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Prince George's County, Maryland, has just chosen Andre Hornsby as the next chief executive officer of the school system. He replaces Dr. Iris Metts. It seems many people are unhappy with the choice. Even I have to wonder how he managed to beat out the incredible offer presented in the application letter below.
Feb 17 2003MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION
621 Ridgely Avenue, Suite 300
Annapolis, Maryland 21401-1087Dear MABE,
Please let me submit myself for consideration as Superintendent for Prince George's County schools. The Washington Post article quoted Howard W. Stone Jr., vice chairman of the school board, as saying that Dr. Metts' departure "gives us the opportunity to go out and seek someone who can take us in a new direction... Someone coming in fresh might have a different bent on that." Former school board chairman Alvin Thornton said, "The last thing people want is what is considered a traditional superintendent."
"New direction?" "Fresh?" "Different bent?" Not "traditional?" You've got it.
For a start, the new direction is this: basic math and word skills drilled at the elementary level; grade advancement, which would be independent for word and math skills, based strictly on achievement, not age; trouble-makers removed from the classroom permanently.
Please reflect on how attractive these measures alone would make Prince George's County schools to quality teachers far and wide.
These and a slew of other common-sense ideas would only be implemented with the approval of a majority of the citizens of Prince George's County. At the moment it becomes apparent that what is common sense to me diverges from what is common sense to the majority, I will resign.
Right off the bat, I'm sure the majority would agree with me that the $250,000 salary for the superintendent position is absurd. As a first step toward introducing fiscal sanity in an industry where the vast majority of employees work short work-days and short work-years, and the level of professional responsibility is such that if nothing measurable is accomplished in a classroom on any given day no one would notice or care, I will set my superintendent's salary at $60,000 and fix that as the maximum salary within the Prince George's County Public School System.
On my web site you will find much about my views on many things, including my disdain for the departed MSPAP and my belief in the value of individual instruction for all elementary-level students. Just search for "donald sauter" in Google.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Donald Sauter
In case you're wondering, no, the Maryland Association of Boards of Education never responded to my offer. And by ignoring me, they ignored you. Was that nice of them?
While on the subject of the leadership of the Prince George's County public schools, I have to point out what a bizarre situation we've had at least since Dr. Metts's announcement that she would step down, and for who-knows-how-long before that. Dr. Metts stepped down in order to join with Mosaica Education, an organization that manages charter schools. Metts said, "What a wonderful opportunity. I think charter schools are the cutting edge of innovation." In another newspaper article she said, "I am a strong believer in school choice. This will allow me to remain in that field, which is going to be the future of education."
Anything ring funny there? Or completely innocuous, prepackaged quotes? Sure, for anyone except the CEO of a public school system, and one that has been in a nosedive for decades. Can Dr. Metts explain what's so great about Mosaica charter school methods that couldn't be implemented in her own schools in Prince George's County? And she was the one - and only one - who had the power to do it! Will Dr. Metts tell us how long she concealed this defeatist attitude toward her own school system, how long she had been going through the motions as a completely non-believing superintendent and CEO?
Makes me think we should put Hornsby on a lie detector to see if he believes there's any hope for Prince George's schools. After all, a lot of people will give you any song and dance you want for $250,000 a year.
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