As I predicted there was an epic battle over the job title SPECIAL ED ADMINISTRATOR. Despite a 3-0 vote in the PERSONNEL subcommittee (DONNA, MARIA, and
LORRIANNE-HER MOTION) to add a doctorate requirement to the job title for the posting of the position, the full committee with equal vigor, 3-0, voted not to require it leaving it to be preferred.
The PERSONNEL subcommittee's main argument was that since we REQUIRE MASTER'S out of our teachers with demands for continuing education that it would seem only fair that we have higher expectations for their BOSS, the ADMINISTRATOR. Thirty percent of LPS's budget is SPECIAL EDUCATION.
DONNA even said that given the complexities of SPECIAL ED and LPS's constant involvement with the legal system that maybe the position should require a law degree.
Surprising given his TWO IVY LEAGUE degrees LSC member ATTORNEY NICHOLSON
made the case for not valuing higher education. Seems a little hypocritical coming from a graduate of two esteemed PRIVATE colleges. If he really didn't value education so much why didn't he go to a state or maybe even community college. Hypocrisy is very prevalent in all politics.
Because he is intelligent and talks like a lawyer, he made a convincing argument for allowing candidates with lesser qualifications be allowed to compete for the job. All at the same time trying to sound like he agreed with the ENTIRE Personnel Subcommittee that the SPED ADMINISTRATOR should be a doctor. His teeth may be straight but I think he should have his mouth looked at. I mean, words seem to be coming out of both sides of it.
His argument was that requiring a DOCTORATE would prevent perhaps some OTHERWISE(meaning not-qualified) "qualified" candidates from applying.
Well DONNA COPPOLA shot down that argument by saying they could post the doctorate-required position and if it failed to garner enough applicants they could re-post it without that requirement. The committee has proven they don't feel the position is time-sensitive, even though the feds feel otherwise. I would argue that perhaps the BEST applicants are discouraged from applying because they don't think the district values SPECIAL EDUCATION enough to demand higher standards.
MARIA CARRASCO spoke to the elephant in the room suggesting that perhaps that someone was in mind that did not meet the higher standards. There have been strong rumors (not that I engage in spreading such) floating around about a certain individual who was supposedly going to be tapped for the new DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT'S job before good ole CHUCK came over from the dark side to demand a doctoral requirement there.
Then there was the ill-fated DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES whose rumor had the same name attached to it. That was successfully quashed or at-least delayed by LORRAINE who pointed out the violation of federal SPED law by going so long without an a specifically dedicated ADMINISTRATOR OF SPECIAL ED. At this point JARED had to side with her or risk being publicly outlawyered by a layman (other than me). Once he fell into line, the others followed.
Now we've come to this position and certain people, who happen to be in the majority, are probably be successful in eventually watering down this position enough to be able to place who they want in a high-paying position of enormous power.
WELCOME TO LYNN!
