Calvin Terrell (left), Middle School Principal Mendonsa (rt) explaining themselves to large crowd of peeved parents
In addition to screwing up the story of good old Lord Jeffery Amherst and his famously infected blankets, Mr. Terrell also had a fanciful spin on why police did not expeditiously move in at the 1999 Columbine massacre.
Naturally it was a race thing.
Although he is correct that the horrific high school mass murder was a watershed event, forever changing the way police react to such situations.
Just as 9/11 was a sea change for airline personnel who were originally trained to be compliant and go along with hijackers -- give them whatever they want.
After all, whoever heard of using commercial passenger airliners as guided missiles.
Click to enlarge/read
The letter from Ms. Geryk mentions that Mr. Terrell's 7th grade presentation will be taped so that it can be viewed by concerned parents. Is Mr. Terrell slated to do another presentation to the ARMS 7th graders, or will the taping be from a presentation at another school? Weren't 7th graders part of the audience in his presentation here last week?
ReplyDeleteOriginally too, wasn't Mr. Terrell also going to be speaking to elem. school students? Is that still part of the plan?
On Thursday he presented to the 7th and 8th graders. On Friday morning at the very well attended "coffee with the Principal" he said he had to leave at 9:00 AM to do something at the High School.
ReplyDeleteI know he's not speaking at Crocker Farm, and I doubt they will allow him at any of the other elementary schools.
Holy Shit!!!!! This guy is delusional. Does he know anything about Columbine and the fact that police stayed back due to bombs planted in the school and going in could have killed many more students, faculty and police? This guy is a race monger. He should be tarred and feathered, that Jiffy Pop hat torn form his head, and rode out of town on a rail (by both black and white parents).
ReplyDeleteHey Terrel... No one ever told police to stay out of the school because rich white kids where in there and they'd get sued. Whatever shit you are smoking (and clearly you smoke a lot), you ought to go get your body detoxed and find a job and stop talking in circles and ripping people off.
At least anyone that does a search on the web can read all the shit you caused and how dangerous you are around children.
I think that any White student who is uncomfortable going to school at this point should demand outplacement in a sane district. I don't know how Team Maria can actually deny that...
ReplyDeleteThere's going to be kids with PTSD out of this little mess -- real PTSD. Good job, folks...
Oh, and what about the unbalanced kid who decides to kill his parents after this -- think the ARSD might be liable (YES)...
Does this letter give parents of traumatized children grounds to request money for counseling for kids. If the school does not help, could the parents take legal action. Maybe the kids could seek legal action for said trauma.
ReplyDeleteBetter yet. If we traumatized our kids like this would DSS get involved. If so doesn't that mean all school employees involved need to be shadowed by DSS to protect our kids from the school employees bad judgement.
What a joke Amherst has become. How to destroy the reputation of another wise good school in only 5 years. Thanks Maria, Good job.
I would like to see his sourcing for this claim that the police stayed out of Columbine because of concerns about civil liability.
ReplyDeleteBut, beyond that, the guy seems to have some trouble staying on the point, the reason he's here. He's not here to opine on "John Amherst" and the Columbine shooting.
What I'm looking for now is some evidence that this is not another debacle in this prolonged period of hysteria now encompassing two academic years.
Maybe Maria should go on long term unpaid sabbatical and get her degree. It might save some students.
ReplyDeleteIt should be noted that we wouldn't be putting the brakes on this guy if it weren't for the women of this community, who can be seen at this meeting and quoted in the Gazette, stepping up and getting in this guy's grill.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion that needed to go on in our schools could have been led by people from the community, who knew the town, knew its people, and understood where we've been. Preferably someone who knew the name of our very own genocidal maniac.
And there should have been a serious effort to just get people to calm down. Obviously Mr. Terrell is not doing that.
I'm sure that the school administration is looking, as we speak, for some articulate student that it can trot out to tell us it was all worthwhile.
This charlatan is here to hold a mirror up to Amherst and show us our folly. Groove on it, townies!
