May 20th, 2005, 10:52 AM
Okay, boys and girls, here's the Crazyfest in all it's glory. It's pretty long, but think of it as an essay. I've annotated it a little so you'll know what's going on. Hang in there for the first chunk, the true insanity takes a while to get going. I'm also going to replace the actual functionaries names with job descriptions so as to avoid any liability
Dr. current Super. of schools; (retiring in June)
CC. Dr. Next Super, of Schools
CC. Mayor of Salem
My name is Max Burbank. My older daughter attends Saltonstall school. My younger daughter will start there in September. I'm an active member of the PTO, and I ran a Friday club for eight semesters. I have also helped raise money for both Saltonstall and the Education department by acting as the auctioneer at their fundraisers. I include this information so you will know I am a concerned and active member of our school community.
I would like to draw your attention to today's "Salem Evening News". On page A2 you'll find a story entitled "Every Girl's a Princess in Saltonstall's Cinderella". I urge you to read it not only because it praises one of our fine teachers, Kris Wilson, but because it exemplifies the efforts of every teacher at the school. Every teacher on the staff at Saltonstall is a hero to our kids. The time, care, affection and knowledge they lavish on them goes far beyond anything I ever experienced in my own public school experience.
My Eldest daughter has been at Saltonstall since Kevin Fahey started as principle there. The last two years have been very difficult for the school community. We lost Perla Pegura, (Terminated due to budget cuts) our adjustment counselor. She was truly gifted and bilingual which was a real blessing in our school, particularly in her position. Many programs and events integral to the Multi Intelligence approach Saltonstall is known for disappeared or were altered significantly. I believe Dr. Outgoing Principle failed utterly as a leader. I found her personally cold and unhelpful at PTO, and a deliberately dominating presence. When I tried to open the floor to items not on her agenda, (The schools' drifting away from MI, the long term lack of science goals when we are supposed to be the Science magnet school) she suggested the appropriate forum for my concerns was school council. My wife Valentina has served on school council first with Dr. Previous Principal and then under Dr. Outgoing Principal, so I knew from her experience that issues and comments from non council members were not appreciated, invited, or even allowed. I found her disingenuous when answering our questions regarding the collapse of the 4-5 annual trip. My wife has personally seen her belittle staff in front of others an belittle and stonewall any idea from the school council that was not her own. I believe our teachers have struggled heroically, always keeping the education of our children as their chief priority, and I think it was their amazing efforts that kept Saltonstall a marvelous school during this difficult period.
I understand that the rumor you are considering transferring some of our teacher out of Saltonstall, is, at this time, a rumor and nothing more. If, however, there is any truth at all to this rumor, I urge you to reconsider. I urge you at very least to encourage and actively seek out the input of Saltonstall parents. Our Children attend that school. No one is in a better position to assess the needs of our children and the quality of their teachers than we are. The last two years have been a struggle. With new leadership their is hope, but I would want that leadership to have our strong, spiritted, wonderful, committed teachers who know what Saltonstall at is best is all about at their side. The transfer of any of our fine teachers would be a devastating blow at this point.
I understand you will be attending our next PTO meeting and Look forward to meeting you there.
Sincerely,
Max Burbank
( I recieved no response to this email. I did attend the PTO meeting, where it was decided that we would not deliberatley antagonize Dr. Super and I was kept on a failry short leash. Here's my next email)
Dr. Super, Dr. Next Super, Mayor o' Salem;
On May 6'th I sent a letter asking drawing Dr Super's attention to an article in the Salem evening news about Chris Wilson's production of Cinderella. I described my role as a concerned and active parent in the Saltonstall community. I mentioned a rumor regarding transferring teachers out of our school, and the devastating impact I felt that would have on our community which has had a very difficult two years under Dr. Tanner. I acknowledged this was a rumor but urged him to seek input from parents before any such actions were taken, as our children will be the ones most affected by such decisions.
I received no response.
Dr. Super spoke at a meeting at Saltonstall the following Wednesday and informed us not only that Dr Outgoing Principal, (with Dr. Super's permission was gone), but that she had been gone all that week. He had not informed the staff, the children or the parents and to my knowledge during much of that week no one was in charge of the school. He was unapologetic and refused to discuss his reasoning. This did not stop him from stating that Dr. Outgoing Principle had undergone 'An experience which no human being should have to endure.' He stated that he had made his decision with 'Dr. Outgoing Principles's best interests in mind.' My wife stated that her concerns were for the best interests of the children. Dr. Levine cut my wife off saying 'I think we all have the children's best interest in mind.' It is possible that Dr. Outgoing Principal 's interests and the students were in conflict, but this was something Dr. Super was not inclined to discuss. He waved off a father's question about staffing, raising his hand and saying he did not discuss issues of personnel. He stated he responds to all email that ask questions he is in a position to answer. I include my email at the bottom of this page (that's the one I-mockers read first in this post) because I think there were several issues in it well worth responding to, and that whatever the case, some response was called for, even if only to explain what he could not discuss and why. I understand why Dr. Super does not feel legally required to communicate with parents. I cannot fathom the disdain he has demonstrated in these last few weeks. I understand his position is difficult, and that concerned parents can be aggressive and unpleasant. On the other hand, the position of Superintendent of Schools is a job, and a well compensated one paid for with tax dollars.
