Back when I was growing up in the People's Republic of Amherst I used to love those stories--since my dad fought there--about Japanese soldiers finally coming out of their caves in far flung South Pacific islands where they hid for decades refusing to believe the Empire had lost.
My bricks-and-mortar friends at the Republican and Gazette report today about a "firestorm" on the Internet yesterday that I somehow managed to miss, involving Cooks Source magazine out of little old Sunderland stealing copy from a blogger without permission and then refusing to pay a token amount (as a donation to the Columbia School of Journalism) saying the writer should be thankful for publication.
Especially thankful, since the kindly old editor, with "30 years experience," had rewritten the piece and in fact should charge the writer. Yikes!
Such arrogance I have not seen, oh, since the rise of the Internet. Back in the day, only 15 or so years ago, the bricks and mortar media were indeed the gatekeepers who "bought ink by the barrel". And could treat writers with complete disdain (many did).
Those days are L-O-N-G gone. Thank God! (or the Internet.)
The LA Times reports
Larry, you aren't a graduate student. This is far more common than you might think, I have had my stuff stolen and presented at conferences with impunity.
ReplyDeleteThe editor was/is from Amherst?
ReplyDelete2 to 1 odds.
One other thing - this is why I really can't support Maria G for Superintendent -- she doesn't have the degrees, she hasn't taken the classes and done the schoolwork in school management and while might be the nicest and friendlyest person in the world, she is like that editor, claiming ownership of stuff she doesn't have.
ReplyDeleteShe didn't do the schoolwork you are supposed to do in order to have ownership rights of her credentials. I know what she has for an education because I have the exact same degrees from the exact same UMass School of Education and I also certified to teach Social Studies (7-12), English (7-12), Computers (K-12) and Math (7-12 Emergency Waiver).
So I have more education than she does and *I* am not qualified to be Superintendent no more than I am qualified to write a book about cooking (even though I do make a fairly edible BudLite Baked Haddock).
It is the IP issue -- she doesn't "own" the education that a superintendent ought to have, and if the education is irrelevant, then why don't we just hire a MBA to run the district at half the salary -- I know someone graduating with both a MBA & JD, who actually understands Sarbanes/Oxley who is happy to get $45K...
The powers that be, including the self-appointed ones around town, are working overtime to drive people with Ed's views about MG underground.
ReplyDeleteSay anything negative about MG and you will not be welcome at all the best social events. Let the sneering begin.
An open and honest process to find a new super? No chance. This thing is fixed from the get-go. For further proof, check out the chablis and brie crowd's website at www.communitysupportededucation.net, where the beautiful people hang out.
I like to read the community supported education site...and I HATE chablis and brie!!
ReplyDeleteI'm a red wine and cheddar person myself :)
MG has her own privately hired cheer leader squad to pump up her "accomplishments" and maintain status quo. She has done so much damage in Special Ed. and is not at all responsive to parents or their concerns. Amherst can do much better w/real leadership from oue new Superintentent.
ReplyDeleteTo Ed with the degrees from the UMass School of Education and the certification to teach English: "friendlyest" ? Either this was meant to be a deliberately cutesy spelling, or UMass needs to examine a little more closely to whom they bestow their degrees. And, considering the Amherst school superintendents of late, Amherst should thank its lucky stars to have someone as competent as Maria G. She's doing a fine job. We should just leave it alone and be grateful we have her. Paying upwards of $60,000 for a search when the last one was a total disaster? Honestly, where is this money coming from?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteEd is dead on again, spelling errors and all.
ReplyDeleteBingo Ed.
If you say something over and over enough times, people begin to believe it.
ReplyDelete"She's doing a fine job. She's doing a fine job. She's doing a fine job."
Hey, that Maria Geryk, isn't she the one that's doing a fine job?
To Ed with the degrees from the UMass School of Education and the certification to teach English: "friendlyest" ? Either this was meant to be a deliberately cutesy spelling
ReplyDeleteGuilty as charged. One must keep ones sense of humor -- even if you aren't trying to keep the attention of exhausted students....
or UMass needs to examine a little more closely to whom they bestow their degrees.
They no longer release the scores because it might hurt someone's feelings but there are exams that one takes in order to become a teacher, like the math one that 74% of the applicants flunked a while back.
Ed took it back when they told you how well you did, and Ed was in the 97th Percentile and off the graph in terms of how well he did. And, needless to say, Ed isn't teaching in the ARSD...
And, considering the Amherst school superintendents of late, Amherst should thank its lucky stars to have someone as competent as Maria G.
OK, where did she get her knowledge? (I am reminded of a Sam Kennison joke regarding AIDS and toilet seats that I will not tell here -- but how did Maria G come by the education that she has GOT to have to be a long-term superintendent? OK folks, you want to support her -- tell me why *I* should....
She's doing a fine job.
Ummm, exactly what *has* she done? Convince me that she has done a good job -- convince me that she has done ANYTHING....
We should just leave it alone and be grateful we have her.
They said the same thing about Daryl Gates and the LAPD back in the early '90s. And then they had that little riot....
So I ask again, exactly how is this person qualified to be a Supt and exactly what has she done????
Education research is supposed to be based on nothing other than what you see in front of you, so what have we seen Maria G actually accomplish????
