Should the Chartiers Valley school board open Dr. Tammy Whitfield's job?

Seeing that this is now the third instance in as many years that the board has set out to destroy the career of a district employee...is anyone catching on to a pattern???  It appears as if the school board has stooped to the level of high school students and created a "hit list" of district employees that they want to get rid of because they interfere with the personal agendas of the school board members.  If I were a contracted employee of the district,  I would be concerned whether or not I was next on the chopping block.  Dr. Tammy Whitfield is the best thing that has ever happened to Chartiers Valley and the board would be fools to let her go!!  Dr. Whitfield has CV running through her veins and she embodies all that is right with education!  Dr. Whitfield is passion...Dr. Whitfield is CV!!!!

NO WAY!! the board is out of control. the board president micro manages everything to meet her whims! If the board really believes that the residents of this area are not going to show their outrage about their stupid action by NOT VOTING THEM BACK!!, they are sadly mistaken!  Dr. Whitfield is a wonderful person, an excellent school employee and has done nothing but a super job for over 20 years!!! GOD BLESS her.

Dr. Whitfield has always gone above and beyond for the Chartiers Valley School District.  She deserves a contract immediately.

I don't believe that you've heard the entire story surrounding this.  Months before this all happened, it was known that Dr. Whitfield's contract would be up for renewal.  Patti Figorski declared that she would form a committee to review the contract and act accordingly before it expired.  She didn't.  The night that the contract was supposed to be either renewed, changed, or position opened, the contract had not been reviewed by anyone on the board.  Several members of the board spoke up and requested that it be reviewed that night before a vote was taken.  Instead, Ms. Figorski said "No, we have the votes to open the position so that is what we're going to do."

Dr. Whitfield was in the room and so was her daughter, Jaime, a senior at the school. Dr. Whitfield was tearing up, humiliated, as six members of the board threw their political weight around and voted in favor of opening the contract instead of taking the time to review it.  The amount of politics that goes on with the CV school board is utterly ridiculous.  I wish they would just do what is best for the children and the district, but often their own agendas supercede.

I was reading about your Assistant Superintendant Dr. Tammy Whitfield and all I can say is are you insane. Do you know what it is like to find a person with her qualifications to be even part of your administration. How lucky you are. I am from the Montour school district  and we are now paying 3 Superintendents because we can't find the right person. The school board doesn't care about the tax payers money. Let me tell you ,The School Board, if you like your positions, do the right thing. Once you start making the wrong decisions you will be replaced. I know as a former school board member who wanted to do what was best for the students and administration and school, I let others sway my decisions and they were the wrong ones. When someone has someone they know who should be hired instead of who is in there, maybe a favor or a promise. Dont destroy what this person has worked so hard to do. It is very rare to have a person like Dr. Whitfield so well liked by everyone.I hope you read these comments by all these peoplewho care about their school. There is a saying " if it ain't broke don't fix it" you need to live by this rule. Can you imagine if you hire someone that can't do the job as she has. I think you need to listen to the people of your School District. If I was still on the school board I would want her in our school system. MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. YOU CAN'T CONSIDER ANY OTHER.  Thanks VC

 I would like to say that I can't believe this is happening.  However, since I have worked in the district for many years, I have no trouble at all believing it. 

Tammy Whitfield IS the best thing that ever happened to Chartiers Valley.  She, in my opinion and in the opinions of many, many other employees, is the one person who cares more about that district and its students and knows more about how to effectively accomplish what is best for everyone than anyone else could ever be.    When we need information, we ask Tammy.  When we need to get something accomplished, we ask Tammy.  And when we want to be sure something is done right, we ask Tammy.  She is beyond a doubt the most intelligent, caring, dedicated, and responsible employee that district has ever had. 

I have worked in other districts, and there are always conflicts with schoolboards.  But I have never worked in a district where the main purpose of board members is the pursuit of their own agendas and their so obvious plot to "get" anyone who dares question their decisions.  Many people on that board have had children in the district who were serious behavior problems.  Vandalism, theft, drugs, alcohol, etc. - overlooked, excused, unpunished.  Teachers hate to see names of board member's children appear on their rosters because they know they will be harrassed and intimated if they "dare" to attempt to enforce school or classroom policies.  Policies, I add, that these same board members approved.  They should have added "except where my children are concerned" after each established policy.

