Mr. Albero,
Because I feel very strongy about the discipline concerns posted, I wanted to share some information that is true, and that you would find interesting. First, I need to stay anonymous for employment reasons, both for myself and my wife. Suffice it to say, what I am about to share is common knowledge to school administrators, a few teachers, and most definitely the following central office staff:
Dr. Fredricksen
Dr. Handy
Susan Jones, Director of Elem. Ed
Kim Miles, Director of Sec. Ed
ALL school administrators
Many SIT team chairpersons
In regards to the discipline situation, and the obvious outrage over the overwhelming numbers of discipline referrals, there is a very hush, hush document that sums up all discipline referrals in Wicomico County Schools. It is referred as the Management Information System Discipline Database. In short, this is a comprehensive data base that shows the school, the offense category, the month/date/year of the infraction, the gender and ethnicity. This report is NOT known to the BOE members beyond Mr. Willey, who certainly knows about this, but has most likely kept quiet about it. As you know, this report is one of the documents covered under the Freedom of Information Act and can be obtained much like our salary information is. I have used this database frequently over the years, and in my opinion it is the only discipline information that comprehensively sums our discipline data. I am simply disgusted over how poorly the BOE handles discipline - I can tell you that it is a first class sham. School administrators were first shown this data base at a meeting approximately four years ago by a MIS specialist. I don't want to use his name as I would not want him taking the brunt of the Super's burden - this guy is just a computer guru - a numbers guy, who does not work in the schools beyond the data he pulls down along with one other gentleman who is the head egghead. This discipline report was coupled with a very stern warning by Dr. Handy to not release it because the "....public would not understand". The truth is, ALL of the city schools would be correctly labeled as "persistently dangerous" by the state If the data came to the light of day, which would be a MAJOR black eye to senior leadership at the BOE. To request the report under the FOIA, you need only call the Wicomico County BOE at 410-677-4400 and request it. Please note that there are two versions of this report. One is the sanitized version officially reported to the state. The other one is the real deal, and is searchable back to approximately 2009, and is pass word protected. Further, school administrators have been told point blank to reduce their discipline referrals, which all parents and teachers want, but this 'discussion' went so far as Principals being told that they would be terminated if they were found responsible for releasing this. I don't have to tell you that while there are many corrupt administrators, there are a few that actually have some integrity and the best interests of their students at heart. Most Principals use a "cooperative discipline" program that forces teachers to go through a ridiculously long series of steps to curb discipline. The truth in my opinion is the fact that by forcing teachers to spend a lengthy Amount of time completing these sorts of forms, they just give up and keep students who misbehave. The administrators then point to their skewed data to show that they have reduced issues. Nothing is further from the truth, and I don't believe that even you knows just how serious the problem is at the Elementary Schools alone. ANY time a weapon ot drugs are taken it is swept under the rug. This is because it boils down to funding, Race/ethnicity issues, and in the persistently dangerous school label, investigations. It is so bad that teachers and administrators are afraid to do anything as they are routinely over ruled, and then 'engaged' so that they are properly counseled over these sorts of issues. Play ball and you can bat, otherwise you sit the bench. I hope that this is helpful to you in exposing the truth. Like I said, I have no motive other than wanting kids to be safe.
Good luck,
Paladin
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
60 comments:
Glad someone had the intestinal fortitude to present some facts on the subject, but the school covering up bad behavior and saying it is getting better is nothing new. Did you really expect our streets to be 10X worse but our sholl systems 10X better? Not a chance.
Wow, maybe this needs to be passed onto the Maryland School Board, The Governor and get this in the Media. Unbelievable they will renew Dr. Freddy's contract. Every Board member should be answering to this. And Answering the TRUTH!
weve taken away power from the teachers and schools. what did we expect when the kids are allowed to rule themselves? teachers and administrators live in fear of students and lawsuits. im sure its not a pretty picture.
Are we really suprised?
our lawless, corrupt BOE hard at work...
