It might be worthwhile setting up a ginkgo biloba concession outside the attorney's office. These people have no credibility left. All of these conversations don't shed a favorable light on Dr. Thompson's integrity either. I can't wait to hear what the others don't remember.

These depositions should be broadcast on the schools cable Television channel.

Or just done in public live at the Taj Mahals Board room.

Hopefully this will get this plastic doll eyed ninny out of education, she has been nothing but an obstructionist and rabble rouser who has accomplished nothing but make the school board a kindergarten class. I hope she ends up in jail; or at the least her community service will be to pick up trash on school grounds since she has made such a mess of the entire school system. Let Donovan carry the trash bag and calabrese can wash the urinals.

Idiots

It seems that they all seem to have the same case of amnesia when it comes to recalling what was discussed during the phone calls in question.

The big question will they ever be able to prove what was discussed during those phone calls? I'm not holding my breath. It sure would be nice to be able to prove what happened if indeed something illegal did happen.

Either way Baker will walk away with a pot of money when it is all over because the board will have no chose but to settle with him due to the way he was fired without the 14 day notice. Meantime we will have to continue to pay Thompson and his dixie chicks.

They could make a whole TV mini series out this mess. I don't think they could cover the whole story in a two hour movie.

Here here kneejerk!

This is getting old. Let's put these louses out on their rumps!

A-boot is up for dismissal in November. Vote her away for good.

When does Field Marshal Thompson have the honor of refusing to answer deposition questions?

The Moral Majority Christian Nutjobs, it seems, resorted to some pretty unholy methods to pull off this bloodless coup.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

It keeps getting better and better, by releasing segments of the depositions it insures the others will be on the same page of lies.....not like they're not calling each other anyways. Remove everyone and start over, otherwise there will always be a credibility issue.

The 3 board members and Thompson are all criminals. I am embarrased to have them as part of our community. The board members will suffer the costs of paying their attorneys as well as Bakers. Thompson will have used us all due to our 3 board members. Our children will all suffer for them.

Terry Walters, aka Harvard Man, will loose his teaching certificate.

McShea will loose her power puppet.

Charlie Abbott will loose his second income and his part time job.

The fact that Thompson is a West Point grad and scheemed to overthrow Baker to get his job says, "What ever happened to Duty, Honor Country?"

Please save us soon.

To quote Mark Twain:In the first place God made idiots, this was for practice,then He made school boards. See any relevancy ?

I have been wondering why the fact that Terry Walters was a practicing attorney prior to relocating to Collier County has never been brought to light. I doubt the phone calls to and from Terry were made because he was an AP teacher.

That is interesting information harley2. If that is true that could explain a few things.

Where is thelissack to comment on this topic...we know he is not selling homes!

If you knew Linda, like I know Linda; then you know, she knows; that we all know; that she knows she knew better. But hey this is Collier County County Florida; and who knew that sunshine had laws? She knew, that we knew; but she didnt care. So what was the line from Alice in wonderland?

Dr. Thompson is to be deposed Thurs. morning. What are the chances he will remember what he wrote on the paper he gave to Mr. Walters? At first, I just thought he was an opportunist who jumped on a chance to have a 3 vote majority and knew he could write his ticket for awhile. Now, it is sounding more as if he played a real role in helping orchestrate much of this sham. So much for his code of honor.
This becomes more upsetting everyday. The chance of "proving" a Sunshine violation seems difficult. Can anyone read these articles and really think they didn't conspire? I do like the fact that if someone screws up and actually tells the truth the others might face some sort of perjury charge. Talk about high drama in low places.

Come on now. This isn't high drama. It's school board! Is that how desperate you are for fun?
You are the same poeple over and over again. Get some lives. Will you? Don't be too disappointed when Mrs. Abbott get reelected and Thompson does a good job. Curatolo will be out, and things will finally start looking up. You same people give this town a bad name. Go hunt your witches somewhere else.
This is not that big a deal. Power? You are a riot. A real riot! Small town people with small town minds. Only in Naples!

Selling houses, Midwesterner, not "homes."

A home isn't something you can buy. Real estate salespeople have beaten this "home" euphemism into the heads of the public for so long most now don't question it. You don't say "Home of prostitution," or "Home of gambling," for the same reason a "house wrecker" doesn't work for a marital partner who is unfaithful.

