The Rubber Stamp Operators’ License
By Mitch Berg
So while the Saint Paul School Board undertakes the usual hideously expensive national search to find another $200K/year plus huge benefits superintendent who will basically enforce the status quo only more expensively, they’ve appointed an interim Superintendent. Suzanne Kelly is a woman with plenty of experience – but who doesn’t have a “license” from the Minnesota Association of School Administrators.
Speed Gibson – one of the two best edbloggers in Minnesota today – writes at True North and of course at Speed:
Well, she’s not a member of the Lodge. Kelly has relevant experience in three Districts, including St. Paul, where she has the full faith of the Board. She is not seeking the permanent position. But she lacks credentials, don’t you know?“She is not licensed, so there would be a question of the legality of any legal document she signed,” said Judith Lamp, executive director of the School Administrators Board.
If you recall, that was one of John Fitzgerald’s big squawks in his hit piece on charter schools; their administrators weren’t licensed through the state.
And – shut my mouth! – here the second biggest district in the state has gone and ignored the exact same credential!
Speed:
“I can’t recall one [case] where the variance was denied and they continued on,” Lamp added. “In my two and a half years here I do not know a district that has gone without a superintendent.”
And that’s the danger, isn’t it? We might find that all those high-falutin’ licensing requirements aren’t quite as necessary or valuable after all. What a revoltin’ development that would be!
The St. Paul Board has more faith in Kelly’s demonstrated experience, dare I say results than in some pedigreed stranger’s unknown potential. The State agencies have ruled, but St. Paul is standing firm behind their choice. Bravo!
The Saint Paul Public Schools don’t make many good decisions; the ones that happen must be treasured and protected.
But what does this say about Fitzgerald’s beef against charters?
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:42 am
Ha! Lamp was my high school principal. Didn’t make a strong impression on me, as she had two vice principals to do her student related work.
I have an aunt that took some classes related to school leadership positions. She let it be known that the “leadership” classes taught more about how to get employees and factions within a school to work against each other than how to get them to work together. :-/
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:10 am
The way those urban school districts are screwed up, there’s times when I think Jesus X. Christ himself couldn’t unscrew them. Still, one thing’s clear: all these high-falutin’ administrators with their union-approved paper haven’t done the job. Maybe we ought to try someone less expensive who doesn’t come pre-approved by the union.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I’m sorry, but are you saying the True North symbol is a signifier of a Rubber Stamp Operator’s License? It looks that way in the way you laid out the post.
If so, I’m startled by your insight – I didn’t think you had it in you to admit the goose-stepping nature of the right-wing echo chamber. Good on ya.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Goose-stepping? Peev, you are an educated moron.
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:29 am
are you saying the True North symbol is a signifier of a Rubber Stamp Operator’s License?
I thought the context on this one was pretty clear from the rest of the post.
No.
There. Hope that clears that up!
Happy Fourth of July!