Wicomico County Board of Education Interim Superintendent Tom Field as let off a salvo aimed at the Wicomico County government, and the County Council in particular. Upon the passage of a final budget by the WCBOE, Field remarked:
Unlike the WCBOE, which will be coming back in a few months complaining about fuel prices, the Wicomico County Council did the responsible thing and set up a fuel contingency fund for the county. There is no question that there is waste in all government, but the Wicomico County government isn't in the same league as our Board of Ed.
How are citizens supposed to feel comfortable with how their tax dollars are being spent by the WCBOE when they announced at a recent council meeting that they had created a new position - School Climate Coordinator. Upon questioning by council, we discover that this warm and fuzzy sounding job is actually responsible for school safety and discipline.
As someone who strongly supports public education (vs. blindly funding the bureaucracy and bowing to the MSTA), I believe that we deserve better from the WCBOE. Board chair Robin Holloway should demand the IMMEDIATE resignation of Field. I know that he only has a few days left in his tenure. So what! If Field wants to play politics, let him run for office. He can't have it both both ways.
cross posted at Delmarva Dealings
"It's disappointing that we don't get the support from our local government," Field said. "But we will get the job done with this budget."There is no question that public education is the number one priority of the county government. It just doesn't seem to matter to Field, speaking for the bureaucracy over at the WCBOE, that there are other things that need to be taken care of with citizens' tax dollars.
Unlike the WCBOE, which will be coming back in a few months complaining about fuel prices, the Wicomico County Council did the responsible thing and set up a fuel contingency fund for the county. There is no question that there is waste in all government, but the Wicomico County government isn't in the same league as our Board of Ed.
How are citizens supposed to feel comfortable with how their tax dollars are being spent by the WCBOE when they announced at a recent council meeting that they had created a new position - School Climate Coordinator. Upon questioning by council, we discover that this warm and fuzzy sounding job is actually responsible for school safety and discipline.
As someone who strongly supports public education (vs. blindly funding the bureaucracy and bowing to the MSTA), I believe that we deserve better from the WCBOE. Board chair Robin Holloway should demand the IMMEDIATE resignation of Field. I know that he only has a few days left in his tenure. So what! If Field wants to play politics, let him run for office. He can't have it both both ways.
cross posted at Delmarva Dealings
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31 comments:
GA:
"There is no question that public education is the number one priority of the county government."
What are you smoking???
Let's hope Mr. Fields runs for County Exec. He would be good, possibly great, in that position.
Upon questioning by council, we discover that this warm and fuzzy sounding job is actually responsible for school safety and discipline.
And what's wrong with that???
Anon 8:36 What are YOU smoking? Tom fields couldn't run Wi Hi and you think he could run a county? Tom Fields is the biggest wuss on two legs. He was more afraid of his students than Miss Jones was after being attacked by them.
Hey, Tom Fields, I saw another of YOUR students was busted for drugs. Were you sitting in church praying for him? That's your #1 comment when approached, isn't it? Maybe you've changed your canned comments with the times.
Get rid of his sorry ass. Isn't he one of those drawing the ENP and decided to NOT retire after all? What is his salary?
Anon0834 -
What percentage of the county's budget goes to education? By a multiple, the largest recipient of Wicomico tax dollars is the WCBOE. I'm sure you must think that the taxpayer should put out twice that.
Anon0836-
I really hope that you're joking. I may have occasional differences with Rick Pollitt but please! The only thing the top administration of the WCBOE knows how to do is kowtow to the public employees' unions and whine about not having enough of the taxpayers' money to spend.
Anon0854-
You miss my point. It's not the actual position I'm complaining about. I just have a problem trusting government entities that spend our money and create positions with these ridiculous sounding names. People will (at least) feel that they are getting some value from a "Director of School Safety and Discipline" than they are from a "Coordinator for School Climate". It sounds like he's in charge of global warming.
And those who know the true story, know the rush to spend at the end of the budget year--it's outrageous what is purchased just to spend out the funds. And the funds spent on travel and trips..........we know the true picture at the BOE.
Tom Field should be shown the door. his attitude is typical of the WCBOE, by hiding under the guise of "its for the kids" The WCBOE has always been a runaway train on the budget and no one seems to be able to reel it in. When they hire Jan Conway, after retirement , to a cushy "prinicple consultant" or some crap like that. What a waste of money. And now, a coordinator for school climate. gimme a break-what a waste! The wcboe budget has grown faster than any other budget. Make them accountable NOW-before its way too late, by stopping crap like this.
GA:
You are a flipping idiot! A call for Mr. Field's termination. Give me a break. The man has done a remarkable job over the past two years. (and I am not an employee of the system) Much better than Dr. Knowledge.
The county gov't has not supported the system over the years. That is a fact. Yes, they have given more funding, but not at a reasonable rate to keep up with other schools in the state.
I understand that their hands are tied with the cap but give me a break. We give the Sheriff's Dept. a huge raise, get to have free cars and gas. That needs to go!