You buy a house, and if you're lucky it may contribute to the ultimate home, but the shell, the brick and mortar, is always just a house.

The term "Homeowner" is particularly offensive, yet it's used commonly, even by the read and learned.

The School Board and the Superintendent are a disgrace to Collier county schools. I remember when I was proud to say my 2 children attended Collier County schools. Not the case anymore. I am so glad they have graduated. This administration is running off good teachers. Wake up! The issue should be about childrens' education and not your egos. They are our future. You should be part of the past. These officials should not be exempt from maintaining ethical standards and abiding by the sunshine laws.

I guess the definition of "life" is up for discussion.
Personally, I take an interest in community affairs.
I believe in a positive, free exchange of viewpoints.
I walk the dog and get my oil changed every 3000 miles.
I exercise everyday and go to the library at least twice a week.
I blog when I want to and don't when I want to.
I believe the people deposed so far are lying.
I have expectations for board members, teachers, parents and students.
I am evolved enough to say what I want in a civil manner.
I have paid my dues.
Even if it isn't a life, it's better than the alternative.

Joe's: As often as I see your name on these blogs how dare you tell others to get a life when they post? And how is it that so far you are the only one defending Linda and Dennis? If these blogs show the stance of the community then the numbers are NOT in your favor! I respect your right to post your opinion, although I certainly don't agree with it - you need to respect other's right to do the same. You lose credibility when you deny others the right to their opinions by asking them to hunt their witches elsewhere.

Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
And it shows them pearly white

Too many teachers tremble in fear, are silent, and allow their mates to take the heat. Mack the knife is in town and cutting the school system to shreds.

Perhaps the powerless should pick up some self-defense--or, at least, yell like h**l when slashed.

The community should set aside the bitterness and come help. Anybody know how to work cement?

Now … Jenny Diver … ho, ho … yeah … Sukey Tawdry
Ooh … Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Oh, the line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky’s back in town.

It is certainly all about ego. Let's make it about justice. Rally 'round the flag folks! This is America and public schools belong to the people.

Does anyone tell the "truth" anymore? When the President Of The United States goes on national TV and lies to the people of this great nation ( Clinton) what can you expect from all these other elected officials? There are 2 reasons I could never be a politician- 1. I can't speak out of both sides of my mouth and 2. I can't look people in the eye and lie to them! These are 2 major qualifications if you want to be a success in politics!!

Actress Abbotts days are numbered - her disgusting imitation sweetness and oozing concern for anyone one but herself becomes more and more apparent - she would go to any length to get what she wants - she has finally sacrificed herself! Its about time she cut off her nose to spite her face - sadly, it will take much longer to repair the damage that was caused by this fiasco than it did to create it. So, GED boy and Dirty-Old-Man Calabrese - you guys picked a weeeeeeener to follow! LOL - I'm looking forward to voting this year - VOTING OUT ABBOTT unless we are all lucky enough to have them removed! There is always hope!

These are not appointed positions.

It may take time, but read your ballot and vote the people out!

I am so looking forward to the elections later this year!

With all of the highly qualified, highly knowledgeable bloggers we have on here every day spouting their opinions about the School Board and the way it operates, there should be dozens of candidates to chose from when these people put their money where their mouths are and run against the people they want to get rid of.

Voting these ineffective people out isn't good enough if we simply replace them with other ineffective people. Unless you know for sure that the "new" person is better than the "existing" person, change is not necessarily a better thing.

"Better the devil you know than the angel you don't know."

MY KIDS COULD NEVER REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY WERE WRONG EITHER!
I GUESS SOME PEOPLE JUST DO NOT GROW OUT OF THAT!

I agree pianoman.Why elect somebody who may not be imcompetent, when we already know these people are imcompetent.
change----bad

Isn't is hilarious how the pro-Abbott people consistently down talk these forums? Posters either have no life, or they're "stalkers," or they're Chamber shills...

It's typical. Good fascists have always aimed to silence critics, and these people are no different.

The Jesus-faring, intellect-hating, hair-brained right wing loons of the district care only about advancing their theocracy, and all in the name of "the kids."

I'm glad to see the overwhelming support against these brown shirts

"Lori Hoadley, she's done investigations for us in the past ... Lori Hoadley, call her St. Friday." -Dennis Thompson.

