Last week Superintendent of Schools Paul Vallas appeared on the cable access show Bridgeport Now, co-hosted by Rob Foley and Jennifer Buchanan, to field calls and respond to questions about the state of city schools before and during his 18-month tenure as school chief.
Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis, following a lawsuit brought by retired state judge Judge Carmen Lopez aligned with the Connecticut Working Families Party opposed to Vallas, ruled recently Vallas lacks the legal certification to lead a school district in Connecticut, even though he supervised school districts in Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans. Vallas disagrees. The Connecticut Supreme Court will decide the matter. Vallas remains on the job until the Supremes order otherwise. Above is a video excerpt from Bridgeport Now provided by Foley who hosted the program.
Meanwhile the Board of Education is scheduled to meet Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. in Room 305 of City Hall, 45 Lyon Terrace, to discuss legal fees associated with Vallas’ court case.
One plan is we need to have antennas up for those who: Obfuscate (or beclouding) which is the hiding of intended meaning in communication, making communication confusing, willfully ambiguous and harder to interpret.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obfuscation
The email from BOE SPY provided to me by Lennie was not the one he/she states came from BOE All. FAIL!
BOE SPY = Paul V.
I wish. I would take the money I have been paid already and do nothing for the rest of my life.
Therefore he IS overpaid while juggling multiple out-of-state contracts. Thanks, we agree! 🙂
He doesn’t get paid as much as the Westport Super. Ramos made $245,819.00. Vallas’ salary of $229,000 will be paid by Bridgeport Education Reform Fund. So as far as BPT is concerned, he is working for free. Whatever he does someplace else is his own business. If he can’t moonlight then no one in the BOE should be able to moonlight. Teachers have the summer off to prepare for the next year. Working over the summer would interfere with that (including summer school, programs and Lighthouse). Didn’t you say everyone should live by the same rules?
He works for the BOE, not the other way around, and the BOE is not paid … they are elected and volunteer their time. Please add his car, auto expenses and gasoline and he has full medical, dental and vision three years after his contract is up if he doesn’t find full-time employment. All the more reason to “freelance” part time. A sweetheart deal for an Edushyster. Bottom line … in little ol’ Bridgeport his past is catching up with him.
The Westport Super is actually qualified for the job. That is why the Westport Super gets paid more. And also works full time.
BOE SPY,
You state Vallas is paid by Bridgeport Education Reform Fund. So who are they?
Who gives money to this group?
If Vallas is not paid by the city then maybe that explains why he cannot understand why residents are concerned about conflicts of interest.
And since Bridgeport Education Reform will not tell us who their donors are then the taxpayers should be concerned.
And please don’t tell me they cannot tell who their donors are. They choose not to and cannot be compelled to
do so.
When they formed this group they could have said they will make public the names of all donors and that would be the end of the charade.
Bob, I understand why they are concerned. The idea would be PV is funded by people who hope to get BOE contracts. That may be true but not the only answer. As Vallas has been straightforward with the BOE budget sheet my level of concern is 2-3 on a 1-10 scale. With the old Super what was your level of concern? Mine was 7-8, mostly because no one would tell us where the money went. The fellow paying Vallas may be some rich guy who does not want to be bothered by everyone who needs money. Maybe it is a group of people who want to break the BOE contract trust that existed before. They want the playing field to be fair but they do not want to make it look like they are being favored for their donations.
I plan on supporting the Republican challengers to city politicians. Will these guys be more honest than our current guys? I really do not care. I am just REALLY tired of the old group and their nonsense. Same goes for Vallas and his boys.
I am not foolish enough to think Vallas will be perfect. He will make errors. Some things will not work out. Some of the choices he will have to make will be choices between bad and worse. So far, he improved BOE financial accountability. That alone is good enough for me. I’d give him the three years for that alone.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shill
A shill, also called a plant or a stooge, is a person who publicly helps a person or organization without disclosing that they have a close relationship with the person or organization.
“Shill” typically refers to someone who purposely gives onlookers the impression that they are an enthusiastic independent customer of a seller (or marketer of ideas) for whom they are secretly working. The person or group who hires the shill is using crowd psychology to encourage other onlookers or audience members to purchase the goods or services (or accept the ideas being marketed). Shills are often employed by professional marketing campaigns. “Plant” and “stooge” more commonly refer to any person who is secretly in league with another person or organization while pretending to be neutral or actually a part of the organization he is planted in, such as a magician’s audience, a political party, or an intelligence organization (see double agent).
Auctioneer and assistants, Cheviot, Ohio.
Shilling is illegal in many circumstances and in many jurisdictions because of the potential for fraud and damage, however if a shill does not place uninformed parties at a risk of loss, but merely generates “buzz,” the shill’s actions may be legal. For example, a person planted in an audience to laugh and applaud when desired (see claque), or to participate in on-stage activities as a “random member of the audience,” is a type of legal shill.
Shill can also be used pejoratively to describe a critic who appears either all-too-eager to heap glowing praise upon mediocre offerings, or who acts as an apologist for glaring flaws. In this sense, the critic would be an implicit shill for the industry at large, possibly because his income is tied to its prosperity. The origin of the term “shill” is uncertain; it may be an abbreviation of “shillaber”. The word originally denoted a carnival worker who pretended to be a member of the audience in an attempt to elicit interest in an attraction. Some sources trace the usage back to 1914.
