IPS Superintendent Dr. Eugene White may soon be defending more than his proposed budget cuts.
At a public budget hearing this week, IPS officials kicked out a couple of attendees who were taping the budget meeting. The attendees were from Michigan and were filming the meeting for a documentary on teacher unions. They had been taping for 40 minutes before IPS spokeswoman Mary Louise Bewley threw them out for being “disingenuous”. The two folks from Michigan had 'signed in' for the meeting. By the way, the concept of 'public' means just that -- the 'public' is not limited to Indianapolis residents.
Where IPS may be in legal trouble is that public meetings of public bodies 'have to be open to the public'. And government officials can’t expel members of the public from the meeting for being “disingenuous” as Bewley audibly stated on the clip. The law is pretty clear when it comes to recording public meetings…
Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-3(a) – “…all meetings of the governing bodies of public agencies must be open at all times for the purpose of permitting members of the public to observe and RECORD them.” (emphasis added). The courts have also upheld that rule as well. In Berry v. Peoples Broadcasting Corp., 547 N.E.2d 231, 234 (Ind. 1989), the Indiana Supreme Court affirmed a trial court’s ruling that governing bodies may not ban the reasonable use of tape recorders at public meetings.
I don’t know what IPS and Mary Louise Bewley were thinking by kicking the two-person camera people out of the meeting, especially since they had been there taping for 40 minutes in a civilized, reasonable manner and were not disturbing anyone as can be documented by viewing the clip. Bewley caused disruption, not the two folks from Michigan.
IPS will have to respond to the complaint that will be filed soon with Indiana’s Public Access Counselor.
Evidently, after viewing this meeting clip, some would say that Mary Louise Bewley is becoming 'too big for her britches', both figuratively and literally. Will the IPS School Board rein her in or turn its head? Is Bewley acting on directives from Eugene White? Will White 'turn' on Bewley when the 'stuff' hits the fan?
Nothing good can come from censorship of public meetings/hearings funded by public monies.
Fortunately, no students are present in this film clip; no one can say that children are being exploited by posting this clip; no person will have valid reason to flag this clip for violation of YouTube guidelines. However, the public, the taxpayers, ARE being exploited by heavy-handed IPS administrators who unilaterally decide that a public meeting is 'closed' to certain members of the public.
As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, "Sunshine is the best disinfectant." Let's continue to 'let the sunshine in'.
You undermine your own purposes when you keep justifying your participation in the inappropriate videos you posted and allowed to be posted on your blog.
That said, I agree this nonsense with kicking out the media is unbelievably arrogant and stupid.
Don't change the subject? Who is going to file the complaint against Mary Louis and Eugene White? Does it have to be the two thrown out of the meeting by the insane Mary Louis or can a citizen do it? It needs to be done....
This is a boring topic. Filing a complaint will accomplish nothing...what do you think will happen? Dr. White, at most, will get his hands slapped. Obviously, Andy Gammill is seen talking to Mary Louise at the beginning of the clip, and he looks amused by it.
What does affect more people is what principal lands where. This is important information
I believe that Dr. White has bigger things to worry about than athletic coach changes.
The 'meeting clip' from a recent IPS public budget hearing where two people were 'kicked out' is more damning than any coaches' losing their positions.
@You undermine your own purposes when you keep justifying your participation in the inappropriate videos you posted and allowed to be posted on your blog.
FYI, I'm not a blog master for any blog. I'm an IPS employee who happens to keep abreast of current events and who ran across the YouTube media clip where Bewley kicked out two people from an IPS public budget meeting/hearing. I posted the YouTube clip under a different topic on this blog. The blog master evidently thought it was worth featuring.
So, let's get on with IPS and the visibly observable documentations of its dysfunction. IPS operates a house of smoke and mirrors, and it's done that for years. Now, we have some documentation via YouTube of this dysfunction, this lack of legal scruples, this lack of integrity, and this total flippance toward 'open meetings', 'Sunshine Laws', etc.
These are the things that are most troublesome to IPS employees, IPS community members, and those taxpayers who fund IPS. Until these issues are addressed openly and in the light of truth, nothing will change in a positive manner for IPS.
Actually I think the attempts by Eugene White and his lapdog, Mary Louise is much more important than the rumored coaching changes. White has been lying to the taxpayers, employees, and parents for far too long. The board is too scared of him call him on it. Maybe this will start the ball rolling. That and the plans the state has for him that will be announced soon. Bye, Bye Eugene.
Soemthing not yet mentioned here. Andy Gammill is telling Mary who these guys are right at the beginning. This shows how the two (IPS and Indystar) are working to create an image, not news. I always knew that having met Andy but here is some proof. What a joke the Indianapolis Star is!
@The people kicked out of the meeting weren't media representatives, though they probably hoped the folks in attendance believed they were.
The are from a conservative, anti-union, private school voucher group from Michigan.
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It does not matter what the political leaning is of the group kicked from the public meeting --- this group could have political leanings to the right of Atilla the Hun or to the left of Ralph Nader. The public is the public -- some of the public is liberal; some of the public is conservative. That's our democracy. It's served us well, and I don't believe we in IPS have the authority to change our democratic way. If Jesse Jackson or Pat Robertson wish to tape one of our public meetings, it makes no difference in the eyes of the law.
I noticed Gammill in the film clip, also. He was giving Mary Louise a 'heads up' about the two people filming. He should know the public access laws better than most people since he's a professional journalist. This was a public meeting. The public has every right to record a public meeting. He was dumb and appears to have set Bewley up; Bewley was dumber for reacting without thinking.
Indiana Barrister??? What a joke. Is that site even up?? Even that blog controls what facts can be posted and what is taken down. Chris Spangle?? That manatee formerly from 1430 Republican radio?? Slow news day when these morons with a political agenda have to make up stuff and continually dog IPS. Remember when the wickens were suing IPS because their site was blocked??? Please...can't you guys come up with better stuff than that this?? I got plenty of charter school dirt for them.
