Joplin businessman Doug Hunt of Doug Hunt Consulting is another one joining the battle to support R-8 Superintendent C. J. Huff.
Earlier this morning, I posted Bright Futures Coordinator Melissa Winston's plea for everyone to get behind the Huff Administration, saying she would delete any responses that were negative.
Hunt has a different idea. If you don't like the direction in which C. J. Huff and his administrative team are taking the school district you can get out of town. This was the message Hunt issued on his Facebook page:
Yesterday I decided to become an aggressive voice of gratitude for Joplin Schools, our administration and the teachers who are such an important part of our children's development.
Given the daunting task of recovering from such a disaster while never losing sight of what's most important, the kids. I'm thankful the administration and all the educators have done such an OUTSTANDING JOB getting us to this point.
Sadly, we live in a time where voices of anger and disrespect capture headlines, and in Joplin regarding our school district, enough is enough.
In the last 24 hours I've had more than a half dozen teachers send me messages saying, "Thank you for the support". If you disagree with the district, get your facts straight and follow due process. Stop yelling FIRE in the media theatre over a Bic lighter, or better yet, move out of the district.
Sending a clear message of support to our kids, the teachers, and everyone who have worked so hard to bring our Eagles home is extremely critical over the next month. "EAGLE PRIDE, NOW MORE THAN EVER!"
23 comments:
Wonder how much Mr. Hunt is being paid to support CJ & Company?
Isn't it interesting that CJ Huff's supporters all denigrate the great American rights of freedom of speech and dissent? Our rights would be trampled by these great champions of the Joplin Way via CJ Huff.
I guess documentation, facts, and exposed lies mean nothing to these people. Just blind allegiance. Maybe they will pass out rose colored glasses at the open session.
My way or the highway! Don't you love civil discourse?
These people are doing CJ Huff more harm than good with their histrionics. Their desperation is shining through loud and clear. But I doubt that any of them are smart enough to figure that out. People who never question or think can rarely distinguish truth from reality.
If everyone who dislikes CJ leaves town, there wont' be anyone left but a few dozen bleating sheep. baa,baa,baa
We disagree with the district because we DO have our facts together and we ARE following due process. That's why there's an audit in progress. And I wouldn't call over 8 million dollars in over budget spending, so far, a bic lighter of a problem.
And how arrogant of him to say "better yet, move out of the district". I can't speak for others but I was here BEFORE the problem arrived. I'm certainly not going to be bullied into moving. Although that does seem to be how this 'leader' likes to operate.
Mr. Doug Hunt I have a question for you. How much money have you been paid in the last 5 years from the Joplin R8 District?
I'm pretty sure both Bright Futures and Doug Hunt will see less interest in what they have to offer. I will donate my money to another charity, and Doug Hunt? Not interested in his "consultant" business at all. Anybody that dumb cannot possibly be a good consultant. At least, not for anything honest.
"EAGLE PRIDE, NOW MORE THAN EVER!"
There seems to be an ridiculous increase in amount of inappropriate capitalization.
My neighbor just retired teaching from Joplin High School for fifteen years. He says it is worse now than it ever has been. He stuck it out because he was so close to retirement or he would have been among the fired ones. He said he had to just keep his mouth shut and go through the motions. I wonder how many kids Mr. Hunt has enrolled in the Joplin Schools. He didn't mention any.
For the few people supporting C.J. Huff, what has he done to improve Joplin schools? Do you really believe that if any other superintendent had been in charge, all of the students in Joplin would just be wandering the streets with no schools to go to?
This is the same man who has vastly expanded administration, bloated administration salaries while cutting reading teachers and other support staff, given no significant raises to teachers in years, bullied employees of the district and forced out those who dared to disagree with him. A recent example of his administration's tactics were on display when Breanna Clark dared to seek employment in another district, turned her contract in late, then was punished for her actions instead of being welcomed back into the district. There is a reason over 100 teachers a year are leaving.
Right now there is so much focus from the community on the finances of the district and the uncertainty of whether or not the high school will be completed on time, but to many teachers these issues are almost secondary. Teachers are losing more of their freedom to teach every year. All of the focus is on testing and data collection when it should be on instructional time and student-centered learning. Students are losing any joy of learning they may have had as they are now forced to test almost constantly while teachers are pressured to enforce "bell-to-bell" instruction. Kindergarten teachers have had to remove toys from the classroom in order to make more time for instruction, even though research shows that play time for children is essential for their development. We are losing all common sense in schools. If you are a parent, ask yourself how reasonable it would be to force your child to sit and "learn" for 7 hours straight with only small breaks for recess and lunch. My guess is that many of you have to fight them to do 20 minutes of reading. On top of that, your children's teachers are being stripped of their ability to find and use creative, engaging lesson plans for the children , and are instead given scripted lessons that focus on nothing but meeting standardized test criteria. The district is then shocked when these kids are not "proficient" in every area. When lessons are boring to the children, the number of behavior problems go up as kids are less interested in learning.
