!

They were also informed the application fees they paid were a donation.

So, they had a record of the donation but not the membership? Un Huh

Two members of the JOJ Alumni Association were allowed to vote, but here's the kicker, ballots were not secret, names had to be printed and signed or their vote wouldn't count.

Reynard Jones was elected President, and Carlos Matthews was elected Vice President of the J.O.Johnson PTSA by a vote of 21-2.  Neither of these persons have children attending J.O. Johnson,  nor are either J.O.Johnson Alums.  Hmmm...  I smell a Slave Catcher of the Week Award coming...

Both were members of the hand picked members of the so called naming committee.

Why did Wardynski  need to gain  control of the J.O.Johnson  PTSA? 

Possibly for the same reason he the BOE violated their own naming policy.

If the woman you see standing and speaking in this video looks familiar it's because she was just elected to the Huntsville City Schools Board of Mis-Education.

Boo!

The Devil is in the Al.com comment section, I mean, the details #HsvBoe

 

Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski answers questions from the press following Thursday night's Huntsville school board meeting. (The Huntsville Times/Michael Mercier)

Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski is doing the job he was hired to do.

Casey you have to break the mold and prove you're not afraid of minorities, democrats, liberals, aclu (sic) types and the entire entitlement crowd! Do that, and you'll be doing the job you were hired to do! Oh yeah, not to mention striking down all racial transfers. And that includes allowing not allowing whites to racially transfer either. If you don't like where your child goes to school, move to where they can be zoned into a school of your preference, that's what I had to do!

If you want to take the pulse of Huntsville, and find out what's really going on, who the people in positions of power and influence cater and pander to, and how they really feel about an issue, look no further than the comment section of Al.com.

NW needs to stop complaining and start setting a good example for their students. Kids don't learn well if their parents spend evenings at the club and not helping with homework. Learning starts at home. This is what southeast parents have always done. Northwest preachers need to stop the whining.

 Leaders of the ENTITLEMENT generation is what I see in the picture with this story. What a joke !!

And what exactly are Northwest preachers and Leaders of the ENTITLEMENT generation whining about?

"We want our middle schools to offer a curriculum that prepares students for honors and advanced level classes in their high schools. High school students in north Huntsville must be offered all Advancement courses that are offered to students in south Huntsville," Montgomery said.  "We want teachers who are highly qualified, formally trained in their respective content areas and prepared for the reality of teaching in the classroom."
The group also expressed concerns similar to those of the American Civil Liberties Union, questioning the district's social media monitoring system and if it disproportionately punishes students of color. Wardynski told AL.com that students focused on by the program have been more racially balanced and that the program has identified students in every high school that could pose a safety threat.
"He has earned our distrust," Montgomery said.

But, but, the previous superintendent.....

Don't hire a minority, and it's racist. Fire a minority, and it's racist.
Is anyone else confused here? How is a white guy like me supposed to get a job when the minorities will get hired over me and they can't ever get fired? 

Why would anyone hire a superintendent knowing that if it didn't work out and she had to be replaced they would be labeled racist? Just hire a white person and you can fire them when ever you get ready.

Richard Showers is a racist! If you look at the schools in our city that are failing, guess what, they are all in his district! If this were truly about the children and our school system, Showers should be leading the charge demanding a change in school leadership because HIS district is the one that has suffered the most!

I heard him telling some of the pastors last night that Tommy Battle called Ann Roy Moore and asked for her resignation. If he did, GOOD! She and the school system have gone unchecked for far too long.

Put a pipe in it, Richard.

And how does Mayor Tommy Battle respond to calls for the resignation of Casey Wardynski?

The City of Huntsville, The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce and the Huntsville Council of PTAs and the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee all responded to Wednesday morning's remarks with letters of support praising the district's leadership and its efforts to provide every child with a high quality education.
"Every child must emerge from our schools college or career ready and well-prepared for active and meaningful lives as thoughtful, engaged and productive citizens," Mayor Tommy Battle said in a statement. "We believe our Board of Education and Dr. Wardynski are working to meet that challenge, and we have confidence in the job they are doing for our children."

There you have it, they have confidence in the job Casey Wardynski and the Lame Duck Board of Education are doing on, I mean, for our children.

"Let me make this very clear," board President David Blair said, "this small group is basing their complaints on outdated misinformation. This school board will not ask for Dr. Wardynski's resignation. We in fact will vote on a contract extension at the next board meeting.
For 50 years our school system hasn't performed like it should. Many of these same people who are making inaccurate accusations were the same people neglecting the schools till we started making changes. I challenge these people to start being part of the solution. Everything we do as a school board is first and foremost for our children, not what is best for a political agenda."

