We received reports that some faculty were having problems with a "motivational" speaker, a third party, invited by Spence Principal Mary Davies to address faculty at a recent meeting.

Cheryl Jackson was the speaker, and she has written a response to some of the issues brought up on this blog.

Anonymous wrote: Mrs. Davies invited a motivational speaker to come talk with the faculty regarding all of the uproar that Spence is going through because of her. First of all, this person has no right to come in and act as the mediator between the staff and the principal. She is not a district employee, and Principal Davies also allowed the speaker to speak with students for a lengthy period of time, causing them to miss instructional classes. No parental permission was given for this lecture. This was done only to benefit Mrs. Davies because she is in the hot seat and wants others to fix what she has created. If the speaker really knew what has taken place at Spence, she would not have allowed herself to get in the middle of such a turmoil. Please, Mrs. Davies, stop making things worse for Spence. The damage has already been done, and you need only leave the rest of us here to go through an adjustment period and regain pride for our school.

My name is Cheryl Jackson, and I am the speaker you reference. The first time I spoke at Spence was not because of Mrs. Davies. She happened to be observing the class that I was speaking to that day. At the end of my speech she asked if I would come back and speak to the entire school, she said your school needed it. I kindly agreed.

Normally, I don't respond to blogs, especially negative ones but for the sake of the students, I will speak. I choose to live my life in the positive. The anonymous blogger here has done nothing to help the character and morale of Spence school. I feel so much anger in the posts that I have read.

I spoke to the children because I care. When I returned to speak to the students, I found out that in the 25 years of the schools history they had never had a musical. Your school needed $2,300.00 for the musical. In less than 30 days, I campaigned to raise the money for the school to have the musical and this week May 8,9 and 10th the musical will be performed.

Why not blog about that?

You wrote that if I really knew what was happening at Spence I wouldn't get in the middle of such turmoil. On the contrary, when I looked into those students eyes, I knew what was happening at your school.

When I went to your restroom and read all the filthy graffiti on the walls, I knew what was happening. When I heard the tone of some of the teachers as they spoke to the students, I knew what was happening and that is why I CHOSE to get involved.

I chose to raise the money to give YOU and the students HOPE. I chose to come back to Spence because kids held my leg with tears streaming down their faces and begged for me not to leave. I CHOSE to come back to speak to the children to give them a chance to be better.

The 11 year old girls perspective showed you that the problem with Spence isn't just about Mrs. Davies, it's about the students not having pride, the janitors not doing their job properly and are you ready for this, it's about the Teachers too. I'm sure you will agree with me that not all students and teacher's spoke to the 11 year girl that day but those that did, left her with this perspective. I said that to say this... you keep choosing to post horrible things about YOUR school.

People will think that your entire school is how you feel about Mrs. Davies. This is a personal issue. Don't make it public. It hurts everyone, including the students.

What will you do to change it? There is two ways to look at the glass, is it half empty or half full? Was I brought in to help you? I hope so, because you keep choosing to post things so I invite you to post the positive as well as the negative.

If you don't think change will happen, perhaps you should change schools, because it won't happen if you don't believe. I believe change will occur and if you were there the day I spoke, there wasn't a dry eye in the building (I have the videotape to prove it).

We will change Spence, with or without you. I have a petition that the students signed and I will also be happy to post their letters of commitment. The letters are from their hearts, they are tired of all the negative press.

If you are a teacher, for kids sake, teach these students how to resolve conflict the proper way. Blogging isn't the way. Especially if you won't say your name.

My name is Cheryl Jackson, I am a proud Motivator at A.W. Spence Middle school.

[Ed Note: Cheryl, I must take issue with you one one thing: airing concerns, publicly, about a public institution is the only way to keep things "in check."

If you operate a private business, you must satisfy its owners, board members, etc. When you operate a public entity, you are accountable to the stakeholders--which includes teachers. Put another way: there is a higher level of public accountability due from a public agency.

There are obviously strong feelings about the school, its principal, and many of its teachers. By getting these out in the open, and making it a subject for debate, you facilitate change.

It is not in our kids' best interests for these issues to continue to present themselves at Spence in such a pronounced manner.

Your efforts and your enthusiasm are commendable.]