 |
||||||||
 |
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
|
 |
These rookies have ideas of their own
© St. Petersburg Times Impressive, large poinsettias, from the horticulture and floral marketing students of Seminole Vo-Tech, graced the desks of the Pinellas School Board on Tuesday for its first full meeting since the election. Considering the vocal performance of the board's newest members, it is safe to say that the poinsettias remained the only potted plants in the room. Mary, Mary! The board's two new Marys, Brown and Russell, jumped in like veterans, questioning agenda items and lecturing the hired help. This fired up their more senior colleagues, notably chairman Linda Lerner and vice chairman Jane Gallucci, who are in charge after years in the minority. "The Boys," as the previous controling faction was known, are most definitely not back in town. Max Gessner got defeated. The colorful and courtly Tom Todd died suddenly. Lee Benjamin, the only remaining male person on the seven-member board, now sits down at the end. (They did give him a nice plaque for being the past chairman.) There were two other Boys sitting up there, but they were the aforementioned hired help. On the left sat J. Howard Hinesley, Ed.D. (it says "Ed.D." on his nameplate, so I figured I'd better say it too), at 12 years the longest-serving urban school leader in the nation, although he is retiring next year. Did the rookie members pay Hinesley total obeisance? Did they quietly accept his every recommendation? They did not. Mary Brown started in on Pinellas' much discussed school choice program. She mentioned a mistaken letter mailed to some parents. "We must try to be as accurate as we can," she instructed Hinesley. Brown had more questions. What happens to kids whose parents fail to choose a school? Hinesley answered, in essence: tough luck for them. They will be the first kids shipped out to make racial balances work. Brown said that was wrong. They shouldn't be punished for their parents' lapse. She said the school district should consider each of these students' needs: "I'm talking about assignment to an academic program that is best for them." Hinesley sputtered a little here, I thought. He hates revisiting things he considers settled. "The rules have been, from the very beginning . . ." he started, then regrouped. "That's been communicated from Day One." They agreed to talk about it later. Meanwhile, the other Mary poked at the Boy on the other end of the dais, board attorney John Bowen. Russell was unhappy teachers weren't allowed to keep their own kids in the school where they taught. The Boys explained to Russell that these things are complicated. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund might not like it. Russell somewhat archly informed Bowen and Hinesley, in case they were unaware, that teachers were dedicated professionals. "Even if we lose one teacher because of this, one is too many," she said. "Even if it's one teacher -- Mr. Bowen -- it's one teacher too many." But my very favorite moment came after a discussion about mentoring. Brown said even School Board members should be mentors. Russell then asked Hinesley whether the senior administration does it. Hinesley got defensive. "Let me point something out to you," he began. (He often begins that way.) He has a lot of meetings to go to. The board's demand on his time "has greatly increased." His office has to answer hundreds of e-mails. Et cetera. Russell said: Aha! Then you should understand how much of a demand you're putting on the time of teachers! Lerner rebuked the superintendent: "Well, I think we should have a can-do attitude." Gallucci jumped in too: "I'm really disappointed that was your response." That's about where I left. I am sure the rest of the meeting was sweetness and light. In general, however, this new board looks more skeptical toward Hinesley and more inclusive toward the public. (It gushed over suggestions from the teachers' union and immediately ordered up a new policy on minority contractors after a presentation from the NAACP.) It does not take an Ed.D. to deduce that a far different tone is at hand.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
|
Times columns today From the Times Metro desk |
