Episode# 5: An Itch by Any Other Name...

Glass Houses

The following postings are as a result of a Facebook posting of the pictures noted herein. So – you see Plainfield is WATCHING near and far!

[A couple of acronym explanations: SMH/SMDH=shaking my head/shaking my darn head -- as in tsk, tsk, tsk, LOL=laughing out loud, LMBO/LMAO=Laughing my butt off, WTH=What the heck]

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Why our kids can't talk/read. Every parent should be outraged! Smh

1. lol

2. Oh damn...crying shame...this is not funny. And to think we went here.

3. LOL

4. Dang... And I graduated from Evergreen. What a shame. Let's just pray they knew the proper verb tense but ran out of Ss.

5. I was thinking the same thing...

6. That's a damn shame...I'm glad I went to Barlow!!! Lol

7. Yes, that is a shame!! GO SCHOOL ONE!!! LMBO!!

8. LAWD!! I am going to play Devil's advocate here: ! Maybe they didn't have another "S" or an "A". Blame it on the budget!! LOL!!

9. Lawd ha mercy! What next?

10. I was thinking the same thing. If they ran out of "S's, they should've come up with something else to say. This is some ish. And people wonder why I'm paying for private school...at least my kids know how to conjugate verbs. I showed the picture to my kids and after laughing, they began to understand why I send them elsewhere. They've wondered why they don't go to school with their friends...this is exactly why.

11. LOL!!!! Yes...Barlow has not embarrassed us...yet.

12. Only God knows what else is next....smh.

13. If only this was Evergreen School in Scotch Plains, but alas...it's Plainfield...smh again...

14. Soooooo embarrassing!! Makes me sick that we have to pay ridiculously high taxes AND pay for private school!

15. My thoughts exactly...and you're paying for three! Your family leaving the district this year is a huge loss. You're an intact, educated, involved family...which is exactly what Plfd needs to try to hold on to, but they can't get it together. There are even board members who don't send their kids to school here because they know what a mess it is.

16. Is it possible that they ran out of letters and didn't have an extra 'A' or 'S'?? :)

17. Quite possibly, but that display board is in the front of the bldg for all to see. They should've said something that didn't require as many A's and S's. That's just poor publicity, especially for a school and even more so for a school in a district with such a poor reputation. (Not all of it is deserved.)

18. WOW......We need to pray for Plainfield School District. I will continue to do my best to ensure that the kids that cross my path are getting what they deserve. Parent involvement is key!

19. It sure is. I'm sure not one parent will complain. A 7 year old kid (just finished 1st grade) saw it and asked his mom, "Is that right?" She read it and was flabbergasted. Even he knew it was wrong. His mom took a pic and sent it to me because she knows I used to work in Plfd. I didn't have the heart to tell her I used to teach there. ????, continue to do what u do...u were always so committed to the kids.

20. you may have already answered the question, but where was this taken? Surely, not a reputable SD, was it?

21. Hmmm....how do I answer that question? I'll say this: Long ago, it once was , but no longer is. However, there are some really talented teachers in that district who work their tales off and some BOE members who really care. It's... hard to make things right when you're outnumbered by incompetent and/or crooked people. And who always suffers in matters such as these? The kids...

22. - such a shame... yet the same situation is being replayed across the country... I guess, the answer to the other question of location is NJ, right?

23. Yup...NJ. Sadly right here in the town where I live.

24. SMH... I TRIED to give them the benefit of the doubt. But you are absolutely correct . They should have said something else if that was the case (not enough letters). I mean it's a school! WHAT type message are they sending?

25. Let's get ...it together folks at Evergreen! I tried to be nice.... But this IS a shame! As an educator by profession in a NC school district currently on Sabbatical, as a concerned parent, as a former resident of Plfd, I feel like calling them in the morning.

26. They need to order more letters, in the meantime they should have said something that could be spelled correctly. This is unacceptable.

27. Absolutely! And I also blame the Principal for allowing this. He/she is responsible for everything concerning that bldg. This would have never happened under Gloria Williams...she would've had a fit!

28. It's pathetic on all levels!!!

29. Do you see the sign on our beloved Evergreen School? It sure is a far cry from the Evergreen we experienced in the 70s, isn't it?

30. I would rather the sign be blank.

31. Or simply, "Have a great summer." Sheesh!

32. Yes and as it gets closer to the start of school put the opening date.

33. you know that under Mrs. Williams leadership something like this would not be tolerated. I loved it when you were there. You are an excellent educator! There needs to be more action taken to see that things like this does not happen. Even if some parents are not getting involved, the tax payers need to go to board meetings (plural) and speak out against these type of things. Your children may not be attending school in this district, but we all know that kids who are not properly educated, will most likely be the same kids on the street trying to steal what you work hard for. Is anyone down with this plan? We need to be more like our ancestors and rally and speak out about this stuff but when its time to take action this is when you lose ALL of the people who complain the most.