So, are you and jakedog shills for WFP or BEA? Which one are you connected to? You could just be concerned BPT residents. Is that it? Ohhh, you have kids in a BPT school. That it?
That’s it! You figured it out all by yourself, BS! 🙂
jonathanpelto.com/2013/07/21/the-whole-truth-and-nothing-but-the-truth/
was this the e-mail Lennie provided?
From: Vallas, Paul
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 5:21 PM
To: * BOE All
Subject: Message to BPS Family
To the Bridgeport Public Schools Family:
As you may be aware, on Friday a judge issued a ruling stating that the necessary requirements had not been met in order to allow the Board of Education to offer me a contract as permanent Superintendent. I believe that this ruling is in error and will be filing an appeal. In the meantime, I will continue to work on behalf of the Bridgeport Public Schools District.
Over the past 17 years of leading urban school districts my priority has always been, and continues to be, the students. In spite of whatever challenges we have faced this year, I have and hope to continue to enjoy working alongside each and every one of you in our work to ensure a quality education for every child.
Our students face numerous challenges and we collectively have much to do in order to ensure them an equal opportunity at a high quality education. I look forward to continuing this work together.
Sincerely,
Paul Vallas
If I was mistaken I am sorry. What e-mail were you looking for?
Please review the one on Lennie’s post you said I lied about. I am not your paid researcher.
You are correct. I looked back and could not find the e-mail.
*** I for one am in favor of change “good or bad” but “change!” However Vallas seemed to sidestep most of the questions asked him in that video about certification in general. It almost seemed like a foreign word to him of which it appears none of the other cities he was at needed nor asked for any type of certification or credentials. However, he’s right about politics being involved in the makeup of the BOE and Mayor’s office and the lack of getting anything worthwhile done in the Bpt school system! He also dropped the ball in getting his certification requirements started and finished by now if he in fact was serious about making some positive changes. Sad but true, regardless of what the supreme court ruling is, his time in Bpt will end up being a waste of time, money and effort all the way around! *** SO WELCOME AND ADIOS AMIGOS FROM ZOMBIELAND. ***
He was never referred to as super in Chicago and Philly. Education is not his specialty And he had bypassed such credentials in the past, that’s why he is so baffled. Usually poor minority communities worship the ground he walks on. Poor Paul.
Usually poor minority communities worship the ground he walks on? Now, come on. He is Paul Vallas, not Howard Stern.
I would trust Howard over Paul any day.
And in the meantime one of his biggest supporters Ken Holy Moly Moales is trying to explain why his church properties are being foreclosed though he by is own words is a “millionaire.” In fact according to the Post he has Security guards to keep reporters from talking to his parishioners. You can’t divide Vallas and Moales and Finch.
Front page New York Times article:
Change Agent in Education Collects Critics in Connecticut Town
Bridgeport, a relatively small urban school district with just 21,000 students, is at the center of one of the most contentious educational disputes in the country as Mr. Vallas seeks to salvage his hard-charging agenda amid complaints that he is unqualified for the job.
www .nytimes.com/2013/07/22/education/change-agent-in-education-collects-critics-in-connecticut-town.html
Evidently this is a nationwide Urban school issue.
According to Paul, this blog and the comments that do not support him are nothing more than electronic graffiti. I suppose the truth is painful.
Yes, it is a nationwide plan to overlook the serious issues in our cites: growing poverty, lack of jobs, crime, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, etc. Instead the carpetbaggers blame one profession, the greedy lazy unionized teachers and their “bad” schools. Once you’ve captured the narrative, it’s ripe for privatization, experimentation and state or city take over. It’s been played out many times, Jen: Chicago, Philly, NOLA. People have been trying to tell you it is a short-term fix, a smash and grab with no sustainability and this is your future. It was supposed to be easier under state control (they lost that) and mayoral control (failed). According to the NY times article he does not plan to stay more than a year, unless of course no one else wants him.
He likes to paint himself as the persecuted savior rather than the plundering deformer. Poor, poor Paul.
Sue, Jen and all:
It’s making the national blogs … oops I mean the “electronic graffiti” and do read the comments. Citizens, teachers, taxpayers from his past stomping grounds do check in: Philly, NOLA and Chicago.
dianeravitch.net/2013/07/22/vallas-refers-to-bloggers-as-electronic-graffitti/
Excerpt from comment left on ravitch blog … link below … electronic grafitti taking its toll on Paul today:
Now in Bridgeport, we’re back to Paul Vallas getting help from The New York Times to present himself as victim. The facts of the “Vallas record” and the “Vallas method” have been clear for years–if anyone actually paid attention to what happened, rather than what Vallas (and Duncan) said about what happened.
One of the reasons I like writing to a blog run by a historian is that eventually the facts of history have a chance, as all those of us reading and writing here know. It make take some time from “Birth of a Nation” through “Gone with the Wind” to break out of the racist propaganda and break through the rants of the racist propagandists, but it does happen, as we know today.
The Paul Vallas hoax has been profitably (for Vallas and his cronies, currently at large as “The Paul Vallas Group”) around now for a total of 18 years. The year 1995 was when it began in Chicago with mayor control in 1995 (when Mayor Daley appointed Vallas the first CEO of Chicago Public Schools). One of the underlying lies about it is that school districts where the majority of children are poor (and black and/or other minorities) need a Great White Hope (the CEO myth) to save them.