Forget Indiana Barrister. Just look at the freaking video. Members of the public were thrown out of an open-to-the-public meeting for no reason except that Mary Louise didn't want them to have access to the information being presented. That's a pretty big deal.
Yes, it's a pretty big deal! Removing people who record a public meeting just because you don't like them or don't want them there for whatever reason is illegal. The people were not disturbing anyone and were acting in a reasonable manner. Their presence does not mean you, I, or IPS must agree with their politics. As long as the person attending and recording a public meeting is not acting in an 'unreasonable' manner, there's no lawful cause for kicking them out.
What part of 'public access' laws don't some of our IPS people understand? A public meeting conducted by a public group (aka public school) is open for any member of the public to attend. It doesn't matter if that person is Sarah Palin or Nancy Pelosi; Bill Clinton or George Bush; Muslim, Jew, or Christian; black, brown, or white; country or ghetto; rich or poor; high class or low class; college educated or high school drop-out; and so on and so on.
By nature, public schools suffer from institutional arrogance and are prone to circling the wagons when anything new or unusual crosses their paths. That's unfortunate for us; we're in the business of expanding young peoples' minds, attitudes, and horizons. We can't have our cake and eat it, too.
The public, the taxpayers, fund our paychecks. We cannot forget that. The public has every right to attend and record any public meeting we conduct. We may not like that; we may not even like the people who attend our public meetings; however, we cannot arbitrarily and unilaterally remove them just because they are not 'like us', don't believe the same things we do, or don't act/look/worship like we do.
"Education Action Group staff attended a public meeting at Indianapolis Public Schools to obtain footage for a documentary film. EAG staff were there for 45 minutes before Indianapolis Star reporter Andy Gammill notified IPS School/Community Relations Director Mary Louise Bewley of our presence. Within 3 minutes, we were illegally ejected from the meeting. A complaint has been filed with the state Public Access Counselor."
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I know absolutely nothing about this group and that's OK, but I will defend their right to attend and tape an IPS public hearing until the end of time. If this group was behaving in a disruptive manner that had a negative impact on the public hearing, then I'd feel differently.
For instance, if the KKK showed up in hoods and white sheets at one of our IPS public meetings, I'd find that worthy of calling 'unreasonable' behavior because it would be disruptive for everyone; however, when a couple of people dressed in a regular way and who act reasonable show up to tape a meeting, then there is NO disruption.
I watched the YouTube clip a couple of times, and truthfully, I can say that Bewley caused more disruption with her 'finger snapping', her pointing, her hand waving, and her curt officious dismissal of these people than any quiet unobtrusive taping ever could disrupt any meeting. From what I could hear Dr. White talking about, there was nothing secretive or confidential being mentioned at all. Bewley over-reacted and behaved in a foolish and unprofessional manner.
The behavior of Mary Louise Bewley was truly embarrassing and I hope that the complaint with the state is followed by a hefty punishment. I dont't know the law so I don't know if a fine is the punishment or jail time. Frankly, I would love to see Bewley and Eugene White in jail for a few days.
He will eventually have to respond to dozens of emails. There is always the Senior Editor to go to if he does not. Thanks IPSBS for showing the video. It is now up to us to follow up.
Re: "You must be part of the laughable, utterly ridiculous, racist tea (bag) party movement..."
I reread all the posts on this topic, and I was unable to find any post that sounded even remotely racist. I don't know about a tea bag party...sounds pretty raunchy to me...like a bunch of guys at a rowdy party with their stuff hanging out, maybe...now, bitter, is another story. Mrs. Bewley sure looked and acted like she'd eaten a bitter pickle when she told the people attending the public budget meeting to leave. How'd you like to be at a public meeting, taping the proceedings in an orderly way, and then have some bitter pickle of an employee snapping her fingers and pointing for you to leave?
I believe jail time would be a draconian measure for Bewley. What she did is not worthy of jail time, but rather, what she did was clearly out of line with the public's right to access public meetings in a reasonable and orderly fashion. I suppose one could say it appears that Bewley discriminated against the 2 people from Michigan who were taping the meeting. Whatever it is, it looks bad.
What Mrs. Bewley and IPS is saying is this. Even though you signed in.
"You did not call in advance so we can manipulate our talk and speak. We only allow in those who we can manipulate and prepare for. Those who we can have wrapped around our fingure. No others with differing opinions are allowed at our public meetings. Heck, your presence might cause parents to ask tough questions that we cannot answers. Your questions might bring up things that we would rather NOT address because we really in the wrong. To us here in IPS public access means only those we can control. You are not one of them."
I want them punished because if there is no punishment for their shameful behavior then it will happen over and over. There is already too much of that in IPS. At some point, it has to stop. This might be the time. She did violate the law which means that your claim that she did nothing illegal is also completely false. You sound like part of the coverup rather than on the side of wanting taxpayers, parents and citizens to receive an honest, accurate, and complete picture of what is in store for IPS. Who knows? It might even be a novelty for Eugene White to receive some imput from those who pay his bloated salary.
Nobody's going to go to jail. Jail is for criminal court. This would be a civil matter. And besides, I see no evidence White did anything wrong at all or was ever aware that Bewley had kicked anyone out. Obviously, if IPS is sued, the district will have to pay, and Bewley will be to blame. But in my opinion, blaming White for this only undermines legitimate complaints against him. This is Bewley's screwup.
Agreed! Whatever we may think of White (good or bad), in this instance, it does not appear from the film that he was even aware of what Bewley was doing.
She appeared to be trying to get his attention by all her finger snapping, but he did not appear to notice and kept on with the meeting.
Go out and buy a copy of today's Indy Star. It will be worth your trip, even in the rain, to read Tully's frontpage news article regarding IPS, the State, the 8 IPS schools nearing time for State takeover in the fall of 2011.
Read Dr. White's comments about the percentages of these 8 schools' teachers who are not doing their jobs properly, etc.