(poor typing, sorry.) Again:

"Lori Hoadely, she's done investigations for us in the past ... Lori Hoadley, we call her Sgt. Friday ... I can't help if there are coincidences."

-Dennis Thompson, recalling a conversation he had with Ms. Abbott before the meeting of shame.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

RE (from article): "Abbott said Wednesday she knew nothing about [Collier teacher] Walters’ trip to Rockford, saying the trip was 'done on his own.'"

LOL...this just strikes me as so funny. I had no idea teachers vacation in vacation hotspots like "Rockford, IL" (no offense to that community, but I did not know it was a bigger vacation destination than Naples, FL).

And, I had no idea that stopping by to chat with the local superintendent is something teachers do on their vacations.

I am a teacher, too -- and I do not know of any teacher who would ever WANT to contact some out of the way superintendent on a whim, especially while on vacation in a midwest vacation hotspot like "Rockford, IL."

Pretty strange behavior, IMO... but, what do I know...

According to School Board Member Ms. Abbott, this kind of vacation destination and behavior hardly merits a second look. Nothing to see here!

LOL...

BLACK STUDENT:
Student injured in fall from bus sues School Board Friday, January 20, 2006

Part of Hanlon’s argument is that the bus driver should have been more culturally sensitive to how Jackson, who is black, would respond to being threatened with police involvement.

Jackson has a spotless criminal record, but he has had friends with past involvement in the justice system, so threats of arrest would cause him a lot of anxiety, she argued. The bus driver should have foreseen that and is liable because he overreacted, Hanlon said.

Withers said the threat and the students’ jumping out of the bus on their own are the critical points in the case.

“To be honest, we’re not too impressed with the strength or validity of the plaintiff’s arguments,” Withers said.

http://www.zelmanandhanlon.com/Zelman...

In most organizations the equivilent of a HS teacher going on a trip to sound out a future CEO
would put that person on a fast trip to the unemployment line.
I do not support 'chain-of-command' baloney, but that's what goes on.

AND MAY DONOVAN, ABBOTT AND CALABRESE GO DOWN IN FLAMES TAKING THOMPSON AND HIS DIXIE CHICKS WITH HIM. THEY ARE ALL LYING illegitimateS AND NOW THE PUBLIC IS LEARNING, AGAIN, THAT HAD THEY LISTENED TO CARROLL AND CURATOLO, THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD HAVE SAVED THE COUNTY EMBARRASSMENT AND MONEY!!! TOO BAD THAT GED BOY, LYING ABBOTT AND SEX FIEND CALABRESE ARE ALLOWED TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY!!!!!

DOWN WITH THE THREE CULPRITS - UP WITH FRIEDKIN AND BAKER. LET THOMPSON AND HIS LADY FRIENDS SWEEP FLOORS TIL THE END OF THEIR CONTRACTS AND LETS ACCEPT THE FINANCIAL BURDEN BROUGHT UPON US BY THE THREE IDIOTS AND MOVE ON.

Thanks harley2. It's interesting to note that Walters was an attorney.

All I can say is this is getting better and better everyday. Can't wait to watch when anyone of these board members are up for re-election.

Promdate needs some professional help. Also sounds like he's in pretty tight with Frieken and Baker. His type sides in with Frieken and Baker. Says a lot. Doesn't it? He wants us to "accept the financial burden"? Speak for yourself.

This is nuts! I am glad the baord members are fighting this.

I believe that Abbot and Curatolo are the next seats up for election. That should be this November.

The other three (Donovan, Calabrese and Carroll) were just elected last year so we have almost three more years of them. Those seats would be open in 2010.

We can get a start on changing out the board this fall. That is about all we can do, just keep voting them all out of office until they are all gone.

"It's a little more than ironic to see these guys working for any kind of public school organization," said Heidi Beirich, a spokeswoman for the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project.

When Nassau County NAACP officials learned about Withers' membership in a group so venomous toward public schools, they promptly called for his resignation.

The League's slippery position on race was never part of the complaint, said branch Chairman Bernard Thompson, although he is wary of its agenda.

"If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck," Thompson said. "The only thing that's missing are the hoods."

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/sto...

