Carol Ross, John Musante, Maria Geryk
The only thing surprising about Carol Ross's sermon addressing the ongoing controversy in the Amherst Regional Public Schools is how long it took for her to write it. And, for someone who is a paid public relations flack, how hard it is to find on the evil Internet.
One of the reasons I requested via Public Documents Law and published the Executive Session minutes of the Select Board discussions (way before the Daily Hampshire Gazette) about hiring a new Town Manager is because the last minute withdrawal of chosen candidate Maria Capriola was somewhat blamed on me.
You know, the toxic blog that gives the town a bad name and scares away potential top level employees.
But clearly she withdrew over concerns about the Charter Commission proposing -- and the voters supporting -- a new form of government that does away with the Town Manager as highly paid Chief Executive. And the Select Board refused to give her a platinum parachute.
Six years ago when Amherst School Committee member Catherine Sanderson was documenting the controversies de jour in our public schools five School Committee Chairs signed a letter requesting the District Attorney investigate her and her evil blog.
That was right about the time the state was revamping the Open Meeting Law process which took oversight away from the District Attorney's office so nothing ever came of it. Besides, when a state law even remotely competes with the First Amendment the sacred federal law triumphs.
The position of Media & Climate Communications Specialist aka "Amherst Together" was created two years ago in direct response to high profile racially charged incidents like the Carolyn Gardner and Dylan Akalis affairs.
Obviously she has not made much of a difference preventing these types of incidents. Although she seems good at diverting attention away from the administration, who certainly could have handled this most recent Aisha Hiza affair in a less draconian way.
Or as Oliver Hardy would say, "Another fine mess you've gotten us into."
Maybe the schools (and town) should have invested that $48,000 annual salary into an anti-bullying program.
90 comments:
Great kumbya message for 48 grand. I would have written it for half the price. Talk about saying nothing! 48,000 doesn't buy much now days. Neither side could be happy with these platitudes!
Yes, she is incompetent at an unnecessary made-up job that was created out of a politically correct decision about a "possible" problem instead of a smart decision based on a real problem. And the job had only one qualification and that was not excellence in communication. This is what you get when you make politically correct decisions and hires. She is clearly in over her head but no one in a position of responsibility in the town government will ever say that on the record. The Emperor of Media and Climate Communication has no clothes... and no skills. What she has is our $48,000.
Aw.
-Squeaky Squeaks
p.s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6ZB7CsSw6Q
The superintendent and her disinformation officer are the bullies here! When school employee Steve Akalis complained about his son being threatened bodily harm by another student who is the son of a favored school employee, the super and her henchwomen protected the son of a favored school employee and retaliated against school employee Steve Akalis by firing him and not allowing his son (the student who suffered the threats) to attend graduation. When teacher Gardner complained about the threats made against her, the super and her henchwomen retaliated against Ms. Garnder, costing us the taxpayer $180,000 for the super's retaliatory and discriminatory conduct against Ms. Gardner. When former school committee member Shabazz responsibly spoke up for the white student who was beat up by black students at the Middle School, the super and her henchwomen disseminated false information (that Shabazz had violated the beat up white student's privacy rights) and retaliated against Shabazz (running him out of office). When a young single mother filed a complaint with the super against the Pelham principal, and against the super with the Pelham/Amherst School Committee, that the school refused to do anything to prevent the bullying of the young mother's kindergartener (now a first grader) who was being relentlessly bullied (for over a year) because of the color of her skin and texture of her hair, the super retaliated against the young mother and first grader, and issued a retaliatory (and illegal) stay away order against the mother. When the current regional school committee chair simply allowed public comments at a school committee meeting in support of the young mother, the super and her henchwomen viciously retaliated, discriminated and defamed the current school committee chair. THE SUPERS' RETALIATORY, DISCRIMINATORY, DEFAMATORY AND BULLYING CONDUCT ABOVE IS UNJUST AND CORRUPT. THE SUPER'S CONDUCT TEARS AWAY AT THE MORAL FABRIC OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, ENDANGERING OUR CHILDREN! IF WE DON'T FIRE THE SUPER, OUR CHILDREN WILL LIKELY SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
Ms. Ross, when a black woman (or man) works for a MEAN-SPIRITED bully superintendent and joins her in retaliating, discriminating, defaming and bullying against a white male employee and his son (a white male ARHS student), a teacher of color, a single mother of color and three school committee members of color, the black woman is equally guity, as her boss, of conduct that is retaliatory, discriminatory, defamatory and bullying!