The buck stops here applies to this situation. White is her boss and she is his voice to the public. He cannot distance himself from her unless he fires her. I still am appalled at the finger snapping at a member of the public. I wouldn't even do that to my students.
Yes, White thinks 60% of his teachers aren't doing their job. They real hypocrite is Rocky Grismore who was a leader in the teachers union and now tries to blame the failures of his school on the union. Shame on Grismore.
If 60% of the teachers aren't doing their jobs, then why did the district only remove 29 or so from their positions. At some point, failure is a leadership, management and administration issue. If the % of failure at the lower levels of an organization are that high, then it is a systemic, entrench issue, requiring a substantial change in management personnel to fix. We heard the principal at our daughters school was watching the NCAA basketball games during meetings.
RE: If 60% of the teachers aren't doing their jobs, then why did the district only remove 29 or so from their positions.
One reason lies with the building principals who are not always doing their jobs as instructional leaders. Documenting an ineffective teacher takes time, effort, courage, and determination. Unless due process is followed precisely, then nothing can be done. I suspect many principals don't have the ability or the desire to attend to administrative detail involved in getting rid of a poor teacher. Rather, these principals 'move' them to a another school at the end of the year. Happens all the time; it's easy for them. Let someone else worry with them.
I remember Larry Yarrell laughing with a group of IPS educators about this lazy lounge lizard teacher who he sent to another high school. He called this teacher an early Christmas gift to the principal at the other high school. That was one of the most unprofessional remarks I'd ever heard from a high school principal. I doubt that Yarrell is alone in this practice and this attitude.
Bewley is paid big bucks for PR work to improve the image of the District. This video shows the Fat Lady sang both out of turn and off key and ended up doing damage to the District.
On the other hand, Bewley screwed up because she was acting on custom, tradition, and historical desires of her boss man.
Larry Yarrell is passive liar who hides behind lying failures such as Prudence Bridgewaters. They ran is sweet ass out of Lawrence Township and Pike Township.
If you read today's Indy Star front page article by Tully, then you are aware that Dr. White does not need a Fat Lady to sing for him. He sings like a canary without any help from Bewley. Between Dr. White's and Tony Bennett's statements to Tully, it is plain to see who is responsible for IPS failure. (bad teachers)
Bennett's quote to Ann Wilkins, "Here's the reality...If you have protected one bad teacher, you protect bad teachers, period".
A couple of years ago, about the time that Prudence Bridgwaters was dispatched by Dr. White to rid IPS of Jeff White, was when Yarrell gleefully and boastfully told a group of visiting IPS educators who were at Northwest for the day that he'd sent this lazy a$$ed teacher to Jeff White's school as an early Christmas present to Jeff White.
Evidently Yarrell wasn't the only principal to send lazy a$$ed and PIPPED teachers to Jeff White's school that year. There were so many PIPS at Marshall that year that many of us were just waiting for Gladys Knight to show up and complete the gig.
I was there as an itinerant support person a few days each week and witnessed this first hand. I had no allegiance one way or the other to Jeff White; however, I did have a keen interest in the students and they definitely received the 'short end of the stick' during that time period because of Dr. White's and Dr. Bridgwater's personal dislike of Jeff White.
Any school that has involvement with Dr. Bridgewaters gets the short end of the stick. Just ask Shortridge. Even though there is a carefully approved process for Bridgewaters to visit a classroom. She ignores it and pops in and out whenever she wishes and then writes her poison pen notes. It is too bad no administrator at Shortridge will stand up to her and tell her to abide by the visitation agreement worked out by the Ed. Center. Bridgewaters must have a "friend" at Shortridge. Gee, I wonder who that might be.
It's strange, indeed. I'm still an itinerant support person and visit Marshall occasionally as part of my job. I don't believe that Dr. Bridgwaters EVER visits Marshall anymore. I suppose 'her job is done' at Marshall.
If a school district must have a specially approved process for a specific Ed Center administrator to follow before visiting a classroom in any school, then I'd know, without a doubt, that something is terribly wrong with this administrator.
I do remember receiving an email in the fall stating the process to use if Dr. Bridgwaters visited your classroom. At that time, I laughed and thought to myself 'what a crock'. I haven't changed my mind.
Two comments above: The Instructional Coaches met at John Marshall for a meeting. In the presence of Prudence Bridgewaters, a professional development coordinator called Jeffrey White the next Superintendent of IPS. From that point, it was considered the end for Jeffrey White and the faculty at John Marshall.
@Two comments above: The Instructional Coaches met at John Marshall for a meeting. In the presence of Prudence Bridgewaters, a professional development coordinator called Jeffrey White the next Superintendent of IPS. From that point, it was considered the end for Jeffrey White and the faculty at John Marshall.
As a mid-level IPS person --- neither classroom teacher nor administrator --- I am a firsthand witness to so many IPS shenanigans that I've lost count.
The Jeff White incident continues to stand out in my mind simply because there were innocent students involved in the 'bad blood' between Eugene White, Prudence Bridgwaters, and Jeff White. If adults involved in a disagreement wish to duke it out privately behind the barn, then I'm all for it; however, when adults use a public arena for their disputes that involves innocent students and their education, then I'm disgusted. I was, and still am, disgusted with the Ed Center administration for its attack on an entire school simply because Eugene White and Prudence Bridgwaters had personal differences with the principal. Absolutely nothing good for anyone involved came from that year.
You know I see people talking about bad teachers. What I would like to see if there are so many bad teachers out there as stated.
Principals: Follow the process and get rid of them. Those of us who work hard constantly taking more education courses. Coming in early and staying late are tired of being lumped in with others who are last to sign in and beat the busses out of the lot each day.
What is so hard about following the process to get rid of teachers. Instead you would rather just drop a pink slip and move forward. The process was set up to protect both the educator from adminstrators out for revenge. It was set up so that administrators can have evidence showing why the teacher was dismissed. To not be accused of wrongful termination.
