Ashley Smith Juarez was very brave but not brave enough

I am not going to bash ASJ for caving to the pressure which I am sure was intense, instead I am going to thank her for bringing to light how dysfunctional our district is, though as I type that I realize people like the Times Union's editorial board and the community organizations that put pressure on her are unlikely to put any blame on the superintendents' shoulders.

From the Times Union

 The coalition, which includes Jacksonville Civic Council, JAX Chamber, The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, United Way of Northeast Florida and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, said they stand behind Vitti and the Board and “encourage them to follow through on their commitment to work with a mediator to unify and resolve their differences.”

http://jacksonville.com/news/schools/2016-09-21/story/vitti-firing-not-friday-agenda-board-chairwoman-says

It should have read, Gary Chartrand, Gary Chartrand, Gary Chartrand foundation of North East Florida, the United Way and Gary Chartrand, said they stand behind Vitti and the Board and “encourage them to follow through on their commitment to work with a mediator to unify and resolve their differences.”

These are ASJ's people too. lets face it she's not hob hobnobbing with teachers and parents at the Applebees, no she's at the River Club with the city's elite. She's Gary Chartrand's protege after all and for her even to suggest their anointed one isn't getting the job done takes huge you know whats, way bigger than mine and I write a daily column called the stupid things that Scott Shine says and does, by the way look for my future daily column, the stupid things Scott Shine says and does.  

The coalition doesn't care about the city's children, schools and teachers, they care about control, the control that Vitti gives them. If they did care then they wouldn't have fought against a change. 

Friends, there is a war for the soul and future of education going on in Duval County. on one side you have educators and parents, who want good programs, and safe schools and on the other people like Chartrand and his coalition of elites, that want to marginalize teachers and privatize our schools. They won the battle to keep the superintendent... for now but hopefully he has learned that his shenanigans have placed him on thin ice.

So Mrs. Smith Juarez thank you for opening the city's eyes, you didn't win this one for the city's teachers and children but that doesn't mean you won't win the next one.  

Ashley Smith Juarez vs Superintendent Vitti, notice how their stories don't match up

I will let their words do the talking for them.

Vitti's words

Vitti said he is willing to discuss and “evolve” his targets with board input or perhaps input from a third party.

“Those targets were a proposal to start a conversation; I’m in no way entrenched in those targets,” he said.

He said he believes targets are just statistical benchmarks against how other districts do; they’re not his vision for how Duval students will perform.

ASJ's words

You have insisted this is the best you can do.  You have brought the same projections to the board twice and you and I have had at least two additional conversations when you defended your low projections.  You have not come forward with a plan to accelerate improvement nor have you incorporated the recent suggestions of the board.  When we last spoke, you told me, again, that you could do no better for children. 

Friends I can't make this stuff up!

His words are from the Times Union and her words from her letter asking for his resignation.

What we have here is a board chair who has had enough and a superintendent flailing to keep his job.

Tim Sloan is no more an education actist than my cat is a dog

Sometimes this really makes my head hurt. I will let his words do the talking for him.

From the Times Union:

 Tim Sloan, an education activist and Duval parent, spoke during Tuesday’s Board meeting about the timing of Smith Juarez’s actions.

He likened it to the Jaguars winning consistently and getting close to but not making the Superbowl. He said the community would object if owner Shad Khan then decided to fire a key coach.

Similarly, Sloan predicted, the community would be upset about losing Vitti, when the district made improvements while not fairing well in some measures.

“Our school district has excelled,” Sloan said. “Last year we had a new curriculum which had flaws but our teachers ... still educated our children.”

Sloan added that achievement gaps have existed long before Vitti came to Jacksonville in 2012.

“It was nothing new,” Sloan said. “The truth is, the separation of the (student) subgroups has always been. They were there when some of you were teachers,” referring to several board members who used to be teachers.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-09-20/story/smith-juarez-explains-why-she-asked-vitti-resign

Oy vey, has he seen the Jaguars? Bradley and Vitti both arrived about the same time and in my estimation they have performed similarly, some nice wins here and there but way to many losses. If the Jags start 0-4 a real possibility or lose ten games again, who thinks Shad Kahn is going to keep him around and who would complained if he fired him? Not that making a ^%$ing football analogy comparing the game to the future of our children is even remotely appropriate. (Thanks Julie)

I have been to many board and community meetings with Mr. Sloan and the toughest question he has asked Vitti is, how did you get so awesome.