Speaking of doing what is best for a political agenda.....

United For Action can't seem to get anything done, including getting a handle on the criminal activity which plagues their own backyards. Seems to me that they are long on talk and short on action. Besides, Wardynski is exactly what Huntsville City Schools needs right now. AND... yesterday's runoff appears to be an additional vote of confidence for Wardynski.
Perhaps they aren't so United after all...

Or perhaps the WARdynski machine conducted a successful palace coup....

Dr. Casey Wardynski, the school superintendent, should be fired or resign, so said the more than two dozen representatives of the North Huntsville Community United for Action.
We'll not be holding our breath for that to happen.

"Let them define themselves, let them reveal who they are. The American public needs to see that."~ Rep. Maxine Waters, D. CA

Eye report.  You decide.

Correction~"We Shall Overcome Someday"

Several groups, including Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, show their support for the Huntsville Board of Education by standing together on the steps of the Annie Merts Center on March 18, 2014. Community leaders spoke in support of the school board while protesters stood on the sidewalk. (Eric Schultz / eschultz@al.com) 

Correction:  The DOJ and the HCS agree to the closing Butler High School, what is not agreed to is combining J.O.Johnson High School and Butler High School.

The Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce  is injecting themselves even deeper  into the court battle between the US Department of Justice and the Huntsville school system over the system's new student assignment plan. Links inserted for emphasis and clarity:

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce on Friday wrote to U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala, offering a counterargument to several letters written by black politicians, black ministers and black citizens across Huntsville.
The Chamber told the federal judge that black citizens in north Huntsville had not been ignored during zoning deliberations. That assertion contradicts letters to judge that were signed by all black elected officials in Huntsville save one, school board member Laurie McCaulley.

Again, predominately white groups are basically calling black citizens liars, expecting the black community to go along with their desire for unitary status without discussion or input.  

 Suppressing dissent by silencing taxpayers is a nice nasty way of saying you aren't valued as a person, we know what is best for you, and how your tax dollars should be spent.  We will do what we want to do in your community because you need the government to take care of you.

 The Chamber has the same right (pun intended) to write the Judge as any other taxpayer, but I would to like to take this opportunity to correct some factually incorrect assertions (for lack of better words) contained in their letter.

"The Chamber told the federal judge that black citizens in north Huntsville had not been ignored during zoning deliberations."  There is a well documented public record of black citizens being ignored, marginalized, and minimized during the deliberations.

The U.S. Department of Justice says that there was no need for months of secrecy surrounding plans to close Butler High and redraw zone lines across Huntsville. 
In fact, a federal attorney wrote that Washington never gagged the school board nor Superintendent Casey Wardynski, despite the board's recent claims.

 "The Chamber letter argues that busing from Monte Sano to Lee creates logistical difficulties and that removing Hereford would decrease diversity at the new Jemison High."

 Monte Sano is exactly 16 minutes from Huntsville High ,and 16 minutes from Lee High School so what logistical difficulties would be created?  Back in the day students from Monte Sano were zoned for Lee High School.    Hereford Elementary is the former Terry Height's Elementary school and is predominately black.  The new Jemison is predominately black, you do the math then explain how removing Hereford would decrease diversity at the new Jemison High School.

"The NAACP Legal Defense Fund -- a plaintiff in the long-running suit -- split with the Justice Department on this issue and does not oppose Huntsville's plan." 

Enabled by the media,  HCS keeps repeating The NAACP Legal Defense Fund did not oppose the Huntsville City Schools rezoning plan meme, counting on the public to infer the NAACP LDF supports the plan.
What they don't count on is the public having enough sense to read the motion for themselves.  The special counsel for the plaintiffs (Norman J. Chachkin) is not opposed to the new school construction plan because of penalties the BOE would incur if they don't start construction of the new Grissom and the new Johnson High Schools by a certain date due to Arbitrage (Page 6-7 and footnotes page 6). The Plaintiffs attorney reserved the right to oppose the rezoning plan and further litigate whatever issues he deems are in the best interest of the class.
 In other words, the LDF has not dismissed this lawsuit.
The motion filed by HCS BOE request the courts approval, and DOJ agreement, to build a new Johnson High School and a new Grissom High School (footnotes page 4). The court did not approve, and the DOJ did not agree to closing Johnson, renaming Johnson, or closing and combining Butler High School with Johnson High School. The closing of Butler is part of the rezoning plan which the LDF reserved the right to oppose.

