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

 Maybe these opinions should be voiced at Tuesday night's board meeting. It is ridiculous that a board can have this much power and do this to a stellar employee, one who has done so much for the children of the Chartiers Valley School District. When you do these things behind closed doors, something fishy is going on.

I think it says a lot that when Dr. Whitfield was announced at the back to school assembly the entire faculty of the Chartiers Valley School District stood for several minutes giving her a standing ovasion. Even the administration stood up and cheered for her while a schoolboard member sat in the audience and did nothing. Dr. Whitfield is a highly professional, positive person who is the backbone of this district. Where do we go from here, who will be fired next because they are looking out for the children. I thought that is why people go into this field, for the children. I wonder why the school board members want to be voted in...for control, their own agenda, power. It is sad that so much power is given to them, to be abused and manipulated. Making these changes during workshop meetings the cowards way...I have a feeling Tuesday night the board won't be able to hide. Don't get me wrong, I know there are people on the schoolboard that care about the children and want to to do the right thing. Unfortunately the evil weighs out the good in this case. I hope more caring, concerned board members get voted in at election time. Right now this is an embarressment to the district and they should be ashamed of what people are saying.

I can't believe that the school board is hiding under the guise that their actions are the prudent action to take reguarding Dr Whitfield's contract.

Dr Whitfield is such a large part of what makes Charters Valley great and I'm stunned that this has reached the point that it has.

If she wins her court case (and by all rights it seems that she should and will) then we as taxpayers will be paying her 850 thousand dollars to NOT work at the school.  That money could be spent on textbooks, could be spent on supplies or the lunch program, could be spent on her salary while she continued to work there.  Now it seems we will be footing the bill for what appears to be a decision rooted in vendetta and shameful pride.

I say that we vote for a clean sweep in November and enact a school board that will actually follow the will of the people they are supposed to be representing.

 I am a 2009 CV graduate who attended the school board meetings on a regular basis and was fortunate enough to work with Dr. Whitfiled during my Junior and Senior years as a member of  Student Council.  Dr. Whitfield is able to see the perspective of the student body without compromising her position.  She is approachable and willing to listen to you without being biased taking into consideration all aspects of the situation.  Is it possible that the school board members who oppose Dr. Whiltfiled may be  jealous of her comrady with both teachers and students and her willingess to listen to what parents,teachers and students have to say?  Thank heavens that i got out of CV before this atrocity happened.

I wish that personal agendas would be set aside by the school board and do what is right for this district.  Are we trying to save money by getting rid of a top flight administrator and hiring someone with less experience (cheaper)?  Where are the priorities of this board?  Didn't hear too many voices when the district spent great sums of the taxpayers money to expand the athletic facilities.  Yes, it is nice and all of the buildings in the school district are nice, but if you don't have quality people filling these buildings, it is pointless.

 

As someone who has gone through the Chartiers Valley School District, as a student, I am extremely saddened that the school board has taken such action against Dr. Whitfield. Who do they think they are? They are the school board; the people we elect to uphold OUR wishes, not their own. Furthermore, the reason behind this decision could not be more unethical. But what do you expect from unethical people? For example: http://www.ethicsrulings.state.pa.us/DocView.aspx?id=34536 Any school board memeber accused and convicted of an act such as this, should be forced off the school board immediately!!! What else may have been done that was never caught?

Punishing an employee for telling the truth surely sends a message: IF YOU WANT TO WORK HERE, DO WHAT WE SAY, OR ELSE! They have a misconstrued mindset that they are in charge. WELL NOT FOR LONG. Have they forgotten who elects them? The 6 board members who voted in retaliation should undoubtedly be removed from their position, IMMEDIATELY! Or IMMEDIATELY resign. To be a board member means to have the districts best interest at heart, and to listen to the community and uphold their desires. At CV, these 6 members could care less about what WE want, but come election time, WE will be the ones who care less about their re-election, and more about putting proper people into their positions. GET READY, WHEN EACH OF THE 6 BOARD MEMBERS ARE UP FOR RE-ELECTION, CV COMMUNITY...WE'LL BE PUTTING SOME NEW PEOPLE IN OFFICE, IF THEIR REMOVAL DOESN'T COME BEFORE THEN! HOPEFULLY THE NEW 6 BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE MORE COMMON SENSE AND A MORE ETHICAL MINDSET! 

It doesn't seem to matter that the entire CV faculty showed strong support for Dr. Whitfield. It doesn't seem to matter that the great majority of the public supports Dr. Whitfield. The board has their own agenda right now, and they need to be told in no uncertain terms at Tuesday night's board meeting and again in the November elections that their behavior will not be tolerated. They are to be working for the good of our school district. Nothing good can come out of firing Dr. Whitfield. Tell them.

 I'm extremely concerned over this idiotic turn of events regarding Tammy Whitfield.  She's excellent at what she does.  She always has the kids and their best interest in mind.  She's extremely fair.  Although there have been times in working with her as parent where things haven't alway gone in my childrens favor, I knew she was always being fair and show no favoritism.  This is obviously unlike the school board who basically have popularity contest, not what's best for the kids.  No one should have that much power over any faculty/administration.  All its about is power.  I'm disappointed for our school district.  I came from out of state knowing that CV was an exceptional school district.  I'm not so sure now . 