He also once chided me for questioning Warren Jones campaign donations and if you guessed they were from Gary Chartrand and his friends you are right.

Considering Slaon an activist for him loving Vitti and all that he does is part of the problem. 

Ashley Smith Juarez's case for Vitti to go

 Superintendent Nikolai Vitti,

We both joined Duval County Public Schools in November of 2012, you as Superintendent and me as a Board Member.  We joined an organization committed to student success and we were determined to elevate and accelerate student achievement with bold reforms and measured impact.

Our students are the reason we do what we do.  The success of Jacksonville’s children is paramount.  Our children get on the school bus eager each morning and are one day older each evening; they do not have time to wait.  We must honor that in all we do.

Three years ago the board adopted literacy as a priority.  In the 2015-2016 school year, 46% of children in grades 3-10 were proficient in reading, less than half.  Only 35% of 3rd grade African American students were proficient; these are students for whom you have been Superintendent since they were in kindergarten.  Third grade is the critical year when children should transition from learning to read to reading to learn, yet less than a third of African American students read at grade level, while 65% of their white peers are proficient. You propose that reading proficiency will grow 2% per year; that rate means all students will be proficient in 27 years.  Kindergarten students could complete their k-12 continuum twice in less time.

If children never get behind it is easier for them to stay on grade level.  In 2015-16, 53% of children demonstrated reading proficiency in k-2.  Your projections for growth (+.5% per year) will take 92 years to reach 100%; that is longer than the average lifespan of infants that are born this year.  In second grade reading, your projected increases would take 140 years to reach 100%, 140 years!  140 years from now, the technology of today will be an ancient relic of the nearly forgotten past.

During your 2014-15 evaluation, the board asked for concentrated focus on secondary math.  Districtwide, Algebra I proficiency increased by 6%.  But, while white students demonstrated an 8% increase, African American proficiency declined by 1%.  The result is a 9 point widening of the achievement gap in just one year.  If African American students progress at your proposed rate of growth for all students, it will take 6 years to achieve the proficiency rates their white peers do today.  It will take multi-racial students 7 years to make up the one-year 11 point widening of the gap between their white peers.

A mere 11% of African American students in 2015-16 demonstrated proficiency on the Algebra II End of Course Exam.  That is down from 12% the previous year.

In 2015-16, of 29 unique academic areas, achievement gaps widened between white and African American students in 15 areas while achievement gaps narrowed in only 9.  Achievement gaps between white and Hispanic students widened in 17 areas, only 7 areas narrowed.  Achievement gaps between white and multi-racial students also widened in 17 areas and narrowed in just 8.  All students deserve a high quality and equitable education; these results do not meet that standard.  To accept these results is to accept the racism that has plagued our district for decades; that is unacceptable.

I have mentioned students and student performance quite a bit, so I want to be clear that the demonstrated proficiency of students is a direct result of the systems, curriculum and services that we as adults provide and that you as Superintendent are charged with administratively designing and managing.

As you indicated during your recent evaluation, your board has never denied your recommendation for a program, initiative or staff in the area of literacy.  I would contend the same is true of math and other academic areas.  In our governance role, we have set goals and given you support to achieve them.

Duval County Public Schools has to do better and we have to do it much more quickly.  We as adults must better serve children.

I can handle disrespect and strained relationships.  I am grown and I have my education.  I cannot tolerate mixed results and low expectations.  That affects our students’ future.

The success that you promised and that I expected has not been realized.  And, the expectations you have for children are not high enough.

We have done some good work as a governance team.  We will hold fast to those.  We have been able to enact reforms that were much needed in the district such as graduation support, Arts education and school reorganizations.  But academic results have been mixed and achievement gaps are widening more than they are narrowing.

It is clear to me that the Board needs to own our expectations and we need to do what we can to change our results.  You have had four years to demonstrate marked acceleration of student achievement, to demonstrate impact to reflect our core belief that all students can achieve at or above grade level.  The current results and the future projections do not meet my expectations of a Superintendent.  I expect better for the children we serve, especially minority children.

You have insisted this is the best you can do.  You have brought the same projections to the board twice and you and I have had at least two additional conversations when you defended your low projections.  You have not come forward with a plan to accelerate improvement nor have you incorporated the recent suggestions of the board.  When we last spoke, you told me, again, that you could do no better for children.  With regret that we were at impasse, I, privately, professionally and with no malice, asked that you use your talents elsewhere.  Because, while it was difficult for me to think about losing a friend in reform, I serve and I stand for the success of all children.