Thank you, Palladin, for this very in-depth look at the discipline issue. As a retired teacher, I am aware of the practice of the BOE's hiding so much of what occurs in the schools. As has been pointed out, No Child Left Behind has forced the hands of the administrators to resort to dissembling. One of the many measures of NCLB is the suspension rate. If this rate is too high, a school will "fail" this benchmark. The obvious way to keep the Suspension rate low is for the Central Office to issue an edict to the school administrators, who in turn issue the edict to their faculties. Teachers better try hard not to write too many referrals; rather, they should just put up with the bad behavior. Suspension and other disciplinary actions are quickly disappearing in order for the schools--and the whole school system--to get a "good grade." If kids bring issues into the schools, teachers just have to take time to deal with them, thus reducing instruction time for the other kids in the class. I was a high school teacher, but I have a good number of elementary-teacher friends who tell me some shocking stories about behavior in their schools, even by first and second-graders!
I don't know where all this is going to end. Teachers can't deal with the miscreants in fear of being labeled ineffective. There is pressure particularly to lessen the number of referrals and other displinary actions taken on minority students, since they are one of the subgroups counted. Since the state is now tying teacher evaluations to test scores, teachers fear--and rightfully so--for their jobs. The "bad" kids know that there is not much that the teachers or the school administration can do with them, so they just run amuck. If a teacher finally reaches the breaking point with a child and sends him to the office, the kid will probably be sent back within a half hour at most. He knows that he has beaten the system once again.
I am so glad to be retired. I feel so bad for my colleagues who are still in the classroom. Now they have the additional burden of having kids with all this baggage that they bring into the classroom cause chaos, yet they are hesitant to deal with it for fear of retaliation from their superiors. I do not have the solution to this quagmire. Maybe someone smarter than I doesn
If I read correctly, the members of the BOE, with the exception of Ron Willey, don't know anything about this. Don't go bashing them.
And, if some of the teachers, administrators, principals, etc. know about this and let it to continue to happen, then it's not really for the kids,now is it?
I have been saying for years that the BOE at the admin level needs to be elected by the tax paying citizens of Wicomico County. As long as we have this archaic way of the governor appointing these positions at this level, the BOE will NEVER have an accountability. This equates to nothing more than "the good ole boy" way of doing things. Oh yeah, were in Salisbury thats right!!!It's time to get with the times peeps!!!!!! Demand what is right for the schools and its students once and for all!!
This is a nation wide problem - not a Wicomico County problem.This is state mandated, so the blame is not just Dr Freddie. Under FOIA get the true information for Wicomico Worcester and Somerset and all other counties. You will not be able to I am sure.
This "No child left behind"
bull crap is not beneficial to any student. The federal government sets mandates and if the state is to get funding, rules are followed. The state government sets mandates and if the counties wish funding they follow the rules. The counties set mandates and if a school wishes funding they follow the rules.
The federal government does not want to hear a child is being left behind or of violence in the schools, or of failing grades, etc. So everyone from Federal, State, County and the schools covers up the truth so everybody will be happy.
To the person that wrote this,I certainly hope by mentioning that you and your wife work for the Board doesn't get you in trouble. Knowing Fredricksen he'll have a full blown investigation to see who wrote this. Good Luck and thanks for the info.
As a concerned parent and tax payer of school aged children, isn't there something we can do? There has to be a lawyer that feels the same way a large number of us do that could guide us in the right direction. Other than pissing and moaning, attending councial meetings to speak our minds,and voting when the time comes. There must be a legel remedy that we as the public can take. Who in the legel community has the balls to share their knowledge and show us the way?
How can you expect discipline in our schools when you have examples like the one Jim Ireton sets as mayor? Did you see his accusations in the paper this morning?!?!? I thought his calling council members racist was bad. Now he has said council members were "bought off" by the new city attorney. I thought Barrie Tilghman was bad, but this man has her beat.
(No, Joe, I didn't buy the paper. I read it at one of the places I had to sit and wait at today. I stopped subscribing quite a while ago.)
12:33 PM
The Board has lost the only member who ever asked a question that challenged the actions or views of the Superintendent. She was smart, did her homework and was the only one of them trained by the Maryland Association of Boards of Education. Guess how popular she was with Dr. F. and the other six. It's time for a change. They are right to fear the efforts at revenge that will come, but there is safety in numbers.
11:18 Great post..... Any lawyers up for the feat? I hust got off the phone with the governors office. Send letters with details to: Governor Omalley at governor@gov.md.us.gov
If youre afraid to use your name and/or email address, go to google and set up an account that no one at the BOE knows. The governor will accept anonymous email and letters.
The Board talks about wanting a partnership with parents and then hides data that is actually public information. They don't want a partnership, they want to tell parents what projects to support and what demands to make on the County Council. Ask any of them a question they don't want to answer or ask for data they don't want to surrender, and then you'll see the partnership. If they could control when parents breathe, they would.
