Southern York County Life

Nicely said shawn....

as for citizen… while I am about as far from communist as possible I think you’ve mixed up some information or received poor information. Most of the teachers in the district (and I know quite a few) are far from liberal and even further from your socialist accusation. There are some that may fit your bill, but most simply work hard to teach well. Maybe it would be better that you pull your kids from public school that way they have less of an chance of influencing mine!

But isn’t the PA Dept of Labor and Industry investigating the administration for unfair labor practices? I believe so!

Never heard that… any sources LLL?

livelaughlove - 07 March 2010 08:18 AM

But isn’t the PA Dept of Labor and Industry investigating the administration for unfair labor practices? I believe so!

well, if you think so you must know for a fact or you shouldln’t be making such statements.  But doesn’t the government also investigate when someone reports UFO sightings?

I thank Concerned citizen for their post. There is a great deal of propaganda being foisted on our kids (and the true history along with it’s morals and values) is taking a back burner, if even being taught at all. During the Obama campaign there were ads telling kids the they knew more about todays world than their parents, under the guise of ‘uniting all people’, and ‘getting along’. The current administration, and probably most of the teachers have been teaching patriotism and the rights of individuals for many years, now this witch hunt is to replace them with a progressive mentality (socialism, communism). Take a look at your childs school books - see how much American history is being taught - or being replaced with an ideology that turns them away from what this country is all about to what SOME people want it to be.

We can’t teach American History right now because we are teaching to the tests (PSSA).  And yes, our “wonderful” administrators make us...GO DATA!

When the state has standards that name the specifics that are to be taught in classrooms and then the state creates a test to be sure the schools are teaching those standards......how is that teaching to the test and not teaching to the state standards?

All topics are to be taught by state standards.  But currently in education we have created an environment of nothing but scores.  Students are assessed to death and it really pisses me off when the “public” measures a school and an administrators effectiveness by test scores.  There is much more to the quality of education your child receives than scores.

$3 bill - 07 March 2010 10:47 AM

All topics are to be taught by state standards.  But currently in education we have created an environment of nothing but scores.  Students are assessed to death and it really pisses me off when the “public” measures a school and an administrators effectiveness by test scores.  There is much more to the quality of education your child receives than scores.

Then we really should be investigating No Child Left Behind because that’s where this all begins.  That’s what happens when you let someone who is not an educator direct the country’s educational system You end up with an idea with good intentions that goes down the wrong path and causes more harm than good.  No Child Left Behind has created a system where test scores are the primary attribute to evaluate a school’s quality and if found lacking, that school can lose an important source of their funding.
This current witch hunt is attempt to evaluate the quality of the district administrators, which could result in the loss of over a hundred years of valuable educational experience.  Why reinvent the wheel when the district goes through so many different audits directed by professionals specifically trained to evaluate educational programs and procedures?
....and as a tax payer I can’t believe that investigating all those people by a Philadelphia law firm is going to come in at $20,000-it is still government spending and that always is more than originally thought.

I think the administration of SESD should be careful what they post on this site.  It doesn’t matter how many non-tenured teachers call the school board.  The investigation has been initiated.  The board must have had information presented to them already to initiate an investigation.  There probably is so much the general public doesn’t know about.  There is probably a lot the teachers don’t know about.  So, in solidarity, let’s all hope that the truth will be revealed and the right moves are made to increase the success of students and teachers and staff.

The school board has been allowing individuals to personally attack others at their school board meetings.  This should not occur in a professional setting.  This investigation is not only negatively impacting the administrators, but everyone from teachers on through support staff who feel it is a personal attack against a place they were proud to work for.  This will affect the lives of hundreds (thousands really, if you count the students) of people in this community.  At the very least, it is a distraction at a time when our focus should be on the students.  The normally high turnover rate for faculty seemed to have become more stable, but this will change for administration and faculty who would like to work in an environment that won’t question their judgment on what is best for the students.  I hope SESD is prepared to lose a lot of highly respected people over this.  It will take years to recover from this and after all of the negative publicity, it will be hard to replace the people who choose to leave.