I am open to discussing our path forward, as I always have been, but I will not compromise significant improvement of all students’ achievement.

Sincerely,
Ashley Smith Juarez, Chairman

The Times Union engages in some stunning hypocrisy to protect Vitti.

The Times Union's editorial staff is just really, really bad.

UNDERCUTTING THE VOTERS

In two short months, two new board members will take over. That could change the dynamic on a board that desperately needs to change its culture from its current dysfunctional state.

Removing Vitti will not fix the board’s issues, and it will undercut the will of the voters.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/editorials/2016-09-20/story/firing-vitti-would-be-tragic-mistake

I.E, please wait to Chartand's man Jones gets in there to save him.

I went back and looked for their editorial complaining about three lame duck members hiring Superintendent Vitti just weeks before the new board was sat and guess what I couldn't find it.

Most of the other points are weak and oversold as well.

Like you know where else graduation rates are up? EVERYWHERE, please stop giving him credit for that.

I could have went almost line for line and debunked what they wrote but I started to get ill.

If only we had an editorial staff that took the time to inform themselves, the city deserves better.

Scott Shine loves the first amendment for him, not so much for other people and why does he treat Ashley Smith Juarez so poorly?

Could it be because she is a woman? I am going to lay some things out for you and let you decide but more on this in a moment.

This is from earlier in the year.

 Scott Shine complained about dysfunction on the school board last week. Then when the school board chair reminded the members of the board’s policy not to publicly criticize other board members he complained to the media about her.

He didn’t say, can we talk about this, I think the policy is wrong, let me plead my case, can we meet about this or anything reasonable people might do when they have a disagreement with a co-worker. 

Nope he called Action News and said lookie here.

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/dcps-school-board-chair-tells-members-not-to-speak-through-the-media/96260680

This is the same guy who complained about dysfunction on the board. I wonder how his call to Action News where he publicly states Ashley Smith-Juarez is trying to censor his first amendment rights is going to go over. Here is the thing, I don’t disagree with him but isn’t there a better way to do things? 

http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2016/02/why-would-scott-shine-call-out-ashley.html

Also was she really trying to censor his or just reminding him about the boards policy. I also find it crazy that he quite often threatens my first amendment rights. Can you explain that one Scott? Is the First Amendment just for board members but not lowly teachers?

This may be the first example of what I believe is shoody treatment of Ashley Smith Juarez but it isn't the only one.

Scott Shine took to blogging about his colleague Sunday night (oh Scott you do me proud) and then sending emails to everyone in his Rolodex which used I believe a lot of loaded words and phrases.

First Shine used the word coerce which is really loaded. Isn't it possible they just had a difficult conversation?

He said,  Smith Juarez wants to fire Vitti because of “personal issues... unrelated to his actual work performance. You know because women can't be business minded its all about the personal to them.

He also accused her of taking unilateral actions in violation of board policy by urging Vitti to resign or be fired. You know because women have to be sneaky, they can't be above board.

Would he treat a man in this fashion, calling her out in the press, using loaded words and phrases? Fischer was his closest ally on the board and his fawning over the superintendent is well documented so it doesn't seem like he has any problems with his male colleagues.  

Is Scott Shine sexist towards women? How would I know we don't really hang out, he reads my blog and I read his but I would say her treatment of Ashley Smith Juarez and even several of the other women on the board has occasionally been shoddy at best. 

Other women? Well Couch also complained about him and Fischer being dismissive a few months back and he called for the firing of a female employee for just receiving a text. Vitti has has had at least one twitter war with a parent during a board meeting but that's okay? 

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/dcps-school-board-member-calls-for-other-members-resignation-over-controversial-texts/86020677

http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2015/06/vitti-has-twitter-spat-with-frustrated.html

I have often not seen eye to eye with Ashley Smith Juarez and in that regard I feel like she is like Fel Lee, a former board member who I also did not often agree with but one who I felt was both earnest and informed but regardless if I always agree with her or not, I do believe she deserves better treatment than what Shine gives her. 

I have laid out my case for sexism and hypocrisy, I will let you decide.