Paladin is probably an unmarried female or an unmarried male or a married female whose husband doesn't work for the board or a married male whose wife doesn't work for the board. Paladin seems brighter than the average bear.
Joe,
Could you move this up so it's under the Van Ess post? This needs to be seen by as many people as possible. Parents have got to wake up.
Governor@gov.state.md.us or fax letter to 410.974.3275 Governors office is aware of the issues in this county but needs to hear from YOU. He will accept anonymous letters. Be specific! Give details and hold nothing back. For those with lawyers, seek counsel.
"The sanitized version reported to the State" part makes me wonder if we're submitting false documentation to the state authorities. Couldn't we lose funding for doing that?
Maybe the central office should worry more about the safety of kids in persistently dangerous schools and less about how they can hide the data. If the kids aren't safe, aren't the people in charge paid to do more than conceal that fact from parents and the community? We don't want to acknowledge that we have dangerous schools so therefore we don't??!!!!
I believe this is Maryland's definition of a persistently dangerous school:
Maryland regulations define a persistently dangerous school as one in which, over three consecutive school years, 2 1/2 percent or more of the student body has been suspended for more than 10 days or expelled for any of nine offenses, ranging, in alphabetical order, from arson to sexual assault.
In a middle school of 600, I'm sure there are fifteen students who should have been suspended for 10 or more days. That's about five kids per grade. High schools, the same idea. How do we not have persistently dangerous schools in our county?
This did not start with Dr. Frederickson. WCBOE has had a succession ineffective superintendents..Bill Middleton and Charlene Boston to name a few. The No Child left behind fiasco belongs to George Bush.
My letters been written and sent via email to the governor's office. It's doesn't matter who's fault, when it all happened, or who we can point the finger at anymore. Wicomico Co. is right on the verge of falling over the cliff if things are reeled in. We all know wrong from right and what makes good sense...it's time we do the next right thing.
Dr. Handy is mistaken if she thinks the public wouldn't understand the discipline data. Our kids are going to school with these out of control kids. Our kids are being threatened and stolen from. Our kids get no teacher time so the teacher can focus on the ones who have to be watched every second. Our kids get to have lots of down time while the lesson is done over and over for the ones who won't work. Our kids watch rewards given to those who haven't hit anybody today. Our kids get shoved and cursed in the halls and on the buses. Our kids are afraid to use the restrooms. Don't think we don't understand the data.
4:35, I would not term NCLB as a 'fiasco." It does need to be seriously overhauled, though. The basic premise behind it is sound: To make sure that all schools in the U.S. can meet a certain standard and that all children in those schools can likewise meet a certain standard. Given the wide ranges in ability and intelligence that we see in children, NCLB standards are very high, probably impossible, to achieve. And please remember that NCLB is not all attributable to Bush; he had much help from "The Lion of the Senate," Edward Kennedy. NCLB was a bi-partisan act, as it should be.
5:22 PM
Well said. Having all children pass functional tests is a high standard, but the tests themselves are far too simple for average and above average students. When classes spend huge amounts of time getting all kids to reach a minimum level, lots of students are learning absolutely nothing.
Oops. I accidently deleted the database. My bad, everybody.
You have till March before the BOE
renews Dr. Freddie's contract. Let's make a change for the better, oust him. The rule of a dictator always falls by the actions of the people.
Remember: "We The People" make your voice and opininion count.
What, precisely, does Dr. Handy feel the "public would not understand"? Such condecension! We are not a community of cretins.
6:24
Are you sure about March? Many have said it will be renewed at the Feb. Board meeting on the 14th.
6.51
It's a polite way to say the public will rebel if they find out the millions being spent on people and programs to improve behavior are being wasted. But if they can get teachers to be afraid to make referrals and principals afraid to suspend, then it looks like the behavior programs are effective and there will be more money spent on them. Useless.
I find it interesting that people are so quick to blame the school system, the BOE and the teachers. Why is no one blaming the parents? Kids are so horrible these days because of what goes on (or doesn't go on) at HOME. Society is falling apart because people no longer hold their children accountable or discipline them.
10 bucks says that the egghead, computer geek / numbers guy mentioned in the post, wrote the post.
(dr. f: hint, hint)
The school system isn't to blame for what the kids are doing. The school system is to blame for hiding what the kids are doing.
