Appalling.
That was the word that came to mind when I was watching the Joplin Board of Education meeting on April 28. The divisive behavior on the board doesn’t fall in the sight of a disagreement on academic achievement, finances or many of the pros and cons the district faces. The disagreement comes from a lack of trust on two sides, and it is greatly fueled by comments made by Superintendent C.J. Huff.
In the meeting, Huff said to board president candidate Debbie Fort that in her last 10 years, she was the “worst performing principal in the district.” That simply isn’t true. Huff went on to say that Fort had some of the lowest Missouri Accreditation Program scores in the district. Here are some facts:
KSN-TV reported in February 2005 on MAP scores that Irving Elementary was one of five Joplin schools that made the state top 10 list for most improved schools ... with Irving seeing the school score jump 83 percent — the biggest increase in the district.”
Furthermore, Huff also said that Fort had some of the lowest math MAP scores in the district. The Joplin Globe reported in April 2006 that “Irving Elementary also celebrated its MAP achievements, with 80 percent of its pupils reaching the top levels in social studies and 71 percent doing the same in math.” The facts need to be noted, and these are known facts that do not have any bias.
Fort has been an asset to the Joplin community and its students for more than 30 years. She will continue to be as a board member. Joplin has gone through some of the most tumultuous times in our city’s history since May 2011. We have beaten the odds, rebuilt beautiful schools and have been the poster child for others who have been faced with recovery. Can the bad-mouthing please stop at the board meetings?
OMG....do you mean that Mr. Huff told a fib about Dr. Fort in order to try and make her look bad? What has this world come to? Oh whoas me.
ReplyDeleteNow, with that being said....when in the hell are we going to show this "man" the door?
I'm impressed that the Globe actually allowed that to be printed. What next, an apology to Randy Turner?
ReplyDeleteI agree to a point: the new buildings are hideously unattractive.
ReplyDeleteIn any other district Huff would have been fired long ago based solely on academic performance. But not with the BoE that hired him. If other Boards had any doubt, they would have had those doubts confirmed by the low rating for our audit, and his Facebook posts, using his professional Facebook page (and probably district equipment), would have relieved him of any doubts. But not the Board we had. And then this episode. And yet, four members sat silently. Only one of the new ones had the temerity to remind Dr. Huff that they were in a Board meeting, not his meeting, and that he was inappropriate. I am with Ms. Hartwell. If Dr. Huff cannot control himself, cannot bear to be questioned for his performance, then he is the wrong man for the job.
ReplyDeleteMs. Banwart? How did you do what you claim to do so well, work with people, by sitting silently? What lesson did you teach your daughters, or their friends, by allowing such abuse? That we should sit silently like "good girls" and take the behavior of the "men"? How shameful. Whether or not you agree with Dr. Fort, Dr. Huff's behavior was unacceptable. This is why we didn't want you on the Board, and why we didn't want you as president. You are used to getting your way because of your family's money, but you don't know what to do when you must act on your own. You must learn to step up now. There is no more patience and no more time for you to develop a spine or any "bright ideas." You work for the public, and the public is demanding a change and some decency from administration and the Board.
Dang it, Ms. Hartwell!! Facts are just such a nuisance. You probably ruined someone's day by putting out something as bothersome as facts. Irrefutable facts.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, and I agree with you 100% It's time for a new direction and some professionalism from the leadership of R8 Schools.
I don't know as Ms. Hartwell really proved any point though. From what I have read, this seems to be the current story.
ReplyDelete1. C.J Huff tells Debbie Fort that she is the worst principal in the last 10 years (2005-2015).
2. Julie Hartwell posts 2 pieces of information in the Joplin Globe that read as follows.
KSN-TV reported in February 2005 on MAP scores that Irving Elementary was one of five Joplin schools that made the state top 10 list for most improved schools ... with Irving seeing the school score jump 83 percent — the biggest increase in the district.”
The Joplin Globe reported in April 2006 that “Irving Elementary also celebrated its MAP achievements, with 80 percent of its pupils reaching the top levels in social studies and 71 percent doing the same in math.”
So the reports that she speaks of are respectively 10 and 9 years old. What are the current scores and how do they correspond the the scores from 10 years ago.
While I don't agree with the tone of the meeting that took place, I would like to know currents facts before calling anyone out.
Dr. Fort "left" R8 a few years back. So that narrows the ten year window to about seven. The first two years (those wih the least Huff influence) are covered by your statements. This leaves five of he ten years in question. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who has lived through the Huff nightmare is keenly aware of the regime's ominous influence over outcomes durng this time. A time, by the way, that Dr. Fort was already targeted for discrediting.