34. You know this would have never been allowed under Mrs. Williams! Things have changed so much since you left.

35. You are exactly right. As a taxpayer, I need to be more involved myself. Thanks for pointing this out. I used ...to go to meetings years ago, but stopped when the Board President got into a disgusting argument with a community member during the public portion and snatched the mic out of the wall to prevent him from speaking! Now I knew I had a drink before the meeting, but I wasn't that drunk to mix up my letters and mistake the WWE for the BOE! LOL!

36. That Board President is now our mayor....smh...

37. LOL. I know i stopped going myself because of this type of Ghetto behavior. However, we need to start going again to some of the meetings to express our concerns.

38. Let's plan to go to a few together this year.

39. Wow that's so sad. What's sadder is that there are people that don't see anything wrong with it! This is why I never sent my son to school in Plfd,the one year that I lived there.

40. I'm still floored that the principal didn't correct this.

41. Doesn't the principal have to approve everything that goes onto that sign? Wth. Imagine how many people read this sign that were passing through Plfd, so sad.

42. I know. Someone from the school claimed that the letters had fallen off and were on the ground. While "possible", that sounds suspect to me. Those were not random letters that "fell". I could understand if a letter "within" a word fell like the "m" in September or the "t" in start. But it wasn't. I still believe that this was intentional or done by someone with no command of the English language. Either way, it's embarrassing.

43. Are they serious? If that was the case why was there no gap between Have and Nice or wherever the letters supposedly fell off? Yes still embarrassing.

44. LMAO!!! U should be a detective!

45. Lmao. Fraud investigator by trade & nature lol

46. It shows...ur in the right profession!

Progress...

...PERHAPS?

Did your comments yesterday cause the school to fix the sign?

1. Someone sent me the pic yesterday. I drove past the school today because I just had to see it for myself. It was fixed! Hmmmm....the power of Facebook! LOL

2. Wow....I guess BIG brother was watching...lol. They should have got it right the first time. Shout out or you....

3. WOW....grammar is better. Problems STILL exist. But better... We got them GOOD yesterday. Somebody beat me calling the school!

4. What a shame.

5. If only they would respond to other problems as quickly...maybe we would not be a district in need of improvement....

6. So true.

7. Well, I'm glad it's fixed, but still quite concerned about the person(s) who made the error in the first place

8. Oh...that person probably still remains employed with no consequences! Smdh again...

9. WOW! smh

10. Hmmm... "School Start?" "Schools Start?" OR: "School Starts?" …professionally speaking, you were top notch as a "coach" and the quality of your professionalism was sorely missed when... well, you know! Evergreen's loss!!!

11. True Statement!

12. I agree w.- smh... no, smdh!

13. Better, thanks!

14. I'm LOL at you ready to call the school/district. Go girl! I'm so proud that although you're not here, as a former product of the district, you were still as concerned.

15. Thanks so much. As crazy as Plfd is, I really miss... it and the kids. District leaders don't realize how residents and products of the district have a vested interest in seeing the district do well. We want to be teachers and ultimately administrators there, but they don't respect us. Then what do you get??? Signs like this. I agree that there's an error and that the sign should read "School starts." Are we dealing with LEP staff members now? God help Evergreen....

16. Wow! It's a shame how America is taking monies from education when this is a prime example of why it is NEEDED! Do they realize that taking away from education is taking away from "OUR" Future?????? SMDH!!!!!

17. lol! Oh the shame!

18. Yes...education is one of the worst places to cut funding. But districts have to be responsible and hire ppl who don't write "Have nice summer..."

19. Lol...Evergreen was fun in the 70s. Remember Ms. Faunce the music teacher and Mr. Fillipone the band teacher? BTW, you can untag yourself...I just wanted everyone who commented yesterday to see that an attempt was made to correct the sign.

20. It's still wrong--lol! Unless it means all schools start--and that's not the intent here!

21. As for the sign- out of curiosity, do any of the other schools in the district have the same posted? If so, I guess it implies the district resumes in Sept, but something just doesn't look right.... IDK. On a side note, just between us FB friends, you called the district on the original, didn't you?

22. I'm going to take a look. But I agree...it just doesn't look right. Lol...I know that someone took some action.

...Almost.

1 “Stop judging that YOU may not be judged; 2 for with what judgment YOU are judging, YOU will be judged; and with the measure that YOU are measuring out, they will measure out to YOU. 3 Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the rafter in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to extract the straw from your eye’; when, look! a rafter is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First extract the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to extract the straw from your brother’s eye. Matthew: 7:1-5

Episode 4: A Darn Dirty Shame!

Episode #3

Wise Council...