This is going on everywhere. Dorchester County does the same kind of thing. It is so scary to see where the education system is headed.
I will point a very important point about the author of this. That person is a professional and has highly honed writing skills which are well above many I have seen here including that of the blog moderator. If your kids are fortunate enough to have someone like this in the school system and teach your kids (and they actually listen), give thanks to the almighty.
There is no way I can know that this person is actually genuine but it is the fabric that should make up our elected officials rather than the "garbage" we have seen chasing after endless special interests and self wealth fulfillment.
Thank you for your communication. I certainly hope the insight you have provided gets put to good use.
Don't think it was Dr. F...Don't think his grammar is as extensive or is as well spoken. I too have my ideas as to who wrote the letter. I worked for the "Central Offices" for some time. He (Dr. F.) is completely clueless or wants every citizen believe he is in order to continue along with his own agenda.
All out of school suspensions must be approved by someone at the BOE. The Principals don't even have the power to suspend anyone without approval. So, they just put kids in In School Suspension for a day or so. Teachers must have a paper trail in order to just send someone to the office. Elementary schools especially put up with a lot from the students. At least Middle and High can send kids to Choices or whatever the alternative school is these days.
8:55...you are incorrect. All suspensions of Special Ed. students must be approved at the BOE by Bonnie Walston or another Director. If you don't have an IEP, you are free game.
For everyone's info, Dr. Fred WILL get his contract renewed! The BOE cannot afford another national search and there is NO ONE internal that can handle the job..and that includes Cathy Townsend. Delmar got rid of her so why would we want her to be in charge.
Kind of funny that years ago, everyone complained about the Good Ole Boy network with Mr. Field. You wanted someone from the outside and you got him. I applaud Dr. Fred's efforts over the last few years.
Thank God there are private schools out there! Yes, it's a financial sacrifice, but your children are in a safe learning environment where there are values like respect and ethics. Everything in public schools is geared towards the welfare ghetto kids (telling it like it is, get over it). If they don't want to learn, kick them out. They're just going to become failures anyway, and like it or not, we all know that dirty truth.
I heard the four day week dr. f. has talked about for months is actually not allowed in Maryland due to state law. Threatening us with it was a way to get us to attack the county council to increase education funding, kind of like what was done with cutting the deputy at Salisbury Middle. Then he added the expense of hiring a deputy at time and half to sit at the board meetings. Cut protection of kids and add overtime deputies to guard a handful of adults. Yes, let's not lose this outstanding leadership.
9:11 PM
Some probably did want a supt. from outside. We got Dr. Boston and Dr. Fredericksen. Perhaps there's a lesson to be learned. Maybe we need someone with both ability and ethics, and those should matter more than where they come from. Surely, such people exist.
So what can be done to protect our students and help our teachers create an environment that is safe and effective for learning?
8:20 PM
I'm sure that means a lot coming from you.
Teachers are also being targeted. If you can't handle the wild ones, you get a bad observation with lot is needs improvements and put on an action plan. Then the teacher has to learn how to deal with these kids. Some good teachers are just giving up and leaving the profession. It is sad. If you write referrals the are now not send to the board. They are kept in house for a paper trail, but principals are fearful to sent them on because of the repercussions. It must stop. Kids need consequences and so do parents.
9:11 PM
We don't need another national search, but we can't accept that the only alternative to Good Ole Boy is Bad Ole Boy.
If a sanitized version has been given to the state instead of the real information, we are in trouble. It would be nice if those in charge of the numbers refused to doctor them since it's against the law, but that would take a whole lot of conviction.
I think it would be an education for everyone to have all this televised, what actually goes on in the schools, whether it be kindergarten or gr. 12. A show along the lines of "Undercover Boss" but on a local level, then televised so everyone can see what goes on in the schools. But someone "undercover" in the office with cameras. This person should have to follow school policy (non-policy) then put it on TV for all to see. Parents don't believe the teachers when told what their child does. I saw it for many years as an elem. teacher. I "retired" early because I could not take it anymore. Not only were the students out of control, so were some teachers. I was attacked twice by the same male teacher, verbally, and in fear that it would become physical, on school property, twice inside my classroom. The second time I ran into the hall and literally screamed until someone came to help me. Now, it that a way to have to work? I think not. Was anything done to this 'teacher'? No. Did I persue it legally? H*** no, I was literally scared to death of this 'man'. I feared retaliation in a major way. Now, I have to live with that decision. If I felt so scared on school property to persue his actions, think how I felt about being off school property? What would you have done?
has anyone heard anything about the wihi football coach? i heard he was fired. anyone know why?