With all these complaints about Maria Geryk, something is missing... what is she doing that's wrong, or what is missing in her job performance? Give me a simple performance-based list, please, not a lengthy, undisciplined diatribe. And frankly, the lack of educational degrees won't impress me if her performance is solid, since most of us have experienced the difference between being a student and being a good worker in the REAL WORLD.
ReplyDeleteAs for those who praise Maria Geryk, the same challenge--What is she doing well? Give me a simple performance-based list.
"With all these complaints about Maria Geryk, something is missing... what is she doing that's wrong..."
ReplyDeleteAre you a moron?
"At this time, Ms. Luschen made a motion that the School Committee abandon the search and offer a permanent contract to Interim Superintendent Maria Geryk. Ms. Maroulis seconded. Mr. Rhodes stated that the motion is out of order because Union 26 is not in session and, therefore, cannot vote on hiring a Superintendent. Discussion followed regarding whether the motion is allowable or not. Mr. Fonsh stated that what seems to be really under discussion is how much we want to put the four communities through a search and what is in the best interest of the four towns, the staff and, the children in our district. He noted that if the motion fails he would like to see the matter tabled until at least two public forums can be held. Mr. Hood noted that he does not see proceeding with a search as a vote of no confidence in Ms. Geryk. He said he believes the process needs to be done in the right way. Ms. Luschen stated that she has received numerous comments from community members asking why money is being spent on a search when we have an excellent superintendent in place. She noted that this was the first opportunity she has had to bring this up at a meeting since hearing these comments. Mr. Rhodes called the question and Ms. Sanderson seconded. The motion to call the question failed."
Stop playing fucking games with my kids and my hard earned tax dollars, worm.
MG and company, GTFO.
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, Larry, you post copyrighted artwork and slag it off when caught.
ReplyDeleteActually if memory serves it was a still photo from the original 'Star Trek'.
ReplyDeleteAnd the thousand or so words I posted with it were all original.
Paramount later called and said thanks for the PR.
MG's specialty is empathy. She empathizes about as well as anyone in town. That's what people are looking for.
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:32,
ReplyDeleteSomeone asks a question, and you whip out the insults. No, I'm not a moron, and I have a few degrees and a lot of practical experience that proves it. I'm not crass or insulting either. Just keep dodging the question and hurling the epithets like an asshole.
"No, I'm not a moron..."
ReplyDeletePerhaps. And if you're schools' admin (especially "old guard"), I should think not... The way you and town managers have scammed this town's tax payers the last 25 years is absolutely awe inspirational. I mean that sincerely.
You have my ~utmost~ respect.
And their cash.
The powers that be, including the self-appointed ones around town, are working overtime to drive people with Ed's views about MG underground.
ReplyDeleteNo, they are doing their best to destroy (if not kill) people like Ed. Forget the fancy parties with the even fancier wines -- they are taking tactics right out of Rules for Radicals including Rule #13 -- personalize the target and destroy persons as a means to your objective.
What people fail to understand is how truly Machavellian Ed is -- and that Ed truly understands what Machavelli warned about warfare. If the UM School of Education really wishes to have a war, like the Japanese in WWII they will find that all they have done is "woken a sleeping giant" --
Hawaii is 2387 miles from San Fransisco, it took five days to get there (by ship) in the 1940's, and it wasn't yet a state. The Japanese thought they could take it, that the US would never fight for it, and they were wrong. And what people in this town on this campus fail to realize is that another sleeping giant will rise up to defend Ed if he ever really needs it.
It is like smoking while filling gasoline tanks (and I mean the big 3000-6000 gallon gas station ones, which are filled with a tank truck) -- every time you fill them, 3000-6000 gallons of gasoline vapor is forced out of the tank as the liquid goes in, and you can usually smoke around the tank with no problem. But you do it enough, and do it close enough to the tank's vent discharge area, eventually you will have a big-time explosion that will level the building and a good chunk of the neighborhood.
There is little difference between the UM School of Education, UMass Student Affairs, the Hilltown School Committees, and the Maria G Fan Club -- there is an overlapping membership of these four groups. And there is a shared fascist intolerance of any diverse viewpoint, an illiberal desire to destroy all dissidents.
So be it. If you want a war, you will have one...
"There is little difference between the UM School of Education, UMass Student Affairs, the Hilltown School Committees, and the Maria G Fan Club -- there is an overlapping membership of these four groups. And there is a shared fascist intolerance of any diverse viewpoint, an illiberal desire to destroy all dissidents."
ReplyDeleteSaid it before, will say it again.
As an employee, going against the schools' "world order"? Find your co-worker friends being ordered to "avoid" you as h.r. processes your "voluntary resignation for personal reasons"...
What? You thought the things you've done could be hidden forever?
Think really hard, take off the mask and guess again.
As an employee, going against the schools' "world order"? Find your co-worker friends being ordered to "avoid" you as h.r. processes your "voluntary resignation for personal reasons"...
ReplyDeleteThat all happened back in '04. And it can't be done twice. And all I want to say about what I did in the '80s is that I have strengths that others may not -- a lot of people have been big fish in a very small pond while I have been out in the ocean...
Ed, when Alberto Rodriguez described Amherst's school system in these terms:
ReplyDelete"A pervasive sense of complacency fueled by a culture of nepotism and cronyism."
http://media.gazettenet.com/pdf/rodriguez_letter.pdf
What do you think he was talking about?
Most importantly, why are people afraid to talk about the problem openly?