On top of these issues, the district decided to hire TLCs to "help" the teachers. These are individuals that are paid higher salaries than teachers, do not work with students, and only seem to run data meetings, spend their time scripting the entire year for the teachers, and evaluating (criticizing) teacher performance. Many view them as nothing more than spies for the administration, and only help to increase the distrust employees have of C.J. Huff. If Huff is unwilling to change course and do the things necessary to restore trust and teacher-confidence in the district, why should the community not want to move in another direction. Would it be easier for everyone that is dissatisfied to pack up and move out of the district, or to simply find administration that truly does put kids first.
Doug Hunt has one child enrolled in Joplin schools. BUT I'm sure he feels obligated to look out for all of "Our Eagles" because, you know anyone who dares to question Huff can't be trusted to look out for their own children with out his almighty assistance. Don't you see how much we all need him to tell us what we are allowed to think and feel?
Doug Hunt..... I have 5 more years in Joplin schools. Then I am gone out of the distric. Not paying for the Huff chit......
Just saying you suck. You are a a Huff boy.
I'm almost sure most of the people complaining about Huff and his cronies have lived in Joplin way longer than Huff and have more of an investment in the community! What an ignorant statement by Hunt!!
Doug Hunt is part of the Hope Valley group trying to get the tax-waiver zone near Mercy Hospital.Maybe that's why he feels the need to suck up to the powers that be. If he really supports the local schools--how about paying some property taxes?!?
Sic Semper Tyranus!
I'm not a Huff fan in any way shape or form. I don't like any of these things he has done under the label "for the kids" and that definitely includes his "team" which includes TLCs.
For the record, TLCs are on the same salary scale as teachers BUT they have one month more on their contracts so they are paid more yearly.
Interesting.. Why does Doug post pictures of himself on social media at every opportunity? Is he really defending Huff or seeking the spotlight for his own agenda.. Dramatic. Hmmm.
Obscene number of selfies on that guys page. I don't get it. So arrogant.
Huff and company is on outright damage control. It's about time we hear from his buddy, Anson Burlingame.
I don't have a pony in this race. But I know both sides of the story in regards to C.J. Huff. But let me state that I know Doug Hunt, and I have known him for years. He is entitled to his opinion as are all of you. There is no need to call names or belittle someone in regards to using their freedom of speech. Doug was the youngest member of Joplin to serve on the City Council, he is dedicated to his home town. He has served his hometown in many capacities. He has honored the military at every chance, he has helped children, he has helped people, and the night of the tornado, he drove from his house and saved lives. Yes, he saved lives while witnessing the most horrific sites that you can imagine. He, alone, drove to the Nebraska tornado stricken town recently to send the love and support of Joplin. Doug Hunt is a good man, and a good person. You may not like the side he has chosen to be on, and you may not like his opinion on this matter. However, I would be you all of the money in the world that you would like the man, respect what he has done on his own time to better Joplin, and you would be proud to know him. He is the type of man that would sit down with each and every one of you, listen to your opinion and never, ever hold your opinion against you if it differed from his.
It sounds as if Doug Hunt is a very giving person and I might very well like him if I met him. Having said that, he obviously does have a pony in this race and should refrain from saying stupid things like "if you don't like C.J. Huff, move out of the district" if he's going to get his little feelings hurt when someone criticizes him.
Robin Doug would absolutely hold it against us for disagreeing with him. I've witnessed it. You are wrong. It's great for you that he is such a good friend and someone you admire and respect. Good deeds do not negate ugly ones. His allegiance to the district administration was valued above common courtesy, basic respect and above friendships.
I was personally baffled by the condescending attitude he took with R8 parents who dared to ask questions or disagree. It was an ugly side of him I hadn't seen before.
People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did but they will never forget how you made them feel.
Folks don't care for being belittled as a result of differing opinions. It's a true thing that this is something Doug has done to a number of people. There are those among us who consider him to have become a bully. Maybe we will soon see the motivation for his bad behaviors.
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