Dear Joe,
Whoever said the WCBOE is a sham is correct. Our kid spent 3 years working toward a degree in education and then spent an additional semester working as a student teacher - which incidentally he had to pay for as if he were actually taking up a seat at UMES. It wasn't until we spent a fortune in educational costs was he exposed in his final semester to the real inner workings of the educational system and the fact that all integrity and the best interest of the children is thrown in the trash can in the name of state and federal funding. The damage done and the elimination of educational opportunities to those students who actually can learn is astronomical. All in the name of money. The education or our youth is being compromised by the desire for more money by an appointed BOE and the hand licking administration starting with Fredericksen. Start at the top. We need an elected school board. We need more local control over our childrens educations. We need to learn to live within our means, and we need to get rid of Fredericksen. The hand lickers will fall in line in much the same way they've fallen in line with the current administration. We need to start this now. The elected BOE has been diluted and then put on the back burner. Let's get it moving again. We need a meeting with our county council. Then we need a seperate meeting with our delegates. We need to get this thing to referendum if we have to and get the delegates to support our position on the state level.
The meeting to discuss Dr. F.,s contract is February 14.
It would be nice to have an explanation of the student at P#ne***st, being escorted down the hall NAKED?
I knew those players at WiHi were using steroids, but nobody wants to believe that dirty secret. Coach passing out the roids to his players. To think they still couldn't win the 2A East region in the playoffs.
Thing are reaaly bad in the self conatained class rooms. It is very unsafe to visit in there so could u image what the kids are going through. They leave them in there to fight like dogs and hope no one comes in. The cussing and fighting is awful and the threats are on a daily bases. The kids are in control not the teachers. So why do they have any.
At SMS there are teachers using the "f" word. Yet a student says it and they get sent home. If you are a parent at that school with a special ed child BEWARE.
5:18 I'm with you on your comments, but will go it a step further regarding Dr. Handy - she will turn around and say something like 'take back your schools' and then criticize anyone who is not upholding the code of conduct. Her views just depend on which way the wind is blowing this week....as for me being upwind/downwind of anything regarding the BOE is important because it just stinks!
8:39 - you mention that you have your ideas about who wrote this.... I work for the BOE and I have heard that a male teacher was brought into Fredricksen's office with Middleton....all hush, hush.... I don't know who it was and the secretaries aren't talking....unusual, even by BOE standards...everyone is talking (really quietly)....we are all scared too as everyone feels that now that Fredricksen is reappointed it is going to get really bad now....if that can happen as bad as it is now....Joe, there must be a way to protect ourselves besides hide and not make eye contact... I hope the post about Dr. F has something to do with this man and exposing the truth behind the deceptions...
Joe,
It is my understanding that this computer system is STILL in effect from the time that I wrote my original letter and I wish to inform your readership that it has successfully been repackaged at the behest of Dr. Fredricksen to be utilized as part of a larger, continuing effort to pressure teachers at Prince Street ( yes, the esteemed Mr. Nunzio is using this) along with the administrations at Pinehurst, East Salisbury, and Wicomico Middle (among others) to pressure teachers to 'curb' their student disciplinary efforts. At this time there are exactly 5 schools that are in violation of the state provisions for persistently dangerous school designation. It appears that the good Dr. Has successfully been able to dodge the state and continue to flagrantly disregard the law yet again. I am certain this is in no way shocking to you and your readers. As I am now retired from the BOE I hope to provide additional details to the state superintendent within the coming weeks so as to time things to provide the community full disclosure in an attempt to reveal his wrong doings. My posts in the past as you know have been substantive, and I believe will be of use to you and the community. To those reading this post, please continue to openly request information from Dr. Fredricksen during the public sessions he holds to illicit public awareness of the current and abhorrent state of the safety of children in this school system. Further, as I am certain that he reads this post as a manner with which he hopes to stay ahead of those who wish to expose and address the truth, he will no doubt continue to cover this up.
Regards,
Paladin
Post Script - Dr. Fredricksen, please refer to the Webster's dictionary definition of the term 'Paladin' and while you are at it, share this with the senior leadership who helped you craft the Disciple management system to its current incantation.
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