Joespizza has a real problem when anyone does not see everything as he does, maybe he needs to stick to making pizza, every time he writes he ends up with pie on his face!
For some dealing with facts becomes very tough!
LET THE FACT KEEP FLOWING!

Again, re: (from article): "Abbott said Wednesday she knew nothing about [Collier teacher] Walters’ trip to Rockford, saying the trip was 'done on his own.'"

-------------------------

I'm still laughing at that...so, now, we have a parody online -- a blog, devoted to her deposition claim. It's called:

Linda Abbott Says: "Visit Rockford!"

http://lindaabbotsaysvisitrockford.bl...

DARN! Been away for a few days and when I read that headline, I thought it meant the OTHER of "deposed" ... you know, like when corrupt tyrants are finally thrown out of power.

Sigh. We can only hope...

First the school board next the county commission. Let's wipe the slate clean. Way to much political corruption in this town.

Linda Abbott doesn't stand a chance on being reelected - good riddance - BUT - we need someone really great to take her place - anybody know anyone whos thinking of running?

I'm going to ask this question of all the people out there who continue to scream "The School Board must GO!" and see what sort of responses it generates:

Whom do you suggest that we replace the incumbents with? Give us some names!

For months and months we have been reading all the blogs about how corrupt this School Board is, and about how poorly everyone thinks they are doing, and about how badly we need to vote them all out. But, I have yet to see one single name mentioned as to who we should replace them with, and I have yet to see one of the complainers step up to the plate and say they intend to run for the office themselves.

So, what's it going to be: Are you just going to keep whining and complaining and hoping it gets better on its own, or are you actually going to put your money where your mouth is and do something about it?

Who is going to run against the incumbents in this election?

Who is going to go find truly qualified candidates to run against the incumbents and make sure they are properly vetted?

Who is going to start the re-call election petition for the School Board members that aren't up for re-election right now?

Who is going to start the special election petition to make serving on the School Board an unpaid position?

Who is going to start the special election petition to demand an outside audit of the School Board budget and its expenditures?

Who is going to step up and actually do something, actually make a difference, instead of just whining and complaining about it?

Let's hear it...!

BACK TO BASICS
NEVER RE-ELECT ANYONE!!!
DOES YOUR LIAR LIE WORSE THAN MY LIAR!

Ray Baker for School Board!

I don't know if one needs to personally run for office to make a difference. I would guess that the voter apathy of past elections will be less prevalent in the next election. The fact that these articles get so many responses is an indication, to me, of the interest of the community.
I do feel that some of the negatives to come from this will be that fewer people will want to expose themselves the rigors of being in office. I believe it will be harder to attract quality people to come to work in CCPS because of the working climate.
I also believe that there will be worthy candidates come forth who are interested in the welfare of the schools and community. Time will certainly tell.

To GatorHater07: I don't always agree with you but I always enjoy your comments. You give intelligent, thought-provoking comments and you do it without resorting to character assasinations. Our main disagreement is on Ray Baker himself. As you know, I think he's a bright guy who worked very hard for over 35 years for CCPS. I know he made mistakes but I never felt any of them warrented his dismissal and certainly not the way it happened.
I agree with you that his attorney probably knows he will not succeed in the Sunshine case but he also knows more details that we do. He is also getting everything "on the record" for what is to come. If you catch people contradicting each other, it certainly strengthens your case when it's time for that ultimate settlement.
Regardless, of our views, please keep the comments coming as they are enjoyable to read.

Ironic, piano, that you ridicule others for whining. Take your own advice and find a replacement for Abbott instead of standing in judgement of others' only vent.

Honestly, I don't know any sane person who would want the job of board member. Maybe that's why this current board is stacked with such dullards and puppets. Maybe that's why Faerbar had such a good run.

Isn't it true for many who seek power that they do so to compensate for hopeless insecurities? From the hand-raising middle school student-council president to the witless goof serving as commander-in-chief, Bush II, the quality of our "leaders" is often reduced to the best of the worst.

Seriously, I question the need for a local school board at all. Each school should be responsible for the curriculum it teaches, and its principals will be required to attend weekly principle's meetings where peers review each other's methods and majority vote decided tough issues to determine some consistency of policy. Then, parents can choose the school to which to send their offspring each year based on what's being taught and by whom. Schools that get no takers will replace the principal with someone who can reflect the will of the "market."

