2009 FBISD Tax Hearing (On YouTube)

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2009 FBISD CONTROVERSIAL TAX HEARING (YES THEY ARE RAISING THEM AGAIN--see petition of over 500 district taxpayers asking for board accountability) --In case anyone missed it they raised the property tax rate again (4th time) in 2010 and more than likely will do so again in 2011 facing another projected 15-20 million dollar budget deficit, according to some media reports. ***NEW*** ..Petition TO STOP THE GSTC (Global Science Museum being planned at the district central office--near $30 million dollar project that superintendent Jenney is pushing): http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthegcst/ (see update below on this apparently ending this project after 2 years)

Thursday, February 14, 2008

More problems at Marshall H.S.

From FBN:

Marshall Teachers, FBISD Spar Over Copier Policy; Union Files Grievance
by Bob Dunn

Marshall High School teachers said Thursday they were told a week ago that the school has “run out” of copy paper for the year, and they are not allowed to make copies for classroom lessons and projects.

However, a Fort Bend Independent School District spokeswoman said “that’s just not true,” adding that the school has “30 cases, and there’s plenty of paper.” She also said the school has “someone there who makes copies for the teachers.”

Meanwhile, officials at the Fort Bend Employee Federation, which represents 1,600 or more district employees, backed up the teachers’ statements, and said the organization is in the middle of a grievance procedure on the issue.

“We’ve had an ongoing problem” with teachers being unable to make copies, said Federation President Karrie Washenfelder. “The union has had to give the (Marshall) history department two cases of paper.”

The union’s grievance involves a Marshall teacher who purchased his own copy machine on eBay, then brought it to the school in August to give teachers in some departments the ability to make copies when needed. Sources close to the case said the teacher also bought all paper, cartridges and related supplies. However, in mid-December, Marshall Principal Alonzo Reynolds III learned of the machine and ordered that it be permanently removed from campus.

Reynolds did not return a call seeking comment for this article. . .(follow the link below for the full story)


http://fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?page_label=home&id=18063&article-Marshall-Teachers--FBISD-Spar-Over-
Copier-Policy--Union-Files-Grievance%20=&widget=push&instance=home_news_bullets&open=&#cb_post_comment_18063

9 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Local blog comments on this:

« TexasRose wrote on Thursday, Feb 14 at 02:41 PM »
Sorry—I wish to add one further comment:

“This is one of the lowest-rated schools in the district. Shouldn’t the district give this school everything they need?”

Yes.
« TexasRose wrote on Thursday, Feb 14 at 02:38 PM »
It may not be too uncommon a standard, to purchase much needed school supplies or equipment. My children do not attend this particular school district, but yet I felt a sense of obligation to personally contribute supplies (at the request of several teachers). It is true administration is only allowed an alloted assorted of construction paper, etc,as well as it’s equipment and related teaching supplies.
« transparencyingovt wrote on Thursday, Feb 14 at 12:15 PM »
I have received reports that the principal at this campus owns his own landscaping company and that the school uses it instead of the district contractors. Is this true or can someone validate this? Also we’ve heard that their are numerous complaints already on file against this same administrator. Can someone from FBN look into this too?
« MomOfOne wrote on Thursday, Feb 14 at 10:48 AM »
This is just so sad! What was the initial reasoning for making the few teachers that had the where-with-all to buy a copier on ebay removed in the first place? No mention of a reason in the article.

I am so glad not to be zoned to this school. God help those frustrated parents/children who are.

Anonymous said...

more:

« Muckraker wrote on Friday, Feb 15 at 06:48 AM »
Rose,

IMO chief is a chief and not an indian supplying spin for the admins!
« Muckraker wrote on Friday, Feb 15 at 06:46 AM »
“It seems like Marshall is making a one-size-fits all type policy that may be hurting some of your more creative and successful teachers. ”

