(left to right)• Catwoman • Dr. Hugo Strange • The Joker• Mr. Freeze • Number One •Lex Luthor •The Penguin • The Riddler • Scarface * Poison IvyThe premise of the documentary "Waiting For Superman" is that, just as comic book cities and towns in crisis look to Superman to save them from catastrophic events, citizens decrying the failings of our American public education system look to a superhero to rescue us. Locally, the city of Alexandria should place a call, not to Superman, but to Batman.
In the 1960's campy, pop art televisions series by the same name, Batman (and Robin) fought against an inept, bungling group of villains determined to take over Gotham City. The parallels to the Alexandria school board are uncanny. As Wikipedia notes,
Many sports, music, and media personalities, and a number of Hollywood actors, looked forward to and enjoyed their appearances as villains on the Batman show. They were generally allowed to overact and enjoy themselves on a high-rated TV series, guaranteeing them considerable exposure (and thus boosting their careers).
The cast of characters who comprise our school board relish the spotlight and the opportunity to treat Gotham...er, Alexandria like an educational laboratory. An unusually cozy relationship between the board and the Superintendent (no customary checks and balances, here) mimics the plot line on so many Batman episodes, with a brain behind the nefarious plot and a team of henchmen. Little doubt that Mort Sherman is the Lex Luthor of our local tragicomedy. Lex Luthor transcended his role in Batman, seeking national, even worldwide attention and becoming the arch enemy of Superman, too. Mort Sherman seeks the national spotlight, dining with Goldie Hawn and delighting in the company of national figures. Lex Luthor became so powerful that he dominated the media and used it to portray himself as a wealthy, benevolent benefactor. Mort Sherman has certainly dominated the conversation in Alexandria, going so far as to hire a spin doctor of Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" fame to spread his propaganda.
Where once Alexandria could turn to its school board to limit the damage done by a Luthor-like superintendent, the city finds itself with a spineless, group of co-conspirators, content to rubberstamp Luthor's...er, Sherman's mad initiatives.
What to do? Some point to the fact that given time Sherman and his board will simply go away. Failing schools and falling test scores will drive Sherman off and the school board will soon cease to exist in any form, they aver. Maybe the real super heroes in Alexandria, the parents and teachers, will defeat Sherman (or at least send him to another Gotham). And maybe the school board is a dinosaur, destined to extinction. It's true that there were more than 80,000 school boards in 1950. There are now fewer than 14,000. But can we count on time and heroes (who've remained absent and silent for years now) to save us? I say send up the BAT-SIGNAL...now!
"I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it."
— Voltaire
Where once Alexandria could turn to its school board to limit the damage done by a Luthor-like superintendent, the city finds itself with a spineless, group of co-conspirators, content to rubberstamp Luthor's...er, Sherman's mad initiatives.
What to do? Some point to the fact that given time Sherman and his board will simply go away. Failing schools and falling test scores will drive Sherman off and the school board will soon cease to exist in any form, they aver. Maybe the real super heroes in Alexandria, the parents and teachers, will defeat Sherman (or at least send him to another Gotham). And maybe the school board is a dinosaur, destined to extinction. It's true that there were more than 80,000 school boards in 1950. There are now fewer than 14,000. But can we count on time and heroes (who've remained absent and silent for years now) to save us? I say send up the BAT-SIGNAL...now!
"I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it."
— Voltaire
Here's a great article (Letter to the Editor) that spoke to the inane initiatives imposed by Mort Sherman. http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=347652&paper=59&cat=110
ReplyDeleteI just caught wind of this blog, and I want to thank you for having the initiative to start it.
ReplyDeleteOne day, VoldeMort will fall.
-ACPS Elementary Teacher
Speaking of the spin doctor that was hired--- where are the results of the survey taken by the teachers and parents of the ACPS system in Nov/Dec? Interesting that we have never seen the results of that. Participants were told results would be available about 48 hours later but nothing has surfaced. Have it on good authority that the comments about Dr. Sherman were almost breathtakingly negative.Seems as if this is yet another thing paid for by the taxpayers but buried because it did not go his way. I guess the truth hurts.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much WRONG in ACPS but what is right is this BLOGG! Things are desperate and teachers who love their students are looking to go anywhere but here. I will not be grateful to a boss that treats us all like crap. Where is his bus ticket? Maybe Greyhound goes back to Jersey..
ReplyDeleteI am the spouse of an ACPS teacher and the only thing I can say without a doubt in my interactions with teachers here is that NO ONE is happy. How much more are we going to burden our teachers with endless paperwork without the support they need? This is going on all the while our educators are being led by beaurocracy loving, statistic spewing, incompetent, academics? insane!
ReplyDeleteThanks for starting the blog and keep it going.
Finally someone shining a light on all this crap! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhy, whenever I post a comment on Sherman's blog, are my remarks not posted? Is he a bit insecure?
ReplyDeleteThank you thank you thank you for starting this blog and validating what we are all feeling and experiencing! It is brilliant, very funny, and TRUE!
ReplyDeleteAll Teachers and Parents Beware!
ReplyDeleteThis proposed 30 minute time addition is just his way of putting time in place so he he can then extend the day for the children the next year. What about pay??? Also the calendar has all makeup days after the 15th of June so we will still be in school until the end of June. Just saying.
Question everything, accept nothing and imagine the worst!
§ School Year Calendar, 2011-12
o Begin school August 29 and end school June 15 (for traditional calendar). Starting before Labor Day adds two student days (including our modified calendar).
This approach would allow us to “stretch” the calendar to include more professional learning days; thereby, giving us opportunity to reduce the out-of-class time by teachers. Additional staff time will also be used for data and evidence analysis at the mid and end of marking periods as learning teams adjust and evaluate their instruction. The start before Labor Day will provide more instructional time before Advanced Placement and SOL tests.
The calendar proposals must be approved by the ACPS School Board; the proposal to begin before Labor Day must be approved by the Virginia Board of Education.
§ School Day, 2011-12
o No change to the student day.
Consideration of additional student time will be part of the ongoing discussion. Staff will develop proposals for the most effective use of student time and will provide those proposals to a Time Work Group, convened as part of the Total Compensation Review process.
o Increase the teacher work week by the equivalent of 30 minutes per day.
The additional time for teachers will be used by schools, grade levels, departments and the school division for:
§ Professional learning
§ Data and evidence analysis (learning teams)
§ Ongoing implementation of students’ Individualized Achievement Plans (IAPs)
§ Ongoing implementation of Professional Learning Plans (PLPs)
§ Study potential use of additional school time for students
Within the parameters stated above, school staff will structure the additional staff time flexibly and differently by schools during the course of the year, e.g., larger blocks of time twice a week rather than 30 minutes each day, or another model which provides extended professional time.
This proposal must be approved by the ACPS School Board.
Morton Sherman, Ed.D.
ACPS Superintendent of Schools
It's about time the truth has finally come come about Mort and this Board. They are running ACPS into the ground, and in the process causing the best employees to leave the school system.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't want to pay for the 30 minutes. But if our contract day was being cut 30 minutes, you can bet they'd want to reduce our salaries proportionately.
ReplyDeleteMort Sherman: breaking backs and killing professional drive, one teacher at a time!
ReplyDelete