Thursday, June 2, 2016

School Committee Coup D'etat?

Trevor Baptiste (right), Superintendent Maria Geryk (left)


The first half hour of last week's Regional School Committee meeting was taken up by an attempt to "reorganize" the Committee i.e. vote in a new chair, coincidentally enough to replace one who is on Maria Geryk's enemies list.

During Public Comment at the RSC April 12 meeting Mr. Baptiste allowed friends, supporters and fellow ARHS grads to read a letter decrying Aisha Hiza's ban from all Regional school grounds for advocating on behalf of her bullied child.

Some members and school officials thought it was out of order since the incident originated at Pelham Elementary School which is not part of the Region and therefor beyond the purview of the Regional Committee.

Geryk started the meeting as Chair and immediately wished for them to "reorganize."   Chair Trevor Baptiste was having none of it and the bickering began.

Geryk was relying on a previous tradition where the Region would reorganize after local town elections as well as state law that says committees must do so within ten days of said elections, which happened more than a month ago.

But Baptiste pointed out that law does not apply because the Regional Committee is not elected they are appointed by the local school committees and his town, Pelham, has yet to appoint one of their members to the Region.

Amherst School Committee Chair (and automatic member of the Region) Katherine Appy pressed for the reorganization although she told Mr. Baptiste it was nothing personal.  

Interestingly at yesterday's Joint Capital Planning Committee meeting, composed of two members each from the Finance Committee, Select Board, Library and School Committee, one School Committee member was MIA.

 Joint Capital Planning Committee yesterday (minus one School Committee member)

Ms. Appy told the JCPC that Rick Hood had not run for reelection in the March 29 election and the School Committee (which has met twice since then) has not yet appointed one of their own to replace him on the JCPC.

With neither side seeming to budge a compromise motion was made and approved to have the Regional School Committee reorganization take place at their June 14th meeting, and by then Pelham would have appointed a member to the Region.

I'll be bringing popcorn to that meeting (and a fire extinguisher).


50 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow. every single committee, if not ever member of said committees, is a real clusterfuck. AMHERST FOR ALL. SAVE US!

Anonymous said...

It's not a coup d'etat in any way. It's what happens every year on the spring on all the school committees. They reorganize. On the night of reorganization the Superintendent is chair only for the period of reorganization. Pelham was by law supposed to reorganize within 10 days of their election. They screwed up and did not. If they had the regional committee would have quietly reorganized like they do every year. The pelham SC is set to reorganize on the 10th and thus the region will be able to do their annual ritual on the 14th. This is not a big deal. It happens every year. You are just trying to stir up trouble and controversy Larry where none exists.

Anonymous said...

WHAT A CLUSTER.

Larry Kelley said...

Actually Anon 10:29 AM, for at least the past two years the Regional School Committee has not reorganized until late in the summer, after their "retreat" meeting.

Anonymous said...

What happened to Amherst Together?

Anonymous said...

Larry, by policy and law the school committees reorganize after elections so reorganization is always on the agenda. What each school committee decides to do after that is up to them.

Dr. Ed said...

Larry, a parliamentary procedure that could throw a monkey wrench into all of this: who becomes the Chair Pro Tem if Caligula Geryk is required to vacate it because of her quite clear lack of impartiality?

Methinks that it would become very interesting if any member were to request Geryk to "vacate the chair" -- as she's required to do under Robert's Rules in such circumstances.

Anonymous said...

And for several decades before that they reorganized when they were supposed to. In the spring. Like everyone else. Following their policy and the law. There was nothing unusual about trying to reorganize last week. What was unusual was pelham not following the law and re organizing within 10 days.

Anonymous said...

Ms Geryk showed no partiality one way or the other during the discussion. She actually had little to say.

Anonymous said...

Dr eddie....when are you going to apologize to Maria for the hiza affair? And you too larry? Larry you let down journalism.

Larry Kelley said...

I just hold up a mirror pal.

Don't curse the darkness. Light a freakin' candle.

Anonymous said...

Larry you hardly hold up a mirror. I don't think you've ever written anything positive in your own comments about the job Maria Geryk has done for the district. Could it really be that one sided?

Anonymous said...

So if I understand correctly:

The superintendent followed the procedural rules

The chair of the RSC did not

Therefore the superintendent should resign in shame

Makes perfect sense in the land of make-believe

The lunatics are running the asylum

Larry Kelley said...

I'm a watchdog, not a stenographer.

I don't go out of my way to write positive articles about anything.

Anonymous said...

Nice to see you finally admit you're not an impartial journalist. Your goals line up pretty well with Vira's and Trevor's goals. No wonder all your posts are so slanted. The public is now forewarned. Finally!