The sad truth about what is happening at MHS is of course it’s an east end campus with an administrator that apparently wants to save money on copying. I would have to agree that the ones size fits all solution to poor management praxis is correct. I know many faculty that prepare school leaders and NONE would endorse such a STUPID policy or lame excuses. This is all about the money folks! The teachers that brought their own machines (paid for them and supplied them) deserve an award. This type of leadership is unwanted, unneeded and should have been left in another century. If people want to know what is wrong in our schools then just look at this model of backwards leadership!!!
« rosecoloredglasses wrote on Thursday, Feb 14 at 08:53 PM »
I do hate to say this but chief9 I hope you are serious about your cancellation. The union does not need people that are givinng away their rights. Stop being so docile and easily lead. Who said that copies mean that you are not teaching? I have never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life. Clearly you are not familiar with ANY assessment given after second grade. There are no more oral exams. They are all paper and pen based. If the students never see the test format or learn how to work with paper and pen then how just how are they expected to show competence and mastery later. There is no oral TAKS given to the students. They do them on paper. You know the same paper the principal is denying the teachers. Perhaps if the texts all came with a sufficient number of consumables that are constantly updated (virtually impossible with the ever changing world) then we could end the need for copies. But until then, assistant principals don’t need copies and don’t teach kids so the tax money really shouldn’t be wasted providing for their needs. Maybe they should have gotten together to order off of ebay. Tax dollars are for the kids not to facilitate the administration in their quest for world dominance.

I think on a deeper level you are just one of the people that are comfortable with the erroding of your rights. Just because the principal says so doesn’t mean it is what is best for the students.
« NewSchool wrote on Thursday, Feb 14 at 07:41 PM »
From a teacher who has spent countless hours at professional development workshops (and enjoyed it), I believe that COPIES does not necessarily equal WORKSHEETS. At my school, we supplement our textbooks with real-life applications all the time. As a matter of fact, our department subject area specialists post material for us to download and copy. I thought Fort Bend did the same. I would also like to address the statement about teachers not teaching. Do their TAKS or SAT scores back up this claim? Has an administrator been in their classroom? Has anyone checked the date on some of these textbooks? You would be surprised how outdated the texts can be. Some science texts still call Pluto a planet. You just might need to copy SOMETHING to distribute to students to correct this…maybe a newspaper article or a magazine exerpt. Also, until the TAKS or SAT tests give grades for activities/games/projects, there are only so many of those you can do. Instead of making a blanket “no copy” policy, why not visit the classrooms of these “non-teaching” teachers to see HOW they implement what is being copied. It seems like Marshall is making a one-size-fits all type policy that may be hurting some of your more creative and successful teachers. Those are the type of teachers I meet at all these professional development workshops….the type that think outside of the “box” (textbook) at any given time. Creativity doesn’t just work from 9 to 5. I applaud the teachers that were proactive and bought their own machine, although it shouldn’t have to come to that. I don’t see the justification in removing an alternative option to the “no copy policy”. I would hate to work at Marshall under these restraints.
« chief9 wrote on Thursday, Feb 14 at 03:53 PM »
I teach at Marshall. The comments and accusations leveled in this article rile me greatly. Teachers that are complaining are few, and by no means, speak for the faculty of Marshall High School. The school does have a copier policy. It has been briefed to the faculty. The rationale is to teach, and not to overload our students with worksheets, which do not influence students’attention or improve their retention of learning. The administrators stress teachers provide students with creative and enriched learning opportunties. Teachers (I am included), are to plan our unit by identify what the students should be able to do by the end of the unit, what the developmental tasks are in the targeted objective(s) or concept(s), and the specific activities to be undertaken. I can not speak for the principal or the administrators, but—to me—the objective is to create optimal states for learning. Copiers do not teach. There is a larger issue of a few teachers not wanting to teach. To the naysayers, watch Marshall rise, like the Phoenix, to academic excellence.

I am disappointed in my federation for not seeing through this charade. Ms.Washenfelder, my membership cancellation is in the mail.

Anonymous said...

more:

« TexasRose wrote on Friday, Feb 15 at 02:42 PM »
School supplies, and copier equipment for example are never allowed to be alloted on School Bond issues. Political Action Committees, help ensure a parent and citizen to understand why we all vote “yes”. Including for example, renovations, and new school construction, land, buses, technology…
« MomOfOne wrote on Friday, Feb 15 at 01:47 PM »
After a day of reading all these comments I wanted to ammend my first post and say I feel most sorry for the frustrated teachers at MHS.

Having to deal with this day in and day out. I pray for your resolution soon so that you may get back to to the basics of teaching the way it is intended. Good Luck to you.
« another.MHS.teacher wrote on Friday, Feb 15 at 11:30 AM »
Dear chief9:

As a Ft. Bend County resident and taxpayer, I am incensed that I voted for the $430 MILLION SCHOOL BOND ISSUE approved last October, but the teachers are restricted from their own copiers at one of the lowest-performing schools in the district.