And you are?
Actually kind of a different situation since retaliation is a concern.
It would be nice if some of it was remotely accurate.
This is all bull.
Don't blame yourself, Larry, she wouldn't have liked us anyway :-)) As for the other stuff, did anyone ask the kid what he was thinking? Probably, hey, I was sitting there, that was my seat! Happens all the time. If the girl knew karate, it would be a different story.
I would like to hear her explain why the kid couldn't attend graduation.
I'd like to hear a legitimate justification for that.
Absent that, I don't much care what she has to say...
One of the reasons I requested via Public Documents Law and published the Executive Session minutes of the Select Board discussions (way before the Daily Hampshire Gazette) about hiring a new Town Manager is because the last minute withdrawal of chosen candidate Maria Capriola was somewhat blamed on me.
Just curious why do you think this....you are so important?
Because I attract so many eyeballs (Well, maybe not yours in particular).
In Carol Ross' recent statement, she talks about all that Amherst Together and the ARPS schools have accomplished this school, & lists a number of specific events and activities to promote inclusion & equity in our schools & community.
In looking at her long list, I am curious & somewhat skeptical about Amherst Together & the administration's role in many of these of accomplishments. Many of them were student, parent or teacher-led, & the administration's & Amherst Together's contribution was minimal at most.
I'm so ashamed of our superintendent and school committee. What is our community coming to when the powerful people who run the school have to defend their harassment of a powerless mother trying to prevent the bulling of her 1st grade daughter? Thank you Maria Geryk for sending chills up my spine. You have convinced me that my children are no longer safe in the Amherst school system.
And sagacious Anon 12:20 PM, some of those activities were not free.
For instance two weeks ago the School District spent $15,789 sending minority students to the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color Conference in New York City,
I have no problem at all with the taxpayers getting their moneys worth with those nine students who attended but I do wonder about the 11 adults who went with them.
And you wonder why the Amherst Regional Public Schools are accused of being top heavy with admin costs.
I notice the article does not provide examples of what the writer thinks constitutes hateful discourse. The call for safe spaces is a laugh though.
As a conservative in Amherst, I would like to establish a safe space where I may be free from the bigotry of the left.
You have totally drunk the Kool aid.
They're TOO safe in the schools here. Not exposed to real teaching but rather to constant Marxist indictrination. (Did they even mention D-Day this past June 6? Or the Battle of Omaha Beach?
You miss the point. These things would not have happened if Maria Geryk was not the Superintendent.
Leaders in the community get compensated with a high pricectag because they are responsible. It is in the job description. Honestly, Maria never had Pelhams(town) best interest in mind. She never thought it prudent to check with any of our community leaders. I have no faith in our superintendent and her staff. She couldnt even admit that bullying is an ossue in our schools without deferring to it being a National Problem. Havent we always claimed we are better, build stronger students, individuals that make a difference. Aren't we supposed to go forth and change the world? OR IS THIS ONLY OK if we arent questioning Amherst? I was disgusted by Maria's behavior at the last Reg school committee meeting, I was even more disgusted by her obvious frustrations regarding Trevor Baptiste during HS graduation. This pattern has to end. We are no longer moving forward. We are stagnant because we have a leader who has forgotten .. How to lead. We have half of a SC that is confused by their roles. People are tired with of the manipulation that is not what we are supposed to represent. Again I say the followers do as the leaders model through their actions.
Larry Kelley posted earlier:
"For instance two weeks ago the School District spent $15,789 sending minority students to the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color Conference in New York City,
I have no problem at all with the taxpayers getting their moneys worth with those nine students who attended but I do wonder about the 11 adults who went with them."
