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DEL.ICIO.USSuperintendent or superhero
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Clayton County school board was supposed to vote Monday night on whether to make John Thompson the troubled district’s permanent superintendent. The board postponed the vote to give the public time to review his new contract.
Thompson, the corrective superintendent, has promised to save Clayton schools.
Some expect superintendents to be saviors. It’s not uncommon to hunt for a Superman or a Wonder Woman with such amazing powers they can turn around a flawed district.
Do these people exist?
Beverly Hall in Atlanta and J. Alvin Wilbanks in Gwinnett have been lauded locally and nationally as strong superintendents. Could they repeat their success here elsewhere?
Think about what a strong superintendent must do. They must know how to compromise, they must be able to put out fires and they must have the ability to explain their vision and get others to buy into it.
How many superintendents can do that?
Comments
By Dr. Craig Spinks
September 30, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this
Dr. Dana Bedden / Richmond County Mr. Charles Nagle/ Columbia County
By disgusted
September 30, 2008 8:41 AM | Link to this
I don’t expect a superhero, but I do expect competence and it is pretty clear that John Thompson lacks it. Anyone who looked at his original contract understood that there was no way that Clayton county could retain accredited with that contract in place. The contract itself ensured that Clayton would lose accreditation. John Thompson used the county’s desperation for his own personal profit - do you know of any other public employee who gets 107 vacation days?
By say what?
September 30, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this
I have sent my comments to each board member of Clayton County Schools- John Thompson and his friends need to go. To give back some powers, and still want the same pay makes no sense. He is self-serving. Remember the raucus over HIS name being on the diploma’s- he wasn’t here for the children’s education. What about the 2300 page document- SACS must have seen to that it was a bunch of words on paper, but his surprise that SACS would not accept his word is just crazy.
I say let’s get Dr. Rudy Crew, who was just terminated by Miami-Dade School System. With the multitude of ethnic groups and races he had to pander, he did a good job by holding his job for 3 years.
By Saying the news
September 30, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
I think Thompson is great. That is if you define self centered, no integrity, power hungry, selfish, financially demanding above and beyond all reason and a megalomanic people as “great”. Get rid of the loser now.
By Saying the news
September 30, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this
Oh yeah….after the diploma debacle the only thing I want to see his name on is his termination notice.
By V for Vendetta
September 30, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this
Clayton can have J. Alvin. I’m sure many people in Gwinnett would GLADLY loan him (permanently) to Clayton. I have a feeling a certain regular poster will back me up on this one. :-)
By Mike D
September 30, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this
Why are we talking about this turd. He has only been there a few months, and there were many doubts the accreditors had about him to begin with.
By jim d
September 30, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
V,
” I have a feeling a certain regular poster will back me up on this one. :-)”
Now —- who might that be?
By A complete facade
September 30, 2008 12:02 PM | Link to this
Could Hall and Wilbanks repeat their success elseware? Well if you define “success” as falisfying federal discipline data to create the facade that all is well, then the answer is yes.
That is if you have a business community and a major media conglomerate willing to give a higher priority to a facade than a real quality school system.
By Meme
September 30, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
I just want my super to cancel school for a day or two until this gas problem is over. Only 1 station on my 10 mile drive to school had gas this morning. I am worried.
By catlady
September 30, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this
Clayton Co does not WANT a good supt. They want to be able to whine and complain about what is being “done” to them.
By lovemy4kids
September 30, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this
My Superheroes are the awesome Georgia Congressional House members that just said NO! to the $700 BILLION taxpayer shakedown. Keep saying NO! on Thursday. There are plenty of free-market fixes.
‘Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia described the bill as “a huge cow patty with a piece of marshmallow stuck in the middle. I’m not going to eat that cow patty.”
By bearcasey
October 1, 2008 7:54 AM | Link to this
My 31 years as a teacher and building administrator have taught me that supers have very little influence on the learning of children.
By collegebound
October 1, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this
Laura,
What do you know about the Governor’s decision to change funding for dual enrollment courses? The Governor that is so focused on making sure Georgia has a trained workforce has decided to cut funding for one of the best programs aimed at preparing our future workforce. We all need to let our legislators know how important this program is to our economy.