In today's stat of the district Vitti at least addressed the problem of poor teacher morale. He said in the Times Union: Vitti acknowledged
being challenged in two areas in Duval, affecting teachers and student
literacy.
When I started this blog four years ago one of the big premises I had was, the better things were for teachers, the better the would be for children. The fates of children and teachers you see are inextricably linked. It's ridiculous when some people talk about doing things for children while marginalizing and disrespecting teachers. It shows a supreme ignorance and I am looking at people like Jeb Bush and Gary Chartrand here.
Vitti, though it seemed to play a rather small part in his state of the district, at least mentioned it and I can imagine the ashen taste he, whose ego seems to know no bounds, must have experienced to stay so.
You may have picked up I am not sold. It's easy for him to say the problem has to be addressed, a lot easier it is than for hundreds maybe thousands of teachers to go to work where their administrations bully and degrade them.
Words are easy and teachers have heard them before over and over so now it's time for action and step one should be to remove the principal at First Coast high school who boasts about the teachers he has run out of the profession. He is not a leader, unless fear and intimidation are two tools Vitti wants his principal to have.
Superintendence Vitti, you have said this is a problem, one that you have not addressed, well why don't you signal to the teachers of Jacksonville that Bullies masquerading at principals will no longer be tolerated and get rid of one. Until you show some actions to back up your words all they are is words and hollow ones at that.
The city's teachers are watching and waiting.
Vitti said some
teachers have not been happy in their jobs, but he vowed to change that as
principals undergo training to become better instructional coaches and
problem-solvers.
“We didn’t do a very
good job my first year; with my focus being on the classroom, we missed the
connection between the leader and the teacher,” Vitti said. “The number one way
to keep strong teachers in a school is to have a great leader in that school.”
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2015-03-10/story/duval-schools-get-grant-expand-efforts-improve-face-falling-gradesWhen I started this blog four years ago one of the big premises I had was, the better things were for teachers, the better the would be for children. The fates of children and teachers you see are inextricably linked. It's ridiculous when some people talk about doing things for children while marginalizing and disrespecting teachers. It shows a supreme ignorance and I am looking at people like Jeb Bush and Gary Chartrand here.
Vitti, though it seemed to play a rather small part in his state of the district, at least mentioned it and I can imagine the ashen taste he, whose ego seems to know no bounds, must have experienced to stay so.
You may have picked up I am not sold. It's easy for him to say the problem has to be addressed, a lot easier it is than for hundreds maybe thousands of teachers to go to work where their administrations bully and degrade them.
Words are easy and teachers have heard them before over and over so now it's time for action and step one should be to remove the principal at First Coast high school who boasts about the teachers he has run out of the profession. He is not a leader, unless fear and intimidation are two tools Vitti wants his principal to have.
Superintendence Vitti, you have said this is a problem, one that you have not addressed, well why don't you signal to the teachers of Jacksonville that Bullies masquerading at principals will no longer be tolerated and get rid of one. Until you show some actions to back up your words all they are is words and hollow ones at that.
The city's teachers are watching and waiting.
I have my money on lip service. Vitti dug Brennan out of his crypt and brought him into First Coast. Vitti for what ever reason demoted Ms Daniels her from her District job and put her back in a school at First Coast. Daniels didn't request that move, nor did she request the move from First Coast when she was given zero notice and told to pack her bags again after four short months. Vitti doesn't deal with bullies because he is one.
ReplyDeleteThe Union filed grievances shortly after Brennen's first faculty meetings and it only got worse from there. Teachers were sending letters of complaint about Brennen and Townsend directly to Vitti. It was not that his attention was preoccupied with the classroom. That makes it sound like he had respectable priorities and teacher morale just didn't make it on his radar fast enough. He is 100% complicit in the situation at First Coast and no telling where else. He knew what was going on, and if he could move Ms Daniels out after only a few months of what he considered unacceptable performance, he could have certainly removed Brennen at the end of last year. That is if he was dissatisfied. Obviously Vitti was not.
And Ms. Daniels is amazing. Incredibly competent, hardworking, and, though she runs a tight ship, she engenders respect (and is fair and respectful in return). However, she doesn't suffer fools, and I can't for a minute see her being cowed or toeing a line she doesn't believe in-- so that probably explains why Vitti demoted her and then moved her so quickly.
DeleteIs Vitti still in charge of these day to day and leadership decisions? There may have been a palace coup, and he is metaphorically locked in a tower. The bad old days of the Duval mafia are back, and that points to Addison. Is that why Brennan was brought back?
ReplyDeleteValid point. Addison was known for being heavy handed at Terry Parker. I could see a kinship between Addison and Brennan, but then there's still Vitti and Addison. It's like the German Gestapo over there on Prudential Drive.
ReplyDelete