The H-L editorial board is correct about one thing. The biggest thing the dueling lawsuits with Ray & Associates will do is rebroadcast the board's own failures during the Barbara Erwin mess - over and over again. They had plenty of chances to correct the situation after they knew there were serious problems, but chose complete denial instead. This is Ray & Associates central claim. Then, the firm graciously offered to help them some more.
It reminds me of Otter's line to Flounder in Animal House:
"Flounder, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes! You fucked up - you trusted us! Hey, make the best of it! Maybe we can help."
But after reviewing Barbara Erwin's "confidential file" which was produced by Ray & Associates for the board, I came away with the clear impression that it was a sales job. The effort the board should have invested in the process was apparently not invested by the search firm either.
I hate to see them get away scot free - to the detriment of unwary school districts across America.
H-L says, Pay the search firm
Ed board shouldn't waste money on legal fight
...The legal spitting contest it has gotten into with the firm that conducted the ill-fated search for a new education commissioner will waste money and shine light on the board's own failure in the search process...
...The board moved ahead with the hire even after inconsistencies in Erwin's resume' were exposed and it became clear that her job history was littered with controversy. The board reviewed Erwin's resume', met with her for 10 hours and chose to stick with her. In the end, Erwin bowed out only days before she was to start work.
Whether the firm did a good job or not isn't the issue. Looking for and hiring a new commissioner was always and uniquely the board's responsibility.
...Starting now, the state school board would serve Kentucky better by settling with Ray, hiring a competent search firm and following the good advice of Gov.-elect Steve Beshear by expanding the search for a great education commissioner.
This from the Herald-Leader.
No comments:
Post a Comment