Warning: If you are a student or a minor, please leave this blog NOW!
Bye-bye, Matt!
Times Are Changing!
“We Don’t Need A Position To Tell People To Turn Off The Lights!”
On July 10, 2012, as one of its first official acts the newly installed RCS board of education took a first decisive step in removing waste and corruption in the district: it voted to revoke the position of RCS energy manager.
Common Sense Is Your Job, Too!
Those words spoken by one of the public commentors at the July 10 board of education meeting just about sum up the RCS board of education majority’s position with regard to the position of the RCS energy manager. The position was rescinded (revoked) and not renewed, though not completely eliminated.
Get On The Same Page
as the Rest of US!
Board members Engel, Whalen, Reville, and Latter, the now minority teachers’ clique, all argued idiotically why the position should not be rescinded. Whalen whining that it was eliminating a position. It was not. Engel interrogating the board and the superintendent why they would want to eliminate the position and assign the work to another department. Which was ridiculous and totally off topic. Engel, Whalen, Reville, and Latter failed to distract the board from what they were dealing with: a motion to opt to NOT continue a practice that was but should never have been. Common sense prevailed and the position was not renewed.
The true facts were that Matt “the Mutt” Miller was doing very little for the additional $10K he was soaking the district for. Most of the work had already been done. People simply had to police themselves and others. Common sense, right?
Up ’til now Miller was not only drawing his teacher salary while teaching only 2 periods so that he could do his teachers union politicking. While all that was going on he was parading about as the district “energy manager.”
Rather than accept the board’s decision and exit quietly and gracefully, Matt “the Mutt” Miller (after restlessly, nervously parading back and forth in front of the camera while the discussions and voting were going on), almost immediatly took to the speaker’s podium to declare himself a victim of “dirty politics”–of all people to make that accusation–when the president objected and advised Miller that he was being offensive and out of order, teacher and “role-model” Matt “the Mutt” replies, “It’s my opinion and I’m allowed to have it.” Well, yes, Matt, you can have your opinion but you should also have some d-i-g-n-i-t-y.
Matt Miller, Ex-Energy Manager
Too bad, Matt!
It’s Not Personal, It’s Right!
And no, Matt, it’s not “dirty politics,” it’s not “personal agendas,” and it’s not “Let’s get Matt.” In other words, Matt Miller, it’s not personal, it’s common sense. So drop the paranoic victim act! It’s right. It’s in the interest of the district and in the interest of the common good. You should know that! And it’s not because if a citizen speaks out, there’ll be retaliation or coercion. You should know better than that, Matt. You and your pals know all about “dirty politics,” retaliation and coercion; that’s why the district is being audited and investigated, and sued! Isn’t that how you and your fellow Coeymanazis pushed the budget vote thru? That same vote that is now under very serious investigation? Still! Gross miscalculation, Matt, and you’re feeling the first stings now. Bye-bye, Matt!
Let me spell it out for you Mr-President-of-the-RCS-Teachers Association: It was because the Voice of Reason spoke louder than the voices of special interests. It was because you were soaking the RCS district for $10,000 a year in addition to your teachers salary, getting special treatment, doing your teachers union crap, all at the same time! It’s because you were a legalized thief! But even more basically, it was because the position is fluff! As one speaker put it last night: “You don’t need a position to tell people to turn off the lights!”
Does the Common Good
Make You Pucker, Mrs Whalen?
And Mrs Whalen: Stop your damned whining! You’re about as productive on the board as a disconnected computer terminal! Your re-election makes about as much sense, too; simply that fact is grounds for questioning the validity of the election results! Look, your position is as clear as the noonday sun, though not quite as bright. You are a teacher, through and through, and anything, any decision made that does not expressly benefit your friends and colleagues is going to be “bullying” to you. (If you teachers so easily identify bullying then why is it so rampant at the high school? Can you tell us that, Ms Whalen?) The shoe was on the other foot only recently, wasn’t it. Too bad you have to succumb to the democratic process! But like double-dipper, atheist-teacher, bully-inciter Matt the Mutt’s right to his opinion so, too, you have your right to an opinion but don’t burden the rest of us with it. Here’s our assessment of your attitude: Sour grapes!
Do you get it now, Matt? Sorry, but the special treatment in RCS is soon to be a thing of the past! So is all the other corruption and criminality.
