The latest press release from CCSD:
CCSD Chief Academic Officer Graduates from Prestigious Urban Superintendents Academy
November 16, 2007
CHARLESTON – Chief Academic Officer Randolph Bynum has successfully
completed the prestigious Broad Superintendents Academy of the Broad
Center for the Management of School Systems. Mr. Bynum is one of only
eleven 2007 graduates nationwide of this rigorous ten-month executive
management training program.
“I am so proud of Mr. Bynum’s accomplishment. As our county’s academic
chief, who has already made such great contributions to our schools, this
experience will prove invaluable for him and for us,” said CCSD
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nancy McGinley, herself a graduate of the
inaugural Broad Academy class.
Otherwise known as an employment agency for those hoping to move up in the superintendent game. Seems to work. Wonder how long Mr. Bynum will be with us.
Monday, November 19, 2007
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7 comments:
I've met Mr. Bynum and was impressed with his openness. Maybe he's willing to really tell it like it is in CCSD. Okay, I admit, the sky appeared purple there for a minute.
Idi Amin, oops Mr. Bynum is cut from the same cloth. Thay all come in here saying "Open book" until they get backed into a corner and then so much for being upfront with everything.
Mr. Bynum isn't known for being up front. This blog raised some questions about his background when his appointment was first announced.
A Google search turned up some very disturbing information including a long string of his e-mail exchanges. These show he had some difficulty dealing with school level challenges without using a heavy hand. It appeared his rapid “advancement” in our direction began when he became embroiled in a relatively minor battle as a high school principal. He crossed many of his teachers over his elimination of a journalism course & an award winning student newspaper when he resorted to retaliation and threats. The e-mails are all there folks.
Possibly because he made a mountain out of a mole hill, it looks as if he was "kicked upstairs" within weeks of the controversy largely caused by the way he chose to handle it. By then it had become a First Amendment cause which placed him on the wrong side of those favoring academic excellence and opportunities to teach student responsibility. Mr. Bynum wanted to limit the paper to "good" news and used his power of the purse to penalize teachers and students alike in most unprofessional manner (more like an Idi Amin…definitely not a Colin Powell). The principal who replaced him reversed his decisions almost immediately. A year later the Georgia Press Association awarded her its highest award. (And what was she like…maybe a Barbara Jordan or a Michelle Obama).
Meanwhile, Mr. Bynum is "promoted" to attend Broad and Broad eventually "promotes" Mr. Bynum to CCSD. His poor handling of the school newspaper issue which resulted in his rapid "promotions" is troubling. Now we hear Mr. Bynum has been placed in charge of both the Memminger Project (supposedly to make it a "2nd Buist") and he's also heading up the task force to review and make changes to the magnet school admissions policies (assuming that there are any). We can only hope the people at Broad taught him to be open to the existence of "bad" news and to at least consider it when seeking appropriate resolutions to conflicts.
Let's give him a chance. I need to be optimistic about SOMETHING, people.
I know the CCSD board stinks, but can't we believe the administration is really trying to change things?
Yes, but they need to give us some sort of sign that there's something worth waiting for. We've been set up for a let down too many times already. Too often these outsiders come here with a script and playbook already written for them by the powers that be. It's tough to develop a working relationship with various players when the whole place is in seige mode. CCSD has burned too many bridges before these people ever got to Charleston. They need to understand that the initiative is really theirs to make because experience says the locals have very little reason to trust them. Just give us a sign...not just promises.
In this time of Thanksgiving, I would like to thank "Babbie" for setting this blog up to give the folks sitting on the other side of the fence an opportuninty to voice our concerns. I think as a whole this blog attacks issues not people and the nasty blog that Mr. Butzon had, simply attacked people especially me, but, as I see it, I must hit a nerve with him and as I always heard, "He who angers you controls you" so I have some control. We all have high hopes for the improvement of education legitimately. It is slow coming, but, there is a glimmer out there.
Sandi Engelman
...add my thanks, too, Babbie. And thanks to your readers with their constructive comments, suggestions and observations that remind us to stay on track when we might be tempted to wander off toward a lower road. Most encouraging is to know that others also see that glimmer of hope.
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