Paul Vallas was con man and a fraud in Chicago in the late 1990s, in Philadelphia in the early 2000s, and in New Orleans later. All a reporter has to do is dig a little into the facts, as we did in Chicago, as the Philadelphia controller (and Notes) did in Philadelphia in 2005, etc.
But as long as today’s “journalistic” paradigm is to play these silly “He said, but she said …” games with reality and history, we will continue to get guys like Vallas talking trash and getting away with their ripoffs and schemes, we will continue to face nonsense like today’s New York Times story. The Times certainly has the resources to investigate the wreckage Vallas has left behind. The Times might also note that Vallas (through the “Vallas group”) has just gotten a million dollars from Illinois (which is supposedly broke) and $18 million from Indiana to do “turnaround.”
dianeravitch.net/2013/07/22/vallas-refers-to-bloggers-as-electronic-graffitti/
Conflict? What conflict? The Andrew McDonald story:
For all of you worried about the Bellis/Radcliffe “association” … this should be even more upsetting to you:
jonathanpelto.com/2013/07/22/conflict-what-conflict-the-andrew-mcdonald-story/
The last time I checked, there was still a legal concept of the “rule of law.”
Clearly the Supremes will make that decision. I don’t care what anyone says, including the State BOE. After all, the State BOE gave their permission to the Bridgeport BOE to illegally reconstitute the local board.
After reading the editorials regarding Paul Vallas’ current state of employment, I am compelled to respond to the argument “it’s just a piece of paper.”
First and foremost, I am not discounting Vallas’ prior experience; however, I do take grave issue with the argument “It’s just a piece of paper.” During the summer of 2012, I applied for a clinical fellow position as a speech language pathologist in the Bridgeport public school system. I wanted to work in the Bridgeport public schools after I had a wonderful experience during my clinical practicum. At the time that I applied, I had graduated with a master’s of science in communication disorders from Southern Connecticut State University and the Department of Health was processing my paperwork to be licensed by the state of Connecticut to practice in the public school system. I was informed by the human resources department numerous times during June, July and August that although they wanted to make me an offer, they were unable to do so until the state issued the appropriate paperwork. The fact that it was being processed and I had met all of the appropriate requirements did not change that they would not speak to me until I had “that piece of paper.”
With this said, it is not just “a piece of paper.” That paper represents so much more. It represents the amount of student loans and financial burden I had to endure to achieve that piece of paper. It represents my sole income for three years as a part-time waitress in order to meet the requirements to complete my full-time master’s (summers included) in three years. It represents working full-time in various clinical fellowships without a paycheck, only receiving credit towards my master’s. It represents the emotional, physical and financial toll I endured to meet the requirements outlined by the state of Connecticut to be a licensed speech and language pathologist.
I am currently waiting for two more pieces of paper this summer. One that is currently being processed so my professional license reflects certification in clinical competence in speech language pathology, and on Saturday, July 20, it will be my marriage license. But I guess neither one are important because they are just a piece of paper.
Caitlin O’Donnell
Bridgeport
Okay, wasn’t all that angst and struggle to get the piece of paper called a diploma? If she, for some reason, fails to get the certification, that diploma is ‘just a piece of paper’ in CT. Say her check bounces, the state worker screws up (’cause that never happens) or the application is lost in the mail; does that make her less qualified or just unable to work? She could still work in another state or a hospital without the cert. As I read it, the cert is just to work in schools. Is the state going to reimburse her for lost income she suffered waiting for the certification? (Delays resulting from state layoffs). Will she frame the certification and hang it on the wall and discard her diplomas?
Are you paid by the letter, the word or the post? In the words of SnagglePuss, you need to “Exit, stage left!!!” and take your losses.
SPY is paid by the city to defend … so much money being spent to save the wizard from his fall from grace.
I am paid by the city. Am I the only one? Who pays you two? The difference is my pay will not be affected if Vallas wins or loses. How about you two?
Do you spend your work hours posting? Are taxpayers paying your salary while you defend Paul?
Nope, I am all set when Vallas leaves. Nothing changes for me no matter what he did before, during or after.
He might want to make a difference and teach. Walk the walk.
Hey, you teached me something. Good job! 🙂
Sue,
Perhaps you are paid by the entry? Or maybe you would care to share with readers what public you are representing, and how you do that outside of posting on OIB? Perhaps you assist with dramatic presentations for youth in the City? Or perhaps you are a speech coach encouraging sports teams to take their losses?
Counting up the letters or words will take too much time for me. However, since brevity has been mentioned to me one or more times, how about your soul fellow jakedog a/k/a “attackdog?” If he is being paid, to assist his bookkeeper I can report he has over 105 posts on the V subject, and we are not talking about victory. There are other subjects in the City, for goodness’ sake, but almost never a peep from “attackdog.” Perhaps he does not live in the City. Does he pay property taxes to Bridgeport? Is he a State resident and supporting the large amount of funds coming to education of youth in the City? Well, I ask because he has never had anything positive to say about Vallas cleaning the windshield so dollars of revenue, expense and variances can be observed, questioned and held up for response.
