Update on Maria Goodloe-Johnson's progress to Seattle:
As I predicted, Goodloe-Johnson's friends on the CCSD saw this search as an opportunity to revisit her previous evaluation. Now that she has a friendlier board, they have extended her contract with CCSD for a year in hopes of keeping her. The decision was made tonight, contingent upon her not going to Seattle, of course.
What our friends in Seattle have speculated about is that her former supervisor who has a top position in the Seattle district probably suggested Maria for consideration.
Monday, April 09, 2007
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29 comments:
I enjoy your blog, and have been reading it since Maria Goodloe-Johnson became a school superintendent candidate for us (in Seattle.)
I'm not convinced either of the candidates are perfect for Seattle, and it looks like you might be keeping Dr. Goodloe-Johnson afterall.
Today in the Post and Courier
Sharing power
I recently attended a panel discussion sponsored by the League of Women Voters regarding single-member districts. I am not as politically astute as I might be and am not aware of all the nuances and potential pitfalls of single-member districts. But I am an observer of behavior of the Charleston County Council before and after the implementation of county-wide single-member districts. Even Ray Charles could have seen the democratic process at work because of the presence and involvement of council members elected by their constituencies - the promise of community involvement being practiced and the sharing of power.
I am dismayed by the position taken by Barbara Williams, the editor of The Post and Courier. Ms. Williams stated her opposition to single-member districts and, by my observation, caused a previous advocate to vacillate and state that he was now rethinking his position on single-member districts.
The issue for me isn't that we have a diverse Charleston County School Board. We have now and have had in the past black members of the school board. The issue is who do they represent? The answer is that they represent the entire county. And that is rather noble. But in reality, we have two school systems in Charleston County. They are separate and unequal. One has a powerful constituency, and one has a powerless constituency. And there is nothing more unequal than the apparent equal distribution of resources to unequals, especially if the unequals have not elected its advocates.
At this time there is no possibility of the black community electing a black person to the county school board. The only blacks who can be elected are those who pass a white litmus test. And the greatest tragedy is that some members of the black community applaud the election of blacks to this body. The unfortunate thing is that the most anti-black white person can be elected without a single black vote. Does this pass the "fairness test"? Will blacks have the same rights as whites?
I contend that if the black community had the right to nominate and elect its representatives to the county school board, those representatives working with the whites, presently nominated and elected by the white community would find common interest in making all of our schools work to the glory and benefit of our county and our state while destroying many of the myths now infecting both communities at this time.
LUTHER W. SEABROOK
3028 High Hammock Road
Johns Island
It would be truly ironic if our open and frank discussions here about the flaws in our public school system were to result in Seattle choosing to pass on G-J. The truth is that the failures of our current county school board in Charleston County and the ineffectiveness of this superintendent would similarly describe those who came before them. The blame for this does not rest on one individual. Her style of leadership is exactly what the county school board ordered and she delivered it as instructed. The county school board, yes even despite protests to the contrary by Ruth Jordan and Hillery Douglas, have knowingly maintained a segregated school system. The hiring of G-J, Charleston's first black and female public school CEO, was only designed to lend the outward appearance of credibility to a system that is rotten to the core.
In Seattle they're saying:
"There are 240 students seeking 40 seats at Buist Academy? Then why not create five more of them? I keep asking: if there is so much demand for schools and programs with long waiting lists, such as TOPS, John Stanford International School, or Spectrum in NE Seattle, then why doesn't the District duplicate or expand those programs to meet the demand?"
"The District doesn't care about what the people want...what you want is not a factor in any of their decisions. They will look you right in the face and tell you so."
Why does this sound so familiar to us in Charleston?
Actions, even illegal or immoral actions, if approved by a majority of the members of the county school board, have the implied approval of those who participated, even if they voted on the loosing side. If the action is so offensive, then protests and objections should be made part of the record. Members Jordan and Douglas appear to be so offended by some white parents that they want to disallow their kids to transfer out of certain suburban schools into another. The issue popped up because of an influx of minority children from North Charleston under NCLB. If this is truly a moral or legal problem for them, then their logic says they should be raising Holy Cain over CCSD's policies that help to keep academically qualified downtown minority kids (and qualified non-minority kids, too) from gaining access to Buist Academy. Or in another example, why do minority kids at two at-risk schools downtown enjoy second rate consideration so that they have to share one principal between them? What's wrong, CCSD doesn't want to let a full time principal transfer in under NCLB? Douglas and Jordan need to practice some consistancy in their arguments about supporting or opposing segregation.