Okay, 11 adults had to go on a trip to NYC to supervise 9 kids... does anyone think that job could not have been done with 4 adults? Sounds to me like some adults wanted and got a free trip to New York City. Did we also buy those adults tickets to "Hamilton"? Does anyone who works for this lousy town ever stop to think that they are spending the money of hard-working people here for their own amusement? I'm happy to see the money used for the 9 students but I think that the extra 7 of the adults that went along was a clear ripoff and they should reimburse the money that was spent on them. I think someone who oversees the town finances should demand repayment from these excess adult leeches. How is this not stealing money or fraud?
How about a Coalition of Schools Educating Students Without Regard to Color? Oh. No. Can't go there!
It's what all public employees do, spend the money of tax payers. This is done
from the top right down to the Amherst SC. Welcome to the real world folks!
Where only the "H" and the communications specialist are quiet
Larry et all,
The admin/teaching staff and students went on the trip to NY as a cohort to bring back the learning and understandings; while responsible for the students and their well being, the admin/teaching staff also went for professional development themselves. Damned if you do, damned if you don't on this blog.
It is tragic that you hold up the torch for racism and justice for that parent, Larry, because you do not inherently understand the basic foundation of racism and what white privilege really means. You are the worst kind of hypocrite as are the posters on this blog. There seem to be a lot of closet racists using this blog!
We chose the Amherst School District because of its diversity and responsiveness to issues. What we never knew was how horrible some members of the community are and these are the ones our family needs to be afraid of!
Larry - You really are a down right mean spirited, unkind person!
Anon 4:31,
I too, was at graduation,what was did she do?
Were you frustrated with the kids that draped themselves in the flags of another Country?
"For instance two weeks ago the School District spent $15,789 sending minority students to the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color Conference in New York City"
That's $1,754.33 per lucky student, and I have two problems with that.
First, the reason why we now charge fees for sports & extra curricular activities is because of equity -- it isn't considered "fair" to take funds from the many to benefit the few.
Here there are a lucky few kids getting $1,754.33 spent on them, instead of the $15,788 spent to benefit all of the children. That's enough money to get a really good all-day field trip for all the children. It's close to the annual pay for an aide or EdTech -- or a part-time Music or Arts teacher...
Second, the the football team going to the championship has earned it -- what did these kids do to earn this? If this is just a handout for being Black & male, that's not only racism but a Title IX violation....
So there it is. THE SELECTBOARD SAYS Their role.. To set policy, evaluate the town manager. The school committee same role over Superintendent difference the fluffy SC thinks they are supposed to support the SI creator a dictator with no entity that can hold her accountable for her actions. Pelham SC can hold her accountable but it is equilivant to them shaking their heads. The Reg school comm could hold her accountable but they are too clichy to do so. This is a Reg issue she has embarrassed our district. I hope everyone of you that doesnt see how this all doing power is against the democracy we live by get voted out next term. None of you have the best interest of our schools, or civil rights or children in the forefront of your consciousness. Disgusting.
I cant wait for the executive session minutes to be approved so we can see where Marias true motivations lie. Im Ms Hiza you are but a pawn.. In a completly selfish woman's need for power. It will be proven
Just hired two more central office admin. Co teaching coach or something. Where'd the money for that come from? Weren't we just discussing cutting library paras? Ask some co-teachers about the PD that lady has run. Waste of time.
How about the 1/2 time science coordinator we just hired? Weren't we just discussing cutting library paras who actually work with students? Someone needs point out the top heavy shape of our district. Pay the teachers more, don't hire more people who don't have anything to do with kids and create more work for the people who do.
Its pretty bad.. The whole picture too bad non of it is Marias fault according to her and her entourage.
Lol
People feel no need to make basic sentences that others can understand.What is "to bring back the learning and understandings"? Anon 7:46 are you an ARHS graduate? One thing made clear is that if you disagree you are racist!
I watched her attentively pay attention to every speaker. Then when Trevor Spoke her body language changed it is was,very obvious she didn't want to hear or give credibility to anything he had to offer
We all should have long ago come to grips with this truism: It's not what you say, but how you say it.
White priviledge? I'm wondering why I need to work 3 jobs to make ends meet. This is white priviledge? Thanks a lot. And my great granddad fought to free the slaves.
Equity? Did someone say Equity? Better hold on to your wallet ! Again.