At his most succinct on July 10 as one of 22 posters he said: “Vallas is out!” But since then in doubt, he continues to shout. jake, you can run around accusing others of being paid to post. What is your source of income? What is your tie to the City? Clean your paws. Wag your tail. Sooner or later we will all realize we need to work together. Character assassination is not a long-term way of life. Time will tell.
“Character assassination is not a long term way of life.”
Share that advice with Paul … he has been demeaning and belittling an entire profession for years. What goes around comes around.
My source of income is none of your business, but I don’t post here while on the clock, unlike BS.
Many of us are working together, but not for the reformy status quo.
NCLB … 13+ years
Chicago “reform” … 20+ years
TFA … 20+ years
NYC mayoral control 12 years
Re “The opposition”
Nope, I’m not the opposition. I’m a Democrat who as a beneficiary of CT public schools believes strongly in public education as essential to the progress and existence of our cities, towns, state, country, and, not to put too fine a point on it, life on earth. 🙂
Today’s NY Times half-baked article on the matter states the following:
Arne Duncan, the federal education secretary, said the opposition to Mr. Vallas was “beyond ludicrous.” He said too many school districts were afraid of innovation, clinging to “archaic ideas.”
Again, innocent of the charges.
I’m not clinging to “archaic ideas,” unless those include doing what your contract requires you to do and, when you don’t, not contesting it in court on the city and state’s dime.
Mr. Duncan and Mr. Pryor, with all your power and education, why didn’t you help Mr. Vallas steer clear of this avoidable disaster? Aren’t the children worth that? Mr. Pryor, with your Yale law degree and widely respected record in Newark and New Haven, surely you were well involved in the customization of existing CT law to accommodate Vallas with all good intentions? Why then the lack of follow-through? In the video above, Mr. Vallas states he did everything he was supposed to. Does this all comes down to a failure to communicate?
I humbly admit I am neither an educational expert nor a city or state official responsible for educational planning. And so, anyone demanding of me a plan B in light of Vallas’ self-inflicted implosion, would be better served to address their reasonable requests for a contingency plan to the Bridgeport BOE and the state’s commissioner of education. We all should. At this moment, it appears the official city and state government line is “Vallas or bust.” Well, what happens if “bust” occurs? What’s the succession planning plan look like? Would there be some harm in asking every Bridgeport educator who has been recognized by the Bridgeport Public Education Fund over the past 5 years for their excellence … to share their thoughts? Is the atmosphere so “opposition”-charged that doing so would put good people at professional risk?
Be sure to let Commissioner Pryor know your thoughts on the matter:
www .phone.ct.gov/phonesearch_result.aspx
(860) 713-6500
stefan.pryor@ct.gov
The NY Times article states:
Mr. Vallas completed the course, which involved speaking with a professor a few times and writing six papers.
Judge Bellis’s ruling:
On April 15, the state Board of Education approved an abbreviated program–essentially an independent study under the supervision of UConn Professor Robert Villanova–for Vallas to take instead.(clip)
“The state Board of Education approved what they believed was a UConn-approved program with requirements of classes, seminars and technology-assisted discussions that simply did not take place,” she stated. (see pg 27/27)
www .scribd.com/doc/150609033/Vallas-Bridgeport-Decision
I’ve emailed the Times requesting a correction.
She also said Pryor and Vallas were “less than candid” with the court … a nice way of saying LIED.
As this too … so much electronic graffiti today, so little time.
Jonathan Pelto, a blogger who is considered an “electronic graffiti” artist by Paul Vallas, is a former Democratic legislator in Connecticut.
Here he summarizes the background of the Vallas controversy, which began when the Dannel Malloy administration dissolved the elected Bridgeport school board and engineered a state takeover. This move was challenged in court and ruled illegal. However, the illegal board hired Paul Vallas and gave him a three-year contract.
Then a state judge ruled Vallas lacked the legal qualifications to serve as superintendent.
The lawyer who defended the illegal state takeover is now on the state’s highest court and has refused to recuse himself from ruling on the Vallas issue.
dianeravitch.net/2013/07/22/pelto-the-background-of-the-vallas-controversy-in-bridgeport/
I think you made an error but I may be mistaken. I am sure your intent was NOT to deceive.
“The illegal board hired Paul Vallas and gave him a three-year contract.”
The appointed board (illegal board) hired Vallas as a one-year temp super. The voice of the people board (if we call the appointed board the illegal board let’s call the reconstituted board the voice of the people board) gave him the three-year contract.
jake, the three-year contract was not offered until this year with the elected BOE not the state appointed board. The elected board also voted to keep him as interim Superintendent once the court ruled to reinstate the elected BOE.
Let’s take a look at part of the plan of one of Vallas’ supporters:
blog.ctnews.com/education/2013/07/16/dysfunction-out-of-the-box/
Even more to consider … check out this post:
A funny question–does either Arne Duncan or Paul Vallas ever think about how human children actually learn?
That’s why they are both so qualified for their present jobs, hacking for the plutocracy’s version of “reform.” No teaching experience at all. Because they have neither education training nor experience, they have to speak in vapid cliches and pungent metaphors (Arne more for the vapid cliches; Paul for the pungent metaphors).
After we caught Vallas lying about his “teaching” experience during his run for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2002, he backed off–but only for a time (basically until he was gone from Chicago and nobody knew him as well as we did).
