SCSD Take Back Our Schools Blog and Be the Change have always advocated for a safe, chaos-free learning environment for ALL students and staff in the Syracuse City School District and the addition of the academic and social-emotional supports necessary to ensure that ALL students have the tools to be successful both in school and in their lives after school.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Approximately 2 pm today a Disturbance at Blodgett requiring police. At approximately 145 pm a Disturbance at King requiring police. At approximately 1245 Robbery at Roberts requiring police.
ReplyDeleteThis is Total Bullshit. I went to city schools, and my children went to city schools. And in all those years racism was not a problem. I have never seen or worked with a more dedicated and caring group of people like the ones that teach, feed and take care of the children in this school district.
ReplyDeleteAs the mom of a SCSD teacher I thank you!
DeleteWhy do we hear the familiar strains of "I see your TRUE COLORS shining through" playing over and over again in our minds? Playing the race card is the choice of a most desperate despot, struggling clumsily and transparently through her Waterloo, all while claiming victory (and now it seems, persecution).
ReplyDeleteThey say the best defense is a good offense. This superintendent is setting new offensive records in defense of her term. The hallmark of a TRUE leader is first, to do no harm, and secondly, to look in the mirror on a daily basis, and ask of herself, "Just what part may I inadvertently have played in exacerbating the problems at hand? What is within my power, as a leader, to support and empower those who toil under my leadership? Am I actively listening – and hearing – their voices, or merely paying them lip service? How can I improve, in order to help these fine, dedicated people succeed -- for we are ALL in this effort TOGETHER?”
Only one who is intractably mired in her own career climb, would persist in pointing fingers, even after a humiliating, career-blemishing vote of No Confidence was taken by the union and its thousands-strong membership.
Ms Contreras, you are an artful writer and speaker --- when on script. However, you have yet to hold your own and speak off the cuff when pressed by reporters and the public, let alone your own employees as they confront you with the hypocrisy of what you say, in contrast to what you have done. Promises. Empty, sound-byte promises. This is your legacy. And this is putting it kindly. To stoop to the level of even suggesting racism as the problem (or even sanctioning the suggestion of racism by your supporters) is disgraceful, inelegant, grotesquely unprofessional and unequivocally, just plain WRONG. You have exceeded our worst expectations.
You have defiled the teaching staff as near-incompetent. You literally have driven countless numbers of the FINEST, most DEDICATED, PASSIONATE and PRO-STUDENT educators right out of this district. Untold numbers of EARLY retirements -- other districts gleaning the BEST teachers from ours -- and the rest, left with hands tight on the doorknob, just waiting for their calendar page to turn. You wish to move on to other positions. PLEASE! The door is WIDE OPEN. NO ONE is asking you to stay -- at least no one whose children have been impacted, or whose careers have been derailed by injuries involving students. You ignited furor over your comment that it is merely PERCEIVED that the statistically-supported increase in violence (and the resulting injuries to staff) has sky-rocketed. You calm public fervor with your signature move: DENIAL.
Up until now the media has given you a pass. MEDIA: WHERE IS YOUR INVESTIGATION? The situation is GRAVE. This district is in TROUBLE. It cannot be explained away in sound bytes from an administrator hell-bent on furthering HER career.
No more, Ms. Contreras. PLEASE. We are tired. We are wounded. Our students are weary and their needs ignored. Other students are angry, and their needs are being ignored. And yet other students earnestly strive to GET the education they were promised, but have to sit by as their teachers deal each day with constant and outrageous, often vicious and vulgar disruptions, often causing harm and destroying property. These kids watch, as these disruptors are returned back to the classroom, to continue blocking the educational process, while their teachers are admonished to become more engaging.
We are beside ourselves with distress over what you have brought this once strong district down to. A house of cards, built on empty promises, by a Queen of Hearts, padding her resume for her NEXT move. That door is WIDE OPEN, Ms Contreras. Please -- don't let US hold you back. And -- you might think twice about (even passively) playing that race card, Ms Superintendent -- you see, reputations have a way of following people – and you've developed a truly colorful one.
Couldn't of said it any better!!!
DeleteI think this creates more division. Race has always been an undercurrent in the district, but there were generally good faith efforts made by all stakeholders to problem solve. This seems like something different - don't know where it's coming from. Actually, the whole district is becoming more segregated as many urban districts have become. While I think staff development correlating with learning research (and the time for staff to collaborate on it) is important.... I also think teachers are not to blame for the poor behavior of some students who need to be removed from the classroom ! Come on people - get a grip! Disruption is not good for learning. We can solve this without playing the race card.
ReplyDeleteRoberts yesterday: 2 male 7th graders went into bathroom on 1st floor (used by elementary age kids) held the door shut pulled shirts over their faces so not to be i.d. and held 4 elementary students "hostage" demanding their money!!!! WTH is going on.....totally HAVE LOST CONTROL!!!!
ReplyDeleteAll to be swept under the rug.
Deleterace has nothing to do with this. Job performace is what it's about people. stop bringing race into it
ReplyDeleteDid you see the story on Syr.com about the Corcoran Vice Principle being taken to the hospital after being assaulted by a student on May 22nd? No you didn't because it never made it into the media
ReplyDeleteThe disruptions and violence need to be removed from the classrooms no matter what race they are!!! A child that is trying to learn and become a productive member of society needs to be able to do that and can not with the problem child being left in the classroom!!! Anybody crying racism should spend some time in a classroom....I have spent many hours in my children's classrooms and I am appalled at what children and teachers are expected to accept and deal with not on a daily basis but on a minute to minute basis!!! It's not a black, white, hispanic...ect...issue!!! It's a behavioral issue!
ReplyDeleteRegarding who created it... go on facebook and search dj tha maestro and scroll down a few posts. His comments sound just like the creator of that horrible flyer. He is also the same person who handed out "ballots" in favor of the super, then tried to force someone who he handed it to when he finally realized they were a teacher. He is a bully and though he makes for a good photo holding up the ballots in today's paper it is a shame that this is how low this super will go. Find supporters who are willing to race bait and fill people's heads with lies. He is also an adjunct at Suny Cortland and the major dj at SU and basketball games. Maybe citizens need to call these colleges and complain. Divisiveness has no place in our schools!
ReplyDeleteThe social media pamphlett was created by Maestro tha Hitmaker. In addition, if you look at it on his fb page you will see that he "tagged"/sent it to Sharon Contreras the day prior to the Board Meeting.
DeleteHe also works for Hillbrook as a music teacher. He kicks kids out all the time if they act up.
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