Dr. White needs to just make his administrators follow the process. These teachers will then be gone if they are truly poor.
In addition Dr. White might need to look around his office down on Walnut. How many of his asst. Superintendents belong. How many of the other folks he keeps expanding on belong?
Evaluate them as well. Evaluate yourself Dr. White!
Stop the blame game and follow the process. Just as you would tell us to follow the 6 Step Process.
The above post is so true. There is a clear cut process to remove a nonperforming teacher. It is not easy nor is it some impossible task. It should not be easy to dismiss a teacher as we all have known vindictive principals. As a teacher, I don't want to teach with someone who is not doing the job as it reflects on all teachers and makes our jobs more difficult. Dr. White's claims that in some schools 60% of the teachers are bad are just the statements of a scared man who knows that the public, the media and now the State Department of Education have caught on that he is a failure. They know he has failed to improve the system and has actually made it worse. He is desperate and we will start seeing more rantings of a man struggling to hold onto his job. He can fool the clueless school board but he can't fool everyone else.
How could Dr. White state so emphatically that 60% of the teachers at Arlington, Northwest, Washington, Manual, etc. were nonperforming? Does he have documentation of their nonperformance, as in formal evaluations?
It seems strange that all the high schools have exactly the same percentage of nonperforming teachers; moreover, all the middle schools mentioned had the exact same percentage (40%) of nonperforming teachers. Seldom do numbers line up so perfectly.
Or, were his remarks to Tony Bennett simply 'off the cuff' guestimates? I tend to believe that White just tossed out some percentages based upon hearsay. I doubt he has hard data (i.e., formal evaluations) to back up those percentages.
I work at Washington. A lot of teachers were fired Friday (I had heard 50% but 60% is believable). Some are good. Some are bad. Most of the decisions appeared arbitrary. They've also posted all the custodial positions and most of the secretarial ones per a district wide Erin Farrell email. It won't be the same school next year at all and while Washington has some issues I don't think this was the solution. This will hurt kids caught in the transition more than a little and for a variety of reasons, starting with the annihilation of staff morale for the remainder of this school year.
I am the above poster. I just watched the video at the top of this thread. I just wanted to say I'm disgusted, but this is very much in line with the rest of the way things are handled at IPS.
Does Bewley have a teaching degree- because her tactics- finger pointing, hand gesturing, grimacing, etc. would really work in a high school classroom, don't you think? Maybe she would be in the 40% "good teacher" range. Most of the 6/10 "bad teachers" find it an impossible situation. Tony Bennett needs to call in the National Guard. Let's get real.
Teachers were fired Friday at Washington? Are these displaced teachers that can apply for the positions that Erin Farrell emailed out or have they been let go permanately? I thought the district was waiting until after Spring Break to hand out pink slips.
I believe they are mostly displaced but I'm not sure since I wasn't one of them and the rumors were thick. Leser decided people would rather know before break.
The teachers were not fired, but rather, they are now considered 'displaced'. Evidently they will have jobs 'somewhere' in IPS for next year.
Teachers had to re-interview for their positions. Under the State guidelines for reconstitution, at least 50% of the teachers must be replaced. Such a silly rule!! Like that will really make a big difference in the school's scores.
The teachers were not fired, but rather, they are now considered 'displaced'. Evidently they will have jobs 'somewhere' in IPS for next year. Good and bad teachers being reshuffled once again.
Teachers at Washington were given a letter at a Wed. staff meeting asking them to indicate one of four choices: stay at GW (in which case they were allowed to interview), be displaced (allowed to interview for and accept another job in the district), to resign from IPS and leave the district completely or to retire. Change is usually scary but not always bad.If you always do what you've always done you will always get what you have always gotten. And GDub needs to do something different. In our current economy, I am thankful to have a job. And for what it is worth, I haven't seen her she wolf fangs yet.
IPS Superintendent Dr. Eugene White may soon be defending more than his proposed budget cuts.
ReplyDeleteAt a public budget hearing this week, IPS officials kicked out a couple of attendees who were taping the budget meeting. The attendees were from Michigan and were filming the meeting for a documentary on teacher unions. They had been taping for 40 minutes before IPS spokeswoman Mary Louise Bewley threw them out for being “disingenuous”. The two folks from Michigan had 'signed in' for the meeting. By the way, the concept of 'public' means just that -- the 'public' is not limited to Indianapolis residents.
Where IPS may be in legal trouble is that public meetings of public bodies 'have to be open to the public'. And government officials can’t expel members of the public from the meeting for being “disingenuous” as Bewley audibly stated on the clip. The law is pretty clear when it comes to recording public meetings…
Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-3(a) – “…all meetings of the governing bodies of public agencies must be open at all times for the purpose of permitting members of the public to observe and RECORD them.” (emphasis added). The courts have also upheld that rule as well. In Berry v. Peoples Broadcasting Corp., 547 N.E.2d 231, 234 (Ind. 1989), the Indiana Supreme Court affirmed a trial court’s ruling that governing bodies may not ban the reasonable use of tape recorders at public meetings.
I don’t know what IPS and Mary Louise Bewley were thinking by kicking the two-person camera people out of the meeting, especially since they had been there taping for 40 minutes in a civilized, reasonable manner and were not disturbing anyone as can be documented by viewing the clip. Bewley caused disruption, not the two folks from Michigan.
IPS will have to respond to the complaint that will be filed soon with Indiana’s Public Access Counselor.
Evidently, after viewing this meeting clip, some would say that Mary Louise Bewley is becoming 'too big for her britches', both figuratively and literally. Will the IPS School Board rein her in or turn its head? Is Bewley acting on directives from Eugene White? Will White 'turn' on Bewley when the 'stuff' hits the fan?
Nothing good can come from censorship of public meetings/hearings funded by public monies.