I found his behavior at the meeting imperious and quite rude, especially when one takes into account his having left Saltonstall school utterly without leadership for the better part of a week. Suppose an issue of safety had come up?
I find his behavior in the matter of the transfer of Saltonstall teachers equally imperious. I do not ask that he make the decisions I would make. But I would ask for honesty and some explanation of how he feels such a move could possibly benefit the children of Salem, particularly the children of our school. If no explanation can be asked for, than he acts with complete impunity and his motives are open to question.
Dr. Next Super, Mr. Mayor o' Salem, I would appreciate responses from you as Dr. Super is retiring and has to date evidenced no interest in communicating with me. I am a concerned parent and an active member of the community. As I'm sure you know, the Parents at Saltonstall contribute time, money and caring. It is hard to remain committed to the Salem Public School system when the administration cuts us out of the community so thoroughly and with so little regard for our interests.
Sincerely,
Max Burbank.
(Dr. Next Super sent me a brief but very polite response adressing my safety concerns during the time the school had no principle. It seems there was indeed a chain of command in place and a few key people knew about it, although the majority of the staff and the parents did not.)
Dr. Next Super;
CC. Dr. Super
CC. Mayor O' Salem
Thank you for your speedy and informative response to my email. I was relieved to know that there was a chain of command in place, although I am still concerned about staff and parents being left in the dark. I am also concerned that Dr. Super made no effort to reassure or inform the parents about this at our meeting. I also feel he appeared very unconcerned with communicating important information to the parents, only agreeing to do so when a parent presented him with a method by which to do so. I would have liked to have seen the issue of communication as a priority for a Superintendent.
I have several questions about the current situation at Saltonstall and find myself at a bit of a loss. Dr. Super has a policy of not answering some questions, but I don't know which ones he won't answer and am left with trial and error, and the assumption that I have violated his policy when I am met with silence. That being the case, I am addressing this email to you. and copying Dr. Super. If there are questions it is appropriate for you to answer, I would be very grateful. If there are question you cannot answer I understand, but please let me know. I find the blanket answer 'I do not discuss issues of staffing' very frustrating as this covers such a multitude of issues. I feel there are many questions that could be answered that would in no way divulge any confidential information, and that Parents deserve at least the courtesy of a polite response.
1.) Will information about which teachers will be at Saltonstall in the coming year be made official and public at some point. If so, when? If not, why?
2.) If such information is going to be made official and public, how will the Superintendent make this information available to the Saltonstall Community? Dr. Super seemed very concerned about the 'rumor mill'. Transparency would go a long way toward pruning the grapevine.
3.) Will any reason be given for any staffing shifts? Again, without some explanation, Parents and Teachers are demoralized. As a community we function together. Unilateral, secretive action is very divisive. As a parent I am proud of and grateful to our teachers, who I felt have done a marvelous job educating my daughter during the past difficult two years. As a highly active Saltonstall parent, in the absence of any communication I am left feeling as if my support of the teaching staff not only doesn't matter, it is actively cut out of the equation. I would think the satisfaction of Parents with the quality of their children's education would be a strong measure of teacher performance.
The parents of the Saltonstall community are a very important part of the system. All research I am aware of points to this sort of Parental involvement being key to student success. We work diligently volunteering time, raising money, supplying enrichment programs the city of Salem can not afford. I personally find it very hard to maintain the moral necessary to such an effort when I feel uninformed, and only gain information when it is already to late to give support and information that ought to be critical to a decision making process that has such an impact on our school and it's unique program, of which we are justifiably proud. In the absence of information, I want to make clear that I personally feel the disruptions of the past two years should be laid squarely at the feet of Dr. Outgoing Principal. I do not think she ever had a commitment to Saltonstall's MI program and that she was overpowered by a need to control and put her stamp on every aspect of the school. I found all my interactions with her unpleasant and in many cases unprofessional. It is my strong feeling that any and all staff who stood up to her were doing so with the best interests of the children's education and the program of the Saltonstall school in mind. If none of this bears on any actions the superintendent may be taking, I apologize for taking your time, but absent communication prior to action, I am forced to make educated guesses.
The Saltonstall community should be just that, a community. I appreciatte and do not underestimate the difficulties you must face, but I also feel that is the nature of job.
Thank you sincerely for your time,
Max Burbank
Herbert Levine wrote:
Dear Mr. Burbank,
I have transferred two teachers from the Saltonstall School. Discussing the reasons with you or anyone else would be a violation of state law (Wakefield decision, State Supreme Judicial Court, 1999) You have every right to assume that parental involvement is critical to the success of any school, and we
certainly appreciate your role. As a reminder, your role is to support your school and its programs, and be the best parental role model possible for your children, which I am certain that you are. You, as a parent and greater community, have NO role in personnel matters or decisions. We are way past the days of political pressure, in the form of parent groups, or any other strategy, determining hiring, disciplinary, transferring and/or firing practices. That is why, quite frankly, that the Ed. Reform Act, 1993 was written the way it was: to shelter and protect superintendents from uninformed interference in the daily operation of the school system by
outside influences (parent groups, politicians, etc.) This past practice is at least one of the major reasons that public education was in the state that it was in during the 70's and 80's.