Delete12:14 PM: per her Facebook About page, and memory, her last year as Irving principal was 2013.
ReplyDeleteIt does not matter what Debbie Fort's scores were 10 years ago! CJ Huff was out of line, AGAIN! Thank you, Mrs. Martucci, for doing the right thing. I'm sure there will be a reprimand or write-up for CJ. Most people who go off on their bosses like he did end up in the unemployment line. This is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteWhat CJ fails to realize is scores district wide have dropped since he came into the district. I highly doubt Irving was the worst performing school given historically the Emerson,West Central, Jefferson were always the lowest. Now her last couple years I can see possibly being the lowest because of the tornado and the way the numbers fluxuated the following years. Plus take into account since CJ teachers and principals have been removed from the classroom so much. And on top of that they've had a bunch of change in programs they use. My thing is though as a superintendent of a school district how do you go on live TV and say your main focus the last few years has not been on academics? That is baffling to me. But scores have been dropping steadily since before the tornado so I don't understand this mans thinking
ReplyDeleteScores are not the issue, Huff's behavior was totally unacceptable, shameful, disrespectful, and abusive. What if he loses his temper with a child like he did with Fort? I was appalled at his tirade, and will be disgusted with the BOE if he remains. I don't care what it cost to fire him. This kind of behavior can not be tolerated. What kind of example is this behavior for the kids.
ReplyDeleteHuff just proved he can not control himself... I would love to hear what all the board members really have to say about his outburst except Martucci. She spoke up. This is an outrage people. I for one will lose all respect for the other members of the board if action is not taken.
ReplyDeleteIt shouldn't take an online petition to get the BoE to take action. He is only a leader and savior of the district in his own mind. (And maybe Anson Burlingames)
ReplyDeleteIt's time to get rid of the jerk! Where is the movement and protests to get him removed? Rather than posting online and broadcasting complaints on social media, we should organize a big campaign and protest for his removal.
ReplyDeleteIt was very disturbing to see Dr.Huff attack Dr. Fort. It is another fine example of his true character. If any Joplin School employee were to come at Huff, the way he did Dr.Fort, they would be fired. The district is ran by scare tactics. If you want to keep your job, you keep your mouth shut. It was stated the Dr. Huff was defending his leadership abilities. A true leader leads by example. Does this now mean the district employees have the green light the speak their minds? I think not. Simply put, Dr. Huff has failed. He has failed the children, staff (certified and classified), the tax payers, failed in his unethical and dirty political games. Most of all he has failed himself, as a person, superintendent and a leader. Sad, sad, sad.
ReplyDeleteIt won't be long before CJ Puff quits and Puffs off to a new job. God bless the poor people of what ever school hires him.
ReplyDeleteIt won't be long before CJ Puff quits and Puffs off to a new job.
ReplyDeleteThat's one of our problems, he's been searching without success for a new job for some time, no one else wants him. So he's stuck with us, and we with him, until there's a board majority for firing him.
Its time to compile the "data" on CJ for Mr "I'm a data guy" Koch. Teacher turnover, declining scores, school performance, etc.
ReplyDeleteGive them hard facts to support your case
As well, it would be of great interest to compare the "data" to say Moore Ok, that suffered a similar disaster.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to their district the years following that event.
A quick read here http://www.schoolreportcard.org/doc/profiles/2013/reports/src/201314i002705.pdf
ReplyDeleteSeems to show Moore scores trended up immediately after their disaster--but I'm not proficient in statistical analysis.
My rambling point is...if we want the board to act give them the tools to say Joplin we have a problem. Koch says every time he speaks "I'm a data guy" lets compile the data.
Second letter to the editor from today's Globe:
ReplyDeleteChildish mess
Julie Hartwell’s letter (Globe, May 3) in defense of Joplin School Board member Debbie Fort further points out what a childish mess we have on the school board.
It would be laughable if it were a TV sitcom, but, unfortunately, it’s reality and it’s pathetic. It seems to me that it’s a case of the established schoolyard bullies not wanting to let the new kids play, and their leader seems to be none other than Superintendent C.J. Huff. He continues to act the petulant child, and I have to wonder if he is not the core problem — he can’t seem to stop blaming anyone but himself.
Further, why in the world is he involved in the selection of the school board president and its members when they are the ones who determine his salary and his term of employment?
I’m tired of waiting for him to grow up, own his mistakes and act according to the position he holds.
If he can’t do that, it’s time for him to go.
Dianne Slater
Joplin