As soon as Vallas was out of sight (and with nobody from Chicago listening) he went back to the creation of his autobiographical myths. One of Vallas’s tricks was to get some reporter to report one of his lies or half truths, then blame the reporter “I’m too busy to check everything that’s written about me …” he would play, while watching every sentence that was said or printed about him and responding, either himself or through surrogates, immediately. His crazy person manic energy often wore down people trying to get to the facts. When that didn’t work, he’d attack the messenger (see how The New York Times today devotes more inches to the “Working People’s Party” than to the legal issues; typical Vallas …).
Arne, meanwhile, has vast “teaching” experience. (Hah!) From his privileged perch in Chicago’s University of Chicago cocoon (Dad a professor and heir to a well known fortune; Mom a do-gooder), Arne hung out, from time to time, with kids from Jackie Robinson Elementary School. That’s where Arne’s mother had a long-running after school tutoring program. Since getting to Washington, he’s spun that, depending upon the audience, into a vast “experience” with the “problems” facing little inner city kids. If you’re not careful, you’ll be believing that Arne came out of Chicago’s “South Side” (the “meanest part of town …” blah blah blah) instead of that cocoon of privilege (and wealth) the University of Chicago (where Arne attended the Lab School while slumming with the little ones from Jackie Robinson …).
But, as noted, the problem is not the ability of these guys to lie and circulate half-truths, but the willingness of the editors and reporters at some of America’s “great” newspapers to publish their nonsense without ever fact checking, context checking, or asking the third and fourth questions …
dianeravitch.net/2013/07/22/vallas-refers-to-bloggers-as-electronic-graffitti/
Bob Walsh:
You state Vallas is paid by Bridgeport Education Reform Fund. So who are they? Who gives money to this group?
BOE SPY–your words:
“The fellow paying Vallas may be some rich guy who does not want to be bothered by everyone who needs money. Maybe it is a group of people who want to break the BOE contract trust that existed before. They want the playing field to be fair but they do not want to make it look like they are being favored for their donations.”
Dear BOE SPY (do you mind if I call you BS?) ~
What, you can’t answer Bob’s question and show him some respect? Your non-responses contain a lot of letters/words and phrases. Does Lennie have to pay for that on this site?
Also:
“I plan on supporting the Republican challengers to city politicians.”
I’m sure you will provide both myself and the readership here with concrete examples. It might help to pay your rent.
I would vote for Rick but he is the only candidate who has come to my attention.
BOE SPY, if you are paid by the city and spy on the BOE, how can you spy on them if you can’t receive their BOE ALL email? What do you do, stand outside of their office walls with your ear and a cup against one of their walls? PLEASE don’t tell me you stalk their bathrooms.
Sue,
My point exactly. Some people seem to think the donors’ names CANNOT be made public. It is simply they and the Bridgeport Education Reform Fund choose not to make their identities known.
this is a very dangerous proposition especially when you consider Vallas enjoys handing out no-bid contracts. BOE SPY will counter sole-source contracts can be no-bid but Vallas is making the determination they are labeled sole source. That may make it “legal” in terms of the procurement ordinance but it does not make it right or the best practice.
I did not mean any disrespect and I AM sorry if it came across that way.
The people paying for the legal battle against Vallas have not stepped forward either. But two wrongs do not make a right. They just make one side not worse than the other. Isn’t knowing who they are as important as knowing who Vallas’ donors are? One side is going to get those contracts. You know that, Bob. If Vallas has broken the law why is he not in jail? He will be the most watched man in the city. If he pulls nonsense in BPT I am sure there will be a line of people to put him in jail. I would be honored to be in the front of that line.
Off topic, the CT Post has reported JML is a follower of Rev. Moales!!!
From outside of the Cathedral on Sunday:
“One man acknowledged that he knew of the church’s dire financial situation. ‘Of course I’m concerned,’ he said. ‘But time will tell.'”
Ha! He seems to support the shady types. Interesting, very interesting.
I did attend church on Sunday, but I was singing in the choir loft west of Main Street.
Bob, if that phrase has some more frequency than the past, maybe more people are reading what I write and figuring a long-term view is necessary. Perhaps he is a man of faith and hope, and if he is helping the Rev. Moales, perhaps he is a man of charity as well.
What philosophy of yours these days is registering with citizens of Bridgeport? I saw that comment in the CT Post and smiled, so I laugh along with you on this one. By the way, have you ever acknowledged the Vallas practice of financial transparency and accountability? As a Council person you were critical of the paltry info provided to Council persons, weren’t you? Frustrated beyond belief, I seem to remember.
Will you look at the CT Post from Sunday and take at look at the Lydia Martinez admission, please? Have you stopped laughing? Time will tell.
I saw that too! JML is quotable!
In the opinion of Paul Vallas, who is the most qualified Superintendent of Schools in the whole wide world?
a) Paul Vallas
b) Paul G. Vallas
c) Dr. Paul Vallas (OK he is not a PhD but that is only a piece of paper)
d) All of the above.
Actually only poor, downtrodden cities or countries (Haiti).
The burbs wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole.
Did you ever read this?
madisonamps.org/2012/05/23/who-is-paul-vallas-and-why-is-he-coming-to-madison/
The Hartford Courant weighs in:
touch.courant.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-76752789/
They shill for Malloy ad nauseum and this is expected. Pelto weighs in on the HC propaganda.
