[Speed Gibson,
Wednesday August 17, 2005 at 9:59pm]
The Peebles Court
Thandiwe Peebles, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools just got her second strike. After a reprimand and long list of inadequacies she needs to address earlier this year, she now stands accused of using district staff and facilities for personal use.
Gosh, you mean like Minneapolis DFL Chairwoman and assistant City attorney Lois Conroy's use of her office PC for a DFL fundraiser? Or St. Paul School Board member Al Oertwig's significant night and weekend presence in their offices? Nothing much will come of these, and probably shouldn't. But Peebles won't be so lucky, even if her offenses turn out to be no more serious.
No, she appears to be a reformer, which always draws the same reaction from Education Minnesota: "Out!" Peebles might as well quit now, meaning negotiate the usual portfolio of severance pay, health care extensions, unused sick and vacation time, and so on. For there is little chance of justice here. The lawyers that will be hired to investigate the charges will really be amassing paperwork to fight off any lawsuits for her termination. (Why is it they always seem to hire lawyers in these situations? Why not real detectives?)
So unless history doesn't repeat itself here, both Minneapolis and St. Paul, the two largest and two most enigmatic school districts in Minnesota, will both likely be looking for new Superintendents in early 2006. (Pat Harvey of St. Paul announced in June that she will be resigning at the end of this year.)
Suppose you had what it takes to turn around such a district? Even if you don't, why would you apply? You won't be given the authority to implement most of your ideas.
Gosh, you mean like Minneapolis DFL Chairwoman and assistant City attorney Lois Conroy's use of her office PC for a DFL fundraiser? Or St. Paul School Board member Al Oertwig's significant night and weekend presence in their offices? Nothing much will come of these, and probably shouldn't. But Peebles won't be so lucky, even if her offenses turn out to be no more serious.
No, she appears to be a reformer, which always draws the same reaction from Education Minnesota: "Out!" Peebles might as well quit now, meaning negotiate the usual portfolio of severance pay, health care extensions, unused sick and vacation time, and so on. For there is little chance of justice here. The lawyers that will be hired to investigate the charges will really be amassing paperwork to fight off any lawsuits for her termination. (Why is it they always seem to hire lawyers in these situations? Why not real detectives?)
So unless history doesn't repeat itself here, both Minneapolis and St. Paul, the two largest and two most enigmatic school districts in Minnesota, will both likely be looking for new Superintendents in early 2006. (Pat Harvey of St. Paul announced in June that she will be resigning at the end of this year.)
Suppose you had what it takes to turn around such a district? Even if you don't, why would you apply? You won't be given the authority to implement most of your ideas.