2013 in Review: What the Joplin Globe hasn't told you about Wallace-Bajjali

(From July 9, 2013)

(Note: This is a slightly reworked version of a Turner Report post from November 26, 2012.)

The next three paragraphs are the extent of the Joplin Globe's investigation into the background of a company that eventually will most likely spend more than $1 billion in its large-scale plan to develop the tornado-damaged portion of Joplin.

Wallace Bajjali has been involved in two projects that hit difficulty. Rohr said the firm disclosed details of those problems in its Joplin proposal, and that inquiries by city officials verified the firm’s admissions. Those incidents involve a bankruptcy taken by some its partners in the Amarillo project, and fines paid to the Securities and Exchange Commission for investment fraud committed by two partners in a radio acquisition deal. - March 27, 2012, Joplin Globe

Two previous Wallace Bajjali projects hit snags because of problems involving partners. In one, work was delayed when a partner went bankrupt. In the other, a partner was found to have violated Securities and Exchange Commission rules in a business radio investment, which resulted in Wallace Bajjali paying a fine.

City Manager Mark Rohr previously said the firm’s principals voluntarily disclosed those issues, and a background investigation substantiated the firm’s disclosure. Rohr said he was satisfied that there was no wrongdoing on the part of Wallace Bajjali in those cases.July 2, 2012, Joplin Globe

That's it. The extent of the Joplin Globe's examination of the background of the Wallace Bajjali firm that has been entrusted to handle $794 million in development of the area struck by the May 22, 2011, is printed above.

2013 in Review- City of Joplin's master developer involved in bankruptcy, millions of dollars in debt

(From July 6)
The master developers chosen by the city of Joplin to handle an $800 million project involving the area of the city hit by the May 22, 2011, tornado, filed for bankruptcy January 1 and are more than six million dollars in debt, according to court documents.

2013 in Review- One hundred teachers leaving Joplin School District

(From June 26)

You didn't hear about it on the tightly scripted televised Joplin R-8 Board of Education meeting Tuesday night on Jet 14, but teachers are leaving right and left from the Joplin School District.

A large number left following the 2011-2012 school year and administration blamed it on the May 22, 2011, Joplin Tornado.

it appears this time that the forces that have driven approximately 100 teachers out of the Joplin R-8 School District can be attributed to a man-made disaster, one of the administration's own making.

2013 in Review: The text of the decision that ended my teaching career

(From June 2013)
(This is the decision that was handed down against me by the Joplin R-8 Board of Education. The transfer of the document from PDF to Microsoft Word created some mistakes and I tried to correct as many of them as I could, but I am sure there are still a few.)


BEFORE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF JOPLIN SCHOOLS, JOPLIN, MISSOURI


 JOPLIN SCHOOLS,

v.

WILLIAM TURNER,

Petitioner, )

Respondent. )



FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, AND DECISION

On May 23, 2013, the Joplin Schools Board of Education ("Board") convened a hearing, pursuant to Sections 168.1 16 and 168.118 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, on charges brought against Mr. William "Randy" Tuntcr, a tenured teacher, by Superintendent Dr. C.J. Huff. Mr. Turner was present at the hearing and was represented by legal counsel Ms. Nancy Watkins, at all times. During the hearing, the administration was represented by legal counsel , Ms. Shellie Guin. A court reporter was present and recorded the testimony of the witnesses. After carefully considering the evidence presented, the Board of Education makes the following findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Decision. To the extent the following findings.

Fact are actually conclusions of law, the Board incorporates such findings in its Conclusions of Law. To the extent the following Conclusions of Law are actually findings of fact, the Board incorporates such conclusions into its Findings of Fact.

EVIDENTIARY RULINGS

1. In a teacher termination proceeding, the determination of the credibility of witnesses is a function of the Board of Education. Ross v. Nohb, 662 S.W.2d 257 (Mo. 1983).

2. To the extent the testimony of witnesses of the administration conflicted with the testimony of Mr. Turner and his witnesses, the Board of Education finds the testimony of the witnesses of the administration to be more credible.

