By DPS teacher

November 5, 2006 5:03 PM | Link to this

DPS is a dangerous joke. I challenge anyone to find a more top-heavy organization. It is shamefully mismanaged by mean, petty, duplicitous thieves of tax payers. This crew of smug and contemptible curs is characterized by its dismissal of the far-reaching and inevitable consequeces facing ALL of us because Dayton Public School students are NOT receiving the education nor the life preparedness that they DESERVE. It is mind-blowingly criminal. The responsibility of this crime does not (necessarily) lie at the feet of the teachers, but undeniably at the feet of our politically motivated, short-sighted and self-serving administrators (from the odious Gail Littlejohn to the toothless cogs at DEA). DPS’s troubles transcend money woes and begin and end with an utter lack of concern for our youth and their collective future.

By teachermom

November 5, 2006 2:41 PM | Link to this

A fairly misleading title for this blog, now that we all KNOW what our DEA president has tried to sell us out for ! Pat Lynch could use a lesson from Huber’s union president . Now there is a gal with some serious SKILLS. To organize her people at that time of year, keep morale up, deliver the facts, and still be so professional…. even when Mr. Fisher was chastising her with that out-of-control tone. Old Prof, just because the DPS Board hasn’t insulted us in the way Huber’s Board did doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. I would have more respect for someone who might insult me to my face. This Malcolm Baldridge Business Model for School Reform is an insult to my intelligence also. It is nothing but an attempt to let the Big Business Roundtable experiment with Public Schools at the taxpayers expense. It reeks of political agenda SO BADLY that in 2007 The Bush Administration is actually giving out complete “scholarship” funding for some districts who would like to implement it. I will also add that it was never approved by our union. Nothing sickens me more than people who think they know how to run a school district or how to teach children because they have a successful business. Leave it to to the teachers folks, and don’t give Gail Littlejohn another dime. There have been no public accounts of District WASTE (thanks for nothing, Pat!)and the teachers are ready to strike.

By AnneL

November 3, 2006 10:41 PM | Link to this

Old Prof, So HH may not have great board members, but Littlejohn is a liar, and is self-serving. ‘kids first’? Yeah - and why is it that the other school districts have the old school furniture and computers, not to mention modest offices and DPS has the best of everything downtown? They have wasted so much $ downtown that now we really do have problems. Everyone but Lacey on this DPS board needs to GO!

By dayton teacher

November 3, 2006 10:17 AM | Link to this

Oh, Old Prof, I was going to respond but you are not even worth it. I am not even sure what you meant. How was I dissenting against the DEA in my comments? I support them fully. I WAS critical of HHEA because I believe the entire thing could have been settled without a strike. And I do know several Huber teachers who echo my sentiments. Old Prof, do you live in Darke county by chance?

By Mary

November 3, 2006 6:12 AM | Link to this

Hold on, old prof,maybe some dissent from dayton teacher is a healthy part of the union and democratic and education process - even when aired publicly. When joining a union, does a teacher give up completely his or her autonomy, the right to dissent, etc? We have retired generals questioning Iraq, parishioners turning in pedophile priests, citizens questioning our president and congress. It seems the teachers’ unions should be allowed a little dissent, too.

By Oldprof

November 2, 2006 9:47 PM | Link to this

Dayton Teacher: evidently you don’t talk to any teachers from where you live. And you’re willing to engage in lots of name-calling when your own pocketbook is a little light, but you aren’t ready to do your own research and discover that your board member Fisher is a loud-mouthed amateur. OK, as a resident of HH you get what you vote for, and as a DEA member speaking out against your fellow union members, what are you? Uh huh. I’d try to develop some integrity now if I were you, the two sides of your political self are about to undergo a neutralization reaction.

By MJ

November 2, 2006 3:26 PM | Link to this

Sorry, I meant that Governor Strickland would NOT have his rich friends making large campaign contributions from charter school profits.

By DPS Parent

November 2, 2006 2:47 PM | Link to this

Dear Dayton Teacher, Scott wrote about the state of DPS finances BEFORE the DEA vote took place. The other media only reported it after the teachers took the vote. I hope the contract is a good one and Teachers approve it. Then we can focus on what needs to happen to give DPS teachers and staff what they need (books, raises, etc.) THANKS TO DEA & DPS Administration for working together for a solution. We don’t need to be the next Huber.