" They write to the judge no one was excluded from planning, noting Huntsville held a meeting at each high school before filing for approval of the zoning plan. The meetings, taking place in the course of a week, were not designed to incorporate public input, but to allow citizens to ask questions and finally see the maps." The community meetings were held after the fact.

Dr. Wardynski and every one of the current board members are, evidently, terrified of actually answering questions from the public.
At the “Community Conversations” scheduled to supposedly allow the community to converse with the superintendent and the board of education about their “plan” for redistricting Huntsville, the community is, once again, not allowed to ask questions about the plan.

"All were given equal access to our school leaders," reads the Chamber letter.

So, on January 16th, at a meeting to discuss changes in the school zone lines, Wardynski spent half of his time talking about his accomplishments before even beginning the rezoning discussion.
After he wrapped up patting himself on the back, he then presented the district’s zoning plan. (You’ll have to scroll down to page 30 to see the new plans.)
Following his presentation of the rezoning plan (which does contain changes to the Grissom zoning, despite Wardynski’s assurance on January 14, 2013 that he was not rezoning Grissom), he left a total of 12 minutes for the “public” to ask questions at the meeting.
Mr. Blair, because he is terrified of facing the voters, decided that those twelve minutes should be reserved for the public officials present at the meeting. And so the Mayor, Councilman Russell (who both expressed “full faith and confidence” in both Wardynski and the Board) spoke first. Councilman Showers spoke third and made Wardynski quite nervous as witnessed by his rapid foot tapping.

" Perhaps the strongest portion of the Chamber letter is a bullet point list of recent school programs, including: breakfasts for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches; increase pre-kindergarten for low-income families; centralized teacher assignment to racially balance faculties; laptops for every student in third grade or higher; extended school year for Title I schools."

The summer feeding program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.  The extended school year for Title 1 schools is a federally funded program.  Centralized teacher assignment to racially balance faculties equals Teach for America teachers for north Huntsville schools, and certified teachers for south Huntsville Schools.  The laptops  for every student was also done without parental input or consideration.

"Unlike black citizens in north Huntsville, the Chamber members largely are not members of the aggrieved party in the 51-year-old lawsuit. It is unclear if the letter will be added to the court record.
As for approval of the city's zoning plan, the next round of legal briefs are due by May 16."

“The United States continues to wrestle with the legacy of race and slavery and segregation, that’s still there, the vestiges of discrimination…” President Obama  addressing the Donald Sterling issue while attending a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

I wish the Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Education would initiate a public relations campaign to unite our city with the same gusto they are carrying out in favor of keeping the schools segregated.  Imagine the possibilities if every child, regardless of their race or address had equal access to a quality education?  Huntsville could be the shining example for education reform not just in our state, but our country.

Education is the hope of the republic

Breaking News Update ~Let the Retaliation Begin

 

Huntsville Superintendent Casey Wardynski, center, and school board president Laurie McCaulley, right, listen Monday afternoon as Huntsville resident Carlos Mathews talks about the choosing of possible names for a new northwest Huntsville high school to replace Johnson High. Behind Mathews are pictures of astronauts Ronald McNair and Mae Carol Jemison, whose names may grace the new high school and a new junior high to be built on the same campus. (Crystal Bonvillian/cbonvillian@al.com) 


Breaking News Update! County Commissioner's daughter files lawsuit claiming school board retaliation.

An overflow crowd filled First Missionary Baptist Church Wednesday night to pray for peace and equality in Huntsville's schools. But did the prayers help mend the rift between the city's black leaders and its school officials?

Absolutely Not, it only made school officials more determined not to listen to the city's black community.  Thanks to BOE member Laurie McCaulley, the only black elected official who supports the re-segregation of the school district, we know the only reason the Superintendent and the Board of Education attended the meeting was because Mayor Battle invited them. It must have been painful for them to have to sit there and listen to the lies and deceptions be exposed before God and country.

Mending fences with the black community is the last thing on the mind of this superintendent. Wardynski, assisted by the district 1 BOE representative , and the president of the Huntsville Council of PTSA's, attended the J.O.Johnson PTSA election the day after the prayer vigil.  According to my sources, with Wardynski, McCaulley, and Elisa Ferrall in attendance,  members of the J.O. Johnson Alumni Association were told their individual memberships were not valid because there were no copies of their membership applications.  They were also informed the application fees they paid were a donation, and refused to refund them.  So they had a record of the donations but not the membership.  Only two members of the JOJ Alumni Association were allowed to vote, but here's the kicker, ballots were not secret, they had to be printed and signed or they weren't counted.