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for Rick Hood and others who have inspired this exercise in collective hand-wringing to simply say:
ReplyDelete"Let's move on from this and be good to one another."
There must be some parents who were thinking of moving here, who have looked in and decided this is a bad patch in our history.
What's wrong with adults from this community simply speaking to our kids from their hearts? Why isn't that good enough?
"Maybe Maria should go on long term unpaid sabbatical and get her degree"
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to her promise to get her Ed.D;? I have mine....
I think that, given what the loyal readers of this blog's comments section have been subjected to over the years, we can give Maria Geryk a pass on any promise she may have made to get an Ed.D.
ReplyDeleteis his 7th grade performance the same as that given to the 8th graders?
ReplyDeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteAnd the scary thing is he prefaced his remarks to them by saying this is the presentation he gives to "5th graders."
Many kids and families have lost what little respect they had for the schools. "We should have vetted the presentation better". What an understatement. What did they think was going to happen when bringing a controversial person into Amherst.
ReplyDeleteIt is of little wonder that I hear the housing market slowed down in Amherst this summer.
The school has no idea what to do with its race problem. This shows just how out of her depth Maria is.
People like Rick Hood should be ashamed for perpetuating this B*&$%*it. Glad the schools were good for your kids Rick. Now please resign and let a parent who is suffering through your crap decisions step in please. That pretty much goes for the rest of the Committee that gave Maria high marks.
You are all a joke and I have to clean up after the mess you have made of my kids, you incompetent narcissistic do gooders.
Thanks
how many folks believe that tonight's previously scheduled presentation by Mr Terrell has been cancelled due to parents raising scheduling conflicts? I'm sure Mr. Terrell and the admin are not eager to provide the opportunity for parents to "participate" in one of his presentations... His conclusion a priori that because Native Americans are now a small minority, when they were the entire population of the land before Europeans is due to genocide is ludicrous. Sure, there were isolated instances of genocide but really? In any region where populations shift is it because of genocide? Absolutely NOT. This guy seems to have used classic strategies used by cult leaders to manipulate their targets.
ReplyDeleteI truly sympathize with the desperate need to do something about the terrible climate in the MS but this was an epic error on so many levels.
Would someone be willing to describe what the Middle School climate is like?
ReplyDeleteLook on the bright side: there's no chance of an override any time soon.
ReplyDeleteHe could have presented it live, and they could have taped it for the parents who could have come. But, no.....
ReplyDeleteThis only solidifies my decision that I was correct in pulling my kids out of the Amherst school system. there are many people in this town that are so hypocritical it sickens me. They make every attempt to brain wash everyone to think just as they do or protest anything that deviates from their thought process. And anyone that thinks that Amherst promotes free thinking needs a reality check.
ReplyDeleteWhat we are learning is how difficult it is to navigate one's way through the cross-cutting sensitivities of parents and children in our community. Someone's going to get offended not matter what you do.
ReplyDeleteOur leaders want to take on difficult subjects, like racism and bullying, but chose to outsource it to someone who didn't really know the community.
There's a reason why we have a school superintendent and a town manager, both of whom "apprenticed" here, and attained their positions after outsiders crashed and burned before them.
Has he any evidence of this claim re: Columbine? I'm looking for correlation. Yes, racism is alive and well acrodd the US, but NO, everything is not about race.
ReplyDeleteThe news footage of that awful day probably does show SWAT teams all around Columbine High School.
ReplyDeleteBut according to CNN timeline the first SWAT team to arrive (Denver Metro)pulled up at 11:49 AM, and the incident commander at the time, Jefferson County undersheriff John Dunway authorized immediate entry into the school at 11:52 AM.
So no, not all that much hesitation.
".Ed said...
ReplyDelete"Maybe Maria should go on long term unpaid sabbatical and get her degree"
Whatever happened to her promise to get her Ed.D;? I have mine...."
Soory, but this isn't about you, Ed, or your lack of employment or a life.