Can't STOMP out the TRUTH! NEVAH!!!!

I am not surprised Dan took this stance but I am surprise that he has misrepresented the scriptures in such an unscriptural stomp of his own person position/preference and bias.

How he hoped the Grand SLAM would lose -- his after election posts certainly substantiate that -- so for him to put forth he had hoped I garner support because of my posts is just untruthful, unchristian like for sure.

Dan I don’t wish to muzzle anyone.  They want to hold me to their definitions of public servant so should I not have the right to hold them to my standards of responsible citizenship? Everyone who voted for me knows this as did everyone who did  NOT vote for me.

I will not allow YOU or anyone to say what they want to me or about me without a response. You do not have that right.  It really is that simple.

So with regard to your scripture references:

• Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. (Hebrews 12:14; Jas.1:19)

o You would have first needed to care enough about my position to have read my responses to denote that I had been patient in my response as it starts off …for months I had allowed… (and again the fact that you too attribute this to Old Doc points to something about him that you and others determined fits the bill)

o It is only more telling that my response was in response to a litany of abusive language. Had they brought it to me in private it would have remained that way;

so know;

• I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 1 John 2:21

• If your brother or sister offends you, go to them in private and try gently to resolve the matter. (Matt.18:15; Gal.6:1)

o If the sin is committed against you alone, or if you observe a brother commit a sin in private, then you are required to keep the matter private and go to your brother. Public sins are handled in a different manner. A sin that is public and known by the whole church requires a public rebuke and repentance.

• Don't repay evil for evil or insult with insult. Instead, respond with a blessing. (Matt.5: 39-40; 1 Peter 3:9; Rom.12:17, 21)

o and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 1 Cor 4:12

o What blessing have you extended to me Dan…or are you exempt.

o I pray that our hearts and eyes be open to the truth of the matter and that we are called to righteous indignation in Jesus name Amen.

• You will be judged in the same way you judge others. (Matt.7:1-2)

o On this we agree completely! Just remember that means you too Dan…

These past few days of exchanges are very telling, but we need to see this -- all of it!

Shake it off...

Unscriptural stomper, her own concept of worthiness, egotistical verbal bully, legend in her own mind, not worth the expense, power tripping, stand for everything that Plainfield is trying to change, go for some training, and read up on your responsibilities and duties as a board member, move along because I really do not care about what your thoughts are on the matter…deleter of blog postings.

Wow – me thinketh some people are shook.

But why?

And none of THEM put me here!

The Lesson is in the Learning

Did you know that libelous speech is not just for those that wrote it, or said it, but for those that post it too. 

Hmmmm!

Episode 2: Talk into the MIC Please...

Nothing Like A Good Laugh...

Least We Forget!

After reading a response from one of the Blog comments for today and like the rest of you Blog readers, I've been reading a lot about what some have decided make for a good “politician”, “public servant” and of course “a board member”; but what about what makes for a good citizen? Have we gotten so outward looking and judgmental that we no longer do the necessary introspection that keeps us humane?

According to a survey conducted by American Profile, when asked What Makes A Good Citizen – here are some of the varied and poignant responses. Some shared philosophies of life, political views and religious convictions. Many wrote about the virtues of humankind: love, respect, graciousness, courage, kindness, loyalty and responsibility. They spoke of a citizen’s responsibility to vote, serve in the military, pay taxes, protect the environment and share one’s opinions.

And here are a few edited quotes I thought were most appropriate for this community:

“The qualities needed to be a good American are synonymous with those needed to be a good neighbor, good friend, good mate, good parent, good grandparent, or any other person. A good American must believe in themselves, their country, its goals and aspirations and defend freedom anywhere in the world.” —Lester C. Van Bibber III of Lincoln, Ill.

“A good American uses the freedom they have been given to make life better for others; working for the common good is a hallmark of a good American. A good American knows that individual rights spring from the roots of justice and are nurtured by respecting one another’s equality.”—Einar Swenson of Blackfoot, Idaho.

“A good American is someone who thinks more highly of others than he does himself, who shows kindness to all people, who is humbled by the freedoms he enjoys, and who stoops to pick up a piece of litter instead of passing it by.” —Diane M. Pankonin of Oregon City, Ore.

“The best citizen puts ethics before law, law before gain, nation before self.”—David A. Todd of Bella Vista, Ark.

“We must be truthful, straight and honest; respect our freedoms and those of others; be trustworthy; ...” —Gentlemen’s Gathering Group, whose members reside at Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant, Neb.

“A good American is a person, who is ready, willing and able to be and do all he or she can to promote, protect, defend and support the basic freedoms of all Americans regardless of their color or creed.”—Peggy L. Dildine of Ardmore, Tenn.

“A good American shows respect and tolerance…He voices concern for questionable actions in a sane and respectful manner. He builds his country up. He thanks God everyday that he lives in America.” —Pat Loring of Columbia, Calif.

