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GRPS Superintendent Search

twoshort

By twoshort
in Grand Rapids

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

Posted
Posted

When Dave heres about the mistake some of you made again, hes gonna bust out crazy mad on yalls... Don't make the same mistake I did, you know- by reading the Press and watching WoodTV...

Dave is going to say nothing Rizz <_< . I have to learn to pick and choose my battles. I will battle faulty reporting by the media because the media plays a big part of forming people's perception. However, when it comes to general rants about how useless the school board is, I have to leave that one alone. No use banging my head against a wall, when it will make no difference. Perception is 90% of people's reality.

I responded to your post Rizz because I respect your opinion. You are a regular contributor to UP and I appreciate your outlook and input.

I don't give much credence to rants from folks that quickly join UP simply to post because something raises his or her hackles.

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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Maybe its time that the rest of us who don't have children in GRPS take a stand. Stand. Thats all you have to do, and say we will no longer let the children slip through and just get by. It's all of us that will be effected if GRPS fails, correct? Remember that GRPS is in its current situation because we let it happen. We have to also remember that the state will not help - no one is going to sign something that will make this go away.

The state should and has to be in the business of correcting the student funding amounts. I learned this is hugely partial to suburban students, the difference in amounts has been reported to be in the thousands! Why is someone elses child worth more of my tax dollars then my cousins and siblings who attend GRPS?!

Let us pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. I think it will be hard, we don't even have legs right now, but its doble if we don't accept apathy. Think creatively, effectively, and efficiently, while maintaining a nurturing atmosphere.. Is quite a balance, but it can happen.

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tarkin79 Crossroads

tarkin79

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Maybe its time that the rest of us who don't have children in GRPS take a stand. Stand. Thats all you have to do, and say we will no longer let the children slip through and just get by. It's all of us that will be effected if GRPS fails, correct? Remember that GRPS is in its current situation because we let it happen. We have to also remember that the state will not help - no one is going to sign something that will make this go away.

Go for it. Let us know how far you get.

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faksman Crossroads

faksman

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Wow, where do I start? So much misinformation...so much misunderstanding. A question to everyone, not just you Rizzo, "where do you go to get your information?" If you go to Wood TV 8, or the Grand Rapids Press you are woefully misinformed.

Sorry Dave, Rizzo has it right. It was very public knowledge that Armstrong was Canadian, so why use that against him when it comes down to him being one of the final candidates? It is a waste of taxpayers money to have him come for not only one but two interviews and then have a site visit, only to use something that was very public used against him as a means of not hiring him. Or are you saying that Wood TV8 and the Press are reporting his national origin wrong?

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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Sorry Dave, Rizzo has it right. It was very public knowledge that Armstrong was Canadian, so why use that against him when it comes down to him being one of the final candidates? It is a waste of taxpayers money to have him come for not only one but two interviews and then have a site visit, only to use something that was very public used against him as a means of not hiring him. Or are you saying that Wood TV8 and the Press are reporting his national origin wrong?

It's up to the board who they interview/visit/choose. They didn't care where he's from and therefore it's a non issue/non waste to them, is what I think Dave is saying. It's a few people from the public that are anti-canadian. From what I've gathered.

edit:took out my unfinished thought

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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tarkin79: I already know how far I will get, not very. I don't have a children in GRPS, hell I don't even have a child. That's the problem... Maybe everyone should participate... and also be open to more ideas :dontknow: is that a good idea or just another rambling from some citizen who pretends to give a damn? I think we need refind ideas. I keep hearing that line over and over again, "it's all about the children.." That's a stupid reason, (you know the children), because I don't want to come off as a over concerned citisen - people don't like the overly concerned. If you have a majority of the people participating or at the very least concerned then you make it that much harder for the school to fail. If you atleast say "hey something's wrong" or "something isn't working lets fix it," you basicly solved half your problem.

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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It's up to the board who they interview/visit/choose. They didn't care where he's from and therefore it's a non issue/non waste to them, is what I think Dave is saying. It's a few people from the public that are anti-canadian. From what I've gathered. Because if that were the case

Yes, that is correct. While there are two board members who expressed concern about nationality, that does not represent the majority of the board. There was a small but very vocal contingency that spoke out publically about this issue. The media has, however, blown this WAY out of proportion. There was so much other positive information the Press and TV-8 could have reported about the process, but as usual they went for sensationalism.