Anon 9:10,
ReplyDeleteI don't think outsiders always crash and burn here. They are set up to fail and driven out by those who know any outsider who sees what goes on here, will start letting people go.
It is all about self preservation in the ARPS.
Here is an interesting thought. When we have two members of the SC who push issues of racism to the point where everyone on the SC is very uncomfortable. The school administration reacts by hiring or promoting 3 people to deal with race problems. To add to that they get Amherst college to pay for Terrell and his brand of traumatizing racial correction to solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteWhen Sanderson and Rivkin said the schools don't challenge all kids everyday they were driven out of town.
So it is ok to say we have racial problems in Amherst but don't you dare say the standards are not up to par. Ironically if you brought the standards up it would help take care of the achievement gap not only in the schools, but also in the real world over time.
This place is so *&^% up.
As a parent, it makes me sick to my stomach, that the school, specifically Ms Geryk, is going ahead with the lecture series, regardless of the concerns of students and parents!
ReplyDeleteI'm literally feeling sick to my stomach. I'm contacting my attorney today to proceed with a lawsuit.
My wife and I bought a house in Amherst, paying ridiculously high property taxes SPECIFICALLY because of the reputation of the schools. Now that our daughter is 5 and will be entering the school system next year, we are SERIOUSLY considering a move to nearby South Hadley where the taxes are lower and the school system is less controversial (yes I know about the suicide there a few years ago).
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have contacted our attorney. We are working with 3 other parents on a lawsuit against the Amherst school system. Enough is enough.
ReplyDeleteA lawsuit for what? Exactly what damages have you had?
ReplyDeleteSomehow the perceived logical action is to file a lawsuit because some dont agree with the materials presented? I am baffled at everything about this situation. The threat of a lawsuit is not about getting results, its about trying to capitalize on an opportunity that you see fit to thrust yourself into. Go demand a meeting, go sit with the powers that be and ask the questions, but for the sake of anything good happening here, why file suit?
ReplyDeleteYou will want to do a careful check of town politics regarding the schools in South Hadley before you make that leap.
ReplyDeleteThere's no lawsuit here, but, as Larry would say, knock yourself out.
Not all stupidity creates a cause of action.
Yeah, since school officials admit to being as surprised as parents probably not a winning lawsuit for what took place last Thursday.
ReplyDeleteIf, however, school officials let it happen again ...
This guy is trying to rewrite history from his prospective. Why is the school letting him continue? I find this all quite bizarre, he's supposed to be bringing people together in a positive way and he clearly isn't. Amherst voters need to take a stand and get rid of the school committee members for allowing this.
ReplyDeleteAnon 11:33,
ReplyDeleteWhile I support your belief that the lawsuit may not solve much I completely disagree with sitting down with this administration. I tried to years to get them to listen. I went to and was invited to lots of meetings. The administration and the SC listen and then do the opposite again and again.
They are kind and say nice things and then politely give you the *&^% you by wasting your time and doing nothing.
Maybe if the lawsuit at least makes them nervous or pushes a few out it might be worth it.
Anon 10:02,
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to move, take a broader look around. South Hadley's taxes are still pretty high. Some of the element that makes Amherst problematic exist in South Hadley too.
If you are going to put your kids in public school I think Northampton is your best bet. If you are going for one of the private or charter schools, McDuffey, Williston, Deerfield, Northfield Mount Hermon, Common School, Smith College Campus School (K-6), Hilltown Charter, PVPA, or Chinese Charter, then Sunderland, Easthampton, Deerfield, Granby, or Hadley might be better options.
Whatever you decide South Hadley just seems like the other side of a two headed coin for those of us who have been paying attention for a while.
Good luck
Have fun spending your money.
ReplyDeleteAnon 1002
ReplyDeleteI don't think you want to go to South Hadley. I know many parents who live there who are unhappy with the schools and are pulling their kids out and choicing them elsewhere. The new superintendent there has been universally panned.