Fortunately, no students are present in this film clip; no one can say that children are being exploited by posting this clip; no person will have valid reason to flag this clip for violation of YouTube guidelines. However, the public, the taxpayers, ARE being exploited by heavy-handed IPS administrators who unilaterally decide that a public meeting is 'closed' to certain members of the public.
As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, "Sunshine is the best disinfectant." Let's continue to 'let the sunshine in'.
You undermine your own purposes when you keep justifying your participation in the inappropriate videos you posted and allowed to be posted on your blog.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I agree this nonsense with kicking out the media is unbelievably arrogant and stupid.
Although this is interesting.....
ReplyDeletewhat is the result of the principal meeting today? What principals are going where? Rumor has it there is a huge shift. Does anyone know?
Don't change the subject? Who is going to file the complaint against Mary Louis and Eugene White? Does it have to be the two thrown out of the meeting by the insane Mary Louis or can a citizen do it? It needs to be done....
ReplyDeleteTHESE ARE RUMORS THAT HAVE BEEN TOLD TO ME SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST WEEK. ANY TRUTH TO THEM THAT ANYONE HAS HEARD?
ReplyDeleteRumer is out there that athletic and coaching changes are in store.
Already Changes are Happening:
Apparently Howe Basketball Caoch Aaron Sembly (boys) and Lori Hardister (girls) have been asked to resign according to rumor.
Rumor is that Larry Nicks at Arlington will be leaving and Stephanie Keller has already been told she will have the position.
Apparently Corey Greenwood has also been asked for a resignation.
Dr. White and new city AD Victor Bush is out for long time coaches who have not won championship and it is believed they should have.
Top IPS coaches in other sports such as volleyball, golf, cross country, tennis, and track are also targeted.
Programs are also targeted for closure (like football) come summer according to these same rumors.
Win now because past performances or current talent level does not matter. You will be out according to Dr. White and Mr. Bush.
This is a boring topic. Filing a complaint will accomplish nothing...what do you think will happen? Dr. White, at most, will get his hands slapped. Obviously, Andy Gammill is seen talking to Mary Louise at the beginning of the clip, and he looks amused by it.
ReplyDeleteWhat does affect more people is what principal lands where. This is important information
The people kicked out of the meeting weren't media representatives, though they probably hoped the folks in attendance believed they were.
ReplyDeleteThe are from a conservative, anti-union, private school voucher group from Michigan.
I believe that Dr. White has bigger things to worry about than athletic coach changes.
ReplyDeleteThe 'meeting clip' from a recent IPS public budget hearing where two people were 'kicked out' is more damning than any coaches' losing their positions.
@You undermine your own purposes when you keep justifying your participation in the inappropriate videos you posted and allowed to be posted on your blog.
ReplyDeleteFYI, I'm not a blog master for any blog. I'm an IPS employee who happens to keep abreast of current events and who ran across the YouTube media clip where Bewley kicked out two people from an IPS public budget meeting/hearing. I posted the YouTube clip under a different topic on this blog. The blog master evidently thought it was worth featuring.
So, let's get on with IPS and the visibly observable documentations of its dysfunction. IPS operates a house of smoke and mirrors, and it's done that for years. Now, we have some documentation via YouTube of this dysfunction, this lack of legal scruples, this lack of integrity, and this total flippance toward 'open meetings', 'Sunshine Laws', etc.
These are the things that are most troublesome to IPS employees, IPS community members, and those taxpayers who fund IPS. Until these issues are addressed openly and in the light of truth, nothing will change in a positive manner for IPS.
Actually I think the attempts by Eugene White and his lapdog, Mary Louise is much more important than the rumored coaching changes. White has been lying to the taxpayers, employees, and parents for far too long. The board is too scared of him call him on it. Maybe this will start the ball rolling. That and the plans the state has for him that will be announced soon. Bye, Bye Eugene.
ReplyDeleteSoemthing not yet mentioned here. Andy Gammill is telling Mary who these guys are right at the beginning. This shows how the two (IPS and Indystar) are working to create an image, not news. I always knew that having met Andy but here is some proof. What a joke the Indianapolis Star is!
ReplyDeleteIs it "Old Home" week here at IPS BS? How else to explain the proliferation of posters here visiting from the Indiana Barrister blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm unsure about the 'Old Home' week, but I can ensure that it's the week of seeing Bewley get her tit caught in the wringer.
ReplyDelete@The people kicked out of the meeting weren't media representatives, though they probably hoped the folks in attendance believed they were.
ReplyDeleteThe are from a conservative, anti-union, private school voucher group from Michigan.
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It does not matter what the political leaning is of the group kicked from the public meeting --- this group could have political leanings to the right of Atilla the Hun or to the left of Ralph Nader. The public is the public -- some of the public is liberal; some of the public is conservative. That's our democracy. It's served us well, and I don't believe we in IPS have the authority to change our democratic way. If Jesse Jackson or Pat Robertson wish to tape one of our public meetings, it makes no difference in the eyes of the law.
Re: Andy Gammill
ReplyDeleteI noticed Gammill in the film clip, also. He was giving Mary Louise a 'heads up' about the two people filming. He should know the public access laws better than most people since he's a professional journalist. This was a public meeting. The public has every right to record a public meeting. He was dumb and appears to have set Bewley up; Bewley was dumber for reacting without thinking.
Do they still have "Call 6 For Help?" Wonder how the news stations would react to this?
ReplyDeleteChris Spangle is doing a bang up job here!
ReplyDeleteHow come the video won't play?
ReplyDeleteIt plays for me.
ReplyDeleteIndiana Barrister??? What a joke. Is that site even up?? Even that blog controls what facts can be posted and what is taken down. Chris Spangle?? That manatee formerly from 1430 Republican radio?? Slow news day when these morons with a political agenda have to make up stuff and continually dog IPS. Remember when the wickens were suing IPS because their site was blocked??? Please...can't you guys come up with better stuff than that this?? I got plenty of charter school dirt for them.