Wow, Larry. Over this past year, your blog has become a cesspool of really bitter people. It was always a shade on the negative, but lately, I can't even read the comments. I know it's not your doing, and I know there's no solution, but your ever-widening audience now encompasses quite a few mean-spirited right wingers that, I'm sorry to say, will be the downfall of this blog. Hopefully not! Love this place!
Maybe anon 9:19 should have helped himself and gotten an education. Must be hard to schedule the proverbial 3 jobs! I don't believe what any anon says including myself.What percentage of white northern soldiers do you figure went off to fight to free slaves?
You have to say IT in such a way that people can understand what you are saying.
Anon 856 I am an ARHS graduate and super frustrated. I have watched this situation unfold, watched this Mom run back and forth trying to find an entity who could help all the while being told over and over by different officials either it's someone else's responsibility, or another committees job, it is Pelhams problem, it isn't a district issue, it isn't a regional issue, it isnt DESE's issue.. After all the asking it comes down to how can 1-person have so much leighway and have no one that can hold the SI accountable for her actions. I feel like Im living in a totalitarian state. Even our President has checks and balances in place. So if the school committee is the check and balance then why aren't they doing their jobs. Im done.watching people as outlined in Larrys call out get continually called to task while the SI gets a redo and it just continues .. every year.. This isn't about the ban for me anymore. It is that we as a community can continually push off the task of doing the morally right thing, saying the right thing, supporting this family. Something is flawed in this system we have set up.
Flags or any other way anyone decided to celebrate their heritage on their graduation day doesn't bother me one bit. Why would it ?-
Which would benefit young Black males more -- Carol Gray or a really good Remedial English Tutor able to teach them the basic English grammar that they need to know if they ever are going to make anything of themselves...
I'm not saying it's fair, only that it's real -- the reason why the civil rights folk of the 1960's were listened to was because they were articulate. "Yo, mofo" might be appropriate with your friends, but it isn't going to with with "the suits." (Nor do many parents look fondly toward their daughters being referred to as "ho"s (whores), even when it is done in an affectionate manner.)
If our interest is helping Black males, wouldn't providing them basic skills be best?
We do need more teachers and direct staff to help the students. I don't know how teachers do it the days. WHEN way back when. There was a larger enrollment, fewer administrators of course Mr Burruto held down the entire building. Two other admin staff dean of students and vice principal. One Superintendent.. That was it.. The classes were small and the teachers were many.
Rebecca
What percentage of white northern soldiers do you figure went off to fight to free slaves?
One DIED for every ten that were freed. That is a fact, you can "look it up."
Anon 10:22.... I don't know the morally right thing until I know the facts. Also when you use words like totalitarian in such a silly context I tune out. Please be rational and maybe I can understand your point of view.
Ed the question was why did white northern soldiers fight? To free slaves? I don't think so!
What does Carol Gray have to do with any of this?
Ed, please don't lecture people on the Civil War or the Civil Rights Movement, as you just expose your egregious racism.
My bad, Carol Ross, and it should be "go well with" a few lines lower -- that's what happens when someone insists on asking me something while I am trying to type something.
Now as it being "racist" to cite mortality statistics or admire the rhetorical genius of Dr. MLK2, well that's what makes the whole concept meaningless.
Mean spirited left-wingers too.
My great grandad survived the Civil War. Hope i survive CWIi.
How about covering the Amherst vigil for the Orlando victims?
Mean-spirited is mean-spirited, it isn't a characteristic of political leanings. I for one am happy that Larry's blog is open to all, and that it isn't an echo chamber of my own belief system. There have been posts on here i don't agree with, but they help me to recognize what i do believe and perhaps, on rare occasion, get me to rethink my perspective. so again, thank you Larry
You're welcome Katrina.
Anon 9:47
Unlike any other local media I was tied up covering a five hour Select Board meeting.
"As he died to make men holy, let us die to make them free."
Battle Hymn of the Republic - Civil War marching song.
Kinda says what they were fighting for.
I also fear Civil War II is coming, if not WW-III.
German bonds with NEGATIVE interest rate, we live in troubled times.
And as to Maria 'n' Minions crying "wolf" -- sooner or later their bullying will push the wrong someone over the edge, and you needn't worry about guns as homicide bombers have shown us.