McCaskill lists 13 top accomplishments in '13

In her latest newsletter, Sen. Claire McCaskill lists what she considers to be the 13 biggest accomplishments of 2013.

2013 has been a year of great opportunities, and addressing deep-seated challenges. For me, the year was focused not just on tweeting my favorite recipes - but on expanding job opportunities, protecting consumers, delivering for veterans, and strengthening accountability across the federal government.

As we look to 2014, I wanted to take a moment to highlight 13 in '13 important accomplishments I've been proud to fight for, on behalf of Missouri's families and businesses.

Fighting for Missouri - 13 in '13

13. Passed into law historic Wartime Contracting reforms following a sustained, six-year effort

Opposition rising against Common Core in 23 states

One thing you keep hearing Common Core Standards proponents saying over and over is that 45 states have adopted them.

While that may be so, noted education blogger Mercedes Schneider, who recently wrote about opposition to Common Core forming in 22 states, has updated that number to 23, including California.

And this does not even include Missouri.

2013 in Review: Joplin R-8 cracked down on Turner Report MSSU coverage

(From June 2013) Joplin R-8 problems with my writing began long before the problems with three of my books that have me facing the imminent loss of my job and my teaching career.

Human Resources Director Tina Smith, the same person who conducted the four-minute interrogation of me April 8, sent word through East Middle School Principal Bud Sexson on March 12, 2012, that administration was unhappy with the Turner Report's coverage of Missouri Southern State University President Bruce Speck and was also unhappy that I had the nerve to refer to myself as a teacher in the Joplin School District.

Sexson also told me that "they," never specifying who he meant by "they," wanted me to stop writing about politicians. "They see that it might cause problems because they are trying to get money from the state for the disaster."

2013 in Review: Bruce Speck era at Missouri Southern is over

(From June 2013- this was published two weeks before the Joplin Globe and other media outlets had the story.)

Missouri Southern State University sources indicate President Bruce Speck cleaned out his office and is looking for greener pastures after narrowly avoiding getting fired by the Board of Governors last week.

After Speck reportedly missed getting fired only because of a changed vote, he was given a laundry list of changes that he would have to make if he wanted to stay in his position through the end of his contract in 2015.

2013 in Review: The Books that Got Me Fired

(This post from April 2013 includes the audio of Joplin R-8 Human Resources Director Tina Smith's "interrogation" of me. Once the audio was released, my recording of the conversation for my own protection was added to the list of charges against me.)

(The following is my latest Huffington Post blog.)

Two weeks ago today, I walked out of my classroom for perhaps the last time.

It wasn’t anything I planned. Even when I wrote for Huffington Post a couple of weeks ago recommending that young people not become teachers, I never stopped loving my job. I never lost my enthusiasm for teaching eighth graders the finer points of writing.

My students are still in my classroom every day and will be until May 21.  I miss them greatly and hope, perhaps against all hope, that I will get a chance to be with them at least one more time before the school year ends.

That usually doesn’t happen, however, for teachers who have to be escorted from the school building by a police officer in full view of students who were boarding school buses to leave for the day.

2013 in Review: He shot a man in Reno just to watch him die

(From May 3, 2013, this is me having some fun with my job situation, which was not very much fun. In this post, I imagined what would happen if the Joplin R-8 Administration found out about my band, Natural Disaster.)

When I stopped at Sonic about an hour ago (my social life these days), a former student of mine brought my drink and told me the story was going around Joplin High School that I was being fired because I give nickels to my students. (I do have a Cup O'Nickels that I use to reward students and at the moment it is in the floor in the front of my car until I get around to picking up the nickels that spilled out of it.)

I was happy to let her know there was no truth to that rumor, but it suddenly occurred to me, just a few hours after having a district employee deliver the latest set of charges (now up to 31 pages) against me, that I may have to repeat this process many times before my 9 a.m. Thursday, May 23, meeting at the district administration building.

And a terrifying thought occurred to me- What will happen they find about my band, Natural Disaster? After all, it performed at the December 1 benefit at East Middle School to raise money for the Joplin Fire Department's Christmas for Kids program.