Thursday, January 28, 2016

THE EMPIRE OF RAMOS AND PAZ

The empire that the current BAM Board President and TCU Princess Paz created has been crumbling since the day they signed their life to the devil, Needham.  Within months both were elevated to a status that garnered many opportunities that no one else would have access to.  Many hoped that they would work to help the ailments of this district and to this day it seems the issues keep piling up.


Let's review what the status of some of their lack of oversight have caused (along with the rest of the board crew)

RAMOS

*Recall that he helped his girlfriend get a job in the discipline office area.  The job created required someone with an educational background.  Come to find out she has no background whatsoever.  But right after he won the election then suddenly she was hired over better qualified individuals.  Dr. Scribner please check her references and qualifications and check the job description and you will see how the hiring practices at FWISD work.

*The $60,000 secretary under Monge that has a GED and makes more than most teachers who have a Bachelor's and even a Master's.  Can we become secretaries so that we can get paid the same?  Dr. Scribner please check on that and let us know how it is justified.

*Received a TCU job when he signed a pact with Needham over the Farrington field when Dansby wanted the Arts school to be built there.  For the most part, Needham setup Dansby on it and Ramos did not about it.  Guess the perks were much more important than doing the right thing.

*Ramos has a stake in the Santa Fe company that runs YAP and this is why he is so invested in it and can't afford to loose.  The same goes in hiring his inner circle to some positions where they have no business being any type of role model for anyone.  Money is now the root of the evil that plagues this district.

*Let's add some content to his statements made on the Fort Worth Project and his outlook at the current status of what he says are needs (after 3 years)

  1. “The demographics in Fort Worth aren’t changing. They’ve changed.”
The demographics had changed for a long time and the run for the board was meant to deal with the change overall.  This is nothing new and yet look at where we are, besides this what have you done to make sure we are ready for the change?  What has been put in place, like the more than 200 programs like YAP that have not impacted the majority of the students.  Change only happens when actions occur.
  1. “We’ve got work to do, and we have zero time to waste.”
Show us the work and the results and we can believe this statement.  But while you want all to be working you are flying across the nation building your profile and not the districts nor bringing anything that reflects change.
  1. “We are having very real and courageous conversations. The board is legit.”
Legit?  What conversations are you having?  All of the conversations have happened in executive session because the public knows nothing of what or where the district is headed.  Where are the talking points of the strategies and implementation of things that are impacting student life overall?  The board that is in place has been the same board, minus the new people, who have made all of the decisions and suddenly things are better?  Tell us what those real conversations will result in and then maybe we can believe.  But being silent is not doing us any good.
  1. “If you see people as objects to be moved and manipulated, then you are going to fail because the bottom is going to fall out.”
So you move technology into Metro when you should be moving resources to support students and stop the overall failure of discipline that has continued to marginalize african american and latino students.  They are more likely to end up there without even a chance to redeem themselves versus anglo students.  So yes the bottom is going to fall out but I believe it has already done so.
  1. “Parents have a powerful, powerful voice.”
A voice that has been silenced or ignored.  Surveys mean nothing nor words.  The people want action that is credible and visible.  
  1. “This dude is a beast of a leader” (about Superintendent Kent P. Scribner).
Not sure what kind of beast you speak of but we are still waiting for the first big bite.  You and Linares made sure he came here and yet nothing so far.  All we hear is talk.
  1. “There is now a partnership with the Superintendent” (regarding the board).
That's interesting because your inner circle has leaked information that it's not that rosy.  You are basically fed up with how the system ate you and now you want to run.  There is no partnership, there was only agreements between you all to shut up and run a de-facto government where nothing gets out.  So yes the partnership exists in creating lies and who knows what else.
  1. “Challenge your mental model if you think it’s all negative [about the FWISD]. Visit the schools.”
Have you visited the schools?  Have you seen the other sides of the district?  Remember that you are president of the FWISD not just North Side.  What about the teacher attacks at other schools?  What about the issues at Riverside, West Handle, etc.  How about helping YWLA and the need for support for parents, teachers and students from Mia Hall who is running a dictatorship, which kind of mimics the district style.  The bullying that has been exacerbated in many schools like Paschal.  So when you visit all sides of the district, then let us know.
  1. “Ask, ‘How can I help you?’ instead of saying ‘Here’s what to do.'”
Yes we are waiting to be asked and taken seriously.
  1. “A zip code should not determine a young person’s future.”
Exactly, so why can't everyone be able to go to Paschal or other schools that board member kids get to go to?  Where do our kids from the East and South get an opportunity to excel beyond their area and go to other schools?  Tell us how you are working to determine that better future for ALL students.  Once you are serious about this and other things then maybe we can sing a better tune.  

