By Sjack

November 7, 2009 10:10 PM | Link to this

Not impressed with your devil’s advocate” attitude. We all know that you’re trying to upset the balance here in terms of parents vs. current admin of the school district. We should know that you are well educated and can see beyond the smoke and mirrors yet you want to generate interest for the PB Post. Even the Graduate Professor of a local university looks down on the Post and now I understand why….will have the inclination to buy your paper? No, it would insult my intelligence along with my gifted son with two exceptionalities that does not fit into any peg Dr. J or HJ wants to create. Try walking in our children shoes before you can formulate ridiculous analogies about Dr. Art J and his “Art of War” strategies…which is taken out of context anyways.

By Arnold Babar

November 7, 2009 8:45 PM | Link to this

Van Wilder-

It seems every weekend after reading your editorial I’m forced to tap into the late Paul Harvey and provide you with the rest of the story.

You see Van, I too am a Patton buff. Your editorial last week comparing Art Johnson to General Patton left out many important facts, fact that turn your comparison on it’s head.

Patton was a meticulous planner. He was a known fact finder & always was well-prepared. Art Johnson and Jeffrey Hernandez can’t produce the data that supports their changes & put the Framework project together over the 2 months of summer vacation. In fact, Hernandez wanted the entire project completed in 3 weeks.

Patton also believed his soldiers were heart & soul of the Army. Johnson and Hernandez haven’t listened to those in the trenches who are telling them along with thousands of parents their plan is not working. Patton inspired, mentored, trained, and motivated his soldiers. Johnson hid while Hernandez ran this district like a ruthless dictator. General Patton would’t hid from battle. He would be out on the front lines right with his men.

Patton also sent Letters of Instruction to his commanders. He communicated well and coordinated every aspect of his plans. Art Johnson under his own admission failed to communicate his curriculum changes.

I commend you Van Wilder in your attempt to sell newspapers through your editorials on this subject. However, Art Johnson is no General Patton. Not by a long shot. He’s more of a John Gotti or Mao Zedong. And Hernandez, he’s Hugo Chavez. And this Frameworks project is Mao’s “Great Leap Forward”.

And that is the rest of the story.

By DelrayMom

November 7, 2009 2:40 PM | Link to this

Jac,

I enjoy reading your editorials because they remind me of how people like yourself, Art Johnson and Jeffrey Hernandez rise to senior level positions when it is so painfully obvious that you are not qualified. There is a combination of arrogance and ignorance that enables people of your caliber to reach this level of incompetence. I’m sure you have heard of the “Peter Principle.” You, JH and AJ are all perfectly good examples of this principle. The defintion for those who are not familiar is: The theory that employees within an organization will advance to their highest level of competence and then be promoted to and remain at a level at which they are incompetent.

Jac, I realize that you are paid well for your opinion but I assume that at least part of that opinion should be based in fact or some sort of research.

Clearly, the Orange Revolution that is happening here in PBC includes parents, teachers and yes, even some brave principals and adminstrators. Visit the website, read the articles that Laura Green has written.

JH, AJ and the School Board are not acting as educators but as politicians in this scenario. Guess what happens to unpopular politicians? Probably the same thing that happens to newspapers with falling circulation…. eventually they just go away.

By Nicole Kauffman

November 7, 2009 12:57 PM | Link to this

While I understand your point of view and respect that you may have a different opinion than 7,000 other parents, students, and teachers alike, I disagree with it. Many of the people who did speak at the October meeting were teachers who have been doing this for 10+ years, compared to Mr. Jeffery Hernandez, who has had little experience in teaching kids, I’m pretty sure that the teachers know what they are doing. Also, no one is saying that Hernandez is to blame for the FCAT, but he is responsible for the EA’s that students take every other week, and all the required curriculm changes. These curriculm changes force teachers to continue on with a subject, whether students understand somthing or not. Teachers must teach towards a test that is never going to help them in the future, and to students that already know the material. Not to mention the fact that the school board does not have enough money to have more teachers and better pay checks, but there is enough money to pay him 180,000 dollars a year for a plan that is almost guranteed to fail. What he has done to this school district IS GOING TO HURT OUR SCHOOLS, NOT HELP THEM. While parents may not know what is always best for their kids education wise, teachers do, not to mention the fact that students know what is helping them, Take it from a student, these changes need to go NOW, before we really do screw up the education in PBC.

By 3boys

November 7, 2009 12:51 PM | Link to this

There is plenty of real research to support that “one size fits all” doesn’t fit”. In fact, it actually hurts the lowest 25%. We have our research, where is hernandez’s research?

