cross post from HatCityBLOG
June 24 Board of Education meeting. Photo by ctblogger
I was on the interviewing committee…and this has nothing to do with the candidate, it has a lot to do with the process.
I think as leaders, at time point when the flaws came in this particular situation, that we should have stopped the process and started again.
-Comment from Board of Education member Gladys Cooper regarding
flaws in the principal search processI sat on the interviewing committee and my overall impression was that frankly, I felt pressured. I felt that it moved very quickly and it’s such a critical position and I had hoped that we would go out again and continue the search. However, this has nothing to do with the candidate, I’m just talking about process.
…the board of education does have the option to interview the finalists candidates, and I really wished we [the board] had this opportunity to interview Mr. Rossi…I know it’s impossible to go out again at this time, but I do wish we had more opportunity to interview Mr. Rossi.
-Board of education member Joan Hodge
Last night, although members of the Board of Education voted to approve the appointment of Dr. Robert Rossi as Principal of Danbury High School, the fallout over the principal search process was still paramount on the minds of many in attendance.
Although the News-Times did a write-up on last night’s vote, as one who made the trek to last night’s meeting, when it comes to providing a full account of the comments made by board members during the vote for Rossi, I felt the article failed short. This lack of complete analysis is most aparent when it comes to comments from board members who were critical of the handling of the search process (with the most critical comments coming from interview committee members Joan Hodge and Gladys Cooper).
In an effort to provide more information on what transpired last night, I videotaped the entire meeting for the public…and here’s what actually happened.
As you can see in the clip, the controversy regarding the search process extends beyond the critical comments made by the Mayor, Minority Leader Tom Saadi, Common council members, and the News-Times editorial board staff as members of the board made also made their feelings known to the public.
Will the criticism translate into change in the way the board searches for administrative candidates in the future…well, that remains to be seen.
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I found it embarrassing and almost painful to watch that video.
I’m a little confused. I thought the Superintendent reported to the BOE? I agree with Hodge and Cooper when they say the process was flawed. But, I have to ask why they didn’t correct or stop the process when they first determined it was flawed? It looked like the blind leading the blind. Half of them seemed to be saying the process wasn’t worth a damn but the result is ok, we think. NUTS.
Do I understand correctly that Rossi never came to Danbury as part of the initial interview process? He only came when it was determined he was the only finalist still standing. This is insane!
Is there anyone on the BOE with management experience? If so, that video didn’t show it.
Mr. Robinson, thank you for your effort. Is there any way we can get more citizens to be aware of what is going on in their school system? Was the News Times any help at that meeting?