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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Agian so Yellow. Dave I read from the Press that thoes on the school board who opposed Armstrong were also the same folks who knew he was from Canada from the get go, but still wanted for him to interivew. Was that bad reporting, did it have any truth?

By the way welcome to UP - GR faksman!

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faksman Crossroads

faksman

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Posted

It's up to the board who they interview/visit/choose. They didn't care where he's from and therefore it's a non issue/non waste to them, is what I think Dave is saying. It's a few people from the public that are anti-canadian. From what I've gathered.

edit:took out my unfinished thought

It was not just the public that brought up this issue, it was some of the Board members as well.

Agian so Yellow. Dave I read from the Press that thoes on the school board who opposed Armstrong were also the same folks who knew he was from Canada from the get go, but still wanted for him to interivew. Was that bad reporting, did it have any truth?

By the way welcome to UP - GR faksman!

thanx - glad to be here

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allbusiness Whistle-Stop

allbusiness

Posted
Posted

It's a few people from the public that are anti-canadian. From what I've gathered.

Watching from afar...I am begining to wonder if the whole "anti-Canadian" argument is just a smokescreen for the very legitimate desire by many people to offer the job to a person of color. It's quite obvious by the discussions on the local urban contemporary radio stations that there is a huge push among parents to hire a minority candidate for this position. A strong, successful, black superintendent would set a great role model for the childen, etc. :thumbsup:

I completely understand the desire, am not really familiar with the candidates and sincerely hope the best person is selected. :)

It's a tough job and I know I surely would not want it!

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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Agian so Yellow. Dave I read from the Press that thoes on the school board who opposed Armstrong were also the same folks who knew he was from Canada from the get go, but still wanted for him to interivew. Was that bad reporting, did it have any truth?

By the way welcome to UP - GR faksman!

Wow good question. Here is how the process went:

1-We hired a search firm that held a series of public meeetings and meetings with the board to develop a set of criteria we were to use in the selection of the new superintendent.

2-The board then had an open application process from which we received 27 applications

3-Our search firm then went through the applications and based on the stated criteria honed the list down to 12 possible applicants. We reviewed these 12 applicants

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Paris Texas Whistle-Stop

Paris Texas

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I don't want the Canadian candidate, I want the other guy (he seems young, healthy and enthusiastic (a "before" picture perhaps?)) but I don't care that the one guy is Canadian. Why on earth should that matter? Is Immigration after us? He has experience in US schools, right? Some parents probably feel strongly that they want an African-American superintendent and they thought they needed to make that clear while they still had a say and that's perfectly understandable. Sometimes I think the media is singlehandedly setting out to undo the GRPS. Jeepers, Dave, I don't know how you do it. I'm bowing in awe and gratitude.

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snoogit Town

snoogit

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I don't think its the fact that Armstrong is Canadian that should be a turn off, it should be because he comes from a school system thats located in one of the poorest performing regions in the nation (The Southeast) an area that (JMPO) has never truly appreciated public education.

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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^Your lucky this isn't SSP or your butt would have been toasted, spread with butter and eaten for a sunday morning breakfast... :)

Well, whatever you think about GRPS, tonights the night... My money is on Bernard Taylor. I think it would be a really good pick because from what I can tell he has background in an urban school system, one facing problems like GRPS.

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snoogit Town

snoogit

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^Your lucky this isn't SSP or your butt would have been toasted, spread with butter and eaten for a sunday morning breakfast... :)

Well, whatever you think about GRPS, tonights the night... My money is on Bernard Taylor. I think it would be a really good pick because from what I can tell he has background in an urban school system, one facing problems like GRPS.

I have realatives who live in Greensboro, and even went to UNC, and they just don't seem like they... well... got anything out of it.

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GR_Urbanist Burg

GR_Urbanist

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I wish Mr. Taylor the best of luck, althrough I feel that many of the supporters I saw on TV were more interested in his skin color than what his plans are for the school system. But what can you say to that?

I hope that he doesnt reward this public support by not making hard choices and by greasing the skids to cover for the poor preformance of this school system. It is in serious trouble and does'nt need someone that cant tell his backers to buzz off when they are wrong. STAY INDEPENDENT TAYLOR!

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