Time to change!

This morning on 101.5 fm the Governor was questioned about what he planned to do about the quagmire in Plainfield Public Schools regarding the O.F.A.C. Report to which he replied," we're not going to let it continue…previously this stuff may have been permitted to go on, but we're not permitting it to go on in this administration - and Commissioner Schunder is being very aggressive about this….the people of Plainfield and the people of the state of New Jersey should be assured that we will take action to stop this type of wasteful spending." Governor Christie

This is not an occasion for joyous revelation but a time to reflect upon mistakes made and to examine precautionary steps we can implement guaranteeing such a disgraceful act from ever occurring again. It is a debacle that should never have happened in the first place. For a moment lets take a journey back in time...............

Monday June 30, 2008  M. Pellum opines in her Blog.....

  

"A waiting apprehensive staff and a community that so far has been disenfranchised from all schools matters is not exactly the best way to make an entrance, but these are some of the challenges that await Dr. Steve Gallon III.

On the positive light, he already has those of us who are looking forward to his arrival. His arrival might be just what our school district needs to move forward."

 or

"Dr. Gallon III will have to see how all the figures end up playing on the big board and hopefully he will bring some reform to what appears to many of us, here and everywhere else in NJ, like a waste of our tax dollars. A reform that will ultimately support our hard working teachers and that will benefit our students."


Tuesday April 13, 2010 

Little did we know what disastrous implications portended with the introduction of the Steve Gallon III leadership style. If we only knew then what we know now, would we have truly benefitted from such knowledge? I raise the question as we stand at the precipice of monumental change or a state takeover. The question which I pose to the board of education members, who have brought the entire district to the brink of disaster, is simply why? There is not a board member sitting at the dais who is exempt for tough questioning and the public deserves answers. The fact of the matter is that there were indications the CSA was in over his head when the master schedules were forced to be changed to accommodate the implementation of a tracking system without a discussion with an administrators as to what were the implications of such a plan. The Gallon leadership style consisted of doing what one was told, no more no less. The results of such nonsensical excoriations are still in effect as we have classes with too many students, no books, no curriculum, and a demoralized staff.

The Gallon principle consisted of sleight of hand machinations and duplicitous directives. Yes, a masterful display of illusion which destroyed years of hard work and steady improvement. Certainly, it would less than truthful to state that we were at a level of perfection but it was not as bad as has been articulated by the superintendent. In fact, he has claimed ownership to positive outcomes that are the result of work done under the tutelage of Dr. Larry Leverett, Dr. Paula Howard, and Mr. Peter Carter. Gallon's pompous pontification of "how great I art" bears close examination and is just another example of a dishonest character flaw. However, there is enough blame to be spread throughout the school district. Ms. Rivers, the ex president of the board of education stated publicly at a recent meeting, "all of the blame for what has happened is not only Dr. Gallon's fault. We all (board of education members) have to accept some of the blame....", what an understatement. The board is complicit in this horrible sham and must be held accountable. We must never forget............