“A good citizen is the person who always gives more of himself or herself than is received.”—Jean Holmes of Tylertown, Miss

“A good American is a civic-minded person… has confidence…accepting and respectful of the many human differences that make up our country and make our country great.” —Edith Brown of Espanola, N.M.

“A good American citizen realizes he has been blessed by his country and seeks to give back by serving his fellow citizens. He loves his homeland despite its imperfections and embraces what makes this nation great: the right of every citizen to seek change for the better.”—Gail Peterson of Watts, Okla.

“A good American citizen knows that freedom is not free. They also know that the United States is the best place to be.” —Robbie Peterman of Onaway, Mich

“Someone who understands that freedoms are not free, who looks for opportunities to serve and not take, who encourages and lifts those who are less fortunate, who prayerfully chooses our elected officials, and whose legacies will include upright values.” —Cliff Todd of Carthage, Texas.

[Excerpt from: American Profile http://www.americanprofile.com/article/4307.html]

Interesting stuff!

Where do YOU fit in...

To read the entire article click (here)

???...

Who DECIDES who YOU are?  Stepping out based on WHOSE you are make folk uncomfortable...and the only way to get through it or passed the discomfort is to face it. 

Meaningful conversation can only be had face-to-face; eye-to-eye. To shy away from that single possibility of understanding is to negate the authenticity of real discourse.  Everyone wants to be heard - - but very few are willing to listen until understanding has taken place.

[By: Powerful Stuff]

The Uppity Negrita Bonita

I wear my words as a banner representing all that I am and all that I stand for and I make no excuses. Neither will I allow the common few to enslave my tongue, my attitude or my contention on a matter. I have not come to ask permission to serve, but rather I have come reverently, consciously and courageously to take the helm of servitude. Not because you common few wanted it, but rather despite your attempts to stifle it.

I will never be who you decide I am because I am not defined by the common few. I am designed by my God and only HE has set the boundaries of my existence.

The common only look for the ordinary, give only what they can spare and have limited awareness of self, self-actualization or the need to be more than a voice but instead a vehicle. A vehicle to aid in all the ails they uncover, all the shortcomings and shortfalls they so readily expose.

BUT -- then that would make them uncommon and extraordinary. AND -- that would take more than just a whine, a line and a comment. It would mean you risk upsetting the common few to become an Uppity Negrita Bonita.

Long live THE Uppity!

As IF...

Wow great detective work. Amazing how someone who “doesn’t care what I think” can track down these blog postings.

I’m mad though because that was going to be my entries for today – so now I have to recreate my posts.

I stand behind what I wrote to whom and for whom! No apology! My Blog is just that MY BLOG you enter on your own initiative.

I’m a public servant not a PUBLIC DORMAT… those of you who talk about me didn’t and don’t support me or these children so you serve no other reason than to keep me steadfast and directed.

The Real BugBeGone...

For over the past few months I have ALLOWED this individual to continually disrespect me as part of this Board of Education. A very good friend of mine said you can’t swat at every mosquito, but this one has become extremely bloated and it’s time to excise this blood sucking perp.

I have yet to see him at a meeting and his constant berating is uncivilized not to mention severely misinformed. From being called ignorant to a whole host of unproductive discourse – it’s just absolutely unacceptable.

What appreciation, consideration or assistance have you shown for our students? How many books have you donated? How many children have you read to during THIS school year? How many uniforms have you bought/donated? What are you giving back? How have you utilized YOUR skills and ability to help deter the miseducation of our children? Do you even consider them YOUR Children? How are you making this community better?

It is not enough to provide amateur commentary without being responsible for what your WORDS incite. That’s something both you and your friend blogger FAIL to understand time and time again.

I will no longer excuse your rudeness.

You do not have my permission to constantly disrespect me whether you realize it or not. I’m not a silent partner. Your obvious biased against me is unmanly and cowardice – if you are going to be disrespectful expect that I will answer you word for word line for line.

Being old is an honor, but being old and crotchety is a choice and is certainly no excuse for being rude, offensive and a poor purveyor of the quasi-FACTS!

All in a Days Work!

Many THANKS -- to the community members and employees who turned out yesterday to begin dialog about the REAL work that will move this district forward. Unarguably this is only the tip of the iceberg, but it’s encouraging to “feel” the commitment towards the work of restructuring the educational foundation of this city.

The state climate in terms of financial constraints combined with the apathy of a community, the disingenuous nature of a few and the social dynamics of our students only exacerbates our educational challenges for increasing student achievement.

There is an enormous amount of hard work ahead, and one thing is for sure “Yes We MUST Collaborate!”

A more comprehensive readout from the retreat will be posted on the district's website over the next few weeks.