TEXAS SUPREME COURT DENIES FWISD APPEAL ON PALAZZOLO

Some good news before the break as the Palazzolo case moves on to a retrial.

Recall that Palazzolo had won the jury case against the district and for years the district has spent money to appeal and have it thrown out.  You can imagine the costs.

So now we will see FWISD in court once again and let the truth come out about how they treat employees and lie their way through.

More taxpayer money going to waste.

DISTRICT IN TURMOIL

The title doesn't do it justice because it has been in turmoil forever but with new admin and changes, it keeps getting worse.

The district has transportation issues with buses being late or none show up at all.  

No security at campuses

Bad cafeteria food

Restorative practices are a joke, principals still tossing out kids left and right

But the central administration keeps getting fatter and fatter and of course new schools and investment is happening in well to do with more white influence.

This was predicted and now kids are paying for it!

Where are the representatives who say they care about kids?  Where are our officials?  All talk, no action!

NORTH SIDE PRINCIPAL UNDER INVESTIGATION

It appears we don't have to go to the Trump White House to have our own in Fort Worth.  It appears the North Side Mansion has its own principal Martinez under investigation for inappropriate behavior during a fight.  The other talk among students is his inappropriateness with a female student.

We will see if the King of North Side, Ramos, will stand on the side of students or continue to cover up his friends.  As we have a national conversation about sexual harassment, this is something very close to FWISD that has been happening for a long time.

Recall the coach who was moved instead of being fired.  You also had Dugan at Trimble Tech.  You had the nipple pinching principal and so many others that we don't know about.  If you know of any, let us know and we will post them.  If we don't say anything, we are complicit.

What has FWISD done, COVERED THEM UP!


 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/large-majority-americans-say-there-sexual-harassment-job-n825121

SCRIBNER FAILED TO RESPOND ON BEHALF OF COMO MONTESSORI STUDENTS

Below is a letter written to Scribner about the credentials of the principal at Como Montessori.  He never responded to the concern and well we see where he falls on having qualified individuals running an important school:

Dear Dr. Scribner:

Thank you for the leadership and dedication that you bring to the Fort Worth Independent School District.  I especially admire your strength in bringing to the public’s attention, the District’s changed demographics that make the District a minority-majority school district--- with Hispanic students representing the largest ethnic group. 

Your focus on making sure that every FWISD student gets a quality education is readily apparent.  Directly related to your focus, I have also become aware of the fact that you are very interested in expanding Montessori education opportunities in FWISD.

It is your interest in Montessori education that prompts me to write to you directly.

As you know, Daggett Montessori and Como Montessori Schools are the District’s two Montessori school campuses.  Both schools have had a long history of development that involved years of dedication from local students, parents, teachers and administrators, as well as private Montessori schools and training academies.  These groups came together to establish the schools’ Montessori lineage and fidelity in FWISD.

Unfortunately, under its current administration, Como Montessori School has done everything possible to go against Montessori teaching, the school’s established guidelines, and any semblance of fidelity because of the incompetent, unqualified, discriminatory, and bullying management of Janna Bennett.

In an effort to keep this complaint as objective and relevant as possible, it is important to first establish that Bennett does not have Montessori teaching experience or any sort of Montessori certification.  No doubt she will point out that only after receiving her appointment to become principal of Como Montessori School, she spent a few weeks getting a “trumped up” emergency training by the Houston Montessori School.  But Bennett never followed through on the steps required to receive Montessori certification.  Bennett’s only teaching experience was as a kindergarten teacher in a traditional FWISD school on the eastside of Fort Worth.  In her over 16 years as principal at Como, she has made no effort at investing her time in furthering her Montessori training and earning her certification--- and yet, the District has assigned her to a K- 8 “Montessori” school?

As a FWISD taxpayer and the father of a former Como Montessori School student (who attended when the school was true to its moniker’s fidelity and under a different principal) I am incensed that my taxpayer funds go to the District’s efforts to fraudulently promote this school as a Montessori school and that District officials, unwilling to hold Bennett accountable, have knowingly left Bennett to her own devices.  Bennett, for all intents and purposes, has been allowed to run her own, publicly funded, private school.

District officials have long been aware of Bennett’s mismanagement and abusive behavior toward her faculty and staff.   Instead of supporting her teachers, many of whom have attended to their rigorous Montessori training and received their certification (something that Bennett has not done), Bennett belittles and humiliates them--- often in full view of their students, as a means of what Bennett has often been quoted as saying that she is “growing” her teachers.  Even a cursory review of the number of teachers who have left and/or have requested to leave Como Montessori, attests to Bennett’s 16 years of “growing” pains.

