Thursday, May 21, 2009

Ding Dong The Witch is Dead

I received a message on my answering machine this morning from my teacher neighbor. After I listened to it, I called my other neighbor to see if she had heard the news. She has her phone programmed with different ring tones for each person, so she knew it was me calling. She answered the phone singing, "Ding, dong, the witch is dead!" She instinctively knew why I was calling. My teacher neighbor had left a message telling me that she and the other teachers had received a mass email this morning telling them that our school superintendent has resigned!

I don't know if you remember me complaining about her in the past, but this is just what we needed! Even after her making several bad decisions, our school board had extended her contract for another two years. If they had decided to fire her, they would have had to continue to pay her salary, even after they fired her. She also had worked in a "housing allowance" in to her contract, as well as a car to drive! Our city can't afford those kind of perks! But now she has resigned, so we are out from under the burden of her bad decisions, without having to continue to pay her salary.

I read an article in the news this morning about her resignation. It said that just last night she was reviewed by an independent facilitator. She has been criticized, among other things, for not telling authorities about a teacher who they found was trying to access child pornography on his school computer. In addition, because of many bad choices on her part, not the least of which is encouraging administrators not to prosecute students who were found with drugs or weapons, the teachers had issued a vote of "no confidence" in her. But the school board continued to support her for a time. Now I'm wondering what kind of review she got. She is conveniently out of town today, and unable to issue any statements at present. She said she is leaving for another position. If another school board has hired her, they better watch out.

5 comments:

Axlle said...

Not living there, and having help run off a few school authorities in my day, I'd like to point some things out. Most Superintendents have cars worked into there contracts, it's a pretty common practice. Second, the teacher and the school computer is a rather serous charge. Frankly, just being accoused of such a thing will, and has, ruined spotless carreers of teachers. So it would be best to know, before acting. Third, from the way things sound, I'd of run her off too, but I thought I should point these things out.

Christina said...

Yikes, sounds good that she's out.

Jenn said...

WAHOO!!!!!!! SHE"S GONE!!!!!!!!! Let's just pray that they bring in someone... oh, I don't know... QUALIFIED.. and NOT INSANE!

~Kris said...

So what would my chinese name look like? Can I look it up online?

Amber said...

wow, I am so glad!! she really was not a good superintendent!