The Voice of Reason, of Wisdom Has Been Heard!
Congratulations to all of the new board members and to John Vadney and Mike Robbins. John Vadney was re-elected to be president of the board of education and Mike Robbins was elected to be vice-president. (Editor’s Note: The teachers clique tried unsuccessfully to push James Latter thru first as nominee for president and when that failed, then as vice-president. That attempt failed, too! With Latter’s record, the gnawing question is WHY? he’s still on the board at all! Why?!?! See our article James Latter: Why Is He Still On the Board of Education?) This show of confidence by the board gives the citizens/residents interests a clear majority over the teachers clique on the board, and will force more dialogue and consensus when discussing the demands of special interest groups, like plum positions like the “energy manager” positionor teachers writing the book on how teachers should be evaluated!
No More
Rubber-Stamp Approvals!
As Jeff Lukens responded to the teachers’ demands that the board approve their evaluation document because it was a “good document” and because the teachers “worked hard on it.” Jeff Lukens’ response was:
‘It would be unethical and unprofessional of me to vote on a document I know so little about and have not had time to read.’*
Bravo! Mr Lukens! And when asked to “trust” the teachers that it was OK, Mike Robbins cited past history and responded,
‘We trusted you several times before and got burnt; I’m afraid we can’t approve this on “trust.’*
No more rubber-stamping on the RCS school board, it seems.
At the first meeting of the newly installed RCS board of education, things are really looking good for the district. Finally! This new majority is going to be looking very closely at citizens’ and residents’ complaints and the teachers clique had better collaborate. The spotlight is on the corruption and criminality now. Things are starting to change for the better.
The meeting went surprisingly smoothly. The Delucas, Leput-Hommel, the Coeymanazis were absent. Yes, things are changing for the better. We see the writing on the wall!
We’re waking up!
But it takes time.
The Editor
*Edited and paraphrased for formatting purposes.
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Albany NY a.k.a. Smalbany 
cookie
July 12, 2012 at 1:57 pm
The board was using simple common sense in a tough economic time. Responsible staff do not need people going around, telling them to turn off the lights, checking the temperature, much less a teacher. Besides, why would’t the Maintenance Dept. be involved in Energy Management? I like how the board is settling in. THere is much more to do, but a good start.
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Fides qua Creditur
July 12, 2012 at 2:44 pm
I agree with you 101%, Cookie! Rather than pay some dollard $10K to be the conscience of the irresponsible, we should encourage him to get a conscience of his own (I’ll give him the dime if he promises to bring back the change but with his track record, I’d bet on never seeing the 9 cents!). You leave a room, you turn off the lights. You don’t use energy gobbling appliances like toaster ovens etc. You shut windows when you know the place is being heated or airconditioned! $10 in solar panels can go a long way. Isn’t it maintenance’s job to keep an eye on energy saving devices like solar chargers, panels, energy saving lighting fixtures, keeping the hot water comfortably warm but not scalding (except in food services). It’s a no-brainer and simply requires that everyone do his or her part! What in hell are the teachers and assistants doing all day long? if they see someone is being wasteful, it’s immoral and unethical, they’re there to develop good character, right? So set the example and do some correction! That’s part of the job and doesn’t require an additional stipend!
The board is going to do just fine. The citizen/resident side of the aisle is very amicable and cooperative but I don’t think they’re going to be pushovers. The arrogance and sour grapes on the other side, the taxpayer paid “role models” who are failing miserably in their mandates, need to loosen up, pull out the sticks and get some social skills. They may have “masters” degrees (for all that’s worth!) but it takes more than a degree to do the commonsense, real world work with adults as adults.
As for the troublemakers, the Coeymanazis, the Delucas, Hommels, D’Espositos, Latters, etc. they would be well advised to stay out of the way and to shut up. They have been exposed and would do well to lie low. We’re sick of seeing there idiotic performances, suffering their finger-pointing, insults and disrespect, and their complaining and whining. They’ve done enough damage and divided the community long enough. Time to let the BoE do what they’ve been elected to do.
Now that we’re rid of that Traver woman and that sicko O’Conner, we should try to ignore Whalen’s whining, and keep Latter under control if he’s going to be on the BoE. Reville is a worm and is an Engel fixture; gotta watch Engel, though.
