I had reservations about Mr. Gentry when he ran for school
board only after a failed attempt at the Florida Legislature. A wealthy man entering his twilight it seemed
to me that he was just looking for another feather in his cap.
His term on the board
saw morale of teachers plummet, discipline problems skyrocket and a
superintendent incapable of doing the job well. Mercifully he did not run for reelection.
Now if only he would have stayed silent in his retirement.
In a recent letter in the Times Union he took to task judge Henry
Davis who has been critical of DCPS’s discipline policies. Gentry points to an
article in the Times Union that says discipline has improved in the district,
unfortunately those same statistics came from the district. This is the same
district by the way that pleaded poverty under his watch while sitting on over
a hundred million dollars.
Furthermore our new superintendent obviously doesn’t agree
with Gentry because if he did why would he increase security and put a dean of
discipline and an ISSP teacher in the majority of our schools? The truth is if
the district had its act together he wouldn’t have had to do any of those
things.
Where I think Judge Henry should give the District more time
to see if the measures work I don’t believe he was wrong because discipline was
a disaster under Gentry and Gentry should be ashamed for what happened under
his watch while he was on the board.
It is unbelievable to think that now removed from the board
he suddenly cares about discipline.
Teachers who don't turn a blind eye are harassed.
ReplyDeleteOur high school merely had an AP position cut to make room for a Dean of Discipline. She does the same thing as an AP for less money. The ISSP person simply became the "ISSP Teacher." Seriously, the discipline is awful. We write students up, and the admin does not back the teacher up. What is the point of writing those students up in the first place? These people need to spend time in the average class, not participate in cursory visits that barely scrape the surface. Give it a month, and you will see...
ReplyDeleteWC Gentry is, in my opinion, not a kind man. He spoke to his law office staff horribly. It was quite shocking, really.
ReplyDelete