In response to the query regarding what ARMS is like, here's one take from a current 8th grader. My daughter loves school. She has excellent teachers who are smart, enthusiastic, and challenging. She is reading "To Kill a Mockingbird," studying Algebra, doing science experiments that I don't understand but she does and generally having a terrific academic experience. She has friends of a variety of races, classes, and religions. Every single one of them thought the Calvin Terrell workshop was fantastic -- very difficult but ultimately rewarding because of what they learned about themselves and about their classmates.
ReplyDeleteI completely concur with Anon 2:54. My daughter has the exact same (great) experience with school, with the teachers, the friends, and the presentation. All of the kids I have heard from LOVED the presentation. What Anon 2:54 did not mention is that there is a lot of mean girl/mean boy stuff going on (bullying or exclusion), and a lot of troubling behaviors (cutting and eating disorders starting in 7th grade). None of this seems to bother my daughter, she kind of ignores it, because it does not affect her directly. There are various groups in the middle school, and you can easily be a kid who is unaware/unaffected by these goings-ons, or you can be the type of kid that thrives on this drama (talking/gossiping about your friends who do this) or you can be the one doing these things. So how your kid navigates the middle school will totally depend on what type of kid your child is.
ReplyDeleteSigh. Give (pay for) a man a soap box and he shall sing his wares, this time to a captive audience. Facts mean little.
ReplyDeletePolice training has changed because of the CO situation. They now seek the "active shooter" as opposed to waiting for SWAT or waiting for a team of 3/4 to show. First to arrive = first in actively seeking the threat.
To publicly state his opinion on this matter and to purport such as fact is just plain irresponsible.
spot on anon@3:26 PM!! I think time will tell whether the presentation by Mr. Terrell has had any effect on kids' behavior. From what I've heard so far, it has had little effect...but maybe concerted follow-up by faculty and staff will make the difference (good luck to them as they are our best hope IMO). I think (most of) the problem is kids don't recognize their own behavior as "bad" or "mean" when it is.
ReplyDeleteRe: Current climate at the schools
ReplyDeleteI have a 9th grader who just went through the MS and had a fantastic experience. Was happy, learned to be an excellent student, suffered no drama. The teachers and staff were excellent, really connected and concerned. We were very impressed. Likewise, High School is going very well.
There are kids there who don't want to be. I'm guessing they have no support at home. They screw around, get in trouble and sometimes make it hard for everyone else.
Just like everywhere.
The hysteria on this blog is unreasonable (and I am a parent who will be picking up my kids if there is another Calvin Terrell presentation.)
Yes, there are some incidents, but the 95% experience is that these are great schools with a few loud malcontents among the parents who know not of what they speak.
Sorry 5:39, but you cant blame it on home. My kids were excellent students, involved in sports and school activities. They were miserable due to the drama around them that wasnt dealt with, and the class time wasted by other kids. They witnessed bullying, drug deals and graphic conversations about sex. Nobody cared.
ReplyDeletehey that's great, those girls who think everything is great in the MS, and had a great experience with Mr Terrell have now been transformed into warriors. Hopefully, they have also learned to recognize the bully/meanness exhibited by so many of their classmates (that somehow they've been blind to previously) and will feel compelled and empowered as a warrior to step in and intervene. After all, isn't that the main message of Mr. Terrell.
ReplyDeleteTo the woman claiming that 95% of kids are thrilled by their MS experience-- do you think the admin has gone to these great lengths (hiring a climate coordinator, Mr Terrell, and the other planned activities) because everything is great. What rock does you kid live under? Is there room for more?
Anon 8:26
ReplyDeleteIt is clear Anon 5:39 is living in a great little dream world. My kids got good grades in school all A's, maybe 3 B's and never got in trouble.
After my kids time at ARMS my kids demeanor changed significantly, for the worse. The system ignored my kid because the grades where good so no problems right?
Pay attention to the grades parents. The grade inflation is totally out of control. Kids with A's are not ready to do real work.