ReplyDeleteForget Indiana Barrister. Just look at the freaking video. Members of the public were thrown out of an open-to-the-public meeting for no reason except that Mary Louise didn't want them to have access to the information being presented. That's a pretty big deal.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a pretty big deal! Removing people who record a public meeting just because you don't like them or don't want them there for whatever reason is illegal. The people were not disturbing anyone and were acting in a reasonable manner. Their presence does not mean you, I, or IPS must agree with their politics. As long as the person attending and recording a public meeting is not acting in an 'unreasonable' manner, there's no lawful cause for kicking them out.
ReplyDeleteWhat part of 'public access' laws don't some of our IPS people understand? A public meeting conducted by a public group (aka public school) is open for any member of the public to attend. It doesn't matter if that person is Sarah Palin or Nancy Pelosi; Bill Clinton or George Bush; Muslim, Jew, or Christian; black, brown, or white; country or ghetto; rich or poor; high class or low class; college educated or high school drop-out; and so on and so on.
By nature, public schools suffer from institutional arrogance and are prone to circling the wagons when anything new or unusual crosses their paths. That's unfortunate for us; we're in the business of expanding young peoples' minds, attitudes, and horizons. We can't have our cake and eat it, too.
The public, the taxpayers, fund our paychecks. We cannot forget that. The public has every right to attend and record any public meeting we conduct. We may not like that; we may not even like the people who attend our public meetings; however, we cannot arbitrarily and unilaterally remove them just because they are not 'like us', don't believe the same things we do, or don't act/look/worship like we do.
Info from the YouTube posting:
ReplyDelete"Education Action Group staff attended a public meeting at Indianapolis Public Schools to obtain footage for a documentary film. EAG staff were there for 45 minutes before Indianapolis Star reporter Andy Gammill notified IPS School/Community Relations Director Mary Louise Bewley of our presence. Within 3 minutes, we were illegally ejected from the meeting. A complaint has been filed with the state Public Access Counselor."
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I know absolutely nothing about this group and that's OK, but I will defend their right to attend and tape an IPS public hearing until the end of time. If this group was behaving in a disruptive manner that had a negative impact on the public hearing, then I'd feel differently.
For instance, if the KKK showed up in hoods and white sheets at one of our IPS public meetings, I'd find that worthy of calling 'unreasonable' behavior because it would be disruptive for everyone; however, when a couple of people dressed in a regular way and who act reasonable show up to tape a meeting, then there is NO disruption.
I watched the YouTube clip a couple of times, and truthfully, I can say that Bewley caused more disruption with her 'finger snapping', her pointing, her hand waving, and her curt officious dismissal of these people than any quiet unobtrusive taping ever could disrupt any meeting. From what I could hear Dr. White talking about, there was nothing secretive or confidential being mentioned at all. Bewley over-reacted and behaved in a foolish and unprofessional manner.
The behavior of Mary Louise Bewley was truly embarrassing and I hope that the complaint with the state is followed by a hefty punishment. I dont't know the law so I don't know if a fine is the punishment or jail time. Frankly, I would love to see Bewley and Eugene White in jail for a few days.
ReplyDeleteLet us get the story from Andy.
ReplyDeleteandy.gammill@indystar.com
He will eventually have to respond to dozens of emails. There is always the Senior Editor to go to if he does not. Thanks IPSBS for showing the video. It is now up to us to follow up.
@Frankly, I would love to see Bewley and Eugene White in jail for a few days
ReplyDeleteWhy? This is such an extreme, reactive response that has no true bearing in reality? Jail? Really? What illegal act have either commmitted?
You must be part of the laughable, utterly ridiculous, racist tea (bag) party movement - otherwise known as the bag of bitter dips.
Re: "You must be part of the laughable, utterly ridiculous, racist tea (bag) party movement..."
ReplyDeleteI reread all the posts on this topic, and I was unable to find any post that sounded even remotely racist. I don't know about a tea bag party...sounds pretty raunchy to me...like a bunch of guys at a rowdy party with their stuff hanging out, maybe...now, bitter, is another story. Mrs. Bewley sure looked and acted like she'd eaten a bitter pickle when she told the people attending the public budget meeting to leave. How'd you like to be at a public meeting, taping the proceedings in an orderly way, and then have some bitter pickle of an employee snapping her fingers and pointing for you to leave?
I believe jail time would be a draconian measure for Bewley. What she did is not worthy of jail time, but rather, what she did was clearly out of line with the public's right to access public meetings in a reasonable and orderly fashion. I suppose one could say it appears that Bewley discriminated against the 2 people from Michigan who were taping the meeting. Whatever it is, it looks bad.
What Mrs. Bewley and IPS is saying is this. Even though you signed in.
ReplyDelete"You did not call in advance so we can manipulate our talk and speak.
We only allow in those who we can manipulate and prepare for. Those who we can have wrapped around our fingure. No others with differing opinions are allowed at our public meetings. Heck, your presence might cause parents to ask tough questions that we cannot answers. Your questions might bring up things that we would rather NOT address because we really in the wrong. To us here in IPS public access means only those we can control. You are not one of them."
This is what I think she really was saying.
I want them punished because if there is no punishment for their shameful behavior then it will happen over and over. There is already too much of that in IPS. At some point, it has to stop. This might be the time. She did violate the law which means that your claim that she did nothing illegal is also completely false. You sound like part of the coverup rather than on the side of wanting taxpayers, parents and citizens to receive an honest, accurate, and complete picture of what is in store for IPS. Who knows? It might even be a novelty for Eugene White to receive some imput from those who pay his bloated salary.
ReplyDeleteNobody's going to go to jail. Jail is for criminal court. This would be a civil matter. And besides, I see no evidence White did anything wrong at all or was ever aware that Bewley had kicked anyone out. Obviously, if IPS is sued, the district will have to pay, and Bewley will be to blame. But in my opinion, blaming White for this only undermines legitimate complaints against him. This is Bewley's screwup.