By dayton teacher

November 2, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this

What insults did Huber Heights officials make before the strike, Old Prof? The Huber Heights Education Association executive board set out to strike from the start and they blew everything out of perspective in order to reach their goal. I live in Huber and will vote for the renewal in spite of the strike (only because my children will suffer if it fails) but I am embarrassed as a teacher that my fellow “professionals” acted as they did. Mr. Fisher only made his comments after the strike was settled and he spoke for a lot of Huber Heights citizens, whom he represents, so it is entirely appropriate. DEA’s position is not to negotiate an agreement through the media, but I believe the Board backed us into a corner by releasing the budgetary information to the media coincidentally only days after the union voted to make a strike notification. I find it hard to believe that this information was new and that the cuts were a surprise. Morale is low when it should be high because of our successes. Nothing will change if Strickland wins, his party probably won’t win the legislature, and he’ll be a lame duck from the start. The cycle of doing nothing will continue and our most important asset: our kids will suffer.

By MJ

November 2, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this

Mary and Mom4change, Good comments regarding an automatic fix if the democrats are elected. I agree that there is no auto fix for school funding. However, Governor Strickland would have rich frends sponsoring charter schools and making large campaign contributions with their charter school profit money. We would also have a state leader that would follow the orders of the Supreme Court and make a serious effort to find a combination of funding sources that would give rural and urban school districts the opportunities to have quality and diverse education programs like suburban school districts. They have great facilities and great pay and benefits for all of their employees. That is why their students are a permanent fixture at the top of all of the acheivement scales; academic, athletic, art, music, etc….. Rural and urban students deserve the same opprotunities as a norm not as an exception.

By Oldprof

November 2, 2006 8:50 AM | Link to this

Interesting contrast with Huber Heights here, noting that Dayton school officials refrained from insulting the teachers in public. Are Huber Heights voters paying attention and will they recall when the opportunity arises to elect board members with mouth control?

By Mom4Change

November 2, 2006 8:38 AM | Link to this

The state government cannot be blamed entirely for the situation in the Dayton schools. While schools are underfunded statewide, many schools still seem to be surviving. Dayton has had a long history of not supporting its educators, and it’s the students that ultimately pay the price. These teachers are underpaid, and lack the support, and respect, they need to educate our children.

By Mary

November 2, 2006 8:27 AM | Link to this

MJ, I am full of anticipation of how school funding is going to be fixed if the democrats take control, as it appears. (I am neither democrat or republican.) It concerns me that there are those who seem to think money will all of a sudden flow like manna from heaven. The money comes from citizens, not the sky, and controlling costs and setting priorities should be part of the funding fix.

By dayton teacher

November 2, 2006 8:20 AM | Link to this

If the reports are true, I am relieved but disappointed that we are not getting a raise. MJ, I wouldn’t place the blame entirely on the state, although they have left the schools out in the cold. In the DPS situation, I’d say the blame is on the Board and Percy for the continual waste of money. For the last 5 years, 20 million dollars was wasted annually on various projects that have really nothing to do with the education of students, i.e. converting the Reynolds and Reynolds buildings to the DPS world headquarters. It was a bad business decision. Much has been made of the cuts that are being made in January but if you really look at those cuts, most of the cuts involve the low people on the totem pole, like assistant custodians, bus aides, secretaries, foreign language teachers in the elementaries, etc., you get the picture. And what is the best the superintendent can do to cut the fat? He’s going to stop eating and less communication. DPS is a top heavy bureaucratic organization with dozens of administrators who are either double dipping in the retirement pool and the general fund, or couldn’t make it in the schools as principals. Sell Ludlow and move back to 1st. Wallpapering over mold still causes problems and that is what we see happening in the Dayton Schools.

By MJ

November 1, 2006 6:36 PM | Link to this

Congratulations DPS and DEA! Way to go! It took alot of good leadership on both teams to get this done under pressure. I’m glad that you got it done without throwing additional blame on each other. You should never have been in this position in the first place. You do not own the states’ financial problems by yourselves. That is why so many school districts in Ohio are asking for school levies. Why are Ohio schools having financial problems? Well let’s see…. Could it be that Governor Taft, Speaker Husted, and Senate President Harris have ignored the orders of the Supreme Court four times and not fixed the unconstitutional method of funding schools in Ohio as directed. What would happen to you or I if we ignored a court or judges ruling? They were also told that the influx of charter schools made the problem worst. What did the republican-controlled legislature do? They added more charter schools, gave tax refunds and breaks to the richer citizens of Ohio and demanded that local schools districts pass a local tax to fund the state-mandated service of educating our children. They know that everytime we have a finacial crisis that the board, superintendent and teachers will all be “tricked” into fighting and blaming each other instead of the real leaders of distruction.

By Larry Low

November 1, 2006 6:16 PM | Link to this

If they don’t need it…close it!!