Reynard Jones was elected President, and Carlos Matthews was elected Vice President of the J.O.Johnson PTSA by a vote of 21-2.  Neither of these persons have children who attend J.O. Johnson,  nor are either J.O.Johnson Alums.  Both were members of the hand picked members of the so called naming committee.

Last night the Huntsville City School Board of Education violated their own policy on the Selection of School, Facility, and/or Property Name (Policy 2.9, presented September 5, 2013) by concluding the process and voting on the new names approximately three weeks before they were allowed to do so.
On September 5, 2013, the board met and discussed during their work session a new policy entitled, “Selection of School, Facility, and/or Property Name” (Policy 2.9). This policy was necessary to ensure that the process of receiving new names for schools would be as open to the public as possible. Laurie McCaulley, who was at that time serving as the School Board President, assured the public present that evening that the public would have every opportunity to “have input on these changes.”

 Why is Wardynski trying to gain control of the J.O.Johnson PTSA?  Possibly for the same reason the BOE violated their own naming policy.

The board was receiving political heat over this decision, and they don’t like political heat or pressure. Despite their claims to the contrary, they actually do prefer it when the board room is filled with nothing but employees whom they control.
That was why they held between 10 and 15 seats in a standing room only crowd last night for TFAers. (There are, by the way, only about 50 seats in the room that aren’t always taken by school district employees.)
That was why they kept the general public waiting outside until 5:15pm.
That was why they instigated a new policy of requiring all questions from the public during the work session part of the meeting to be submitted in writing (that they then refused to read out loud).
That was why Dr. Robinson decided that it would be a good idea to berate Johnson parents for supposedly caring more about the name of the school rather than the test scores when she said, “My challenge would be to those folks who have been spending a lot of time focused on the name that you might want to put that same focus on the test scores.”
That was why Ms. McCaulley seemed to have such difficulty reading citizens’ questions or putting forth a coherent statement on her position.
That was why Mr. Blair seemed incapable of doing anything other than demand complete silence from a crowd of interested citizens.
That was why Dr. Wardynski asked security to remove the few non-employees who managed to get seats in the room.
Wardynski, Blair and Robinson are all three looking ahead to their own political futures, and they decided that the naming question had embarrassed them long enough.
Mr. Culbreath’s only contribution was to claim, by holding up a folder that he “had received only a few hours ago,” that he just didn’t understand how anyone could claim that this process had been anything other than transparent.
Well, Mr. Culbreath, when the board refuses to follow their own rules, the process is significantly less transparent than it should be, don’t you think?
Only Mr. Birney seemed genuinely concerned about the process that they were pushing through when he shared that Mae Jemison didn’t appreciate her southern heritage by pointing out, “You may have the possibility of Dr. Jemison refusing this as she has publicly declaimed the fact that she was born in the south. She resented that heritage.” Mr. Birney was the lone dissenting voice on this matter last night.
Thank you, Mr. Birney.
This is just one more example of this board and this superintendent doing exactly what they want to do in the way they want to do it without consideration of what the community wants. They’ve done it with Special Education students. They’ve done it with the naming of schools. They’ve done it with the location of schools.
Next up, they’ll be doing it with the rezoning of schools.
It’s time for all of them to be sent packing.

Is what Paul Gattis | pgattis@al.com  said true?

No great insight here but this showdown is good for no one. Hopefully this difficult situation will find a proper resolution to the betterment of children in Huntsville. Sadly, it's hard to envision that right now.

 Time will tell the truth, but based on the actions of this Superintendent and this Board of Education I don't believe finding a proper resolution to the betterment of ALL children in Huntsville is in the cards. Ironically, Wardynski and Company could have probably gotten away with their evil plan if  a number of councilmen and elected officials had warned him it would be a gargantuan mistake to change the name of Lee, I mean, J.O.Johnson High School.

I repeat:

As long as the quality of public education in Huntsville is based on parental income and property values there is no hope for the Huntsville City Schools.

From the position paper:

Again, we agree with the United States Department of Justice that the students of Northwest Huntsville deserve fair and equitable treatment in respect to all of their relationships with Huntsville City Schools System.

 You are either for fair and equitable treatment in respect to all students, or you are against fair and equitable treatment for all students in respect to all of their relationships with Huntsville City Schools.