May 8, 2012
ALBANY — After having covered the education beat for just more than a year, I have watched the Dougherty County School System stumble from one crisis to another without solving even one of the quickly mounting major problems facing it and an increasingly overwhelmed administrative staff.
There's really no easy way to say this, but right now the DCSS is a grease fire and no one in charge seems to have a clue how to dampen the flames.
Much of the blame has to fall at the feet of system Supt. Joshua Murfree, who last night at a special called Board meeting recommended the nonrenewal of 24 teachers and two principals named in the governor's CRCT cheating report.
The decision to nonrenew was not a surprise, but the night was filled with others.
The Board broke down into an acrimonious exchange between Assistant Superintendent Kenneth Gosser and Board members Carol Tharin and David Maschke in regard the the DCSS reimbursement of $404 in bail money to the parents of a Dougherty High student who was arrested and jailed by school police for disrupting a classroom and cursing a teacher.
Tharin, Maschke, Chairman James Bush and system attorney Tommy Colemen stated time and time again that the reimbursement was an illegal use of school system funds.
Yet an agitated Gosser refused to acknowledge that simple fact, instead claiming the DCSS has used general fund money in the past to pay other claims "for the children and to protect the Dougherty County School system."
At one point, Tharin pointed at Goseer and said "you are not a lawyer." To which Goseer responded, "and nor are you."
The answer to who actually authorized the checks was never answered last night, and fingers were pointed all around.
But much of the blame seemed to fall on former DCSS Executive Director of Finance and Operations Robert Lloyd, who was demoted Monday to Director of Supply services.
Lloyd's demotion was a stunner. The system is facing an anticipated $9.6 million dollar shortfall in FY2012-13 and a balanced budget is due in Atlanta on June 30. Now the man who has put together the last 10 or more DCSS budgets is somewhere counting pencils.
Why?
Several board members would not go on the record but said opinions ranged from Lloyd being the fall guy for the bond reimbursement fiasco to the fact the system is looking at yet another budget year with 10 teacher furlough days.
Another shocker was the demotion of Assistant Superintendent Diane Daniels from Director of Curriculum to social studies coordinator. Daniels is no stranger to controversy. She was previously fired last year, then rehired days later.
That's the way things seem to work at the DCSS.
So, when the smoke finally settled at the end of the evening, 26 teachers and administrators had been nonrenewed; two members of the superintendent's cabinet sacked; and an assistant superintendent displayed a stunning lack of knowledge in regard to state law.
So where does the school system go from here? Anybody got a fire extinguisher handy?
In response to:
DCSS nonrenews 24 teachers and two principals
The Dougherty County School Board has sent 26 letters of non-renewal to principals and teachers implicated in the Dougherty County CRCT investigation. Robert Lloyd and Diane Daniels are reassigned.
Comments
Shinedownfan 1 year ago
I'll say it again, I am scared to death to see who the gang of four will hire to be the Executive Director of Finance and Operations.
TheBoss 1 year ago
Robert Lloyd knows how to smooth over budget numbers. I doubt Murfree has a clue at how to read a budget let alone make one. I wonder if Lloyd reformatted his office computer last night?
KaosinAlbany 1 year ago
Would Tharin have a right to fire Goseer? Technically she is his boss, right? He soooooooo needs to be canned. We don't need another idiot thinking he is God in that bunch.
Terry.Lewis 1 year ago
I've been told that the Board has the authority to fire, but can only hire at the recommendation of the superintendent.
To get items approved by the BOE you must be able to count to 4.
LetBest 1 year ago
Wow! Excellent post...but is the wheel slowly turning in the direction of correcting all that is so wrong? I hope so, would hate for all these painful realitities and steps be for naught . . .
southwestga 1 year ago
Where is SACS when it's actually needed? Hope someone is forwarding to them.
agirl_25 1 year ago
Last I heard ( on channel 10) they were cleaning up Sumter County) ......so maybe there is a chance for Doco next..........wooooooooooo woooooooooooo
LetBest 1 year ago
You know what? Those four watch who comes into these meetings. They expect to see only journalist and their supporters. There really needs to be many more folks looking at them that they do not know. They need to feel that watch your back feeling. You can't vote against them if you are not in their ward, but when you sit in front of them, some of them wont know whether you are or not! And if more people in attended, some of the eye contact and subtle non verbal connections with those sitting might be blocked a bit. Sorta like reliving middle school.
BettyBowTie 1 year ago
You are so right. I went to only one school board meeting and when I got there it was a closed door session, I could not wait and had to leave before they had the open session. If we all went to even ONE meeting a year (DCSS, City & County Commission meetings) the place would always be packed.