Dr. Ed said...

"Dr eddie....when are you going to apologize to Maria for the hiza affair?"

When the Jews apologize to Hitler....

Let me be clear here, I neither care what is being said about Aisha Hiza nor if a scintilla of it is true (which I doubt), my issue is one of process & professionalism, essentially the lack of both, on the part of alleged professionals who are well compensated and who ought to know what the rules are.

I view this like the Rodney King beating -- I don't care that King was a druggie driving nearly twice the posted speed (although how he got a Yugo going 90 MPH is beyond me) nor anything he did -- that's what courts and prisons exist to address. My concern is what the officers did -- and nothing he had done negated that.

Star Chamber proceedings are a rape of everything this country is supposed to stand for and are NEVER justified, and I will never apologize for saying that.

And as to the Pelham School Committee not reorganizing, who was the licensed professional with a legal & fiduciary duty to advise/remind them of this obligation?

Why, that'd be their Superintendent and their/her attorney -- who I believe was present at that meeting. Did either say anything about this at the meeting??? Legally, it would have had to be in the public portion of the meeting, not the executive session, so anyone hear either of them say anything about this?

And if this applies to indirectly elected regional committees (and I'm not sure it does), why was Geryk silent last spring, and silent the spring before?!?!?

Well?????

Anonymous said...

"I don't go out of my way to write positive articles about anything."
Wow, just wow, Larry. That one line says so much about you!

Larry Kelley said...

And you not leaving a name says so much about you.

Anonymous said...

Since Larry clearly stated his intent and agenda for his blog, let's consider this a hate blog and boycott it for a while. Whose up for the 40 day challenge with me? Can you, will you, should you? Why not?!!

Anonymous said...

What exactly has Geryk achieved in the past 5 years? What is better now than 5 years ago?

Anonymous said...

Baptiste was wrong - the reps on the regional school committee are elected officials - they are elected and thereby always considered elected - and, each member of the regional was voted on by the sending school committee - no appointments.

Anonymous said...

It's not up to the superintendent to tell the SC to reorganize. That's not her job. It's the job of the chair. The RSC has had totally incompetent chair for the last 2 years.

Anonymous said...

Great idea! But who will be here to set the record straight? There is so much misinformation on this blog.

Anonymous said...

Dr ed should have gone to law school and been a non-lawyer instead of a non-teacher. When things get slow this summer larry, you should do a bio on the good dr. What damaged him so badly? Why does he hate Amherst and police? Does he live with his mother? Does he live in the basement or have a room upstairs? Does he still live in maine?

Anonymous said...

Maria does not deserve an apology for the way she handled the hiza case Maria deserves to be sued and she will be and when everything comes out in Court the ms hizas rights were violated under the federal court case that says you cannot stop a parent from talking to the school committee and then you all can apologize to miss hiza. Obviously Ms Hiza isnt and was never a danger since her stay away order was inforced at the Whim of the superintendent. If the danger was actual vs a power play ms hiza never would have been allowed to attend some events or be back on school grounds.

Anonymous said...

Completely at maria's discretion. ...

Anonymous said...

Wow it seems Ms Hiza and Vira are desperate to keep this story going. At this point, Vira is even sending the news to the newspaper rather than the other way around.
Vira you came on to the school committee with the agenda to fire the superintendent with no cause. Let it go, aint gonna to happen.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the next superintendent we hire will have had actual experience as a superintendent and track record of excellent results. Enough with this on the job training.

Anonymous said...

Ms Geryk is looked up to for her equity work throughout the state. It's only a few loud mouth people in Amherst who see nothing positive about the work she has done. And by the way, it will be EXTREMELY difficult to find a next superintendent. Amherst has a well deserved reputation and no one will want to come work here. I bet we would not even be able to find a head hunting firm to help us find an unqualified candidate. Because believe me that is the only kind of candidate who would apply for a superintendent job in Amherst.

Anonymous said...

Vira has been toxic! She has not contributed anything in her year on the committee.

Anonymous said...

We will have to hire Dr ed or pay through the teeth!

Anonymous said...

It is way past time for new leadership in the schools.

Anonymous said...

After watching the meeting I noticed that Maria didn't need to say anything..She had everyone starting with Appy doing her when for her. I would like to see a SC that offers the checks and balance it should not a bunch of followers I think they have it backwards they are supposed to be overseeing the SI not doing her bidding and attending BBQs together. That is what her admin TEAM is for.

Anonymous said...

Yes the biggest mistake was barring her from sc meetings which is federal case law.. Trumps Mass law...someone is gonna be breaking out the checkbook

Anonymous said...