Scott Shine takes a break from stumping for the super to threaten me. *Edited and Updated*

*Edited and Updated* 

Two school board members in less than a week. A lot of people might think I am doing something right.

A little while ago I received the following not from Mr. Shine, that was also forwarded to the county's personal director and a city attorney.  

Mr. Guerrieri,

You have made false comment in your blog alleging (in your written word and with my specific name) that I have made comments on your article to which I did not make.  I believe you are, again, in violation of the professional standards of the DCSB and I am demanding that you remove all reference to me and articles referencing me on your blog at once.  Failure to do so will result in an official complaint of violation of professional standards.

Scott Shine
Duval County School Board - Dist 2.

Yesterday I wrote:

 Shine was indeed a busy boy last night and I believe this includes the following comment left on my blog. It was sent anonymously but it echos things he has said to me in the past.

 You deserve to lose your job, be sued for what little money you have and should NEVER be able to teach again. I'll gladly write a substantial check to the attorneys who end up pursuing you in court. This is not journalism, this is bitterness for losing your School Board bid several years ago and an ego-boost. Give up. You don't care about JAX kids, none of these posts actually assist teachers and parents in providing resources to help improve the system. It just gives you the attention you crave so much. SCUM.

Whether he sent above or not I believe Scott Shine is a little and petty man and a terrible school board member and shame on you district one for electing him when you had other qualified candidates. He is also a man than is about to be very, very alone and that scares him.

Full disclosure, I edited and added to the original post "It was sent anonymously" in the first paragraph and "whether he sent above or not" in the third in an abundance of caution. I thought it was pretty clear I wasn't saying he sent it but just sounded like him but hey if a school board member can't figure it out I guess there may be others.

Just to remind you what Scott Shine has said to me in the past.

Just an fYI on the social media policy, this was proposed as a policy addition from Dr. Vitti and was taken up by your liberal friends on the board in the policy review subcommittee (against my wishes)a month ago. They were unanimous in moving it to next years employee professional standards. So, you only have a few months to add to your resume of false and reckless statements. Sadly, I did not even get a chance to vote on it. So, give your thanks to Hall, Wright and Couch for the "anti-Guerrieri" code of conduct addition next fall. While I am highly disappointed I did not get in on the action, and still want to bring it forward as a policy addition as originally submitted by the superintendent, so it can take affect in before the end of this school year.

Then check out the comments on these blogs
http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2015/03/scott-shines-poor-start-as-school-board.html#comments

http://www.miketheteacher.com/elected-school-board-member-launches-anonymous-personal-attack-against-teacher-who-criticized-him/

Then in Florida Politics he called me a liar.

http://floridapolitics.com/archives/201991-duval-school-board-tensions-simmer-charter-fight-escalates

I believe the voice is the same and lets face it, who else reads my blog that can afford to write a substantial check?. 

I replied to Mr. Shine saying.

Hmmm, did I now? People can post anonymously  but the blog records their computer's IP address, that's how I knew it was you the last time you posted, do you want me to remind you of what you said? If I need to I guess I can have one of my computer friends check out the IP address of the poster you say wasn't you. 

Three things, I didn't say you wrote the comment, I said it sounded like you because of other things you have said, I guess I too will file some grievances based on you calling me a liar in Florida politics and for the other comments you left on the blog  (or we can just be adults and agree to disagree) and seriously don't you have bigger concerns right now? Not to be snide but don't you? It sounds like Friday is going to be a big day for you.

Here is the thing if you don't like what is written on the blog, and just so you know there have literally been dozens of contributors and a half dozen people have licences to post on the blog, about what you say, the associations you have, or your performance on the school board change those things. There are far more interesting subjects than you. But as long as the Constitution allows freedom of speech and I and others are allowed to have opinions then I may or others may occasionally write about you.

I am a reasonable sort though, so I will tell you what, send me a polite non threatening note saying you didn't write the comment and i will put it up unedited and if you wanted to mention that where you may often disagree with me, calling me scum is over the top that would be cool too. Furthermore if you ever think the blog gets something wrong or is unfair, reach out and I will forward your notes to the appropriate author. It's a commentary and opinion blog but I insist it tries to get things right.  

 Let me know how you want me to proceed.

...

Two more things:

There is a difference between writing a lie and writing something somebody doesn't like.

And I will say it again, If Mr Shine doesn't like what is written on the blog, about what he says, the associations he has, or his performance on the school board he should grow a thicker skin or change those things.