It is the teachers’ dedication to their students that has accounted for Como Montessori’s academic achievements and that unjustly gives Bennett the undue credit.  I am disappointed that District officials, knowing Bennett’s extensive shortcomings and her history of abuse and discrimination, think that her management is the source of Como Montessori’s success.  Give these dedicated teachers a true academic leader and see how they can “grow” a true Montessori school.

Bennett has a long history of protecting neighborhood children who share Bennett’s African-American, southern Baptist, and Como heritage while showing hostility toward the majority Hispanic student population.

The Como community has evolved from a historically African-American community to a 50/50 or majority Hispanic community.  No doubt, because of the community’s historical origin, Hispanic residents have oftentimes faced hostility from entrenched African-American Como residents.  While attitudes cannot be legislated, the nature of public education and Maria Montessori’s approach to teaching would welcome and nurture the rich cultural heritage of all members of the Como community.  Bennett comes from one of Como’s long standing families and there is little doubt that it is only her connection to Como that won her assignment to Como Montessori and that keeps her there in spite of numerous complaints against her.  Bennett, as evidenced, is the antithesis of Maria Montessori and as an unqualified Montessori principal, should be an embarrassment to the Fort Worth Independent School District.

Perhaps Bennett’s discriminatory behavior toward the greater Hispanic population had become so evident that she was finally forced to hire a bilingual parent liaison; and yet, Bennett has manipulated this necessary development by forcing Ms. Sara Brown to office out of Arlington Heights High School--- 2.3 miles away from the campus where she is supposed to be serving!

Bennett’s behavior reveals the personality of an insecure administrator focused on keeping “outside eyes from looking in” and doing everything possible to keep District specialists from establishing a presence in “her” school, thereby depriving Como Montessori School students of opportunities that other District students enjoy.

I am aware that every one of the District’s secondary schools, except for Como Montessori School, has an Intervention Specialist.  Intervention Specialists are trained professionals housed on secondary school campuses to intervene in the real-life challenges facing vulnerable middle and high school students.  These necessary faculty members help students navigate through their issues and bolster their spirit to stay-in-school and avoid dangerous drug use and violent behavior.

Bennett has, on her own, been able to refuse to have an Intervention Specialist assigned to and housed at Como Montessori School.

While I want a quality education for all Como Montessori School students, I am especially concerned for the Hispanic students.

In my analysis of Como Montessori School, I conclude that in keeping and supporting Janna Bennett as principal of Como Montessori School, the Fort Worth Independent School District discriminates against the majority Hispanic student population and their parents by:

1)     Compared to the only other K- 8 FWISD Montessori school (Daggett), Como Montessori School’s administrators (i.e. principal, assistant principal) are not prior certified Montessori and/or experienced Montessori educators. 

In comparison, both the principal and the assistant principal of Daggett Montessori School are prior certified Montessori and/or experienced Montessori educators.

2)     Compared to the only other K- 8 FWISD Montessori school (Daggett), Montessori methodology for teaching is not practiced or even encouraged at Como Montessori School and Bennett does not understand, advocate, or see value in the Montessori methodology of teaching. 

In comparison, Montessori methodology for teaching is practiced at Daggett Montessori School.

3)     Compared to the only other K- 8 FWISD Montessori school (Daggett), Como Montessori School does not have an assigned and on-campus Intervention Specialist like all other secondary schools, including Daggett Montessori School. 

In so doing, Bennett deprives the majority Hispanic student population and their parents of services offered by an Intervention Specialist.

4)     In a direct affront to and a discriminatory act against the Hispanic community served by Como Montessori School, Bennett houses the school’s bilingual Parent Liaison at Arlington Heights High School rather than on the Como Montessori School campus.  One has to question, what good is having a Hispanic, bilingual Parent Liaison if she is not allowed to be on the campus that she is supposed to be available to serve?

Bennett’s intentional displacement of the Parent Liaison diminishes the liaison’s ability to demonstrate her ability and credibility to the majority Hispanic, often monolingual, Spanish-speaking parents who have never felt welcomed by Bennett and are too intimidated to participate in their right to visit and communicate with school personnel.  Without reason, Bennett has put up yet another barrier for these Hispanic parents to have to overcome.

Unqualified as Bennett is, the District has been extremely generous in allowing her a long 16 year tenure at Como. 

It is well past time for Bennett to “move on” to another District assignment that may be better suited to her traditional school background. 

I am convinced that such a move would be fair and beneficial to both Bennett and Como Montessori School; Bennett could bring her administrative credentials to a new school and the District could invest in a true Montessori certified and experienced set of administrators for Como Montessori School.

Dr. Scribner, your admirable interest in establishing a Montessori high school in Fort Worth has to include a review and upgrade of your already established Montessori schools.  How sad, embarrassing, and a set-up for failure would it be  for Como Montessori students to have their first real Montessori education in ninth grade, all, while their parents thought that their children were being taught using Montessori methodology from K- 8 at Como Montessori, under Bennett’s “watch”.