This school district is a multi-million dollar operation.  How can we continue to allow it to be run by a bunch of incompetent, self-serving individuals on personal ego trips?  I try voting out the old and replacing them with new and hopefully more intelligent members in every election.  But I just continue to see the same names on the ballot.  We need term limits, and we need an honest and competent board for a change.  It sure would be nice to know that my tax dollars were being directed by a group of people who actually had a clue about how to efficiently run a business. 

Dr. Whitfield isn't the first person this board has gone after.  And, unless drastic changes are made, she certainly won't be the last.  But their attempt to remove her from her position is so clearly politically motivated, so unjust, and so downright stupid that I am astonished.  Get rid of the entire board, let Dr. Whitfield run the district, and watch the quality of education skyrocket.

 As the parent of 3 Chartiers Valley students, and a taxpayer I am frankly appalled with the venom with which people have chosen to address this issue.  No one has disputed the fact that the board has publically stated that this is not a reflection on Dr. Whitfield.  The 6 board members in question(as well as the other 3) have a "fiduciary responsibility" to review Dr. Whitfield's contract.  There appears to be the notion that by opening her contract several board members have ulterior motives.  What a shallow view.  How about they are doing the job we elected them to?  The world we live in today is not the same as it was when her contract was drafted.  We are now in a recession.  I am sure the autoworkers in Detroit would have at least liked the option of having their contracts opened rather than merely terminated.  Many, many good people have lost jobs because of the economic environment.  I am not suggesting that Dr. Whitfiled should lose her job, I am only applauding our school board for not arbitrarily renewing without the proper due diligence.  It is unfair to view this as political without all knowing the facts.  I would like to make the suggestion to the school board to add an "arbitration clause" to any new administrators contracts so that the minute something does not go the way our employees want, they don't immediately go out and hire an attorney.

Tolerant Parent:

 As the parent of 3 Chartiers Valley students, and a taxpayer I am frankly appalled with the venom with which people have chosen to address this issue.  No one has disputed the fact that the board has publically stated that this is not a reflection on Dr. Whitfield.  The 6 board members in question(as well as the other 3) have a "fiduciary responsibility" to review Dr. Whitfield's contract.  There appears to be the notion that by opening her contract several board members have ulterior motives.  What a shallow view.  How about they are doing the job we elected them to?  The world we live in today is not the same as it was when her contract was drafted.  We are now in a recession.  I am sure the autoworkers in Detroit would have at least liked the option of having their contracts opened rather than merely terminated.  Many, many good people have lost jobs because of the economic environment.  I am not suggesting that Dr. Whitfiled should lose her job, I am only applauding our school board for not arbitrarily renewing without the proper due diligence.  It is unfair to view this as political without all knowing the facts.  I would like to make the suggestion to the school board to add an "arbitration clause" to any new administrators contracts so that the minute something does not go the way our employees want, they don't immediately go out and hire an attorney.

 Dear Tolerant Parent,

You are obviously a friend of one of the 6 school board members that have voted against Dr. Whitfield or you are living with your head in the ground!  An arbitration clause...are you crazy?  The employees of our school district need to be able to defend themselves when something like this happens to them!!!  Especially when there appears to be no valid reason whatsoever!  A "fiduciary responsibility" is not why this is happening!

How can you compare Dr. Whitfield to the Detroit autoworkers?  We are talking about the education of our children...not the purchase of a new car(which, in tough economic times I am sure we would all be willing to sacrifice)!!!!  As our tax dollars have not decreased because of the state of our economy,  I am willing to bet that most of us in the CVSD are willing to pay the price (whatever it may be) to retain quality employees like Dr. Whitfield!

 To all those who agree with the response to Tolerant Parent, it's time to get your heads out of the sand and take a look at what's going on in this world.  Not one person on the board has said they would like to replace Dr. Whitfield.  It never hurts to look at the competition and see what else is out there.  Many times it will make you appreciate what you already have. 