ReplyDelete@This is Bewley's screwup.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Whatever we may think of White (good or bad), in this instance, it does not appear from the film that he was even aware of what Bewley was doing.
She appeared to be trying to get his attention by all her finger snapping, but he did not appear to notice and kept on with the meeting.
Yes, this one is Bewley's screw-up.
Print-Only Version of the Indy Star
ReplyDeleteGo out and buy a copy of today's Indy Star. It will be worth your trip, even in the rain, to read Tully's frontpage news article regarding IPS, the State, the 8 IPS schools nearing time for State takeover in the fall of 2011.
Read Dr. White's comments about the percentages of these 8 schools' teachers who are not doing their jobs properly, etc.
The buck stops here applies to this situation. White is her boss and she is his voice to the public. He cannot distance himself from her unless he fires her. I still am appalled at the finger snapping at a member of the public. I wouldn't even do that to my students.
ReplyDeleteYes, White thinks 60% of his teachers aren't doing their job. They real hypocrite is Rocky Grismore who was a leader in the teachers union and now tries to blame the failures of his school on the union. Shame on Grismore.
If 60% of the teachers aren't doing their jobs, then why did the district only remove 29 or so from their positions. At some point, failure is a leadership, management and administration issue. If the % of failure at the lower levels of an organization are that high, then it is a systemic, entrench issue, requiring a substantial change in management personnel to fix. We heard the principal at our daughters school was watching the NCAA basketball games during meetings.
ReplyDeleteRE: If 60% of the teachers aren't doing their jobs, then why did the district only remove 29 or so from their positions.
ReplyDeleteOne reason lies with the building principals who are not always doing their jobs as instructional leaders. Documenting an ineffective teacher takes time, effort, courage, and determination. Unless due process is followed precisely, then nothing can be done. I suspect many principals don't have the ability or the desire to attend to administrative detail involved in getting rid of a poor teacher. Rather, these principals 'move' them to a another school at the end of the year. Happens all the time; it's easy for them. Let someone else worry with them.
I remember Larry Yarrell laughing with a group of IPS educators about this lazy lounge lizard teacher who he sent to another high school. He called this teacher an early Christmas gift to the principal at the other high school. That was one of the most unprofessional remarks I'd ever heard from a high school principal. I doubt that Yarrell is alone in this practice and this attitude.
This video shows how brazenly Mary Louise Bewley throws her weight around at meetings in trying to protect the Superintendent and his cronies.
ReplyDeleteBewley is paid big bucks for PR work to improve the image of the District. This video shows the Fat Lady sang both out of turn and off key and ended up doing damage to the District.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Bewley screwed up because she was acting on custom, tradition, and historical desires of her boss man.
Looks like Bewley and Dr. White should stop buying the 10 for 10 Budweiser specials at Kroger.
ReplyDeleteLarry Yarrell is passive liar who hides behind lying failures such as Prudence Bridgewaters. They ran is sweet ass out of Lawrence Township and Pike Township.
ReplyDeleteIf you read today's Indy Star front page article by Tully, then you are aware that Dr. White does not need a Fat Lady to sing for him. He sings like a canary without any help from Bewley. Between Dr. White's and Tony Bennett's statements to Tully, it is plain to see who is responsible for IPS failure. (bad teachers)
ReplyDeleteBennett's quote to Ann Wilkins, "Here's the reality...If you have protected one bad teacher, you protect bad teachers, period".
A couple of years ago, about the time that Prudence Bridgwaters was dispatched by Dr. White to rid IPS of Jeff White, was when Yarrell gleefully and boastfully told a group of visiting IPS educators who were at Northwest for the day that he'd sent this lazy a$$ed teacher to Jeff White's school as an early Christmas present to Jeff White.
ReplyDeleteEvidently Yarrell wasn't the only principal to send lazy a$$ed and PIPPED teachers to Jeff White's school that year. There were so many PIPS at Marshall that year that many of us were just waiting for Gladys Knight to show up and complete the gig.
I was there as an itinerant support person a few days each week and witnessed this first hand. I had no allegiance one way or the other to Jeff White; however, I did have a keen interest in the students and they definitely received the 'short end of the stick' during that time period because of Dr. White's and Dr. Bridgwater's personal dislike of Jeff White.
Any school that has involvement with Dr. Bridgewaters gets the short end of the stick. Just ask Shortridge. Even though there is a carefully approved process for Bridgewaters to visit a classroom. She ignores it and pops in and out whenever she wishes and then writes her poison pen notes. It is too bad no administrator at Shortridge will stand up to her and tell her to abide by the visitation agreement worked out by the Ed. Center. Bridgewaters must have a "friend" at Shortridge. Gee, I wonder who that might be.
ReplyDeleteIt's strange, indeed. I'm still an itinerant support person and visit Marshall occasionally as part of my job. I don't believe that Dr. Bridgwaters EVER visits Marshall anymore. I suppose 'her job is done' at Marshall.
ReplyDeleteIf a school district must have a specially approved process for a specific Ed Center administrator to follow before visiting a classroom in any school, then I'd know, without a doubt, that something is terribly wrong with this administrator.
I do remember receiving an email in the fall stating the process to use if Dr. Bridgwaters visited your classroom. At that time, I laughed and thought to myself 'what a crock'. I haven't changed my mind.
Two comments above: The Instructional Coaches met at John Marshall for a meeting. In the presence of Prudence Bridgewaters, a professional development coordinator called Jeffrey White the next Superintendent of IPS. From that point, it was considered the end for Jeffrey White and the faculty at John Marshall.
ReplyDelete@Two comments above: The Instructional Coaches met at John Marshall for a meeting. In the presence of Prudence Bridgewaters, a professional development coordinator called Jeffrey White the next Superintendent of IPS. From that point, it was considered the end for Jeffrey White and the faculty at John Marshall.
ReplyDeleteAs a mid-level IPS person --- neither classroom teacher nor administrator --- I am a firsthand witness to so many IPS shenanigans that I've lost count.