By Get ready to Vote

November 7, 2009 12:41 PM | Link to this

Heads UP:

Novemeber 11th SB workshop…there’s are agendas…but NO location or time.

Hernandez will give an Academic Update.

Did you know….

currently State Statutes prohibit a Florida Public School from starting classes for students any earlier than 14 calendar days before Labor Day.

For most school districts in Florida this means the earliest date on which school can begin for students next school year is Monday, August 23, 2010;

however, our District along with 20 other Florida School Districts were designated “ACADEMICALLY HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS” by the State Board of Education at its September 15, 2009 meeting.

This means the state statute that requires School Districts to begin no earlier than 14 calendar days before Labor Day is waived for our District and these 20 other Florida School Districts.

In other words our District can begin school on a date that is determined locally by our School Board and we not limited by the “14 calendar day before Labor Day” law.

Isn’t it AMAZING how sometimes we’re a GREAT school district (think monetary bonuses, utilizing statistic to advance oneself, school board members voting to INCREASE THEIR own salary)

and then at other times a horrible school district (Gates Foundation Grant- 70% ineffective teachers, 90% of level 1 &2 students at ABC schools; school board members have to rescind their self-voted salary increase and DEcrease it to the same amount as beginning teachers!)

It’s manipulation and it’s a sad commentary on the leadership in this school district.

By James Wabol

November 7, 2009 12:23 PM | Link to this

Mr VerSteeg doesn’t get it. It’s okay to question professionals.

If you have pain in your right leg, and your doctor advocates amputating your left leg, it doesn’t matter if your doctor had 15 years of medical training while you didn’t even complete the 4th grade. -You BETTER question the plan or be doomed to the consequences.

By Wendy Meehan

November 7, 2009 12:06 PM | Link to this

Please note: perhaps for the first time ever, a MONSTER coalition of parents and teachers have gathered boatloads of solid research to show that Mr. Hernandez’s program is ineffective and probably harmful to students. The county could have saved itself time, money and trouble if the Board and its superintendent did this research themselves.

Mr. VerSteeg also failed to acknowledge that there are thousands of members of this coalition with more education, more educational expertise… (-not to mention more common sense and effective communication skills) than either Dr. Johnson or Mr. Hernandez.

Unlike Mr. VerSteeg, we’re not talking about the concerns of a single student and how he/she is doing in a single class… We’re talking about 167 large K12 schools, distributed throughout a fairly expansive county. And two guys, armed only with large egos, are driving us all off a cliff.

By me again

November 7, 2009 10:20 AM | Link to this

I cannot guessal th things that 7,000 parents don’t know but I can guess some of their consistent observations thatwould be consistent with reality and learning theory. All children are not the same in their educational needs,pacing, and starting point. Time spent testing detracts from time spent on instruction. Some students have legal documents tieing them to an education based on their unique needs.

By W. Robison

November 7, 2009 10:08 AM | Link to this

The larger point missed in this editorial is that people have choice in their children’s education. Under the Hernandez/Johnston initiative the ability of parents, students, and educators to chose was completely taken away. If a parent or student does not feel their teacher is qualified based on what they are being taught how does that change under the uniform curriculum? Every class across the county is teaching more or less the same lesson. The falicy here is that some teachers are teaching it differently than others. The reality is teachers are being forced to use district lessons/pacing which are sometimes on target and other times wildly flawed. At least you had a choice prior to this academic year. The focus should be to allow effective teachers to continue doing what they do best, to get the ineffective teachers the support they need, followed by termination of contract if they are unable to perform after being given the opportunity to perfom.

By Diane Hanfmann

November 7, 2009 9:56 AM | Link to this

Thank you for the great lead in for Mr Ver Steeg to obtain, publicize, and comment on the school district’s Proportion of a Year’s growth report for the district’s gifted. This suggstion comes from a parent who has been invited to speak before legislators, met with the Commissioner, Chancellor,and Chief Strategic Officer, was invited to go to DC but did not, and served on the first and only statewide Gifted Avisory Committee beyond local actions

By hello

November 7, 2009 8:54 AM | Link to this

Shhesh…..don’t ya get it? Many of the writers and protesters WERE teachers, not just parents.

By OBIWAN

November 7, 2009 8:31 AM | Link to this

Beyond you showing your ignorance of a teacher reaching kids with contemporary off the wall stuff to ignite thoughtful recall — did your need to slap at Florida’s true education governor.

