Message to superintendents: Shape up or ship out
Mississippi legislators want to bring greater accountability to their superintendents, telling those in underperforming districts to bring them up to par or leave the course altogether.
The legislation — which must first garner federal approval because election rules are affected — would terminate superintendents whose districts fail to meet academic standards for two consecutive years.
The governor would removed elected superintendents and bar them from running for re-election, while appointed superintendents would be automatically fired.
The proposal has stirred up controversy in Mississippi. I’d like to know what you think.
Should students test scores be used to hold superintendents accountable? Is two years enough time to bring meaningful change? Is it right for a law to require a superintendent’s departure?
Share your thoughts here on NewsOK’s Education Station.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
Bloggers pick up suspended superintendent story
The story about Oklahoma City Superintendent John Porter’s suspension is more than just front-page news: It’s national news.
By virtue of the fact that Porter used to work for a school district just outside D.C., The Washington Post picked up the story Tuesday. (www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/07/AR2008010702942.html)
Bloggers are picking up the story, too — some from Oklahoma, and some not.
I am not endorsing any opinions expressed on any of the pages, but want to share these as a way to show and promote the continuing dialogue surrounding the recent days’ events.
-The McCarville Report Online: The Gadfly on the Boardroom Wall: “Oklahoma City’s now-suspended school superintendent, John Porter, is fighting tooth and toenail to keep the job he’s held for slightly more than five months. But Porter’s strategy to keep that job, accusing Board of Education Chairman Cliff Hudson of things Hudson said never happened, or happened differently than Porter claims, is a poor way for Porter to wage his campaign.” (Read more: http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2008/01/gadfly-on-boardroom-wall.html)
-The Green Flame: My Take on John Q. Porter: “I wish that we could say, ‘We’ve all learned a valuable lesson here, and we will do better together in the future.’ That only works in sitcoms. Perhaps the board could allow Dr. Porter the opportunity to state how he would change his procedures to comply with board policy. I think he could become a good community leader. But I fear he has been weakened too much to do the job he was hired to do.” (Read more: http://greenlynn.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-take-on-john-q-porter.html)
-Moving at the Speed of Creativity: Political Fireworks in Oklahoma City Public Schools: “Clearly ‘interesting politics’ are involved in this situation. It will be instructive to follow this news thread in the weeks ahead.” (Read more: www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/06/political-fireworks-in-oklahoma-city-public-schools)
-Peyton Wolcott: ‘Family emergency’ – or ‘vacation’? “Could it be that because John was an assistant (superintendent) and information officer in Maryland before taking over the top spot in OKC in July that he was not used to the daily demands of the new job? Or was this a clash of work ethics and cultures? … We’re watching something play out in Oklahoma City Public Schools which goes to the core of one of the most fundamental issues in public education in America today: Who really runs our schools?” (Read more: www.peytonwolcott.com)
Wendy K. Kleinman
Education Reporter
Goodbye Dr. Pennington
A few weeks ago, I dined with a college president. Dr. William Pennington arrived solo at the Spaghetti Warehouse in Bricktown, no entourage in tow. We ate lasagna and talked about the many things happening at Murray State College, a small two-year school in Tishomingo.
Pennington, 64, didn’t boast about his campus. He simply told me about the growing nursing program, the rise in enrollment at the main campus and at an outreach campus in Ardmore, and an upcoming historical symposium about former Oklahoma Governor “Alfalfa Bill” Murray.
I told him about my rural roots, and the community college I attended and thrived at, many years ago. We talked about his historical portrayals of Murray, a difficult yet brilliant man responsible for drafting much of the state constitution. We talked about Dr. Pennington’s marriage on July 7, 2007 (Lucky 7s) to Marty Pedersen, a professor at East Central University. It seemed to me that at age 64, Dr. Pennington had found great joy and happiness.
I left the meeting wanting to visit Murray State and knowing I could call Dr. Pennington anytime.
The last thing he said to me was that he was sorry he couldn’t buy my lunch that day. (Our company policy prohibits that.) I haven’t turned in that $6 expense yet to my bosses and I probably won’t. It was my pleasure to spend an hour with a man that reminded me a lot of my dad, a down-to earth guy that valued history, family and learning.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Pomp and Pageantry
UCO President Roger Webb generated chuckles today when talking to faculty about the university’s many accomplishments.
Chief among them was the crowning of UCO student Lauren Nelson as Miss America 2007. The reigning Miss Black Oklahoma and Mrs. Oklahoma also were UCO students.
The Edmond campus attracts brains AND beauty, Webb said.
“If you’ve got a son that’s a senior in high school, this is the place to be,” Webb quipped at the annual fall meeting of staff and faculty.
Executive Vice President Steve Kreidler had beauty on the brain as well. Before touting the university’s environmental efforts, he gave the signature Miss America wave to the audience — hand cupped then rotated slowly.
Thank goodness it wasn’t the ballgown competition.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