The Hartford Courant editorial writers weighed in on the Paul Vallas debacle today with an editorial entitled, “Why Make It So Hard For Paul Vallas To Help Bridgeport Schools?”
The most cursory review of their position reveals that they either failed to take the time to check the facts or worse, made up their own facts to fit their conclusion.
The Hartford Courant Editorial claimed, “Mr. Vallas may not meet every certification requirement to the letter. But in the larger sense, to say that he is unqualified or ineligible to be superintendent in Bridgeport is a bad joke … The experienced administrator has served 15 years in Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans school districts. This record doesn’t qualify him to run Bridgeport’s schools?”
The Courant editorial went on to say “The state’s overly strict certification requirements should be waived by the State Board of Education for someone of Mr. Vallas’ impressive experience or at the very least he should be given plenty of time to meet them … For example, one requirement is attainment of 30 credits in courses related to becoming a superintendent. Those can’t be compiled overnight.”
“Strict certification requirements?”
Mr. Vallas “should be given plenty of time to meet them?”
Whoa there … now let’s try a bit of the truth.
jonathanpelto.com/2013/07/22/when-in-doubt-make-sht-up/
And check out the comment on the HC
Comment 1
The law is the law. The state even made a loophole, and Vallas couldn’t fit through that with his made-up program. The court’s opinion did not wander into its decision lightly, and I invite everyone to read all 35 pages written by Judge Bellis. I tend to think she understood what was at stake here, but the court has the duty to uphold what is written. One might think the Courant would recollect this is the second time in recent history a court has rebuked Bridgeport for its failure to follow the law in administering the school system. The first time was when the city unilaterally disbanded the Board of Education without walking through the proper steps.
Thanks for pointing us to this, Jennifer.
In response to the Courant’s pro-Vallas editorial, I wrote the following letter, which appears online at
www .courant.com/news/opinion/letters/hcrs-15872–20130722,0,3983900,print.story
LETTER: Why Can’t Vallas Meet Requirements?
7:13 PM EDT, July 23, 2013
Regarding the editorial on Bridgeport Superintendent Paul Vallas, “Why Make It So Difficult?” [July 22]: A more accurate question might be, “Why Has Paul Vallas Made It So Hard For Himself?” True, the most significant issue here is improving the Bridgeport school system. However, the “overly strict certification requirements” referred to in the editorial were modified nearly two years ago to accommodate Vallas for his monumental charge and were miniaturized again as recently as April this year.
If Vallas cared so much for the Bridgeport Public Schools, why did he place himself–and in effect the school system–in this avoidable jeopardy? As mentioned in the New York Times article to which your editorial refers, Vallas compares the state’s certification requirement to “saying Michael Jordan can’t coach basketball because he doesn’t have teacher certification.”
Although the editorial advises against succession planning now, what happens if the Connecticut Supreme Court finds against Vallas? Would there be some harm now in asking every Bridgeport educator who has been recognized for their excellence by the Bridgeport Public Education Fund over the past five years to share their thoughts?
Great teachers might not be Michael Jordan, but they sure know how to fulfill certification requirements while educating and inspiring our children.
Pete Spain, Bridgeport
Bravo Peter, Bravo. And there will be more!
Comment 2
“Mr. Vallas may not meet every certification requirement to the letter. But in the larger sense, to say that he is unqualified or ineligible to be superintendent in Bridgeport is a bad joke.”–Really? Is he certified or not? To be a superintendent in Connecticut, one must be certified. Certified and qualified are two totally different things. I suggest Mr. Vallas is neither.
“The experienced administrator has served 15 years in Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans school districts. This record doesn’t qualify him to run Bridgeport’s schools?”–Not all experience is good experience. Is Mr. Vallas qualified just because he is experienced? Go ask Chicago or New Orleans or … Continue Reading
Comment 3
He doesn’t even hold an 092 to be an administrator. He has NEVER been certified, not even in another state. Sad the Courant would advocate for a position that is strictly against the laws of the state and that is a slap in the face to Bridgeport parents, students and teachers who have held to the certification laws that were put forth to provide ALL children with the best possible education. Certification programs are not just pieces of paper. You LEARN through them. If the law cannot be followed in this case, who is to say Vallas would adhere to (or even be aware of) the intricate special education laws that exist? Again, disappointed in the Courant but pleased by the courts.
It is time to start over. Instead of wasting our public money on defending someone who never planned to stay long in the first place, we can start searching for a new superintendent who is qualified and wants to be here. We can hire someone who will work with teachers, students, parents and the Board of Education. Maybe then we can address dropout and graduation rates, community involvement and leadership of our schools, and a more inclusive approach to education that doesn’t prioritize testing over real learning and student engagement.
Bridgeport’s schools are struggling, and the myth of a miracle turnaround has been dispelled. Paul Vallas didn’t come in and fix everything in a year, the way he said he would. He’s made things worse.
Now, with his position in flux and so many questions up in the air, it is time for us to move on and find the right superintendent. Not one who promises the sky, or comes with a rock star reputation, but one who is willing to get down to work for the long haul and work with us to fix our schools.
www .ctpost.com/news/article/Schools-need-to-leave-Vallas-behind-4680093.php
You really think someone would pay me (or anyone) to babble in this blog? You do realize we are just arguing with each other? You think someone is going to read our BS and change their position? You’re a BPT teacher. You know 20% of the people can’t read. And, if they did change their mind what difference would that make? We do not decide the court case and Vallas is not elected. I enjoy reading your opinions. I do not agree with many of them but I enjoy reading them. Isn’t the fact I am reading what is important? You’re putting words in the house.
