Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The old blame the blogosphere routine
So the Emperor hates it when anyone questions his flashy new clothes--especially as to why they do not resemble a hospital johnny.
But rather than deal with the issue of going AWOL for an entire week before filling out the mandated paperwork (Family Medical Leave Act), something that would get a teacher, janitor or bus driver fired the hot-under-the-collar Superintendent unloads on the evil Internet.
But he trains his fire not on the legitimate folks who used the interconnected instantaneous Web to expose and question (rather subtly at first) his extended absence, but focuses on those damn snarky Anons. Although strangely, he says he doesn't read blogs--but he attacks Anon comments made on blogs. Hmm...
Well Dr. Rodriguez, if you don't read the blogs then how do you know what the Cowardly Anon Nitwits are saying?
And next time you pretend not to look at those time-wasting, evil blogs maybe you should read a tad more closely. The issue was not the legitimacy of taking "sick" time in advance for a medical procedure, it was scheduling a fair amount of "sick" time in advance with no explanation whatsoever.
And even the memo/spreadsheet tossed to the Regional School Committee on 2/9 did not have all of last week on it. Not much "transparency" there, eh?
At the 3/1 School Committee discussion Regional Chair Farshid Hajir told the Super to submit an "updated/revised" memo to reflect the unannounced disappearance over the past week and an explanation for the sick leave absences scheduled in April as outlined in the sparse 2/9 memo.
I have been blogging for three years now with over 175,000 unique visitors and only one of them came from Miami, Florida--just last week as a matter of fact, coincidentally when the Super was AWOL in sunny Miami, Florida about a half-hour after an Anon posted comments questioning his whereabouts.
And isn't this the same cocky guy who bragged to the crusty Amherst Bulletin one year ago, "I'm going to be tested, and you guys will see that it's not about that," he said. "I have the mettle to take that fire."
Looks like his mettle came up short.
The Bully reports one year ago
The Bully reports today
Thank God Amherst School Committee member Irv Rhodes is black, otherwise Kathleen Anderson (sitting on his left) would have been all over his case for daring to defend the rights of the taxpaying public (admittedly overwhelmingly none minority in the People's Republic) to question the habits of the highest paid "public service" employee in town, who just happens to be Cuban American.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
30 comments:
Fail
Yeah, the BIG question will be what the diffident School Committee comes up with next week concerning his evaluation.
interesting. i still feel bad for the guy though. Maybe he handled this poorly but he does seem to have to legitimate health issues and people have been fairly disrespectful about it.
His wife still lives in Florida. She hates snow. She misses him. No way outta this mess. But, he's really made it much much worse.
Cripes, what a noob...
And nice screening process.
Who found him hotter, Brighty or Mazur?
http://www.amherstbulletin.com/stor
y/id/40325/
This foolishness, too, shall pass.
Because there's another shoe that's going to drop.
We all know that all one has to do is simply state "I've scheduled a medical procedure for those days", and people back off, way off.
But he didn't do that.
And now he claims that he was doing us a favor with "transparency". I don't know what he's talking about. Scheduling sick days around weekends without the slightest explanation is not transparency in my book.
But I respect that some folks are straining to be fair to this guy. I would expect nothing less from Amherst.
He talks about "people that didn't want me here in the first place." No, he was much better off than that: we couldn't afford for him NOT to be a fabulous success. In that regard, we were all in this together. THIS IS OUR KIDS' FUTURE THAT'S AT STAKE HERE.
But this is not an auspicious start.
No Anon 9:14 PM, I don't think people have been disrespectful in the least.
It was disrespectful of him to assume he could do anything he damn well pleased with "sick" time WITHOUT following the rules (that apply to all the little people.)
Shorter Larry: "Any thing you say bounces off of me and sticks to you."
Grow up Larry. Try to act like you've been walking this earth for more than 50 years.
Yeah, as soon as I start taking advice from Cowardly Anon Nitwits YOU will be, ummm, well, (not very) high on my list.
"Maybe he handled this poorly but he does seem to have to legitimate health issues and people have been fairly disrespectful about it."
People, including Larry, seem more concerned about the super not filling out the proper paperwork at the same time they disregard the health issue because it doesn't fit their narrative of irresponsible and/or ineffective employee. Beyond the obvious callousness, it seems rather silly to pretend this one concern defines his performance.
Larry. Why are all the anonymous commenters who disagree with you "Cowardly Nitwits" and the anonymous commenters who don't aren't cowardly or nitwits. Beyond the name-calling, it's seems your judgment is suspect.