PAZ

Well we can't say too much about her because she hasn't done much and now has forgotten her schools.  The TCU gig has her busy at the expense of students.  How are things at the Riverside area of the FWISD?  Many are suffering and she is nowhere to be found.  No degree and now is in a Master's Program at TCU.. tell us how that goes... 



Friday, January 15, 2016

WE CAN CRY, LAUGH OR GET ANGRY! SCRIBNER VIDEO

We needed to give the video posted on our comment section a boost.  This person did very well in depicting the state of our district.  We have seen the video used in other areas but the wording itself is great.

ENJOY IT!


Sunday, January 10, 2016

HOUSE OF CARDS FWISD... SEASON _____-

We don't know what season of House Cards in the FWISD we are in but it sure seems like an eternity when nothing seems to work and the past keeps us from a better future.


We know that the players in this House continue to cause harm to everyone in the district and how they clean house when you are go against them.

Let's go back to the Palazzolo case and the recent Appeals Courts hearing.  In the transcript, Brandt, the attorney in charge of the case, takes on Dr. Sutherland and ex-member Vasquez.  His defense of the district is that because both members changed their vote the second time to fire Palazzolo that it should seal the case and end it.  He mentions Sutherland so many times that basically she is the savior of the case and/or maleficent.  We recall from the Sutherland deposition that she stated that the district had lied in the case because of the many missing records that were never presented to the board before the vote.  Another defense for Brandt is that the courts never considered their affirmative defense which meant that the statute of limitations should have been imposed because the firing of 2010 and 2012 were completely different.  What struck us very odd but something as a warning to many of us is that, at the end of the transcript, if you report something illegal with merit you can still be fired for doing what they consider criminal or a violation.  So what you reported illegally is mute and should not proceed to any further litigation.  So because Palazzolo was fired the second time then the case should have not been considered and the jury who awarded Palazzolo should have considered that defense even when the courts have turned it down many times.  At the beginning of the appeal the judge shut Brandt down for trying to talk bad about the trial court judges.  This goes to show everyone that it's the FWISD way to defame people and spread lies about them.  Glad that someone finally did something about it.  But we are not legal scholars so you be the judge of the appeal case.  We do have  scapegoat... Sutherland..
http://www.txcourts.gov/media/1245549/02-14-262-CV-Fort-Worth-Independent-School-District-v-Joseph-Palazzolo.mp3


We also have Barbara Griffith who basically was involved in setting up Dansby to what became a very costly and not so positive departure.  Needham made sure that Dansby would leave after he decided not to follow her instructions on giving contracts to her buddies.  So Dr. Scribner you may need to watch out for those individuals who are here for their bidding and will betray you.  Will Needham do the same to the current superintendent?  Griffith is untouchable!
This also brings something to mind, did she set him up during the blunder of the release of the executive session audio?  What role did she play in this?  She of all people should know that you never record the session.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B58nQYNsVgwwQzBTak53ZU9NOUU/view?usp=sharing -Transcript of Executive Session

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B58nQYNsVgwwMnR2LUhmcE8xQ28/view?usp=sharing
Depositions by Griffith and everyone there that day of the executive session.

Sunday, January 3, 2016

SCHOOL BOARD SPENDING LAVISHLY ON TRIPS!


Well, well, what do we have here?
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20160103-fort-worth-school-board-s-travel-spending-has-soared-over-last-school-year.ece

Nothing new for the most part as prior board members have spent more and been questioned about their particular vacations on taxpayer funds.  But what the article points out is that BAM President Ramos has spent at least $24,000 just on him.  His response is that he wants to put the district on the map and he needs to be present at many events.
No question that the district needs to be put on the map but for good reasons.  We didn't hear one person comment on the PEG results and what the new strategies will be nor anything related to how student education will be better.

The other big question for Mr. Ramos is, how does he get so much time off?  We know board members have a regular job because trustees do not have a salary.  We did report back that one employee that works at the Juvenile Department had stated that Ramos works 2 hours and that is considered a full day's work.  Does anyone know how the system works on leave and stuff like that at the city?  We know there are political games played but we just don't know the details, some of the big bosses are connected to big political people.

Still, we see that all these expenses and nothing to show for.  Whatever happened to the White House initiative?  How has that helped the students?  Has discipline changed some?  Do we have due process for students at risk?

Like always the district will be silent because it has no answers.  I guess Tobi, you better get a regular job because you are for sure not putting in the time you said you would since you had no job after Prep Academy.  Why waste your words, a liar is a liar.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20160103-fort-worth-school-board-s-travel-spending-has-soared-over-last-school-year.ece