Holiday Comments

I don't remember if I have heard a related comment such as this over the past few years, but here goes: Dr. Sharon Wooden was my major advisor for my masters and PhD program. It has been embarrassing to watch and listen to her discuss issues, programs, and potential candidates! I am certain that the NMSU College of Education must feel the same way!
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Alas, there are still a handful of administrators who employ a similar management style as Dr. Diaz. Self-deluded, they think they know all about all. Meanwhile they denigrate and belittle staff as a thinly veiled attempt to compensate for their own insecurities. These same administrators are very vindictive, thus sites like this will continue to serve an unfortunate, but needed, role.
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The only commonality between Louis Martinez and Sonia Diaz is that both came from outside Las Cruces. If either had been warned that their tenure in LCPS would be shortened by an internal clique - they probably would have still accepted - but would have gone about the strategic plan differently. Please don't forget that Mr. Martinez had exemplary evaluations - up to the time that he chose to take on the local power structure. Not a healthy reason for this community to try to end his career. Move on - and let the past rest. You only emphasize your own insecurity when you tear someone else down.
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Just for clarification any settlement to Bob Ogas will come from risk management not from the operating budget of LCPS, the responsibility of performing any duty incorrectly lies in the hands of the administration and liability insurance is carried for screw ups.
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This is a big THANK YOU! I think the originator of this blog has done an incredible public service to Las Cruces in giving LCPS staff, educators and the community the opportunity to learn the truth about what was going on in regards to Diaz. It also renewed my already existing faith and admiration in just how smart, caring and informed these folks to whom I have been trusting my kids to everyday for almost 20 years truly are. I would hate to see this blog be "shut down", as some have suggested, because it would return us all to the dark days of before: a lack of transparency at the board and administrative levels of the school system, a silencing of meaningful dissent among the professionals working with our kids, and a lack of information from and to parents about what goals for success we are using for our kids, and what strategies we are implementing to get us there. As parents, there really is no place other than board meetings or belonging to an advisory council where we can not only hear what's going on, but comment ourselves on what we would like to see happen in the schools. I would like to suggest that at the proper time, this blog be enhanced or expanded to include forums on these and other topics in education. For those who didn't like the overly personal or gossipy aspect of some of the opinions here, comment moderation could be an added feature of the postings, so commenters would be motivated to use a more "civilized" (ha ha) tone in their writing. It may be a lot of work, but possibly it could be accomplished, much like everything else in our education system, by the blog originator bringing in trusted parents, teachers and professionals to help keep it going.
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think Bob Ogas should be compensated. It was a disgrace the way he was escorted out of the school. Don't worry, out school board has screwed up so bad, we have a very big "risk management" fund. Most of the people who are against Ogas had asshole kids that he tried to straighten up. VIVA OGAS!!!!
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What was amazing to me was....she made almost as much in one month for her car allowance than our whole science department did for all course sections for the whole school year. How important is the super anyway? Why should we pay so much for someone like Diaz, with a PhD. or EdD or without? A PhD in education is a totally worthless degree. Just look at what some of the PhD folks in the district did their dissertation on. What ends up happening is, someone is working on a dissertation and we end up being the lab rats for the alleged research they are doing to support the dissertation. I hope we learned that just because someone has an ivy league education, it doesn't mean they are competent. Ivy leaguers have vast knowledge in their field but 9 times out of 10, they can't put it to practice.....just ask any MD who they would rather have as an intern, an ivy leaguer or someone from a medical school where clinical practice is a big part of the curriculum. Almost always, they choose one with more clinical practice. Find someone who is fresh out of the classroom, don't give them so much in the discretionary fund, and someone who doesn't micro-manage. That means Liz is out only because of the micro-managing thing.
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Now that Diaz is gone, what I would like to know is what do we do with the Houghton Mifflin we were forced to purchase? How smart is it to begin a new textbook and its system at the end of the first semester? Let me tell you, we have no support on this matter. As for as the admin, at school is concerned, HM is tops and far better than Scott Foresman (as if they have any real clue about it themselves). No, if parents knew how confused we are and what a disservice this ignorant move does to their children, they would be up in arms. And not only was this not thought through, but we had to use our Reading 1st monies to purchase the HM. Isn't that illegal? Please, someone, tell us what to do; there are several schools in our same predicament. We have to start HM now!
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If I read one more comment about Louis D. Martinez' supposed "integrity", I will just throw up. He started this district to ruin. Diaz just helped it along. Thank goodness he is far, far away. I hope Bob Ogas drags Martinez and Briseno and the rest of them into court in a civil suit and reveals the truth to the community. The weasels will squeal then.
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So, Sonia says that in the wake of the LCPS debacle she has options. What options? Saddest thing of all is that she still does not get it. It's not about a difference in opinions or management style, Sonia. It is about you -- a certifiable "psycho." You need professional, psychiatric care -- and fast! Give up on conning people into thinking you are a leader or an educator; you are neither. LSPC, move on and don't let the memory of Sonia Diaz trouble you further. Just keep an eye on any attempts she may make to weasel herself into another district. If you hear about such an attempt, strenuously warn that community's Board and alert the local media.
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I stand by my PLT comments, especially since Title 1 monies are being used to support their existence. Convince me an ENTIRE faculty has gained benefits from their school's PLT. Perhaps a few favorite teachers have, but, then, that happens at all schools. As for vile...that's a great word; I am difficult to work with, since my expectations surpass the norm. However, I do take exception to "the lonely old woman with twenty cats" comment. I'm a vigorous, twenty-something male teacher with two dogs, a bird, and a boyfriend.