We have it on good authority that you’re using your personal email accounts to conduct official Jefferson County Public Schools business.
While using JCPS equipment and services to access those accounts.
Publicly available email records seem to back those claims up. Particularly the ones with all sorts of unnecessary redaction.
We hear you used Guthrie Mayes (Bonnie Hackbarth and Dan Hartlage, who wrote the board email last summer – and did things like this) to conduct half the interviews for several positions you just filled with problematic people. Interviews during which neither Hackbarth nor Hartlage disclosed that they were with an outside agency and did not work directly for JCPS. (Did they also screen/interview Jamilah Fraser? Of course they did.)
We don’t even need to speak to how screwed up that is. Or how screwed up it is that you defer to a PR firm for advice. A PR firm that tries to literally buy positive press – as Bonnie tried to do with this very publication a few years back when she gave a former writer here a free telephone and other accessories.
And really? Threatening that you’re going to “neutralize” those who cover educational matters in the press in this town? Yep, we’ve heard about that, too.
Good luck finishing out your contract. Because you’ve just given the entirety of the press reason to dig, dig, dig.
Semi-related: How the hell did Christi get the top job? How was she qualified for that job yet unqualified for other communications positions beneath her current spot (she was turned down for another job)?
12 responses so far ↓
1 J. Bruce Miller // Jun 26, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Doesn’t surprise me in the least. There has been an OVERTLY OBVIOUS public relations effort put on by JCPS TO surreptitiously influence the decision of the Kentucky Supreme Court in the busing litigation that Teddy Gordon and I have brought (and succeeded in before the Ky. Court of Appeals). In my 47 years of practicing law in this state and across America in a number of high profile matters, I’ve never seen anything to equal this clandestine effort. There have been, at a minimum, a dozen articles that have been initiated through the press ‘department’ of JCPS to leave the impression that JCPS is ‘working hard’ to minimize the adverse testing results that occur as a result of the $100m annual expense of ‘busing.’ THIS COULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED without a ‘sub rosa’ means of conversation and communication.
JCPS is a complete DISASTER, which is destroying this community’s ability to recruit businesses to move here. In 1975 there were 144,000 children in the newly-merged city/county school system and only 22,000 were bused in order to satisfy Judge Gordon’s desegregation mandate. Now, we have only 98,000 public school students (even though the population has increased by over 100,000) and we are busing approximately 70,000 students. JCPS has lost its mind.
2 blowin' in the wind // Jun 26, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Bruce, I couldn’t agree with you more. Jake, I am so glad that you are bringing this out now. The atmosphere and culture at VanHoose resembles the worst of organizations that seek to control everything and cut off any dissent or transparency. I never thought I would see things get worse rather than better after Dr. Berman. Even educatio voodoo, who, if you remember, had a pic of Dr. Hargens labeled Hope last summer and by late spring changed it to Nope!
Keep it up, Jake. Our kids deserve better.
3 blowin' in the wind // Jun 26, 2012 at 1:16 pm
By the way, Bruce, there is no way that any thoughtful person can do anything but shudder about the test results. No manipulation of student assignment can change what is essentially a failed system.
4 Bill // Jun 26, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Who is orchestrating and approving the direction, and decisions at JCPS …..Hargens or the Board of Education?
5 blowin' in the wind // Jun 26, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Hargens.
6 blowin' in the wind // Jun 26, 2012 at 1:48 pm
You have to understand this board–it is totally inept. Right now they are still in their “love fest” mode with Dr. Hargens. They do this with all new superintendents. At some point they will become disillusioned and fight among themselves. Then they will mess up deciding not to renew a contract and oversee another failed search. This has been the model since they got rid of Dr. Ingwerson. This community needs a totally different kind of board, preferably one that is appointed and has some knowledge and experience requirements. I am not holding my breath.
7 Bill // Jun 26, 2012 at 3:28 pm
I agree we need a new board.
Today, our option is to vote in new members.
Hopefully, candidates with appropriate experience will make themselves available.
8 G'town Reader // Jun 26, 2012 at 7:14 pm
I attended a “private” Catholic high school, “college prep” program. One of my best neighborhood friends was in the Advanced Program at Seneca High (JCPS). When the friend shared educational experiences & challenges with me, I found myself quite ENVIOUS of the obvious advantages offered by the local PUBLIC school! Uh – this was in the very early 1960s.
9 blowin' in the wind // Jun 26, 2012 at 8:33 pm
The 1980s through 1994 was a “golden age” for JCPS. And it is very important to remember that there are some excellent high schools now–DuPont Manual, Ballard, Male, Eastern, etc. The problems that began after 1994 are quite complex, and cannot be attributed simply to the superintendent and the board. However, the final responsibility is theirs.
10 Jeff // Jun 26, 2012 at 8:51 pm
What are the complex problems?
11 sandy // Jun 27, 2012 at 1:01 pm
This might be off topic so I apologize if that is unacceptable. (Guess you can weed it out when you moderate.) I hope someone is also watching for Good News Club type intervention since they have an office in Louisville and are known to infiltrate school boards.
If you haven’t read Katherine Stewart’s book: The Good News Club: The Christian Right’s Stealth Assault on America’s Children, I highly recommend it for everyone. Nothing new, but Ms. Stewart actually spent time with these groups and got first-hand confirmation of what many of us knew/suspected, and she lists the many, organized and well-funded groups behind this movement.
12 Homer // Jun 28, 2012 at 3:32 pm
What I can stand is the lying she is giving the public. She said she is cutting the cabinet positions, I think I counted maybe one or two differences. She also, said she was saving money but I think she needs another calculator. No one has mention all the over staff positions, and what she doing for those who were over staffed. She put a freeze on administers grade 8 pay and giving employees a one percent raise to teachers/staff (never mind insurance will go up 5%). So in the close session of her job review did she receive a raise? What were her goals for the year to work on this year? I think some of her ideas are ok for JCPS, however how she is wanting to achieve them is not ideal. I said things were funny the first time she was interview at Male high school and most of her answers were vague and “what the board tells me to do” trust me when I tell you the board doesn’t know everything she is doing. Wait and see Louisville, she will have JCPS in a pickle if she continues on this path.
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