Quit bashing the one person in our county that actually is down to earth, a supporter for children and families, and is upstanding. As for 9:44's comments, sounds like Mr. Field busted your ass a few times at Wi Hi and you are holding a grudge. We all know he can't be responsible for what kids do after they leave school. Blame the parents.
BTW...I did find out that the new postion will not cost the taxpayers any NEW money. This normally came under Mr. Brown and his position is not being filled upon his retirement. We will actually save money on this one!
GA:
FYI...the BOE could not call the position a "Director". That would mean a higher payscale because a Director gets paid much more than a Coordinator.
If you push for this, you are contradicting yourself and are actually advocating for more money to be spent!
GA:
If everyone got fired for expressing their opinion then you should be fired on a daily basis.
He has taken ownership!!!!!
Field is a very good superintendent considering the small amount of money the county pays for the position.
Good post GA. I too would ask for Fields resignation and if not forth coming I'd fire him. He is spouting the old BOE line that they never have enough money in their budget and the teachers are grossly underpaid. Maybe, if they did away with some needless, do next to nothing admin. jobs at the main office, there would be plenty of money available for whatever they need. As the Public Library Director over lots of years, it would make me sick seeing the size increase the BOE got each year while we had to contend with very small increases at the library. Sorry, I am really all for good teachers being well paid and our children properly educated, but I also think there is an awful lot of waisted funding in that monolith of an education system hewre! Can't wait to see how the new Superintendent will react to the budget situation there.
A. Goetz
Field is a very good superintendent considering the small amount of money the county pays for the position.
-
Get the f**k out of here, you're kidding right?
And no 10:37 Tom Fields never busted anyones ass, that's his problem. When confronted by parents of children ganged up on and beaten in school all he could say was "I sat in church and prayed for them". He's a spineless person without the guts to stand up for anything that will draw confrontation. Ask this great Superintendent how he handled his students when they pulled a man from his car and beat him unmercifully. If he says he did more than stand on the sidewalk and watch he's a liar. He wasn't fit to run Wi Hi and he's not fit to run the BOE. Can his ass now, don't delay.
The "climate" in schools wouldn't be as bad as they are if they had an administration with a backbone.
to 10:37 am, you are the flipping idiot my friend! The county has supported the wcboe! The annual budget for the wcboe has increased on average 8% over the last 6-7 years while the rest of the county got only 4 %. You don't think thats support?? Problem is the wcboe can't account for it. Where does it go? What part of unaccountable don't you understand? enough is enough, make these people accountable. Quit taxing the crap out of me until you account for what you already have. Get it? As far as the Sheriff dept goes, that dude needs to get all the money he can, because he's the only one kicking butt and taking names later. Finally, someone standing up for law and order in this county. I say cut the wcboe budget and give it to the sheriff!
Anonymous said...
Let's hope Mr. Fields runs for County Exec. He would be good, possibly great, in that position.
8:36 AM
Tom... thanks for reading Salisbury News. Keep up the good work, NOT!
Anonymous said...
And those who know the true story, know the rush to spend at the end of the budget year--it's outrageous what is purchased just to spend out the funds. And the funds spent on travel and trips..........we know the true picture at the BOE.
10:04 AM
EXACTLY!!! I watch that every year. What is also interesting is that the BOE goes in front of the County every meeting to tell them how they shuffled around the "prioritized" funding. If it was that important and you spent it on something else then it obviously wasn't that important.
The Wicomico County Board of Election needs to be an elected board and they need to take control of the BOE!
11:51....could you be a deputy? Sounds like 10:37 it a nerve with you.
For me, I am sick and tired of the whiny sheriff's office wanting more money every year. They cry about not being competitive with the state police and they need raises. First of all, they get what they deserve and should be paid as county employees. The state pay is based on a state formula and whatever they get on the western shore, they get here.
Sheriff's should only get what other county employees get because they are county employees. 3% raise for teachers, 3% for deputies.
Granted, Mike Lewis does a nice job leading his officers but they deserve no more money or raises than teachers. If that is the case, let's give out over 1000 take home cars to teachers so they can make home visits, etc. to their students. Not like they don't conduct business in grocery stores, walmart, etc.
This cheap ass county will never support the education system. Never has, never will. Our kids get the bare minimum which forces many families to go to private schools where all the money, technology, and supplies are.
As a parent and business owner, I am ashamed of our county for not giving our kids what they really need.
11:51
Thank you as well Mike Lewis for reading Salisbury News. Now get back to work!
Anonymous 12:48,
So you know, I spoke with Sheriff Lewis this morning and he's on the road, he's NOT on this Blog.
GA:
We both know that the reason for the share size of the County budget that goes to education is because there is no county water & sewer or police department in the real meaning of that term, and the county spends next to nothing on roads, parks, etc. compared to its peers (I don't mean Somerset County or ES of Virginia!). For years the main goal of the County gov't. was to turn out workers for Perdue and other low ed. and pay jobs and things have not changed much in the past 10-15 years, since we lost the best school super. we ever had (Evelyn Holman).