 School Board Meeting:  Tuesday, August 25, 2009

                                       Chartiers Valley Administrative Office (Intermediate School)

                                       7:00 PM

Please show up at this meeting to let your dissatisfaction with the school board decision to open Dr. Whitfield's contract be known.  I have heard that teachers are supporting Dr. Whitfield but are afraid to come to the meeting because they have no contract as of this date.  We, the voting public, must let this board know how we feel about this turn of events.

BRAVO!!!!  Could not have said it better...this just about sums it up!  Vote them out!!!

 Are you kidding me? Dr. Whitfield is Chartiers Valley?  I am sure she is a perfectly fine administrator but as the mother of 4, I have never had any dealings with her.  I wonder what our wonderful administrators are doing about the drug problem at CV?  Ask any high school student about what goes on at school yet certain members of our school board have said on record that they do not support the proper measures to help curtail these illegal substances from finding their way into our schools.  Our school board should be dealing with the teacher's contracts, and the problems at hand.  Any business issue can be resolved.  it's when you bring in personalities that you have problems.   Mrs. Frey mispoke when she stated that this will cost the tax payers one million dollars.  It will cost the insurance company.  It is the blatant embellishment of the truth that has led to this circus.  Our school board needs to think before they act. 

You are so right that the school board should be dealing with the teachers' contracts and the problems at hand.  However, because they failed to act in a timely and responsible manner, they are now dealing with this.  Maybe the insurance company will ultimately reimburse some of the cost but it was reported that the cap is not known.  What about an increase in premiums?  Who pays for that?  We do!  And what about the time and effort the board and school personnel will be spending on this issue?  Who pays for that?  We do!  Our children do!  The school board needs to right their wrongs.... fast!

First of all, if the administration had a majority of board members who would back them up and not pull the rug out from under them when they tried to dole out discipline,  maybe they would be more likely (and able) to enforce the rules, and problems such as drugs could be curtailed.  But don't hide your head in the sand.  There are drugs in every school, public and private.  It is the moral and ethical esposiblilty of every parent to teach their own children and to monitor their activities.  It is just too easy to blame the school.  On another note, I absolutely agree that the board should be dealing with teacher contracts and other matters at hand.  Unfortunately, the board majority has created this circus by their negligence.  They opened Dr. Whitfield's position at the May board meeting, and have yet to offer her a contract.  That is what has created this mess.  It wasn't any blatent embellishment of the truth. Special counsel admitted that no case is a given, and that the insurance cap was unknown.  Mrs. Frey's comment of gambling with over a million dollars of taxpayer money could actually prove to be a conservative number.  If you notice, the $850,000 did not include legal fees or punitive damages.  Punitive damages alone can be in the millions.  Be thankful we have a voice of reason on the board with Beth McIntyre, Mary Lou Petronsy and Patti Frey.  They seem to have the students and the taxpayer's best interest at heart, there just aren't enough of them to stop this irresponsible majority who seem to have their own agenda.

 The great majority of the posts acknowledge that Dr. Whitfield is indeed a wonderful administrator and asset to the district. What I can't understand is why more people are not voicing these opinions in person at the board meetings. I have heard parents say they are afraid their children will be penalized. I have heard teachers say they are afraid they will be targetted or that their support of Dr. Whitfield will harm their contract negotiations. Wow. What does this say about our school board?

As of now, Dr. Whitfield has two more months to be employed by the Chartiers Valley School District. Many people believe that the board is still considering her contract at this time; they are not.  

Dr. Whitfield needs support by the voting public at these meetings. She needs the voting public to speak at these meetings and demand the school board act responsibly. Not only does Dr. Whitfield need this, the kids need this. The community needs this. CV needs this.

 

Once again, lies were told to the community members at the last board meeting.  It was explained by one member that Dr. Whitfield's contract was placed in front of the board 10 minutes before a board meeting.  The board members had complete knowledge and access to review Dr. Whitfield's contract, months earlier.  Secondly, if that was the only issue that was keeping the board from acting that night, why has there not been any more movement toward the reconsideration of her contract since then?  Hmm, these 6 members just could not seem to answer that question at the meeting.  I wonder why?

Nevertheless, it appears to me, based on my communication with members of this community, (and as evidenced on this comment forum) that Dr. Whitfield has a HUGE support base.  Is it possible that a petition could be circulated and an injunction could be filed against the 6 members of this school board prohibiting them from moving forward with this despicable act?  These board members are most definitely NOT representing the majority of Chartiers Valley School District residents.

Something is very wrong when employees of a school district live in fear of retaliation by their own school board for standing up for their beliefs.  Not only should more people come to the meetings to speak up, I think the tv stations should be invited so that all of Pittsburgh could see how these 6 board members continue to embarass themselves.