I hope that you will take a personal interest in this serious matter and act on it as quickly as possible; I am readily available to meet with you to answer any questions that you might have.

FWISD CONDUCTING BUSINESS UNDERGROUND

It has come to our attention that the FWISD has begun doing more business by group text, chat and other means than email to avoid open records requests.

It appears that there have been some open records request that have made the district uneasy and principals have confirmed that they have been told to conduct meetings and communication by group texts.

So what are you hiding?

FWISD BOARD MEMBERS LINING THEIR POCKETS WITH CASH: ABOLISH ETHICS RULES

CLICK ON LINK:
http://directactiontx.com/fwisd-payday/

An added bonus for Luebanos is that Paschal is the new Arlington Heights.  White students are given a pass on discipline while minorities are not.  This is what Palazzolo has fought and it continues.  Luebanos is a sell out.

SOME ADVICE FOR TEACHERS: RESIST BULLIES AND KNOW YOUR RIGHTS (REMINDER)

CONTRIBUTOR ADVICE:

Teachers, Prepare yourself for the coming school year by knowing the law

Welcome back to the 2017-2018 school year.  FWISD continues to be the model for dysfunctional government that, unfortunately, seems to be the “new normal” for our country.

But don’t give up.  Educating and advocating for the education of children is still the noblest of efforts and there are federal protections still in place that you need to be aware of, especially if you encounter the kind of bully principals and administrators that CIAFWISD has exposed over the years.  So, here’s some advice for gathering documentation and “keeping your head while others lose theirs”.

1)     Know that two federal laws protect you and your students- The 1964 Civil Rights Act signed by President Lyndon Baines Johnson, ensures equal employment opportunity and equal educational opportunity rights for people based on race, national origin, age, color , religion, sex, disability, and retaliation.  Employment law protects you as an employee and educational law protects your students and their parents from being treated differently in regards to one or more of those bases.  Retaliation comes into play after you have reported a possible violation (as long as your report is sincere and well-intentioned; you don’t even have to prove the discrimination) to a law enforcement agency (i.e. Dept. of Ed., Dept. of Justice, FBI, etc.).  Reporting to FWISD’s Equity and Excellence, Human Capital Management, and/or Office of Professional Conduct is counter-productive and dangerous.

2)     YOU CAN RECORD MEETINGS WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR/PRINCIPAL.  But you’d be stupid to do it openly!  Texas law allows for anyone who is party to a conversation to record that conversation.  Don’t confuse that with eavesdropping where an outside party illegally records two other peoples’ conversation (in other words, it’s illegal to “bug” your principal’s office; but you can record any conference that he/she has with you, because you are a party in that conversation.

3)     Be wary of teacher associations that do not offer client/lawyer privilege  From your first conversation with an association, talking to a staff member, who is not an attorney, DOES NOT give you client/lawyer privilege.  Be aware that one of the largest teacher associations in Fort Worth uses staff members to get all of your information.  This is a for-profit association that is  allowed to distribute their weekly information using FWISD paid employees duties.  You have to wonder what’s the payback for free labor and advertising?

4)     Okay, so you don’t feel comfortable recording your principal, then document, document, document  Be sure that after a meeting where you feel that your rights were being violated or you are being ordered to violate someone else’s rights (such as a student or their parent), take immediate notes and include names of who was in the meeting, time and day that it took place, what was asked of you and your response, and how you felt after the meeting.  If you feel compelled to do so, in as unthreatening a manner as possible, respond to your principal in an email that summarizes what you heard he or she was asking you to do.

5)     If you are physically touched or verbally threatened with harm call the police  Tell someone who you trust right after it happens--- while calling the police.  Once police show up, record your conversation with the officer and identify them by asking for their business card or write down their name and badge number.  Don’t play with this and don’t be afraid to call the police.

6)     If you are made to cry by your principal or a supervisor, immediately go tell a trusted co-worker  If they are trusted by you, they shouldn’t have a problem with you recording your conversation with them (but let them know, remember, you trust them and they trust you, so do not say something that can get them in trouble).  Remember, at this point, both of you have civil rights protection against retaliation.

7)     Don’t taunt your principal/supervisor with the law  The law is especially protective of victims who were “victimized”.  It becomes a little “greyer” when you are perceived as the bully.  So, know your rights but don’t go pushing them.  Believe me, there already are plenty of bully principals/supervisors in FWISD who think that they are demi-gods and come after their employees without provocation.

8)     The more that teachers know how to fight, the more that outside entities, such as the federal government, will have to respond.  With sheer volumes of complaints, hopefully the feds will intercede in FWISD. 

Via CIAFWISD, I can try to answer some questions that you might have.  Click into the comment section and send your question (CIAFWISD protects your email identity and you can post a different name) and I will do my best to answer.