DISD: This Is Leadership?
Submitted by History on Thu, 12/07/2006 - 21:16.
Allen Gwinn exposed the absolute lack of management at every level of the Dallas Independent School District when he put the credit card expenditures by DISD employees on line. Dallas Morning News did a great story on it, but the numbers and data came from Allen's efforts.
With the embarrassing waste of taxpayer dollars and obvious deficient supervision by his assistant superintendents on down, you would think Superintendent Michael Hinojosa would be firing some high dollar managers who were not paying attention to business. Instead, Dr. Hinojosa just shruggs it all off with an "It's not my job, man" attitude.
DISD Credit Card abuse
If Dr. Hinojosa would have addressed this issue immediately rather than shrugging it off and turning the other cheek, the DISD would not be paying lawyers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
What a waste of taxpayers money!
What's interesting is that if there had been racial slurs or gender bias comments, people would be out in the streets protesting.
But, instead we are all sitting back waiting for this "so called superintendent" to step up as head of the DISD.
He doesn't follow the rules until the rules come back to bit him!
Look at Mr. Martinez. The man doesn't want to follow the guidelines set by the district restricting where he lives.
What does Dr. Hinojosa do? NOTHING!!! Step up and ENFORCE the rules.
[Ed Note: Math error: taxpayers are forking out well over a million dollars to fix the problem.]
P-Card Fallout = Nothing
Well, it's six months later and, as far as I can tell, NO ONE (save for maybe two) has been out and out FIRED for the P-Card misuse throughout DISD. No one will be fired, or demoted as is typical DISD fashion: abuse your power, do your job poorly: get promoted!!! This has always been the norm in the district. But six months ago I said no one would be dealt with severely (as would be in a corporation) and fired and what did I tell ya.....nothing.
P-Card Misuse?
First and foremost, I am highly offended at the words you chose to publicize this alleged P-card misuse in the Dallas ISD (and that's to put it mildly).
I am responding to your lack of knowledge although I'm sure you will not retract your statements (typical of journalists, right?).
As an educator, I am fed up with the negativity the media chooses to broadcast surrounding the Dallas ISD.
Why not talk about the hard work we're doing to educate YOUR students and prepare them for college AND success in society.
Why not investigate the classroom strategies being implemented to ensure that YOUR children are being offered the best free public education possible?
Why not publicize the numerous improvement initatives taking place to make YOUR students competitive in any region?
Why not appreciate the fact that we are trying to make sure they have access to the necessary resources and technology to improve their peformance?
What, do you honestly believe this is not going on in the Dallas ISD?
Well, you're wrong because it most certainly is! Furthermore, I'll have you know that one of those so-called misusers of taxpayers dollars spent funds on the resources and technological advancements I just spoke of.
Now, how again is that misuse? How do you think the students feel to see their leader being reprimanded only because s/he chose to ensure they had the best of the best?
I'll tell you how they feel: they wonder why you think they're not deserving of the things accessible to others.
So before you go and make these derogatory statements generalizing all those that have been affected into one category, you might want to get the facts straight first. You and those like you make it even more difficult being an educator every day.
[Ed Note: We get alot more of these than we publish. Each time, I'm tempted to say: "oh, sorry, you've reached the scandal department; the good news department is 3 doors down on the left!"
Let's get one thing straight: we didn't make any of this up. It's all in the data. The only people who are going to be prosecuted are those who broke the law. The only people who will be disciplined are those who broke policy.
I'm sorry you feel slighted because one of your friends is under the spotlight. If you feel so strongly, I'd strongly encourage you to contact your state and federal representatives and get the laws changed. I'd also encourage you to petition the School Board to have the policy changed. Otherwise, it's best to play by the rules; don't you think?
Quit Bashing
Why bash this site for not reporting positive stuff about DISD? Go yell at Dallas Morning News, Channel 4-21 and the parents of DISD.
If this school district is going to fail let it fail because money was spent in the right place and not on stuffed animals or a portable that is lost and is serving as someone's house by the lake.
Lets hold our parents accountable for raising their kids right. A conversation with a student shouldn't be about the latest fight they had or who they will fight or what drugs they smoked or who shot at them. Stop coming up to the school and picking fights with staff because their child is 18 years old and 9th grade.
Most of all Parents need to GROW UP! You are the parent of a child and not their friend. You should not be proud that your child goes in and out of jail.
Lets enforce education in the elementary and middle schools so when the kids get to high school they are not a lost cause.
Lets get teacher and people that WANT to help kids and not just collect a check every month.
There are people doing a good job and they are not looking for the free press. We live in an information highway age and nothing is stopping anyone from doing a blog, YouTube video, MySpace page or whatever to praise a DISD school or employee.
Not a Personal Friend
I am not a personal friend of any of the accused.
However, I am on one of the campuses 3-4 times a week and have seen first hand the effect of the District's sloppy and unprofessional "distribution of discipline" on students and staff members.
Do we really know that "the only people who will be disciplined are those who broke the policy"?
I think not.
The named principals were not the first targets only because of the amounts in question.
Why were only three of the principals pictures conveniently splattered on the news; and not all who "broke the policy"?