In short, your reasoning is specious and Tom Fields should be saluted for his courage in criticizing the local power elite that has resulted in such stupidity as the "drill academy" and the white elephant civic center rather than a first rate school system.
Teachers, principals and vice principals are responsible for discipline. Then there is Steve Brewer, Safe Schools Coordinator at over $100,000 a year who is supposed to be doing safety and discipline. Then there is Sam Walker, who is a director of student services (mostly discipline issues even though he has never been an administrator). Then Linda Stark is in charge of School Improvement and Gary Doss is in charge of testing. Why on earth does there need to be a Coordinator of School Climate? Look who has the position and see if he used to teach at WiHi with Mr. Field???? If he did, he has no special training for that position and has never been an administrator, either.
Did anyone ask if year 2 of the 10% raise for those retiring is continuing? That is not something Mr. Field got last year--Mr. Bounds is the one who took the bonus but is staying.
Who is the Board trying to kid? They give 10% raises for 3 years to people retiring (in addition to the 3% all employees got), plus tried to have it count as salary for retirement pension, and then almost passed a program to pay 75% of health care for retirees and 50% for dependents, starting this year, of course. This greed has nothing to do with recruiting or maintaining teachers or helping kids. It's called give a huge retirement to those leaving from the central office. How transparent can they be? Word is that the assistant superintendent who took the bonus but isn't retiring was given a great amount to stay for another year (besides getting to keep the 10% bonus). Did anyone ask if that is legal with tax money???? That $11,000 bonus was a gift from all of us plus whatever he's being given for next year.
Hey 12:45 and 12:48- No I am not a deputy nor a board employee-just a fed up taxpayer. You still don't get it , do you, The wcboe has its county support, their budget has increased more than anybodys over the years, yet all they do is bitch and moan for more, without having to account for what they already have! That is HORRENDOUS. WHAT PART OF ACCOUNTABILITY DONT YOU UNDERSTAND!!!!! previous posts discuss the year end budget fiascos where they have to spend it or lose it. Why do we reward that kind of idiotic behavior? MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE,BEFORE ONE MORE STINKING TAXPAYER DOLLAR IS SPENT. GET IT NOW???
with all the wining, how do they justify double dipping on their retirement and not spending this money on the needs of educating the students? how do they justify using money designated for the students and use it for pay raises for staff? where is the responsible accountability for the usage of all monies?
I hope no one reading this believes a word about it.
MSTA is an absolute joke. The 'power' the association has was negotiated out of contracts, and made illegal. MSTA has ZERO power, and can only make 'suggestions'. Research it.
Funding for schools needs to increase not by local choices, but by state/federal mandates. NCLB, IDEA, etc. ALOT of money is spent on very few (many of these few are there with their hands open ready to take too).
The sad part is how much 'most' students benefit from all this nonsense.
Please, research these topics before you spout out opinions.
Anonymous said...
MSTA is an absolute joke.
9:07 PM
MSTA = Lawless Teachers Union
WCBOE = Lawless Bureaucrats
All you whiners about the Bd of Ed should be beating on Slick Rick and the Seven Stupids about that special pension deal they just gave Ed Baker.
I'm really disappointed in some of you; not because you disagree with me, but because of the totally baseless charges that you throw out.
For starters, I wouldn't know Tom Field if walked into my office right now. I am, fortunately, not a product of the Wicomico County Public School system. I grew up on the Virginia Peninsula and attended schools in Newport News and Poquoson (then, the Commonwealth's smallest city).
Contrary to what you may believe, I'm a big supporter of public education. I just believe that the bureaucracy is way too large.
As for Mr. Field expressing his opinion, fine. If he were in the private sector and said what he did (about his employer's largest source of funds), what do you think would happen to him? He would looking for a job today.
One issue that didn't come up as much as I thought it would was the constant whining about mandates. NO ONE despises federal interference in education more than I do. There should be NO Federal funding and NO Federal mandates. Unfortunately, the public education bureaucracy would howl like wolves if they no longer received that money.
The bottom line is that these people want the money, but don't want any accountability. As much as I am opposed to NCLB at least it forced some accountability on public schools. Teachers whine about having to "teach to the test", but we need to remember that before Bush's first bureaucratic boondoggle we were hearing cries from the public that Johnny couldn't read. At least he can read the test now.
I note that one person said that we should blame "Slick Rick and the Seven Stupids". I assume that you are referring to Pollitt and our County Council.
Fair complaint about the Baker pension, BUT Joe Holloway and Stevie Prettyman refused to vote for the budget and the Baker pension was one reason why.
Therefore, if you want to blame Mr. Pollitt and FIVE members of council, go right ahead.
9:07
You are right about teachers' associations. The one in Wicomico did not want the 10% raises for those retiring. The Board proposed it, and members of the central office got the biggest raises because of it. That should be illegal.
Just stop adding positions to the central office. Plus the fact that teachers and administrators get absolutely no comp time for the hundreds of extra hours we put in. If people at the central office put in an extra minute, they take comp time for it. Robin Holloway and the Board members need to do away with comp time for professional employees.
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