Matt Miller is really pissed so he’s probable sucking up to Deluca trying to hatch some conspiracy or other. They’re too immature and self-serving to see the light and move on graciously; they’ll try something stupid because they don’t know no better. They’re not stupid or ignorant, they juz don’t kno no better 😉
Peace!
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Jane Doen't
July 11, 2012 at 1:12 pm
Hey Fides,
One thing I forgot to mention and I’m sure you and I will part ways on this one…
I agree that the boe should be a represention of and run by the community. I would like to point out that teachers (who reside here) and their spouses are part of this community.
Also, while I certainly wouldn’t want a board comprised entirely of teachers (spouses, et al), they do bring an expertise and have a knowledge base of education process, curriculum and in-the-trenches know-how that is very beneficial to the board. Much like Mr. Robbins and Mr. Vadney bring the nuts and bolts know-how to the table and Mr. Latter brings his business experience. A board should be very similar to, no exactly like those well-rounded students we’re trying to turn out. A board comprised solely of one group is destined for failure on one level or another. The key is to strike the right balance. Are we ever going to get a fair, balanced and effective board?
~Jane
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Fides qua Creditur
July 11, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Hi, again, Jane:
Thanks for the continuing comment. No, we don’t part ways on this one as much as you might have expected.
In principle, I agree with you, and feel that teachers and teachers’ spouses do have a place on the board of education. To simply reject that proposition out of hand would be idiotic and exclusionist. But the reality in RCS is that we have had some pretty bad experiences with teachers and teachers’ spouses on the board as is evidenced by the overly defensive and arrogant defense of the energy manager position last night. Another example is Josephine O’Connor and her voting for her husband’s tenure.
I agree that teachers and teachers’ spouses can make a very important contribution to the delibertions of the board but they have to be authentic and know the boundaries. They can’t play dual roles: defending thier interests as teachers, teachers’ spouses, or friends of teachers, and the common good. They have to know when to hold and when to fold…they have to have a well developed sense of conscience and ethics, in other words. I’m afraid that most of those whom I have observed in action on the board do not qualify in those respects, and raise very serious doubts and suspicions as to their guiding values and ethics.
I also agree that we need people with hands-on, in-the-community business experience who cope with day-to-day problems of survival, parenting, problem-solving, manageing resources, simply making ends meet who are not involved in the teaching vocation, and can see the world from a perspective other than through the schoolhouse windows. But again, this requires openmindedness to see the real reality, authenticity to know who you are, what you are, and a real sense of relatedness, being an integral part of a community and not just a sector of the community.
I have studied the interactions of the board members and others involved in the exchanges and I find that there is a skewed attitude that somehow equates the teachers’ wellbeing with the wellbeing of the students, the children. This is flawed because it’s not necessarily so. The teachers have self-interests, which are legitimate if kept in context, and public interests, their role in the schools. We, the non-teachers, must be able to separate the two. So far this has not been done, and I find that apart from the real bandits in the RCS community who have self-service as their goals, many people feel that the teachers are the schools and that if you give them everything you can you’ll be getting better schools and hence your children will benefit. That’s a flawed and very expensive logic.
But in principle and in most respects I do agree with you.
Peace!
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Simon
July 11, 2012 at 12:25 pm
Nice to see that people are finally starting to realize they shouldn’t be voting for (or against) anything without having read it. Whatever the evaluation form was, I didn’t see it in the advance agenda or supporting docs. I assume it was given to them right before the meeting. The real question is why the issue wasn’t tabled until everyone could read it (with the exception of the group that negotiated it).
The BOE has the right to select who they want for the energy position; if they want the Operations person that’s fine. Kinda funny they spent 30+ minutes talking about it… like the budget everyone knew how they were voting in advance; I kinda wish they just had their 5-4 vote and moved on with their business. Favorite part: Trying to entice Judy’s vote by saying the $10k spend could be spent on special ed or reading teachers. 🙂
I am a proponent of “what comes around, comes around”. It’s not unreasonable to say that the way Mr Miller needs to operate in his position as RCSTA president may affect his other opportunities within the school. We all can look at what dollar amount of savings his activities at $10k a year have produced. Everyone can make up their own decision, but it’s only their 9 votes that matter.
The public will decide next May as to if these 9 (or more precisely 3 of the 9) have performed up to the criteria we as a community want and expect.
S
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Fides qua Creditur
July 11, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Welcome back, Simon. Nice to hear from you!