Jordan and Douglas are being selective in their expression of indignation about on-going segregation practices within CCSD. These two black members of the county school board's inner circle appear to share Joe Darby’s out-dated and patronizing belief about educating minorities. He is on record saying the only way to improve schools with a high percentage of minorities is to put white kids in them so the school board and the administration will be motivated to improve course offerings and teacher quality there. Huh? What about supporting schools wanting to improve their educational environment without regard to where white kids are going or where black kids are being steered.
It's budget time again, so at least Jordan and Douglas should be willing to question the prescribed budget and consider reallocating funds to give Charleston Progressive the staff support and curriculum offerings equal to what Buist now receives. Why wait for white kids to transfer to Chas. Progressive? Why not support them now? For Jordan and Douglas to do anything less puts their names in support of a school system that is openly segregated and academically unequal throughout downtown.
When parents and teachers initiated Charleston Progressive as a magnet school years ago, their only miscalculation was, unlike Buist, a belief that academic success would carry their school forward and not political corruption as has been the case with Buist. Buist remains the untouchable favorite of both county school board members and senior administrators. Buget and staffing limitations applied to Charleston Progressive by CCSD officials continue to remind them that they have been sadly and repeatedly mistaken about the value of their hard work and success under this system. Their SIC (school improvement council) may want to consider dumping the magnet school approach and going it as a charter school. The school community could then determine its own future and no longer be available as CCSD’s whipping boy for Buist.
Ms. Jordan and Mr. Douglas say they want white children to not be allowed to transfer out of certain public schools, but when white (and black) parents propose an integrated charter school to serve a part of the district where currently only African-American kids go to public school, Douglas and Jordan threaten to withhold their support for the plan, and to penalize whom? I agree with Dr. Luther Seabrook, the retired former superintendent of one of the constituent districts in New York City's massive school system. We need single member districts, that is if we can't break up CCSD and void the Act of Consolidation first.
Apartheid is too mild a term for what this system and the county school board is continuing to do to our schools and the children they are supposed to be educating.
Thank you, Memminger 45...well said.
Any chance you're willing to run in the next school board election?
Not even if my life depended on it.
Thanks for the morning laugh...it was worth a shot.
I think all of you are spending WAY too much time on Seattle blogs and need to come back home.
Where are you???
Did you go to see Mr. Rex tonight? Give us an update.
Babbie - I personally think some board members voted for her extension, so she would appear more enticing to Seattle. That's how they play politics in this town.
Buist has sent out letters to those that are in. I wonder if Ms. Green's daughter received one of those. I suppose a public official should receive a few perks. Plus, it's not the business of the public. Aren't we just expected to trust the school board without question? I'm sure Gregg Meyers, Robert New, Diane Agahpour and Janet Rose never pulled strings.
I am a reporter for an independent weekly. Please tell me the names of the Sanford relatives and the false address they used to get into Buist Academy. I can find their true address on Charleston County tax records web site.
To the reporter who is requesting the names of parents of children who entered Buist under false addresses last year, all the names and addresses they used have been published and is a public record. Each of the County School Board members were given copies of the names as part of a report submitted by the District 20 Constituent School Board. Last Monday at the County School Board meeting the new members of that board were given copies of the reports that have been in the hands of the administration and the previous board members for months. The information contained in those reports is a compliation of other public records, including the names of those participating in the Buist lottery for that year and the list(s) on which they applied. I would suggest that you request a copy of the report from any one of the members of the County School Board or the District 20 Constituent School Board. If they refuse, then keep trying by contacting others on those boards until someone responds affirmatively to your request. You might make a mental note of those members who refuse as an indication of their participation in the charade that supports the use of fraudulent addresses and willingness to cheat to gain addmission to Buist. I'm sure out of the combined total of 16 elected representatives of the people, there are at least a few individuals on one or both of those school boards who are honest.