Maybe Vallas should step aside and become CFO in charge of budgeting, curricula and contract negotiations. Would everybody support that? A question about certifications. How many people reading this take their car to the dealership for repairs to ensure the repairs are made by a mechanic who is certified on that vehicle? Have any of you had repairs made to your house by someone who was not a certified plumber, electrician, HVAC or carpenter? I.e. have you made repairs to your house yourself or hired a guy off the street?
Great solution … from a Pelto reader to the CT Post:
Outstanding recommendation from the Pelto blog and Vallas’s UConn mentor, Villanova, can make this happen as he was the former Farmington superintendent:
Here’s a win/win solution to the miraculous Paul Vallas’s employment dilemma–install him as Superintendent of Westport schools, or Farmington, West Hartford, or Mansfield … He’s so wonderful he does not need credentials and the Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, another man with no education credentials at all, will waive any pesky requirements.
Bridgeport parents, community activists, and families have been clamoring for educational justice for years–and they want an experienced Superintendent.
Let some other district have Paul Vallas, if he is so great.
How about that?
It would be good for him but Bridgeport would, again be looking at an 80% dropout rate and budgetary problems. According to JML the calls mostly supported Vallas. Bridgeport parents, community activists, and families seemed to be clamoring for Vallas. He is making ~$17K/yr less than the guy before him and someone else is paying that. Why can’t Villanova be BPT Super and Vallas CFO? You want to get rid of a free worker? This solves the certification problem. What else is wrong?
Fixing my clogged sink and educating a child are comparable … you’re a genius.
I guess you’re saying a plumber’s cert is just a piece of paper. You put a coat hanger down the sink and poke a hole in the rotten trap. The water goes down and you happily go off the bed. Sewer gas (methane, CO2, CO and SO2) fills the house. The CO kills your kids in their sleep. You get up, put on the light and a spark ignites the rest of the gases killing everybody else. Plumbing can be learned on the job and this is why they are certified. Why, exactly, do teachers need to be certified? Once they have gone through four years of college, student teaching and internship, what does the cert prove? Some certifications are about public safety. Others are just job protection.
You are beyond educating. I am sorry. We are supposed to leave no one behind, but I must abandon the education of BS.
Was it easier or more difficult to give up on me than it is to give up on your students? You could have said the teaching certification ensures teachers are consummate professionals who would never drink on the job, abuse the city sick time policy, take pictures of kids changing in a closet, bang students, steal school property to buy meth, let a kid play on his phone as long as it keep him quiet, are able to maintain order in the classroom, not bully kids and drag them around by the lapels, not name call and use racial slurs and are not just plain crazy. Maybe without the certification we would have a majority of edu-hacks doing time chasing a paycheck, tenure and a pension. You would know that when you see high dropout rates and low performance.
And how many previous “Bridgeport professionals” certified and contracted have declared to one or more students, or classes, or families: “You are beyond educating. I am sorry. We are supposed to leave no one behind, but I must abandon (your) education …”
You are an experienced educator, aren’t you? And you gave up in a public discussion with another educator whom you have chastised, remonstrated, generally found fault with, because your crusade is purer, and perhaps you were left by the wayside in a former Vallas experience.
Enjoy the summer vacation. Go to the beach. Better yet, take some kids to the Library and witness their enthusiasm for attention within their community. Where is your plan for all of the stakeholders, youth, professionals (who have new and additional standards from outside the community to address), parents (grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles who are backing a Bridgeport student), and interested taxpayers, in general?? Will you offer us that in an educational essay? (Remember, brevity is important to OIB readers!) Time will tell.
Here you go … read it in small bits if it is easier for you.
Our Positive Agenda
The Network for Public Education has received a very positive response, and we are building alliances with grassroots groups across the nation. If you know of any who have not signed up, please tell them how to find us.
You know what we oppose: High-stakes testing; privatization of public education; mass school closures to save money or to facilitate privatization; demonization of teachers; lowering of standards for the education profession; for-profit management of schools.
Here is what we support:
We support schools that offer a full and rich curriculum for all children, including the arts, physical education, history, civics, foreign languages, literature, mathematics, and the sciences.
We support schools that are subject to democratic control by members of their community.
We support schools that have the resources their students need, such as guidance counselors, social workers, librarians and psychologists.
We support the equitable funding of schools, with extra resources for those students with the greatest needs.
We support schools that have reasonable class sizes, so teachers have the time to help the children in their care.
We support early childhood education, because we know the achievement gap begins before the first day of school.
We support high standards of professionalism for teachers, principals and superintendents.
We support the principle that every classroom should be led by a teacher who is well educated, well prepared for the challenges of teaching, and certified.
We support wraparound services for children, such as health clinics and after-school programs.
We support assessments that are used to support children and teachers, not to punish or stigmatize them or to hand out monetary rewards.
We support assessments that measure what was taught, through projects and activities in which students can demonstrate what they have learned.
We support the evaluation of teachers by professionals, not by unreliable test scores.
We support helping schools that are struggling, not closing them.