I have spent 36 years of my life making decisions that I believe are in the best interests of children; for you, or anyone else, to question that is folly, and shows a great deal of ignorance of my history, accomplishments, reputation, and past professional experiences, none of which I would expect you to know much about. And, it is bothersome to continue to get pounded day
by day by some who know so little. Yes, I would love to respond with specifics, as I would have loved to do throughout my career, but cannot. Not only would it be illegal, but it is also bad administrative practice. A leader who bends and sways to the "flavor of the month" complaint is no leader at all.
I know much better than you what my job is: to do what is in the best interests of the children for whom I am responsible. I will continue to do that through midnight on June 30th, regardless of how many anxiety-filled emails are sent.
Very Truly Yours,
Dr. Super, Ph.D.
Superintendent
p.s. If you really believe that all that is amiss at salts can be laid at
the feet of Dr. Outgoing Principle, then I would assume that your candlesticks dance on your dining room table. Dr. Outgoing Principle, the unanimous choice of a very large,
hard working and well-intentioned screening committee(including myself and members of my staff) certainly had short-comings and proved not to be a fit for us. At least some of Salts' problems pre-date Dr. tanner's arrival.
Max Burbank Responded
Dr. Super;
CC: Dr. Next Super
CC: Mayor O' Salem
Thank you for responding, and I appreciatte the information it contained.
Currently I have no candlesticks on my table, dancing or otherwise. I fully understand your legal position. What I fail to understand is your interpretation of it. While a superintendant bowing to the will of 'political groups' (and frankly I find your view of parents concerned with the education of their children disturbing) I fail to understand your perspective that this means your decisions are ex cathedra. To question your decisions is 'folly'? I will accept that you know the saltonstall school from a perspective I do not. I, as a parent and an active member of the community, intimately involved with the day to day educational experience of my child, see the school from a perspective you do not.
My apologies for being 'bothersome' and 'anxiety filled' or to trouble you with 'the flavor of the month' complaint. I'm sure you know better than I your job. If bothersome anxiety filled political groups is not a part of that job, I apologize for taking your time. At least some of salts problems might have something to do with leaderships response when it became clear Dr. Tanner was 'not a fit'.
Very Truly Yours,
Max Burbank
Parent
Bachelor of Science
P.S. If you really believe transferring two excellent teachers whom the children love and learn from, thereby cowing the rest of the staff is a solution to Salts problems, then I would assume that your candlesticks do more than dance.
Dr. Super Responds
This is why I do not respond to folks like yourself. Twisting words and making them convenient for your own point of view becomes sport. What you did was miss all of what I tried to convey, and try then to put me on the defensive. Nice ploy; been there. What is truly disturbing is either your lack of understanding of what I wrote (I doubt that since you seem rather intelligent), or, worse, a purposeful misrepresentation of what I wrote.
In any case, it is my hope that your are not currently involved in spreading the rumor that Dr. Levine thinks little of parental participation in school society; if you do that, then shame on you. Our communication is over.
Dr. Super, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Dear Dr. Super;
CC. Dr. Next Super
CC. Mayor O' Salem
Shame on you sir. You spoke of candlesticks dancing on tables, not I. I don't need to spread any rumors when your own words as they are speak for themselves; no twisting is required. "This communication is over". Indeed. I'll assume that was merely a factual statement. I wouldn't want to twist it to make it look arrogant or rude, but 'folks like me' sometimes are impassioned where the education of their children is concerned.
I remain open to communication. If you declare it over, that's your choice.
I do appreciatte you taking the time you did to respond,
Max Burbank, MS.
O.K., Mr. Burbank, let us put away the knives, and agree that we may come from different perspectives on this (and other) issues, as the case may be, but are both well motivated to do what is in the best interests of kids. Let us also respect that these different perspectives come from different information due to different perches from which we view them. I do respect, and even admire your willingness to battle for your children, and defend your right to do so. I also thank you for taking the time to make your views known to me.
Dr. Super, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Dr. Super
CC. Dr. Next Super
CC. Mayor O' Salem
I have to say I was surprised to find your email in my inbox, as your prior email had sounded so final. I would have responded sooner but I was home with a sick child. If this had been your initial response to my first email, I don't think any knives (or candlesticks) would have ever come out. As I indicated in previous emails 'I will accept that you know the saltonstall school from a perspective I do not.' I also respect the experience your career has provided.
I don't expect to change your mind. My intent was to convey how seriously I viewed the situation, how committed I am to the teaching staff at Saltonstall because of the wonderful job the have done for my oldest daughter and expect them to do with my youngest, and to convey the frustration and powerlessness I feel and how it is compounded by not knowing what is going on. I'm certain you deal with a similar set of frustrating circumstances coming from your position.
I very much appreciate your polite response, and your time.
Max Burbank,
Parent.
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I don't get it. I mean, why did they fuck with the formula? Where are the car songs? There's only one song about surfing and it's a downer!
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