The first domino fell when it was revealed Jackie Byrd rather than go to John E. Ford K-8 left the district. Education Matters actually heard about her departure last week but was waiting to get confirmation from the district before reporting on it. Fear not, we stopped holding our breath long ago.
The problem with Vitti’s plan and quite frankly I like elements of it is it is like dominoes falling. People are forced out of the district into school administration, school administrators are forced into the classroom and classroom teachers are forced out. I have two concerns, first are we going to have a lot of pissed off people in our schools and second are these people even going to be able to do the new jobs they find themselves in?
Another problem is there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to the changes. Older admins report they haven’t been told what is happening, while newer lesser-experienced admins are putting up pictures on the walls and some of the picks are baffling. First there is the promotion of Iranetta Wright which is unsupported by data and some say with decency and then there is the massive demotions of people like Byrd and Tony Bellamy. Like him or hate him but going from the number 3 guy in the district to running a junior high is an in your face demotion. Some people might not handle that well.