Why do we need five boneheads making $30,000 per year? So they can hire and fire three superintendents in five years? So they can serve the interests of their friends and business partners? Seriously, what do these people do?

Please tell me:

ecoterror86@yahoo.com

You're right about the Calabrese election. No surprise there and actaully no surprise as to his demonstrated character. One needed to have only watched him speak at board meetings a few years ago to see his agenda.
If you want a disturbing comparison, spend a day with a beginning kindergarten teacher and then realize the board member is making more money.
I do believe that most superintendents know that they are only going to be around for a few years no matter where they are.

if you've lived here any amount of time you'd know abbott has basically been IN BED with Thompson (metophorically speaking) since she first whined she wanted this guy way back when White was outta here.

It seems funny to me that not ONE super can last here with this board. Perhaps, gasp, it's the BOARD and not the supers????????????

think about it.

Thanks to all the teachers in Collier who are visiting my new parody blog, titled:

Linda Abbott says: "Visit Rockford!"

http://www.lindaabbotsaysvisitrockfor...

Someone once told me that the highest paid migratory job in this country is that of Superintendent Of a Public School System! I've seen many come and go! I go back to when William O. Webb was Superintendent here in CCPS land!

I would run for school board. I know my interest would be first for the children. Second, for the children and those that directly interact with children and finally.........THE CHILDREN. Not my own ego. My own agenda.

but the elections here aren't for another 3 years. Hey, can we impeach?

Maybe the process wasn't pretty, but the outcome sure was sweet and that's that Ray Baker is GONE!

You are correct Give, Abbott has wanted Thompson for the job since Dad White left. Thompson was one of the final candidates then but was passed over for Ben Marlin if memory serves me. Thompson was an assistant Superintendent in Nashville Tn at the time. I can't remember if any of the other board members at the time supported Thompson. Abbott also had her local group of parents and followers that wanted Thompson hired also.

In the mean time Thompson and his girl friends moved onto Rockford. When Marlin left I believe she tried again to have him considered for the job but the majority of the board wanted to just promote Baker into the position.

She has been convinced that he is the only man for the job for years now. She finally got enough other board members to buy into her idea.

Correct bio...and if you were here before that, you would have seen Supt. John Murphy run out of town but not before his wife committed suicide. Among his communist inspired ideas was to buy large tracts of land where HS, MS and elementary schools could be built. He was way ahead of his time for the Collier County of the late 60s.

From an earlier article re: Terry Walters deposition:

"Walters said he also could confirm Calabrese’s testimony that he helped the School Board member prepare the motion, which Calabrese made July 31. Calabrese, in his motion to fire Baker, said the then-superintendent was required to perform certain duties, including adhering to all laws and rules of the Board of Education and the supplemental rules of the board."

It sounds suspiciously like Terry Walters was also functioning in the role of giving legal advice here. As far as I know, this man has NOT been admitted to the Florida Bar. Functioning as an attorney (i.e., giving legal advice) without being admitted to the Florida Bar is illegal.

It also appears that he set himself up (volunteered or was enlisted) to be a negotiator between Thompson and members of the school board.

Furthermore, what self-respecting superintendent of schools would spend "about three hours in Thompson’s office and then . . . on afterward at Thompson’s home" talking to a teacher who just happened to be passing through and wanted to talk educational philosophy, another superintendent, and gossip from another district in another state. There are several possible assumptions:

1. Walters has delusions of grandeur.
2. Walters was sent by Board members.
3. Thompson had much too much time on his hands.
4. Thompson had no sense of the lack of propriety of the situation.
5. Thompson was in collusion with the Board in firing Baker.

What Superintendent do you know who would discuss his job requirements with a teacher? What superintendent do you know who has that kind of TIME to spend with a teacher who just dropped in? What Superintendent do you know who would stoop to discussing the job status of another superintendent with that superintendent's subordinate?

These people are either very stupid or very arrogant.

I' going with arrogant

ROCKFORD IL, MONEY MAGAZINE'S LEAST APPETIZING CITY

While visiting Rockford, Ill., which has replaced Moore's hometown of Flint, Mich., as America's least appetizing city in the opinion of Money magazine, he is fed disinformation by a bookstore worker and enthusiastically proves her wrong.

http://partners.nytimes.com/library/f...