Jeb Bush’s legacy is generationally lasting - your’s goes in the parakeet’s cage each night……..indistinguishable from the stuff falling on it!!

By OBIWAN

November 7, 2009 8:30 AM | Link to this

Beyond you showing your ignorance of a teacher reaching kids with contemporary off the wall stuff to ignite thoughtful recall — did your need to slap at Florida’s true education governor.

Jeb Bush’s legacy is generationally lasting - your’s goes in the parakeet’s cage each night……..indistinguishable from the stuff falling on it!!

By All to blame

November 7, 2009 7:36 AM | Link to this

Ted Kennedy authored, crafted NCLB. He was the one that put in all the impossible goals and made sure it passed the senate.

All Kennedy children attended private schools.

By Tom Whatley

November 6, 2009 11:46 PM | Link to this

Versteeg, you are leaving out the most important group in your article; The teachers. I am not sure what your point to this article might be or what motivated you. You researched the judgment of the parents in your examples. Remember the speeches that lasted past midnight last month. Where is the research on the teachers and their paradigm on this mess. Many of those who spoke last month were teachers my friend. Could they be wrong as well? I think not.

Hernandez came up with a very creative way to get around Senate Bill 1908 with regard to not teach for the FCAT 2 weeks prior to testing. The whole embedded assessment program appears to many (parents, students, and teachers) to be a cover for a giant FCAT-prep. Yet when asked, the district says that this year’s program is all about beefing up the curriculum, and NOT at all about FCAT. In reading your past opinions I can only surmise one thing; that’s all they are, opinions

Tom Whatley

By Nadine Kirby

November 6, 2009 10:50 PM | Link to this

dear Jac, I am floored that you still don’t get it!! Jeb Bush was wrong about Fcat and has stated that recently!! Johnson and Hernandez are definitely wrong about this unpiloted curriculum! And George W Bush is wrong about the NCLB!! And you my friend are wrong about this as well! I will be damned if we as parents and my son a smart student are going to take a backslide now we have worked to hard and I will not be derailed from my mission and neither will 8,000 plus and growing everyday!!

By Nadine kirby

November 6, 2009 10:42 PM | Link to this

I am floored that you still don’t get ! I thought you did when you replied to my e mail. But I was wrong ! Jeb Bush was wrong about Fcat and has stated that fact recently!! Art Johnson and Jeffrey Hernandez are definitely wrong with this type of curriculum! Obviously,you are completely wrong on this subject as well. Sorry but you just don’t see it from this side at all.

By Nadine kirby

November 6, 2009 10:39 PM | Link to this

I am floored that you still don’t get ! I thought you did when you replied to my e mail. But I was wrong ! Jeb Bush was wrong about Fcat and has stated that fact recently!! Art Johnson and Jeffrey Hernandez are definitely wrong with this type of curriculum! Obviously,you are completely wrong on this subject as well. Sorry but you just don’t see it from this side at all.

By Jac doesn't know squat

November 6, 2009 9:55 PM | Link to this

What Jac doesn’t know: It’s not just the informed parents who oppose this plan!! Why don’t you ask the real “education experts”, the many teachers who have years more experience and knowledge than Johnson and Hernandez combined. The teachers are almost unanimous in their opposition to the new curriculum plan, which by the way, includes not only excessive testing, but uniform classrooms, uniform curriculum and pacing, and compartmentalizationof elementary grades. Jac, don’t leave footprints on the way out of Johnson’s office!

By Stacey

November 6, 2009 9:44 PM | Link to this

You are an idiot. Perhaps you should read up on the legal requirements that the School District use evidence based best practices. Or perhaps you should also look at the School District’s organizational chart which lists PARENTS above the Superintendent and School Board. And another thing, Mr. Hernandez taught school for 2 years, was a principal of a 500 student school for a few more, and has been a paper pusher for the rest of his “academic” career. What makes him an expert? Your “opinions” are unresearched and clearly you are nothing more than the mouthpiece of the school board. You call yourself a journalist? Feh. You suck.

By LG

November 6, 2009 9:35 PM | Link to this

This guy apparently was just as involved in his daughter’s education as the rest of the parents are involved in their children’s education (it’s the ones that don’t care, who aren’t involved….that’s the problem!)

Kudos to the parents.

Disregard the editorial…nothing has changed, schools continue the same program, parents continue to have no input, teachers have no say, and this guy’s not even aware of that.

Have your say at the ballot box in 2010. That is where your voices will be heard.