Apparently there must be problems at the top. And the FBISD leadership either doesn’t know, or doesn’t care.

But I wouldn’t expect you to do anything but support the party line, chief9. You aren’t even on the same planet as “most” MHS teachers.

In your former career as a US Air Force “chief tech seargent” (E9, hence the call sign) you made it your career to follow the orders and enforce the policies of others. You have a history of never challenging your superiors, which makes you a perfect shill for this current policy of silliness-in-action.

As a member of the “MHS Management,” your motives are suspect. Being a member of the senior cadre means that y’all are “right,” and the “junior teachers” must be wrong, or at least they’re trying to make the easy way out. But didn’t you copy your own pink “specialty” hall passes for the MHS Blood Drive? No “regular” MHS teacher would’ve gotten away with that! (It’s easy, because you can approve all of your own copies. But doesn’t that strike you as elitist?)

As a MHS ROTC instructor, your students aren’t TAKS-testable for accountability and performance. Your students can pass their ROTC classes no improvement in their reading, writing, or math. They just need compliance, plus the ability to act right and wear the uniform.

AND YOU HAVE A COPIER IN YOUR OWN OFFICE, paid for by the Air Force!

So how would you ever know what “most” MHS teachers are going through?

Oh. Here’s a way.

1. Call your Air Force bosses and tell them “No Thanks” for the copier. Forcefully.

2. Remove the copier permanently from the school building. Today.

3. Go and teach a TAKS-testable subject. Most of the principals at MHS have never done this, so perhaps you could start a trend. Start at the bottom, so that you can get the students with the worst behavior problems.

4. Spend every day researching and finding things that would help your students “get it” better, because many of them don’t. (Keep in mind that most MHS students come into the school with a 4th-6th grade reading level.) Once you find things that would work, scold yourself for thinking that you could actually make copies and use them in class tomorrow.

5. Work a miracle with no help from your MHS administration. Improve on last year’s grades with less resources than ever before.

6. Finally, don’t reply to this post until you’ve walked in the shoes of the people on the “other side” of the school, whose careers you are stepping on.

7. In fact, don’t feel that you need to respond, ever. Because every single day you sit there—relaxed, self-righteous and hypocritical, with the beam in your own eye—it can be seen by all.
« Anthony1 wrote on Friday, Feb 15 at 10:35 AM »
“Cheif9” or maybe you are the administrator who enacted the short sighted policy, If you were a member @ Marshall, where the Federation has over 80 members, you would be aware of the fact that this is not a “worksheet, busy work” issue. I believe you are speaking for the administration as an administrator. I think the membership and the readers of FBN will see through your charade.
« beckam wrote on Friday, Feb 15 at 10:18 AM »
This is so sad to hear, I am worried becuase the district wants to zone this school to our neighborhood at Lexingtion Square subdivision. We are zoned to an excellent school Dulles, and for this High school not to meet minimum standards scares me for my kids. I am fighting and Petitioning that our kids do not get zoned to this school. My heart goes out to the teachers and kids. They need new leadership at this school!

Anonymous said...

maybe new management at Marshall is the answer?

Anonymous said...

the teachers that brought their own copiers are dealing with a difficult principal and situation. Obviously that faculty isn't going to get any support from the central office.

Anonymous said...

"Obviously that faculty isn't going to get any support from the central office."

Truer words have never been spoken.

It is as if the "Powers That Be" operate in a world of their own without any regard to children, parents, teachers, or the community and the taxpaying citizenry at large.
The Powers That Be adhere to one agenda, their own. They self propel and the rest of us seem helpless to stop the momentum.

I’m starting to distrust the voting process because the outcome is never favorable. The deck seems to be stacked to render an unfair return.

Anonymous said...

I think your quote anon, "I’m starting to distrust the voting process because the outcome is never favorable." is very telling. After the Ohio and New Hampshire fiascos I would say we need better over-sight of this process by an independent review source. Obviously the justice dept has failed in its responsibility under current statutes. A certain vested group in this area obviously has more influence over the process than it should. More voters/taxpayers need to speak up on this!

Anonymous said...

congrats to the LCE families on your victory!