Yes, it is true that proof is difficult, but I don't think it's impossible, especially in light of some of the ill-advised, sometimes arrogant behavior that has gone on. You never can tell when someone might come out of the woodwork to supply more information.

By the way, are violations of the Sunshine Law civil or criminal? Is this like the OJ Simpson case in that the criminal case must abide by a stricter standard but the civil case is easier to make? Does anyone know?

I am confused about some items concerning Mr Baker's firing other than it was witch hunt by Calabrese. If the credits were being awarded incorrectly, there should have been a whole line of people fired before it got to Mr. Baker. I believe the following positions should be terminated also - the teacher giving the credit, the department chairperson for not catching the problem, the guidance counselor for not catching the problem, the Ass't Principal for Curriculum at the High School for not catching the problem, the building principal for not catching the problem, the district supervisor of that subject area for not catching the problem and the Assistant Superintendant in charge of Curriculum for not catching the problem. All of these individuals should be facing some sort of consequence also. This problem should have been caught and corrected well before the Superintendent's Office. But as well all know, here in Collier County, parents who think they are so important that they go right to the top instead of handling problems as the source. Mr. Baker or any Superintendent couldn't possibly, personally know what is going on at every school all the time, that is why all of the other people have their jobs. If the problem couldn't or wouldn't be changed at the school level then he should have been asked to step in and correct the situation. His firing was just an excuse for bringing slimey Thompson and the over paid Dixie Chicks here. Also, the School Board Members should remember that Thompson works for them and not the other way around as he is trying to orchestrate. All he cares about is getting his money and moving on just as his history shows.

Long time ago I wrote: too bad we didn't elect a moral heavyweight like Larry Mullins. The school board needs strong and moral persons to maintain a just and decorous meeting.

Mr. Mullins won't try again. The developments show that we (and the NDN) chose the wrong people in 2006. Look again at who we didn't vote for. I nominate Kathy Ryan, Thomas Doheny, Ken Drum, John Snyder, and Chuck Theisen. What are we after? Personal integrity (forget the platitudes about kids, test scores, and accountability).

Kathy Ryan? Oh, sure. You gatta be kidding me! She want to raise out taxes!
And besides, she proably won't be able to see anyhting since it looks like Chatty Cathy stole her glasses!

Did everyone forget.. During all the events here in Collier, Thompson was under investigation by the SAME law firm in Illinois. In October the Ill. investigation report was released that showed that Thompson and Hayes supported "Grade Changes" in Rockford. This is why Thompson was in such a hurry to "GET OUT" of Rockford, before the school board got wind of his actions that were against board policy and state law.

Everyday, this gets better and better

VOTE FOR MICKEY MOUSE FOR SCHOOL BOARD.. We already have GOOFY as Superintendent

Everyone has a comnplaint...
St and if all of you are stop womaning. The only way is to unify.. we are tax paying, parents..
This has gone on too long. Stop Complaining and lets figure out what we AS TAX PAYING PARENTS cando to get rid of these lying mongers we pay for. This is ridiculous.... Is any one out there>>>> Eveyone is so smart with comments, anybody have any guts to change this or just hide and complain.. This School Board has gone full throdle for way to long, HELP OUR TEACHERS AND OUR CHILDREN>>>>>>>>>>>>

Bakergate may not get far legally, but it surely will bring to light the unethical behavior of three Board members, a "wannabe" teacher, a maniacal and egotistical parent, and the new superintendent. Some wonderful prospects are out there ready to run for the School Board and bring back some sanity and honesty. Because candidates must reside in certain parts of the county for each seat, the best candidates may have to wait until a spot opens in his or her district. Change will come. We can only hope that the path of destruction left in the wake of the current fiasco will not result in too many children "left behind."

Why has no one deposed the Dixie Chicks? They knew they were included in the big scheme of things........ not that they wouldn't lie as well as the others, but at least put some heat on them....... THis group of people is an embarassment to the education system..... and now they are our problem.... I wish Baker would come back just for s--ts and giggles, clean up the barn and retire..... laughing all the way.