The Jeff White incident continues to stand out in my mind simply because there were innocent students involved in the 'bad blood' between Eugene White, Prudence Bridgwaters, and Jeff White. If adults involved in a disagreement wish to duke it out privately behind the barn, then I'm all for it; however, when adults use a public arena for their disputes that involves innocent students and their education, then I'm disgusted. I was, and still am, disgusted with the Ed Center administration for its attack on an entire school simply because Eugene White and Prudence Bridgwaters had personal differences with the principal. Absolutely nothing good for anyone involved came from that year.
You know I see people talking about bad teachers. What I would like to see if there are so many bad teachers out there as stated.
ReplyDeletePrincipals: Follow the process and get rid of them. Those of us who work hard constantly taking more education courses. Coming in early and staying late are tired of being lumped in with others who are last to sign in and beat the busses out of the lot each day.
What is so hard about following the process to get rid of teachers. Instead you would rather just drop a pink slip and move forward. The process was set up to protect both the educator from adminstrators out for revenge. It was set up so that administrators can have evidence showing why the teacher was dismissed. To not be accused of wrongful termination.
Dr. White needs to just make his administrators follow the process. These teachers will then be gone if they are truly poor.
In addition Dr. White might need to look around his office down on Walnut. How many of his asst. Superintendents belong. How many of the other folks he keeps expanding on belong?
Evaluate them as well. Evaluate yourself Dr. White!
Stop the blame game and follow the process. Just as you would tell us to follow the 6 Step Process.
The above post is so true. There is a clear cut process to remove a nonperforming teacher. It is not easy nor is it some impossible task. It should not be easy to dismiss a teacher as we all have known vindictive principals. As a teacher, I don't want to teach with someone who is not doing the job as it reflects on all teachers and makes our jobs more difficult. Dr. White's claims that in some schools 60% of the teachers are bad are just the statements of a scared man who knows that the public, the media and now the State Department of Education have caught on that he is a failure. They know he has failed to improve the system and has actually made it worse. He is desperate and we will start seeing more rantings of a man struggling to hold onto his job. He can fool the clueless school board but he can't fool everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above poster.
ReplyDeleteHow could Dr. White state so emphatically that 60% of the teachers at Arlington, Northwest, Washington, Manual, etc. were nonperforming? Does he have documentation of their nonperformance, as in formal evaluations?
It seems strange that all the high schools have exactly the same percentage of nonperforming teachers; moreover, all the middle schools mentioned had the exact same percentage (40%) of nonperforming teachers. Seldom do numbers line up so perfectly.
Or, were his remarks to Tony Bennett simply 'off the cuff' guestimates? I tend to believe that White just tossed out some percentages based upon hearsay. I doubt he has hard data (i.e., formal evaluations) to back up those percentages.
I work at Washington. A lot of teachers were fired Friday (I had heard 50% but 60% is believable). Some are good. Some are bad. Most of the decisions appeared arbitrary. They've also posted all the custodial positions and most of the secretarial ones per a district wide Erin Farrell email. It won't be the same school next year at all and while Washington has some issues I don't think this was the solution. This will hurt kids caught in the transition more than a little and for a variety of reasons, starting with the annihilation of staff morale for the remainder of this school year.
ReplyDeleteI am the above poster. I just watched the video at the top of this thread. I just wanted to say I'm disgusted, but this is very much in line with the rest of the way things are handled at IPS.
ReplyDeleteDoes Bewley have a teaching degree- because her tactics- finger pointing, hand gesturing, grimacing, etc. would really work in a high school classroom, don't you think? Maybe she would be in the 40% "good teacher" range. Most of the 6/10 "bad teachers" find it an impossible situation. Tony Bennett needs to call in the National Guard. Let's get real.
ReplyDeleteNo, Bewley has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Maryland.
ReplyDeleteTeachers were fired Friday at Washington? Are these displaced teachers that can apply for the positions that Erin Farrell emailed out or have they been let go permanately? I thought the district was waiting until after Spring Break to hand out pink slips.
ReplyDeleteI believe they are mostly displaced but I'm not sure since I wasn't one of them and the rumors were thick. Leser decided people would rather know before break.
ReplyDeleteRe: Washington
ReplyDeleteThe teachers were not fired, but rather, they are now considered 'displaced'. Evidently they will have jobs 'somewhere' in IPS for next year.
Teachers had to re-interview for their positions. Under the State guidelines for reconstitution, at least 50% of the teachers must be replaced. Such a silly rule!! Like that will really make a big difference in the school's scores.
What I was told was that they can apply for a RIF list(?) for re-placement but that if they don't do this they're out of work.
ReplyDeleteIn a way, those teachers were done a favor. Anything to get away from that crazy, power hungry, backstabbing, she wolf of a principal.
ReplyDeleteThe teachers were not fired, but rather, they are now considered 'displaced'. Evidently they will have jobs 'somewhere' in IPS for next year.
ReplyDeleteGood and bad teachers being reshuffled once again.
Those "Michigan guys" were from EAGF,,,view some of their handiwork here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mC2DNiMSNE
No wonder Bewley was a bit nervous...still NO EXCUSE for her ILLEGAL behavior. And Gammill has a lot to explain.
How many days until the announcement is made that Bewley is leaving her job??????
ReplyDeleteIf they were filming for a documentary, they would have needed permission to use that footage in said documentary.
ReplyDeletePermission from whom? It was a public meeting.
ReplyDeleteTeachers at Washington were given a letter at a Wed. staff meeting asking them to indicate one of four choices: stay at GW (in which case they were allowed to interview), be displaced (allowed to interview for and accept another job in the district), to resign from IPS and leave the district completely or to retire. Change is usually scary but not always bad.If you always do what you've always done you will always get what you have always gotten. And GDub needs to do something different. In our current economy, I am thankful to have a job. And for what it is worth, I haven't seen her she wolf fangs yet.
ReplyDelete