We support parent involvement in decisions about their children.
We support the idea that students’ confidential information must remain confidential and not be handed over to entrepreneurs and marketing agents.
We support teacher professionalism in decisions about curriculum, teaching methods, and selection of teaching materials.
We support public education because it is a pillar of our democratic society.
www .networkforpubliceducation.org/about-npe/our-positive-agenda/
New Haven is hiring a new superintendent. Their schools are just a tad not as bad as Bridgeport. Why didn’t the state force their will on New Haven?
Because they know New Haven wouldn’t allow that.
Will the state allow a non-certified superintendent to take the Vallas shortcut to certification?
Or will the New Haven BOE get it right to begin with?
Bob, if the New Haven BOE had the ability to get it right do you think they would be where they are now? For years things were bad and getting worse but suddenly they will have the ability to get it right. How many times do you let your mechanic fail to fix your car before you realize he does not know what he is doing and, to make it worse. He does not know that he does not know what he is doing.
And Hartford’s BOE is not renewing their Superintendent contract either. What’s the problem with these cities? Is there a common denominator? It probably is not a piece of paper at all. It is probably about a long-term plan (maybe even a five-year plan, as with Vallas in Bridgeport), with serious funding and community outreach to many stakeholders, not necessarily the same-old, same-old and adequate oversight to assure teachers reach students, and students have choice and work at them, etc., and more? Time will tell.
From the ravitch blog … this WAS the plan under state or mayoral control. It is THE playbook … there is little personalization by city or community.
It should be recalled Vallas was appointed CEO of the Philadelphia School District in 2002 right after the Pennsylvania state government’s takeover of the system under the School Reform Commission. As Superintendent Vallas presided over the largest experiment in privatization up to that time with the turnover of 40 schools to Edison Schools, Inc. and other schools to other charter companies. The plan was for Edison to eventually take over the entire school system but this failed due to massive community opposition and financial troubles of Edison. All ties with Edison were cut in Philadelphia by 2008.
However, lessons were learned. The appointment of Arlene Ackerman in 2008 as Superintendent brought a renewed assault on Philadelphia’s public schools with starvation of funding for public schools and the build up of charters. Ackerman was on the Board of the Broad Foundation while Superintendent in Philadelphia. She had been the first head of the Broad Superintendents’ Academy before becoming Superintendent in Philadelphia. In 2009 the Broad Foundation issued its School Closure Guide which outlined how urban school districts should close public schools and how to manage community opposition.
For details of this history see “Who is Eli Broad and why is he trying to destroy public education?” at:
www .defendpubliceducation.net/
jakedog,
Would have been much easier to have your “Positive Agenda” in front of us about 120 posts ago. Who knows, we might have been able to set 10 or 15 of them aside as they are and agree; or work on a few to dig down to see whether there are code words or other meanings that are hidden in the words and separate us; but instead you have spent your credibility and authority by having a one-sided jeremiad against an 18-month leader who has done some good for this community in the eyes of many. And if teachers are facing a contract negotiation upcoming and they have authorized your posting on their behalf, then it reveals some tremendous fear of what Vallas may know or factually say about certain Bridgeport subjects. Seems up until this moment he has been respectful of people and groups of people. That has not been the stance of his opposition. You do not deserve the entire blame, but as MOJO reports … ZOMBIELAND!!! … but maybe we can read it, bit by bit and see where there is agreement on a course of action, and where there are hiccups. (By the way, Snapple says men have hiccups more frequently than women! Snapple also reports one cubic mile of fog contains less than one gallon of water!) Thanks for the info. Time will tell.
You are developing delusions of grandeur … spending too much time with he who shall not be named. Please, get over yourself. There is no fear, but that plays into your notion. It would be best to read the positive agenda carefully and digest it all rather than revert back to your rants. I have nothing to fear and nothing to lose, so calm down and loosen the tie.
Many other documents and links have been provided and it was clear you hadn’t read those, so why would one assume you would take the time to read a carefully planned agenda for our schools in the future, except they don’t fit the Vallas turnaround scam. Gotta run … bye for now.
jake, I read your plan and it was more of a manifesto or list of demands than a plan. A plan should start by acknowledging where we are now. Then identify where you want to be after some time period. You should have the steps you would use to get from A to B and what you will need to do that. You should pepper your plan with assessments to determine if you are on track and what is working and what is not. The plan can be adjusted and you go on.
I noticed you left out tech ed. I found that odd because that is the fastest way to go from poverty to middle case. A kid graduating high school with an HVAC certificate could start making $50K+ right away. The equity that kid would find in that opportunity could inspire him to do well in all his classes. Say, if you needed to maintain a C+ average and be passing all your classes or you are out of the program. Sports used to do this but not anymore. Basketball has become so important, teachers are pressured to falsify grades and they lowered the standards.
Your plan seemed to basically say: we are going to teach everything (except shop), supply every need of the student (whether it is a school issue or not) and we want no accountability, criticism, oversight, quantified measure of success or budgetary restrictions. You also want to decide what you teach and what you don’t. One teacher may be ‘born again’ and teach creationism and another may be an atheist and only teach evolution but no student gets both theories Teachers could teach what they like. Part of the plan sounded like you want to have a de facto teaching guild on top of the union protection. It did sound like this would be nice, for you, anyway.