No matter what them stealing(taxing)me 1500 and up a year for an education that does not prepare my child for the real world is garbage.This is why my child is now home shcooled.

FINALLY - 07 March 2010 02:19 PM

I think the administration of SESD should be careful what they post on this site.  It doesn’t matter how many non-tenured teachers call the school board.  The investigation has been initiated.  The board must have had information presented to them already to initiate an investigation.  There probably is so much the general public doesn’t know about.  There is probably a lot the teachers don’t know about.  So, in solidarity, let’s all hope that the truth will be revealed and the right moves are made to increase the success of students and teachers and staff.

Finally, I couldn’t agree with you more.  Let’s all hope that the truth will be revealed and the right moves are made to continue the success of the students.  That’s what it is all about.

livelaughlove - 07 March 2010 08:18 AM

But isn’t the PA Dept of Labor and Industry investigating the administration for unfair labor practices? I believe so!

Interesting that LLL has information on a PA Dept of Labor and Industry investigation, yet is not willling to share what this is all about.  Could it be yet another incident of harassment of the administrative team by the “clowns” of the district?  Are they filing firvolous accusations (probably also setting up the Board with misinformation) that SESD is doing something that is not common practice in other districts in order to promote this “witch hunt?” Who are the real witches in SESD?  Those who are working hard to see that children receive the best possible education, or those who are upset because teachers (they?) are being held accountable and are now harassing the current administrators?  How many frivolous accusations have been filed LLL?  Will you report on any that may have already been dismissed as being without merit? 

I agree with Dish.  Districts have to go through numerous State audits.  Has anyone looked into how these have turned out?  Afraid to find out that they have come back positive and complimentary?  Where is the Board in reading and heeding the State audits? 

Every wonder why people aren’t going into administration in droves?  Could it be that when those with high ideals work hard to create change in a culture of low expectations, like the one that existed at SESD, the “disgruntled, low morale folks” drag them through the mud in an effort to undermine the change taking place?  What part of the improvements statistically demonstrated as being positive FOR STUDENTS is the community missing in this situation?  What about the Board allowing unfettered public comment blasting district personnel.  That, by all decency standards, should not be permitted.  Makes us really proud of SESD to know the Board is sanctioning - and in fact promoting via allowing - this type of behavior.  Then again, who is doing the bashing?  Maybe this investigation is aimed at the wrong group. 

Also agree with the assessment that this “little $20,000 investigation” will not only cause disruption, but has potential to cost big time in staff salaries (oops, the Board missed mentioning that didn’t they).  Would love to see a response from the real dedicated teachers in the District, who know what is going on, by having them show up at a Board meeting to support their administrative team.

lifeisgood - 06 March 2010 08:42 PM

If people could go anywhere “easily”. they would...believe me. SESD has it perks people, work close to home, good pay scale, nice students and a history if you’ve been around long enough. Truth be told, if the focus stays on students and their success, we wouldnt have these issues.

What issues?  I’m still not sure what the issues are let alone trying to define solutions that some lawyer from Philly is going to make clear for us.

lifeisgood - 06 March 2010 08:42 PM

People seem to have their own agenda these days....

My experience around here including with the board is that you’re expected to you have an agenda.  If you don’t people are suspicious there is a hidden, dark, evil agenda that you are hiding rather than the fact that you are just trying to help or participate for its own sake.  Makes you wonder what their agendas are . . .

lifeisgood - 06 March 2010 08:42 PM

When you work for the Board of Education in any state, you have to be ready to be questioned and kept to high standards.  Some of the things I hear from my own students (3 different buildings in our district) are appalling...staff carrying on cell phone conversations during elementary PE class, playing computer games on their phones, facebook contacts with students, cussing at students, accusing of things that are so ridiculous.  I take some of it in stride- 2 of my kids are teens, so their perspectives are sometimes inaccurate too.  Lets try and preserve the integrity of the real professionals and week out the admins who are incapable. Thank you

May be but these aren’t legal issues they are issues of proffessionalism.  I don’t think it has been clearly defined what why things need to be looked at.  Perhaps we will find out, but for now . . . . i’m definitely missing something.