Yes! Now all we have to do is get the state and federal legislators to read before they vote 😉
I’ve already addressed the so-called energy manager thing in my reply to Jane’s comment and in the most recent articles. I won’t reiterate that stuff here.
We have seen enough of the special interest crap going on in the district’s business. It’s refreshing to now note that the citizens/residents have control of the board because they have really nothing to gain by making any decisions; the teachers clique raises another slew of conflict of interest suspicions and questions of what we call in counseling, dual roles. There’s no place for special interests or special loyalties on the BoE. Now that we can fairly rule out the inappropriate influence of the teachers’ special interests on the board, perhaps we can come to a point where the minority and the majority can actually cooperate and reach consensus decisions or well-engineered compromise solutions to many of the issues before it and coming before it.
It’s a new era and a good time to start afresh–although the arguments surrounding the vote to rescind the energy manager position and Ms A. Whalen’s scathing comments later, as well as Matt Miller’s sour-grapes diatribe gave no indication that any wounds were about to heal soon.
Welcome back!
Peace!
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Jane Doen't
July 11, 2012 at 12:20 pm
I have to say Fides, I’m terribly disappointed in Ms. Sylvester who failed to comment during the 30 minutes of discussion regarding the motion to rescind. I, for one would like to know where my elected officials stand and WHY they stand where they do. She fell short last night.
And Ms. Pasquini should come better prepared. References to what is and is not okay on election day without the necessary documentation are meaningless.
Thanks for bringing up the point that I haven’t heard a sole mention yet. NYSED is looking into potential election fraud of the budget vote. We also voted for candidates that night. Those results too, are tainted as is the bus prop and the library vote. If one goes, they all go! But, it will never happen. Not in this country. Remember those darned dangling chads? 😉
~Jane
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Fides qua Creditur
July 11, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Hi, Jane, and thanks very much for your comment. It’s a keeper 😉
I do want to say a few words in support/defense of Judy Sylvester, though. Sometimes silence is very eloquent. That discussion was going nowhere fast and was quickly and foreseeably getting out of control. the matter under discussion was whether or not to revote and to take a roll-call vote. Period. The issue was NOT whether it was personal, political, etc. It was clear that at least one member of the board was confused (and I admit, so was I) on what was being voted on. Admittedly, s/he should not have voted until s/he was sure. But, Hey! Poop happens, right? The right thing to have done was to make the motion for a re-vote, enter the motion, discuss why the re-vote. If the reason is to get a more reliable vote using a roll-call for Pete’s sake, NO PROBLEMO! But I guess the issue is whether or not Judy Sylvester chimed in, isn’t it?
What we definitely did not need in those some 30 minutes of blood-letting was yet another voice to be confused with the others. Judy is very competent, smart, and knows the community. She also knows when to hold and when to fold (an old poker expression from my granddad 😉 ). Give her the benefit of doubt, and credit for not getting lost in the feeding frenzy. I’d rather have her thinking about the real issues and then voting than get all emotional and vote with her emotions and not with her head.
I agree with your comment on Donna P.’s mentioning an important document but not having it at hand. I, too, was a bit miffed because then I had to spend time looking for the particular law and section to which she was referring. Please don’t misunderstand me. I have a great deal of respect for Donna P., and I do admire her feistiness. She’s also really quite knowledgeable. But that having been said, I would have at least liked to have had her state chapter and verse 😉
I agree that we can’t separate the budget from the board or from the bus prop or the library. The whole kit and kaboodle will have to be revoted, and that’s very unlikely. I think we’re going to have to do my old FIDO here: Forgive It + Drive On. Too much confusion will ensue if we start tearing everything up and laying down a new road to travel. And YES! I do remember those dangling chads, although it took me the longest time to find out what the devil a “chad” was…in the end I referred to them as dingleberries 😉
Peace!
The Editor
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cookie
July 12, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Your concerns about Judy Sylverter’s failure to comment reminds me of a quote (is it from Twain, or is it Lincoln) which goes something like “better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt” Judy is doing quite well as I have seen, we should let her settle in. I also remember my father saying, “the emptyest drum makes the loudest noise”. I’ve seen enough of the big mouths.
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Fides qua Creditur
July 12, 2012 at 2:30 pm
Thank you for the neat adages! They’re worth a million erudite words 😉
Peace!
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