The Times Union's biased pro-Vitti coverage.

A few days before the board gave Superintendent Vitti his evaluation the Times Union wrote an editorial saying he was much better than sliced bread. It read more as a love letter than an editorial.

Well fast forward to today when there is talk of him being forced out and the Times Union gave paragraph length quotes to Scott Shine, Trey Csar, Cheryl Gyrmes, Warren Jones and Audrey Moran all who said losing the superintendent would be the opposite of sliced bread. They made it sound apocalyptic and unprecedented.

I kid you not.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-09-19/story/duval-school-board-member-accuses-board-chair-trying-oust-superintendent 

Then at the very end they wrote something a North side education activist said. 

Bettye Miller, an advocate and frequent Vitti critic, who regularly speaks at board meetings, said some community members on Jacksonville’s Northside feel he didn’t listen to them when he proposed boundary and program changes at schools. She added his lack of patience and at times disrespect showed with some board members, indicating he doesn’t always have an open mind.

“A good leader listens, even if you think that person is totally out of their minds, because you may learning something out of that person,” she said.

If you are scoring it was five to one for keeping him, heck FOX news is more fair and balanced than that.

I mentioned this to Denise Amos Smith who I generally like and she asked what I would say, and I told her, Vitti has shown he doesn't listen to those above him, the board, or those below him, teachers, and if he can't listen then he can't lead. Also if he left Friday instantly teacher morale would improve dramatically and that would be more than worth any pains the district experiences as they search for the next super. 

It however did not make the final version.

I know lots of educators and parents who are disappointed in the superintendents performance, they wouldn't have been hard to find, sadly it doesn't seem like the TU made any effort to do so.

Gary Chartrand is getting his money out of Warren Jones, Cheryl Grymes and Trey Csar as they scramble to save the super's jobs. (rough draft)

There is a fast building movement to part ways with Superintendent Vitti. Several of Gary Chartrand's cronies, Cheryl Grymes, Trey Csar and Warren Jones are heating up the airwaves in protest of the district getting rid of the super. I believe their arguments are both weak and not inspired by what's good for the city's students and teachers.

I am sure on the brink of tears Grymes said in the Times Union

Board member Cheryl Grymes said she was “in shock” and opposes to holding a vote Friday on Vitti’s job status. She pointed out that Smith Juarez recently suggested hiring a mediator to work with the Board and Vitti, an idea she believes is a good one.

From her prior stint on the School Board, Grymes said, she remembers how upset the community was when that board forced Larry Zenke to resign as superintendent and appointed an interim. “It’s toxic for the community,” she said. “It’s creating chaos.... There were so many ‘what ifs.’ What if he leaves and takes a lot of people with him?”

She said Vitti has been accused of being disrespectful to board members but recently Smith Juarez has been disrespectful to him.

What's toxic and creates chaos is the superintendent and the board members like Grymes who have let him run roughshod over teachers and the community. Pratt Dannals, and Joey Wise were both let go during the school year and the district chugged along. Also has she just sat on her hands as she saw the super be disrespectful? Furthermore if he took a lot of his people with him, then good all the more reason to make a change.

Then there  is Warren Jones

Warren Jones won Hall’s seat in the primary. He urged Smith Juarez Monday to take no action on Vitti’s job.

“The Board ... has less than two months to serve together. The Board will have two new members in November ... Respectfully, I request that the new Board be the one who makes long term decision(s) about the direction of our district and its leadership.”

Jones said in an interview the board should also consider the financial cost of “buying out” Vitti’s contract.

“That money could be used for a number of different purposes,” he said.

Sigh, in 2012 with three lame ducks on the board and with Gary Chartrand leading the charge they hired Vitti and nobody in the community including Warren Jones so much as batted an eye. Nothing he says can be taken as credible especially the, save some money line. If there is a cancer you don't go, hey lets save some money and let it spread, furthermore I don't want to scoff at the few hundred thousand dollars it would cost to buy him out but the district has a 1.7 billion dollar budget and it would be a drop in that bucket. 

Then there is Trey Csar of the Jacksonville Public education fund

Trey Csar, president of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, said that leading public schools is difficult and bound to stir up disagreements among Board members and the superintendent. But he urged them to consider working through the difficulties.