Yeah, spoken like a true Cowardly Anon Nitwit (notice I'm removing the commas for a quicker read)
Yep, slam.
Oh, you're right: this one concern doesn't define his performance.
But that definition is coming.
I give the Superintendent the benefit of the doubt, Just like I give Larry Kelly the benefit of the doubt.
I think the Superintendent had a medical procedure last week and may not have had the advance notice that Larry Kelly seems to assume was present and would be needed to file paperwork. I give Larry Kelley the benefit of the doubt, even tho he sounds like a complete insensitive angry petty jerk, who is more concerned with pushing paper than with the health of another human being. I choose to believe that he's really just trying to be a vigilant watchdog, because he loves our town and our schools so much.
Below the level of Superintendent, we have some considerable talent amongst our teachers and our administrators.
That talent should be respected and protected. That's a bigger priority than this Superintendent.
Agreed.
Maybe one of them would have made a great Superintendent.
The super just doesn't get it. He's a public figure making over $500 a day he must answer to the public.He doesn't have to answer to anonymous bloggers why did he even mention it unless he felt some guilt. Why couldn't he schedule his tests during his vacation time? Next he'll be asking for travel expenses to visit his doctor in FL.
Actually we paying for that.
He gets $5,000 per year in "travel expenses" plus $10,000 per year "housing allowance" plus, oh yeah, $158,000 salary (not including benefits.)
You sure complain a lot about taxes, Larry. What is going on with you?
Amherst GIS Property Search
Property Location: 596 SOUTH PLEASANT ST
NOTES
REAR HOUSE SITE
ECON-DEPR-TOWN BARN
1992, ATTACHED CARPORT
AND PORTIAL FINISHED BASEMENT
Net Total Appraised Parcel Value $233,500
http://gis.amherstma.gov/images/cards/2416.pdf
ZILLOW.COM
596 S Pleasant St, Amherst, MA
Zestimate $312,500
Beds: 3
Baths: 1.5
Sqft: 1,736
Lot: 33,000
Built: 1890
http://www.zillow.com/homes/596-SOUTH-PLEASANT-ST-amherst,-ma-01002_rb/
The assessor was very nice to you, I see. That town barn buys your groceries. How did you get a deal like that?
You live in an economically depressed neighborhood? Lucky you.
Here is the problem. Taxes killing you, Larry?
HAMPSHIRE FITNESS CLUB
90 GATEHOUSE RD
NOTES
2 INDOOR TENNIS COURTS, 1
RACKETBALL COURT
5 LANE,25YD POOL
10 ROOMS
Total Appraised Parcel Value:
$1,916,400
http://gis.amherstma.gov/images/cards/544.pdf
I feel for you.
It's not me I worry about.
It's folks trying to live on a fixed income with no social security increases this year or next but with a large property tax increase looming.
And I don't own Hampshire Fitness Club.
Actually it is now known as "Hampshire Athletic Club."
No here's the problem. In 1982 my mortgage with property tax was $325 a month. Now 2010 my property tax alone is $5,600 per year or $467 per month. My electric bill in 1982 was $25 per month. Now my average bill runs around $200 per month. In 1982 my oil bill was around 79cents per gallon, now I pay $2.69 a gallon. I unlike state and federal workers do not receive annual raises. In fact I haven't had a raise in 25 years. Raising property taxes is not a sustainable method to increase revenue.
Are the Taxpayers Eyes of Amherst Awakened yet? Do they NOW see that the school/town/taxpayers have to again go in search for a new superintendent of schools? Three years in a row people! Who is writing these contracts, that let these people in, and then walk away clean with OUR money!!!!!!!!!!!???????? HELLLLOOOOO, anyone home??????
"puke", I'm wrenching...did he really think that people would take him seriously dressed in long red underwear? at the meeting????? Amherst got taken for yet another ride on taxpayers backs, when will we learn?????????
If the superintendent is unable to figure out how to properly notify the SC about his scheduled absences, which should be simple, how are we as taxpayers to trust that he is able to handle the more complicated matters such as budget, personnel, grants...
Linda
Does anyone know the dollar expense of doing a super search? Does the town pay for peoples travel expense for the interview? Do we pay to put them up in a hotel and pay for their meals? Or is this their cost in applying for the job?
Hmm that's interessting but to be honest i have a hard time visualizing it... wonder what others have to say..
Post a Comment