The nice teachers had no idea what was going on with my kid even though my wife and I told them. They did nothing for my kid.
The MS has huge problems. Grade inflation hides lots of them from parents who don't look to deeply at what is going on. I don't blame the parents. Lots of people have to work two jobs. When the school reports are all rosy why should a parent be concerned.
This is why the HS has to fix the damage caused by the ineffective ES & MS.
Get your kids a tutor or get out.
There is grade inflation at the middle school. My child was a straight A student there which translated to a straight B student at the high school. My child had a great experience at the middle school a few years back and had solid teachers who assigned lots of homework. He had a great group of kids as peers for the most part. I guess it year to year the cohort changes sometimes for the worst. I agree that most of the people on this blog are right wingers who like to bitch about everything. Are things perfect (no) but they aren't as bad as people make it out to be. If I ever thought my kids were in danger at the schools, I would pull them out in a heartbeat. I don't feel that way at this point.
ReplyDelete"At this point ...
ReplyDeleteBy all means, let us "right wingers" know when it does get to that point.
October 10, 2014 at 8:07 AM
ReplyDelete"I don't feel that way at this point."
You said you have a kids in MS a few years back. How do you come to your conclusion of MS now? Do you have another kids in MS now? Just Curious...
No I don't have a child there at the moment. I'm going on what I hear. I'm hoping the climate gets better when my younger child goes through the MS in a few years. I'm not saying things are perfect there but just that most people here focus on the negative and rarely the positive.
DeleteOut of a sudden, we see some "school sanctioned" writings. LOL.
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:02
ReplyDeleteThere are many South Hadley kids choicing into the Hadley schools right now. Great schools and much, much lower tax rate.
What are school sanctioned writings?
ReplyDelete1: it has nothing to do with me and EVERYTHING to do with the fact she promised to get a doctorate -- and hasn't.
ReplyDelete2: There is grounds for a lawsuit. Can you say "Negligence?" You simply don't put a speaker in front of children without having a damn good idea of what he/she/it is going to say. It's the same thing as previewing movies before showing them to your class, no sane teacher would EVER show a movie that he/she/it hasn't already seen.
Even if the parents were to just sue Colin -- and "Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress" comes to mind -- as a paid employee of the ARSD, and he was paid, I believe the district becomes liable as well. That "master responsible for his servant" thing.
3: Am I the only one who notices how similar the two posts above discussing daughters are? Like as in possibly written by the same person, who (a) may not even HAVE a daughter, but (b) may be a school employee???
This is not going to end well...
Whos Colin?
ReplyDeleteEd,
ReplyDeleteIt always ends well for the administration. They are like Teflon. If anything they will make an out of court settlement at the taxpayers expense. Larry will request a public document showing the payout but the school will refuse to give any specifics citing privacy rights of kids or employees. Larry will push again and get a response from MS. Tate again at the taxpayers expense.
The SC will all come together and sit in a circle singing Kumbaya. Then release another glowing review of the work Maria has been doing on behalf of the students.
Its a pattern, a reprehensible pattern to be sure. My hats is off to the person or persons who can break it. Oh, and for the record DESE could care less what goes on in Amherst. I have spoken with them on several occasions.
"My hats is off to the person or persons who can break it."
ReplyDeleteHave you not noticed?
Keep your hat on.
I want the plaque.
-Squeaky Squeaks
p.s. Don't you forget me.
Maria Geryk is actually doing wonderful work.
ReplyDeleteAnd ~don't~ you forget Dr. Sanderson and Larry Kelley.
ReplyDeleteI may not be,
but Kelley and Sanderson
~are~ heroes.
-Squeaky Squeaks
p.s. And you ~friggan~ know it!
Gag me with a spoon squeaky.
ReplyDelete"Maria Geryk is actually doing wonderful work."
ReplyDelete___________
No, Maria is out of her league. The teachers and school administrators are doing great work in what is a shitty system. Maria's day are numbered.
Get that resume polished Maria and hope no one does an internet search on you.