“The option of working through a mediator is a much easier solution than hitting the reset button,” he said. “I’d hate to see this Board go down the path (of termination) before they’ve exhausted all opportunities to come to consensus .... I think that’s still possible.’

Trey has a vested interest in Vitti remaining super as increasingly where the district ends and JPEF begins has become blurred. Also has Trey not been paying attention? All opportunities to come to consensus have long since been exhausted. 

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-09-19/story/duval-school-board-member-shine-accuses-chairman-smith-juarez-trying

I wrote earlier about how Scott Shine has been coming to the defense of his man crush, the superintendent, I also don't think it is a coincidence that he, Grymes, Jones and Csar have financial ties to Gary Chartrand, the puppeteer pulling the strings behind the scenes.

I don't know if Vitti's last day will be Friday, i do however think that the people defending him aren't doing so out of the goodness of their hearts but because of the dollars in their wallets.

Scott Shine's very late night , *Edited and Updated*

*Edited and Updated* Mr. Shine was kind enough to send me a note saying he did not write the comment mentioned below, I thought it was clear, that I just believed he sent it because it resembled things he had said before, and not that he actually sent it. In an abundance  of caution and in an attempt to be fair, I have added language to emphasize that point.

Scott Shine has a blog, who would have thought something was possible considering how much he hates the Education Matters blog.

There isn't much to it, just an about page and one post about Ashley Smith Juarez conspiring to fire the superintendent.

https://scottshine.wordpress.com/

Check it out.

He also emailed everyone on his Rolodex in an effort to preempt the firing of his man crush and used some pretty specious arguments and baseless innuendos as well.

From the Times Union with my comments in bold

Shine said in an email late Sunday that Smith Juarez late last week tried to “coerce” Vitti into resigning, and that she called a special board meeting for this Friday morning to hold a vote on whether to terminate Vitti “with minimal public input.”

Coerce is a pretty loaded word as for pubic output people have been speaking loud and clear for months now about their dissatisfaction with the superintendent.

“It would be a tragic mistake to terminate Dr. Vitti in the middle of the comprehensive school reform work we are currently undertaking,” Shine said. “In addition, termination in the middle of the school year would send a shock wave through the school system and likely damage students’ academic achievement.”

Oy vey, a little apocalyptic there. they decided to part ways with Pratt Danals in January of 2012 and Joey Wise left six weeks after the start of school in October of 07 and the school system chugged along.  

Shine said in his email he believes Smith Juarez wants to fire Vitti because of “personal issues... unrelated to his actual work performance.”

He said Monday that he doesn’t know what those issues are, but he has noticed tension increase between Smith Juarez and Vitti over the past six months.

There are a lot of rumors out there about the superintendent, if you google search him, affair is the second word that appears next to his name, but Shine sounds like he is just making stuff up there.  I noticed tension, doesn't seem like credible evidence to me.

He also accused her of taking unilateral actions in violation of board policy by urging Vitti to resign or be fired.

I would be very surprised if he has an understanding of board policies but again he doesn't offer any specifics and if he has them why not offer them?

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-09-19/story/duval-school-board-member-shine-accuses-chairman-smith-juarez-trying

Here is something WJCT is reporting he said

“I think it would be a disaster,” he said. “So many of the reforms that we’ve put in place are Dr. Vitti’s initiatives. Without his guidance I'm afraid many of those things will fall apart.”
http://news.wjct.org/post/will-duval-county-school-board-vote-out-vitti

What's been a disaster in my opinion is Shine's term on the board and I for one think some of his plans should fall apart as the district would be better off without them .

Shine was indeed a busy boy last night and I believe this includes the following comment left on my blog. It was sent anonymously but it echos things he has said to me in the past.

 You deserve to lose your job, be sued for what little money you have and should NEVER be able to teach again. I'll gladly write a substantial check to the attorneys who end up pursuing you in court. This is not journalism, this is bitterness for losing your School Board bid several years ago and an ego-boost. Give up. You don't care about JAX kids, none of these posts actually assist teachers and parents in providing resources to help improve the system. It just gives you the attention you crave so much. SCUM.

Whether he sent above or not I believe Scott Shine is a little and petty man and a terrible school board member and shame on you district two for electing him when you had other qualified candidates. He is also a man than is about to be very, very alone and I believe that scares him.

I don't know if Vitti's last day is going to be Friday or not, I think it should be, but I do believe Shine has been a terrible representative of our schools and all you have to do is read his words to know that.