You may think she's toxic but she didn't hide and stands her ground. You have to resoect someone who stands up for the powerless.

Anonymous said...

How many minorities problem children compared to white probkem children have been encouraged to drop out ? Anyone know our drop out numbers and the statistics related to race?

Nina Koch said...

Actually, Larry, you do write positive stories about things like road races/fund raisers or certain building projects. What I have never seen is anything remotely critical of the police or fire departments. Can you point us to a single story where you have questioned any of their actions? I'm not saying you need to be negative but there must be something worth questioning. You save all that for the school system.

Dr. Ed said...

"Baptiste was wrong - the reps on the regional school committee are elected officials - they are elected and thereby always considered elected - and, each member of the regional was voted on by the sending school committee - no appointments.'

Not that I want to confuse an ignorant schmuck with facts, but "elected" means elected BY THE VOTERS WHICH THE MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE AREN'T. (It's a quite unusual arrangement, and one which well may not be legal today, even if it was a century ago.

Not that I wish to confuse anyone with the facts, mind you.

Not only was Caligula wrong but she violates State Ethics laws by chairing any SC meeting.

Dr. Ed said...

"Ms Geryk is looked up to for her equity work throughout the state."
There's a sucker born every minute...

"It's only a few loud mouth people in Amherst who see nothing positive about the work she has done."
OK, we're told she has "13 years of experience" -- and that is her only qualification, so, umm, are we better off than we were in 2003? I'd argue "no" -- not only are there more problems in the schools, but they are both more expensive and less effective.

"And by the way, it will be EXTREMELY difficult to find a next superintendent."

Surprisingly no -- once a system is in receivership, there are a lot of people willing to be Supt....

Dr. Ed said...

"When things get slow this summer larry, you should do a bio on the good dr. What damaged him so badly? Why does he hate Amherst and police?'

Be careful of what you ask for, Larry might actually do it.

Rick Hood said...

"The organizational meeting for the election of officers will be the first regular meeting following the latest of the member towns’ annual elections and the selection of Regional School District representatives by the member towns."

http://bit.ly/1TSCjIz

If "selection of Regional School District representatives" had not occurred yet, then that is a reason not to re-organize.

But also...

"The local School Committee of each member town will, within 10 days after each annual town election, select from its own membership the number of Regional School Committee members specified in the Regional School District Agreement."

For whatever reason, this has not been happening in recent years in some or all of the hill towns. Guessing it's because members of those committees are not jumping at the chance to serve on the regional committee. Can't imagine why that would be. ;-)

Dr. Ed said...

But Rick, who is their "expert" whose job it is to remind them of this?

And why hasn't she?

Anonymous said...

It is not Maria's job. It is the job of the SC chair. In Pelham's case that would be Darius Modestow.

Rick Hood said...

"It is not Maria's job. It is the job of the SC chair."
8:44 AM is correct. And that is what apparently happened here.
Nothing to see here... move along people.

Anonymous said...

Wrong. Who is the "expert"?

Anonymous said...

Can we at least agree on a definition of "hilltowns"?
"The Hilltowns include the areas of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties west of and above the escarpment bordering the ancient rift valley through which the Connecticut River flows"
Shutesbury, Pelham, and Leverett are hilly, but they are not "hilltowns"

Anonymous said...

I question your obvious hatred of cops.

Dr. Ed said...

Rick, she's the one with a DESE Certification saying she knows the rules --SC members only have to be a registered voter. I'm working with one who only has an 8th Grade education, he can & does read the stuff I give him, but how is he supposed to know this stuff?

Anonymous said...

The chairs of the 3 SC are two PhD and a high school principal. I'm sure they are smart enough to know how to read a policy manual and applicable law to know when they are supposed to reorganize. They've been doing it correctly for decades. Without the help of the Superintendent. It is not her job. Facts matter dammit! Right Eddie?

Dr. Ed said...

Bullshit.

Who printed the policy manual?

The fact that the SC Chairs possess qualifications beyond those requited does not negate the burden of the licensed professional to advise them of things like this -- nor absolve her of liability for failing to act.

Look at it this way: who is it that communicates with DESE? Who presents the budgets to town meetings? Who has the unappealable* power to arbitrarily deny anyone access to school property?

Who has an office, a support staff, and legal counsel? Who's getting a 6-figure salary and who are the volunteers?

Above and beyond this, even if it wasn't her "job" to tell them, if she knows (or should know) that it should have been done and hasn't been, she's still liable. When she makes various reports to both DESE & ED, implicitly if not explicitly affirming that the Committies are duly elected & such, who's "signing" them?

It IS her job to speak up when a SC violates the law.

* NB: Unappealable does not mean unaccountable...