Everyone comments that the board is being run by emotion and individual feelings.  Has anyone stopped to think the board is following good business practices?  It seems as long as those emotions and individual feelings are parallel to what yours are, there is not problem.  I'm almost embarrassed to say I send my children to school with children of such ignorant and intolerable people.  Open up your ears and minds - you might actually appreciate others' points of view!

I highly disagree with the fact that the people making these comments need to get their heads out of the sand.  You have no idea how this district is run.  There are certain things occurring throughout the school district that the tax payers of this community have no clue about.  This board does not seperate their personal agendas from the educational.  Their agendas are the only that matter!  Certain board members have made it known that they control all of the power and whomever gets in their way will pay.   It has been stated in public that this is a fact.  It is very sad that a few people have the wool pulled over their eyes and are blinded by this boards sweet talking.  I hope eventually you will realize it is not the fact Dr. Whitfield's contract is up, it's how they approached it!  They did not follow through with forming a committee to take a look at it, instead made a hasty decision.  We do want the best administrators in CVSD and that is Dr. Whitfield. 

I wasn't comparing what Dr. Whitfield does to purchasing a car. I was merely pointing out that we are in a recession.  That we elect board members to spend our money wisely.  The fact of the matter is that our district needs to be run like a business.  My head is not in the ground, nor am I crazy.   In many businesses where contracts are in play the use of "alternative resolutions" are employed.  These clauses generally state that any dispute or controversy involving a claim of monetary or other employment related provisions of the contract will be arbitrated according to the rules of the American Arbitration Association.  This doesn't take away people's rights, it only serves as a way to save money, rather than litigate.  Many other states require the use of such language in not only teacher's contracts but administrators as well.  It's good business.  Maybe a little research before you respond would be appropriate.  To assume that I am a friend of a board member, and not a parent with a mind of their own is insulting to not only me but embarrassing to you.

Tolerant Parent:

I wasn't comparing what Dr. Whitfield does to purchasing a car. I was merely pointing out that we are in a recession.  That we elect board members to spend our money wisely.  The fact of the matter is that our district needs to be run like a business.  My head is not in the ground, nor am I crazy.   In many businesses where contracts are in play the use of "alternative resolutions" are employed.  These clauses generally state that any dispute or controversy involving a claim of monetary or other employment related provisions of the contract will be arbitrated according to the rules of the American Arbitration Association.  This doesn't take away people's rights, it only serves as a way to save money, rather than litigate.  Many other states require the use of such language in not only teacher's contracts but administrators as well.  It's good business.  Maybe a little research before you respond would be appropriate.  To assume that I am a friend of a board member, and not a parent with a mind of their own is insulting to not only me but embarrassing to you.

 

 

 I agree that the district needs to be run like a business.  Please explain why then if Dr. Whitfield's contract was up that they decided 5 minutes before the board meeting to open up her position?  They had the time to review her contract well in advance of the meeting.  Why was she not informed of their decision prior to this?  Why was it dropped like a bombshell on her at the meeting?  I will tell you why...the board is sneaky and their practices are underhanded!  This would not have happened if "good business" practices were being followed.

 It is embarrassingly evident the person who is saying that "good business" practices would be to reinstate a contract without performing any type of research does not have any "good business" experience.  The school board must consider all options before making any decisions, unless they would like to leave themselves open to possible law suits for all of their workings.  A good business is not run on emotions.  And sound business decisions are not based on feelings, or whether one likes or dislikes and individual.  They are based on facts - the good and the bad, the likeable and unlikeable.

 I'm pretty sure thru a good source that the 6 Board members have asked their "friends" to step forward and respond in a positive way in regards to their decsion to open up Dr. Whitfield's job.     Election time is getting closer. ........

 Many of us in the community have also suspected this.  It was proven at the May elections that a newcomer earned more votes than the current board members.  If more people would have the guts to run against these controlling board members there may be a chance to save the district.  If these board members continue to make poor decisions, they are going to run out of friends to defend them and their actions.  Unfortunately it took this absolute monstrosity with Dr. Whitfield to bring this to the forefront.  What are they going to do next?  I am afraid to find out!  I am hoping they listen to the taxpayers that voted them in to right the wrongs that have occurred!!!