I guess being on the high road is so far fetched for the district, no one even seems to care about how "it" looks in what must be a very satisfying moment for some.
We ARE acknowledging that fact that at least 2 of the recently named principals HAVE NOT been charged with anything. RIGHT?
It took Board member Flores in Saturday's DMN to be the first one to publicly say something half-way humane and respectful about the careers of these men and women.
Some staff members with direct information about purchases were questioned for the first time by district investigators the Monday AFTER the news broke.
Sloppy.
Why are some principals being protected and allowed to still scrounge up receipts or proof-of purchases?
Either they met the deadline or they didn't.
Either they purchased at an approved vendor or they didn't.
Those of us who viewed the data on this website should wonder who is and how the decisions are being made as to who will be disrespected first.
There are multiple, obvious purchases from unapproved vendors by-- not secretaries, but principals, of all races, that should be exposed by now.
Why not post up all of their pictures and remove all of them from their buildings?
I guess this is the district's idea of causing "organized chaos".
Something smells political.
I would rather have the district admit they are behind with their investigation and make us wait for a list of names and respective disciplinary measures to be released the end of the school year, than try to sleep at night with a feeling that fake-justice has been served.
I am aware of the influence of at least one of the principals and he has a proven record of being a true educator (that is putting the needs of students first).
He did not have to wait 20 years to try and "pull one over" on the district.
The district's nasty and unprofessional disregard towards professional men and women (who happen to be African-American) who have served this district and the community well within a faulty bogus system of checks and balances in the first place; doesn't make it look any better than the common snitch.
The removals are still losses and while the area office did- central office has not even expressed its care and concern to the staff, students and parents.
The District is arrogant with the use of its gavel, and I can only pray that someone is on the high road when what goes around, comes back around.
[Ed Note: I can tell you that if race ends up playing a part in this investigation (either in prosecution or acquittal), we'll scream bloody murder on this website. However, I can tell you that the people who are investigating this are being thorough and every name they're submitting to the District is done so with backup documentation supporting the infraction.
Again, I would like to urge the readers of Dallas.Org to let the process proceed to conclusion. There are plenty of questions to ask, and we will ask them. But let's see how the whole affair is handled before we start second-guessing when we don't have all the facts.]
Leadership
I agree 100%. If you look at Dr. H so far he is a very reactive sort of guy. The DMN or Allen brings up a problem and then a knee jerk happens.
Take the credit card scandal.
Let's bring in a $500,000 investigative group and a $125,000 integrity officer.
Does this take care of hopefully the few that abused the program? No, let's throw out the baby with the bath water.
Just sit back and watch. The DMN will expose a weakness, no one from DISD will talk to the DMN but then another layer of folks will be brought in to save the day.
What has happened so far in the credit card program? Any answers for the $500,000????
And Celso Martinez? I hope Dr. H doesn't think that is the answer to his prayers. Didn't he used to work for the City of Dallas? I guess that answers everything.
I just hope Betty can hold on long enough but I am afraid they will not take advantage of a known commodity.
What has happened?
I tell what has happened to those individuals who abused the P-card. Nothing...and nothing ever will happen. I mean, we already have convicted felons in our school buildings. What's the big deal with some credit card abuse?
There's a reason
Lets just say in many of those case race plays an issue.
Let me put it like this a lot of people that have been fired over this credit card scandal should have been gone YEARS ago--including one principal that ran off over 100 employees at the school and has tons of complaints filed on that person.
In fact that person was transferred to another school because of stealing money.
If it wasn't for this website that person would still be working for the district.
Do an open records act on employees for complaints and you will find out a lot of people should have been gone.
[Ed Note: I don't think it is as much "race" as it is "cronyism" and, in some cases, "nepotism." There are people who should have never worked for DISD--regardless of any physical traits. Also, keep in mind that "complaints" in and if themselves are not really a good indicator of whether or not someone is a good manager. It depends on (1) who is complaining and (2) who they're managing.
But you are correct, and the District is probably better off without the guy whose name I omitted! ]
Complaints...
The filed complaints on that person were legit.
You can not be a good manager when you:
1) bullying people into either breaking the law (ie-budget and unaccounted money)
2) reporting false information (there's a difference between touching something and fooling around with something that is a federal offense)
3) firing someone because of a health condition
4) firing someone because you don't like them despite the fact that person does thier work
5) preventing a person from interviewing for another job (and a lot of people had this happen and confirmed by the same people that wanted to interview them)
6) stressing people to the point that they had to take a leave of absence
That former Human Resource Manager should have done something for that school especially after 100+ employees went to Human Resource and the Teacher's Union to get help. So many people retired, quit and took LESS money to work elsewhere to get away. Now picture that problem at every school in DISD.
You wonder why state test scores are low at most DISD high schools. Look at staff turnover. I know one school had one of the worst test scores in the district in a subject. The same subject were of the 10 teachers, 7 were permanent subs.
And that school had a horrible prinicpal that ruined the school and his replacement is just trying his best to fix the school.
Low Test Scores
Are you serious? How do you expect the school not to have low test scores with 7 subs in that one subject? And let's talk about the turnover rate; how difficult do you think it is working in a district with such low community support? By the way, has anyone stopped to think about the students in any of this?