Albanite 1 year ago
Everyone knew that Murfree was not adequately trained to be an administrator when he was handed the job. The problem is that only Maschke and Tharin cared about that at the time. Mashke, Tharin, Coleman and (sometimes) Bush seem to be the only board members fit to serve in their respective capacities.
BettyBowTie 1 year ago
You pretty much said it all! Grease fire burning out of control.
BettyBowTie 1 year ago
Lloyd IS a problem and I know HE had to know better, but someone pushed him to do it and it is pretty easy to see who. The mismanagement and cheating of all sorts started before Murfree came in, he just managed to make everything worse.
Someone at DCSS was sending paychecks out to people that had retired, long after they should have. I know of one case and she did the right thing and took the checks to Harter & Lloyd personally (she made sure to get a receipt) . How many others kept the checks they should not have gotten?
Who in the whole lousy school system is actually doing the job they were hired to do? Even when not cheating and stealing and abusing power, they are inept and ill-equipped to manage anything. I would not trust them to manage a single dollar for me, yet we are stuck with this crew managing our tax dollars? Oh and taxes may go up?
whattheheck 1 year ago
DCSS is run like it is answerable to no one and for all practical purposes, it isn't. We seem to have people involved that couldn't manage their way out of an outhouse. And speaking of such a place, the whole system is a stinker, much in need of flushing. Years of inattention now followed by years of ineptness--something has got to give.
Parent 1 year ago
And what are you doing to make a difference? Nothing but throwing stones. If more people would DO instead of talk, it would hold some of these officials accountable for their actions.
chinaberry25 9 months ago
Believe me, we would if we had the power. That is the operative word, power.
2beaurawls 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Who in the grease-fire started the ineptness? NO!!! Not The Sally Whatley who walked out just in time to keep her nose clean before the CRCT stink. You Good Ole People can't smell your own mess
ObjectiveEyes 1 year ago
Affirmative action at its finest. There, I said it. Cries of "racist" in 5, 4 , 3...
PatrickY2K 1 year ago
Affirmative action cannot be blamed when the School Board is majority black. When whites hire incompetent whites, it's called "the good old boy network". It was just as wrong then, as this is, now - positions were filled without considering qualifications.
Goseer's unwillingness to acknowledge that funds had mishandled is part of the atmosphere of arogance in the Central Office. Dianne Daniels thought she was untouchable, and that finally caught up with her. When Murfree's contract runs out, Goseer will need to look for another job (one he is qualified to perform).
ObjectiveEyes 1 year ago
"Affirmative action cannot be blamed when the School Board is majority black." OK, I give, what does this mean?
DoctorDorite 1 year ago
I seem to remember reading a story about a pushing and shoving incedent between Loyd and another official (not sure who he was) in the Central office a short while back, think that might have anything to do with him getting his legs cut out from under him ?? Mr. Loyd don't do them any favors helping on the budget either, not that they want any help from you, let'em learn on their own. LOL.
agirl_25 1 year ago
Wasn't there something about Harter and someone pushing and shoving once? Was it him and Loyd? I can't see Harter causing problems...he is a good guy.
Shinedownfan 1 year ago
I can't tell you guys how refreshing it is reading these comments without "Bubbavet_rureel" sticking his 22 cents in at every comment. (2 cents wasn't enough)
brendajohnson 1 year ago
Terry: Are Robert Lloyd and Diane Daniels still going to be paid their same outrageous salaries? (110,000+ and 105,000+ respectively)
Terry.Lewis 1 year ago
No idea. Lloyd is the second-highest paid person in the DCSS. There is a finance committee meeting at 8:30 tomorrow morning. I plan on asking them.
Sister_Ruby 1 year ago
Terry: YOU are doing God's work. Somebody ax me "what God?" Here's the answer...the GOD that say "Ain't no Liar Gonna Tarry" and that Personally Carve on them Tablets of Stone "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness" (that mean LIE).....the same God that send his Holy Son Jesus Christ who say continually "Truly, Truly I say to you....." and then He say the Truth at all Times. That's the God I speak of. He also say "I am God.....there is no other!" That God.
Sister_Ruby 1 year ago
http://ecclesia.org/truth/lying.html
deejay 1 year ago
I would like to know how the DCSS compares financially to surrounding counties' school systems. How many furlough days are THEIR teachers receiving and how much salary are THEIR "higher-ups" making?
daddiemoon 1 year ago
So if the super plans to cut out assistant coaches..... is he going to cut out his assistant super dummie position? mmmmmmmm........ thats one to grow on for free....lol.
AuntieDee 10 months, 3 weeks ago
The DCSS has hired Lee Shiver as principal of West Town. When I googled his name i found that He was fired from the school of the deaf and he resigned from Thomasville as Superintendent amidst a lawsuit brought against the school system by the NAACP. Did anyone downtown check his references? More fuel for the fire
chinaberry25 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Bubbavet has not found you yet.
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