Sniper, a few words about the curriculum difficulty that got Baker fired:

As you may or may not know, with block schedules AP courses pose a difficulty. Most classes are one semester long under block, but if you have a class such as AP Biology, for example, and give it first semester, the kids have trouble retaining everything in top condition until the test the first week in May. If you give it second semester, the kids are gyped out of a month of preparation time. Both scenarios make life difficult for high school kids trying to take college level biology. The solution has been to have all the AP kids take biology for the whole year, the first semester being Biology Honors and the second semester AP Biology. Those classes were always segregated from other Honors classes. Only kids taking AP were allowed in that year-long class. It works rather well. The kids, especially those kids who are reaching and stretching themselves to take AP get the extra time they need to do a good job.

The problem comes when you have a kid from outside the district who comes in already having taken the Biology Honors class but wanting the AP. As I understand it, the solution was to name the first semester class (for them) Biology II Honors. This didn't sit well with some parents and students who were on the prowl for the valedictorian/high class rank.

I have taught AP classes under this scenario. That first semester class called "Honors" is very different from other honors classes that the regular kids were taking: The Honors/AP classes are different in expectations, pace, evaluation, and depth. The kids do more work on their own, they move faster, the tests are more challenging, the evaluation of the tests is more strict, and there is greater depth in the coverage. I wondered at the time why they didn't call the class Biology II Honors and AP Biology for ALL the kids. I suspect because the Florida system would not allow it.

If the AP classes were not any different at all from the regular Honors classes in the first semester, that is a teacher problem, not a superintendent problem. There should be a difference. As for kids from out of town having an "advantage" because they show a Biology II Honors class on their transcripts, the CCPS kids have the advantage of another Honors course on their transcripts.

It's a tempest in a teapot, created by parents with an agenda that has nothing to do with what is good for kids. Conscientious staff members did the best they could to give every kid every opportunity. That's all. Schools all over the country are struggling with the same issue, and many of them arrived at the same solution. It may not have been the best solution, but it is hardly an offense worthy of a superintendent's dismissal. This was a first class witch hunt.

As for kids getting credit for washing towels or some such thing, again, that is a teacher problem, not a superintendent problem. Nail the teacher for it.

I am a young teacher in Collier County and I am tired of this. I have a Master's degree and believed I would have a solid career, educating children. I have had to work 2 jobs to pay my bills, while the new superintend just gave administrators a 1% Christmas bonus. I look around the community and see beautifully landscaped bridges but there is not enough money to pay teachers. The school board is underhanded and no one wants to step up. Our Union is not being very assertive in helping us with what is going on here. This is a horrible. And who ultimately suffers, the kids. I teach high school and some can't even read! What is Florida ranked? Ask yourselves that. We need to step up the educational system. Also, think about the ramifications this is having on teachers' lives... those who are teaching your children. We are a positive role model for the next generation and that seems to have been forgotten!

As a new participant on the Blog this would be an excellent opportunity to share ideas opinions and expertise. Personal attacks and inferred profanity has absolutely no value in seeking facts.

Example: Several bloggers suggested another audit. We already have the Kitchell, Gibson, Pantenaude and Groose audits at a combined cost of $640,000.00. The Gibson report detailed $56 million in waste of which 39 million was construction waste. The Kitchell audit rated the Dept. of Facilities Planning as deficient or failing in 5 of the 6 categories. The Groose and Patenaude reports delt with the HVAC systems.

The problem is that the Board totally ignored these reports and audidts and the bureaucrats have done nothing to change the system.

If any of these facts are of interest to my fellow bloggers I will be pleased to carry a civil and constructive dialog.

OK teachercreature, since you brought it up, By your own admission you really weren't teaching Biology Honors during that first semester, were you?
I've taught AP courses too, and what happens is, you teach AP Biology right from the start. You get what amounts to 2 classes to teach what is supposed to be taught in 1 class. No wonder it works well for the students!
It sure makes it easier for the students, and I'm all for the students, but it feels a little bit like fraud.

In my case, it was not a science class. I would say that in my class, a good part of the first semester curriculum was the honors curriculum in my subject area, interwoven with elements of skills and terms needed for the AP part of the class -- and adjusted in terms of pace, expectations, evaluation criteria, etc. for a higher level of learning. No, I would not call it fraud. I used biology as an example because I thought it was a subject people could easily relate to. It is not my area.