Dr. Goodloe-Johnson has accepted the offer for superintendent in Seattle.
Good luck Seattle. I hope she does a better job in your city. She never trusted the public in Charleston after a small number of people had an issue with her pregnancy and the example she was setting for teens. She needs a fresh start because she couldn't let go of being overly defensive and angry.
Langsam (Sanford's brother's in-laws) got in using a District 20 address..on St. Margaret St., if my friends told me correctly. Of course, this is just "Charleston gossip" and should be taken as such. Like you said, you can check as to where they really live.
Do you think anyone will hold Sallie Ballard accountable now??? Obviously, Dr. Goodloe was willing to play the game, but will Dr. McGinley?
Are you worried at all, Mr. Gregg Meyers? Or is everyone in your pocket?
I pray at least Ruth Jordan is beginning to see your "true" colors.
I think Ruth Jordan's heart is the right place. She's new at this. Maybe she and a new super will clean up the systme.
Hey guys, Goodloe will be here for at least the rest of this school year...with time to do some real damage. She takes no prisoners and has already demonstrated that she gets what she wants when she wants without regard for the aftermath. I want to know if the county board will offer McGinley an interim position or a permenent one. Whoever takes over deserves to be held accountable in their own right. I think we've seen enough of how G-J used interim appointments to reward some and keep others on a short chain.
We need a permanent superintendent now. Dr. Goodloe-Johnson is now loyal to another system. She should be given permanent leave immediately and Dr. McGinley should be given total responsibility right now. That's the way it works in the real world. Change the locks and move on.
The final on the straw vote that was posted on the Seattle P&I blog:
Maria Goodloe-Johnson 23%
Gregory Thornton 44%
Neither of the Above 33%
Though not very many participated in the poll (39 or so), at least some people in Seattle must have recognized the same concerns that we raised here.
One thing is certain, future searches for superintendents will never be the same anywhere. We owe a debt of thanks to both the bloggers in Seattle and to those here (thanks Babbie) for keeping both cities better informed. And fortunate for us in Charleston, it was far more reliable (a blog no less) than the local daily.
FYI Jerry Adams indicated to more than a few people as early as last Monday that it was all but a done deal, and that G-J and Seattle's Board were singing in two part harmony.
Many thanks to Seattle as they were very open with us throughout this process. I believe we were open with them to a fault. Some of the honest comments made here were not exactly endorsements made by people who made no bones about the fact that they would rather Goodloe leave than stay. That honesty could just as easily given those people the results they least wanted.
We also should wish supporters of public schools in Seattle well. I hope, for their sake, that G-J is a better choice for them (and Seattle for her) than what appeared to be the case here. Charleston public school supporters will also soon see if the powers-that-be in this community are truly behind a plan that was widely touted and reportedly designed specifically to improve all of our schools fairly and equitably. Or were they just behind an individual with a pretty plan?
Babbie where are you? I hope you are ok. Maybe you're a bit sad about the departure of Goodloe-Johnson.
I miss you, too, Babbie...
We're thinking of you...you've inspired us and kept us entertained..and we're looking forward to hearing from you again soon.
Personally, I'm hoping you're taking a well-deserved vacation from this "crazy little thing" called CCSD!
I have to admit, I was interested in hearing your thoughts on the lovely P&C editorial today.
Yes, if G-J was the financial savior of CCSD's $60 million plus facilities cost overruns (or capital shortfall, you choose which one) when she arrived in 2003, then tell me why is it that the same people have been running the facilities budget both before, during and after G-J? Just what is it that she did that "saved" CCSD's facilities management program and brought capital spending back into line? Did we miss something here? What does the P&C editorial staff know about the previous failures and current successes in CCSD's building program that we don't?
I'll be back to blogging as soon as I get electricity at home. Thanks for missing me! I did take a short vacation.
What happened to all of you stupid anti-Buist whiners and your pathetic little blog? Maybe you realized that you will never get what you want because you just don't have friends in high enough places. A big shout out to Gregg Meyers for mobilizing Charleston County Parents for Buist. He still has loyalty for the institution that has been so good to him and his family and friends. I hope Toya Green protects Buist the way our friend Gregg has.
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