There used to be a plethora of blogs in the Peoria blogosphere that touched on salient issues daily. Back in the day, one of my favorites was the Eyebrows McGee Blog. I appreciate that Eyebrows didn't shut the blog down, once she stopped blogging. The following is an excerpt from a Wednesday, May 18, 2008, blog post from Eyebrows, entitled, District 150 Needs to Change:
"It would help immeasurably if the School Board and administration of District 150 would address the following issues:OPENNESS: Operate under an openness policy. It seems to me that the District leadership has developed a defensive posture, which appears to be a combination of 1) a desire to discuss sensitive (but public) matters behind closed doors to avoid controversy; 2) a sense that, because sensitive issues are kept private, citizens "don't understand" the issues and so should accept the leadership at its word; and 3) a dislike of coming under criticism. There's also a history of crap PR-driven "justifications" for decisions the District leadership has made.Solutions: Bring it all out into the open, kiddos. District 150 is a public body and the public has the right to run it. LET US. Be honest. Don't feed us a bullshit line about shorter school days leading to educational excellence. Tell us the budget is in dire straits and we have to make tough choices -- whether that choice is a tax referendum, closing certain schools, jettisoning administrators, shortening the school day, or just fiddling while Rome burns. That choice is OURS, not yours, and you might be shocked how many District 150 parents and taxpayers understand the concept of "tough choices."Understand that your history of closed-doors and misdirection and PR-babble is going to take time to overcome, and only openness, forthrightness, and honesty will do that -- and that includes making a SHOW of honesty as well as actually being honest. You must avoid even the appearance of half-truths or secret knowledge or generalized obfuscation.
(Also, if criticism makes you publicly defensive, neither school administration or public office is the proper place for you to be. Be defensive at home to your spouse or dedicated sounding board. You answer to the public at work, and the public is critical.)" Source
"It's time to stop rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It has to change. It's time to change."
Laura Petelle
17 comments:
I remember that Laura aka Eyebrows was going to be the people's rep on the D150 board. Unfortunately, she has become that which she used to criticize.
AMEN!
As Shakespeare said, "To thine ownself be true." Of course, that advice isn't as easy as it sounds.
Hope she grants the Super a contract extension! That should cause more rats to scurry before the ship can get stabilized.
We don't keep rearranging the deck chairs; we keep switching captains.
And if I recall correctly, the Titanic never "stabilized" - it sank.
And she started that Petelle150 blog to keep lines of communication open and how long has it been since she's said a peep on there. Seems like a phony to me and that makes me sad.
I don't want this to be a beat up on Petelle post.
I posted this because Eyebrows McGee made some very salient points about #150 that still ring true today.
I miss Eyebrows McGee.
"Change" just for the sake of change is not the answer Mrs. Petelle.
Change must be made with fidelity.
Fidelity Castro
The people do understand tough choices, but several politicians run under the cover of making tough choices, like cutting law enforcement, public works, code enforcement then raking millions of public dollars into a hotel, museum and warehouse district. People don't trust tough choices because they have been lied to our leadership. I do agree that transparency would build more faith in the process. Too much is done behind closed doors on all levels of government and then those behind the closed doors complain when people speculate.
Peoria needs a change agent who is riddled with insecurity and hatred.
How were test scores at the San Diego district from which Lathan came? Did she abandon SD before saving their youth?
Anybody else see the article in the Trib yesterday - Vouchers, tuition tax credits, and parent trigger laws are sweeping the nation. They can't get here soon enough!
Why should we be surprised. The whole purpose of NCLB was to discredit the public schools so that voters would see the need for vouchers. The public didn't earlier, so the powers that be found a way to convince the public. Cynical conclusion--yes, I know.
So there was a special board meeting last night regarding "personnel". I truly hope that d150 boe isnt considering extending Lathans contract. Prolonging the inevitible.......ughhhh
her claim to fame was supposed to be glowing test scores, let's hope that the board would not extend her contract if the scores were not what she claimed..she has eluded in publc that scores were going to be something to "celebrate"
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