Superintendent John Covington's latest "right-sizing" list came out last night (read Covington's full "Right-sizing Recommendation" after
the jump).
I can't stand the term right-sizing. I cringe every time I hear it. It pains me that it's in the dictionary. It's deceptive. Corporate types started saying right-sizing because downsizing was just too damn negative. They mean the same damn thing. Schools will close. Teachers and administrators will lose their jobs.
It's disappointing to hear Covington use this spineless word over and
over when he was the one who originally had the guts to say diplomas
from the district "aren't worth the paper they are printed on."
Change is coming. It has to. Just say what you mean, Mr.
Superintendent.
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At last night's Board meeting he didn't have a satisfactory answer for how he'll identify ineffective teachers other than offering buy-outs. We all know the best teachers will be first to line up and will find placement elsewhere.
He had no plan for how to identify and recognize best practice teaching professionals.
He had no explanation for my daughter when she asked why he turned down 6 MU Fellows who were on track to teach in the district FOR FREE even though the district pays to be in the program.
He admitted he had no empirical data to prove that preK-2, 3-6 and 7-12 work (here's the hint, studies show it doesn't raise achievement over traditional models).
Then he flubbed the data on school utilization.
He's stressed. He's tired. He's got a tough job.
BUT he's hoping bravado and strong-arm techniques will obscure some of his data flaws. We need to cut $50 million from the budget. But someone needs to check his numbers because they are fudged in several areas and he can't even keep them straight anymore when quizzed. He gives one fact or plan in the morning, then when pressed, gives another to the Board or a TV station.
He claims they have a recruiting plan, but he's eliminating the capacity in the few schools that are already working? His response to lack of capacity in the consolidated Lincoln plan? Take the "cream of the crop" and send the remaining students to the much lower performing Paseo and SW.
And his condescending attitude that parents won't continue fleeing the district due to lack of funds for tuition doesn't take into account that people are already looking at housing in other districts. Private school is not our only option. His "plan" means we're going to right size the district down to 1 student in a few years.
Last person to leave, please turn out the lights and close the door.
Yes teachers will lose their jobs.....teachers that don't deserve to be in the system in the first place....teachers that come to school every day and don't even teach the class.
I understand the favorable trendiness of being an anti-hero (especially with the Pitch), but this guy is doing the right thing.
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