Did anyone drape themselves in the flag of the country they happen to live in?
Lol. Did you think that somehow only leftists were allowed to post here?
The three jobs are all part time. And it is difficult to schdule. Even with my non-existent white priviledge. I only ask that I'm treated the same way illegals and welfare recipients are treated. I work my ass off and no one reloads MY EBT card. But my money is taken from me and given to freeloaders. Some white privalidge.
Hear! Hear! Diversity of thought rather than merely of skin color.
What I don't understand is how one person can make a decision that affects two communities a family, a single mom, a 7 year old child so profoundly and affect their lives for 3 months. And how there is no entity that in reality oversees or can change those decisions so by totalitarian state I mean one person that makes a decision that affects so many people and nothing can be done.
And the half of the school committee
Ed I would never wish any such thing on anyone in our community. Im speechless.. but I often am by your straightforwardness and possibilities as you see them and share them.
Rebecca
Rebecca, I am NOT WISHING IT, merely stating that (a) such things can happen, and that (b) when you run around in "Chicken Little" Mode, in addition to the reprehensible civil/human rights violations, (c) no one's going to take you seriously when there truly is a REAL threat.
It's the same thing as what I tell undergrads about driving drunk -- yes, you got away with it last time, and you well may get away with it the next time -- but sooner-or-later you won't. Team Maria's been bullying people longer than I can remember and they've always gotten away with it, they likely will this time too.
But sooner or later, the 1:1,000,000 will happen and someone will totally snap. It's happened before elsewhere and if Team Maria keeps treating people the way they do, the odds keep increasing.
Im not a fan of team Maria. You know that I'm not. I do agree at least hope their actions will catch up with them legally, morally... I personally could never verbalize or pen such a possibility That's all. Stating things open up ideas to crazy people in my opinion.
Anon 2:51,
The answer to your question is no.
I am betting that Dr ed is the one who "snaps"!
One day we will all be watching CNN and the little scrawl at the bottom will say "the shooter has been identified as Dr ed cutting"....
"One day we will all be watching CNN and the little scrawl at the bottom will say "the shooter has been identified as Dr ed cutting"...."
I got this Ed.
Listen 7:44, just double up on the Zyprexa, will you please?
That little scroll
will disappear in a heartbeat.
Your sanity loving buddy,
-Squeaky Squeaks
p.s. While you're at it, buy yourself a nice hairbrush. They sell em at Walmart, cheap.
I think squeaky squeake might be ed...they probably share the zyprexa...
Not my business.
"I'm not a fan of team Maria. You know that I'm not. I do agree at least hope their actions will catch up with them legally, morally... I personally could never verbalize or pen such a possibility That's all. Stating things open up ideas to crazy people in my opinion."
I wish I still were that innocent.
I've had to make too many high stakes decisions on the far side of midnight, in situations where I knew that people would be dead before dawn were I wrong. (I haven't been, yet.) Working for the AHA, I routinely wet a lot of places that an armed police officer wouldn't dream of going alone, and I didn't even have a radio.
I've been in a lot of situations where I knew if I made one mistake, ANY mistake, I'd be dead. That changes your look on things, I wish I still had the halcyon view of a world where bad things won't happen if you merely proclaim they shouldn't. Or somehow won't.
Reality is that everything that McVeigh used to level the Murrah Federal Building can be legally purchased in Amherst. WalMart sells Arsenic, and we won't get into what Stop & shop sells... These are all legitimate, important products that are perfectly safe as long as you don't maliciously use them for evil. So it isn't just about guns -- or pretending things like this can't happen.
I'd rather warn now than help lug body baskets later.
After all, warning about drunk driving doesn't encourage OUI...
Thank you, Ed! Just thank you. With a few over-the-top drama-queenie paragraphs dispatched from the far side of midnight, you've given me the best belly laugh I've had in a long time. I only wish you could see the humor in those words yourself. (Actually, I take that back. If you could see the humor, you wouldn't have written them.)
I especially loved "I routinely wet a lot of places". Like... your shorts?
BODY BASKETS!?!?!?!?!
"Body Basket": WW-II Govt issue, similar to this:
http://www.mortuarymall.com/Junkin-JSA-300-Lightweight-Basket-Stretcher-p/jsa-300.htm
And yes, it was a typo, I "went."
My point remains the same, though.
WTF is wrong with you, Ed?
Were the bullies in question identified? Disciplined?
Thank you. I thought as much. So concerned with the heinous idea of globalism, we forget where we live. I don't celebrate diversity, but rather unity.
WTF is wrong with YOU, 4:37?
Perhaps if you looked in the mirror, you'd see the person of concern.
Can anybody answer this--How can one person--maria geryk--make a decision like she did--to issue a stay-away order on a single Black Mom of a first grade student in pelham? an honor student, graduate of arhs. How can she get away with what she did? The 'facts' she says she cannot release to the public(and she will not release them to the Mom first) do not by any means justify the action she took. How can a community sit back--except for the few truth seekers, and humanitarians among us, and watch this play out? It is despicable--no really--it is so absolutely wrong and very scary that one woman can do this against another--and truth be known it is all an act of retaliation for the Mom having spoken out against her daughter being bullied with racist overtones in the comments spewed from the bully's mouth. and this child needs our help too. I ask again--how can one person do this? And if we do not care for each other--who will? And why is anger mistaken for hatred? If we speak out in outrage--as we all should be right now--why are we called haters? oh god--this is like a freaken' twilight zone show--A child is brought to a school--must kiss her Mommy good-bye and then sit and be educated??? knowing her Mommy cannot come into the building where she is for over eight hours every day of the week? If this isn't some kind of terrorism--sh**, I am not sure I know what is.
Terrorism? Really?
Anon 8:54 please calm down...the bully " with racist overtones in the comments SPEWED from the bully's mouth" is , I believe, another 7 year old. Her mother being an honor student has no bearing. And ms Geryk can issue a stay away order and if the town would rather a committee issue such an order, or maybe by a town wide vote,then that change can be made.your false shock and disbelief convinces no one and actually hurts your case, Grow up.
No, Jackie, I understand what she means, and you need to realize why terrorism is effective in the first place -- to understand asymmetric warfare in general.
First, look at statistics. Keeping the math simple, let's presume that OUI causes 50% of all fatal MVAs (it did in the '70's, my guesstimate is that it is less than 25% now). Lets presume 100 MVA fatalities (nationally) per day, it's about that. And let's presume 50 fatalities at the Orlando Gay Bar -- it's currently 49 but my guess is the final figure will be 52-53 as not everyone in the hospital will survive.
Hence 50 lives tragically ended that night. BUT....
The same number of people died from drunk driving that night, and you didn't hear about that, did you? And as Heroin Overdoses now kill more people than OUI, well you didn't hear about all the OD deaths that night either, did you?
Likewise, statistically speaking, at least 5 people died from falls that day...
And when was the last time you were in Tampa, let alone in a Tampa bar at 2AM, let alone a Tampa "Gay Bar", however that's defined. Hence the statistical likelihood of you dying in a place you've never been nor likely ever will be is really, really low. Perhaps the Brussels Airport is a better example, even if one went through there frequently -- unless you were there 24/7, if you merely went through there on occasion, there is a 99.99999999% chance that the 30 minutes you were there wouldn't be when the bomb went off. And clearly the 30 minutes you spend in another airport exposes you to absolutely no risk of a bomb at an airport where you aren't.
Yet you feel helpless -- the attack on the airport in Brussels makes you feel helpless at Bradley. That's the power of terrorism, that's the power of asymmetric warfare in general -- it's the sense of helplessness. Same thing with PTSD, it'snot the violence but the helplessness that causes PTSD.
That's what Aisha's talking about, and while it may not be the best analogy, I do understand what she means...
One more statistic: In December of 2012, more children died of GSW in Chicago than in Connecticut. Yet which is more terrifying?
It'd psychological, and guess whose doctorate would have been in that had she finished it.
And as to bullies, the biggest one is named Maria.
Was the bully in question ever disciplined? (I know that word is used infrequently in this School system.)
Thank you for enlightening me, Doctor.
Terrorism? ReLly?
Post a Comment