Sunday, August 31, 2014

Bob Unger? ST? Pro-union? ... Submitted to NBEA

 "New Bedford community leaders" seems to have put on a good "show" for 100 new teachers. If they were so concerned with education and "good community relations" with teachers, why didn't they invite ALL the teachers, the NBEA, and city council??

64 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dutra was on phony Phil's radio show saying that Louis St John and the city council were not invited to his circus event because there wasn't enough room at the zoo. However, Unger's editorial contradicts what Dutra said. These two "pillars" of the community need to get their stories straight to make them more believable.

Radio Hugs said...

This was nothing more than a blatant attempt to divide the NBEA. Dutra and his cronies hate veteran teachers that support OUR association. I hope Craig and his wife have a designated driver this weekend.

Anonymous said...

Bob Unger is responsible for much of the instability in New Bedford Public Schools. He was responsible for saddling us with Portia bonner and he pushed out Francis. He was also the number one champion for the City on the Hill and Global Learning Charter School. Both schools have horrible track records but that doesn't matter to Bob. He won't be satisfied until there is nothing left.

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget that ole Bob did his best to down play Dutra's wife's arrest. Considering that Dutra was in the car and according to the police, he was drunk, one would think that would be newsworthy. It wasn't until Whaling City Watch broke the story did Bob publish an article. A very sanitized article!

Anonymous said...

Article in the Herald about Dutra's wife being arrested..

http://www.heraldnews.com/article/20120615/News/306159892

Anonymous said...

Craig Dutra and his drunken wife could have killed someone. I wonder how MADD feels about this drunken slush being hailed as the Westport Man of the Year! Africano (his wife) should have lost her right to drive. It is a shame that this society hails losers as people our children should look up to.

Anonymous said...

This guy is what Bob Unger considers a role model?

Anonymous said...

"And Let The Games Begin". Sad but true!

Anonymous said...

I hope the UIA will be on call for the newbies 24-7. They are in for a world of hurt. The evening at the zoo might be the highlight of their year.

Anonymous said...

Hey, we're all set! They know it all and will show us how to teach. I personally can't wait! By the way, do you have your schedules or class lists yet?

Anonymous said...

Heard that Carolina does a nice version of the alphabet song in the middle of 195.

Anonymous said...

She's an attorney... kbew hiw to manipulate the system to suit her needs.....

Anonymous said...

No keys. .. no class lists... no new phone system to call for assistance... no supplies... building hadn't been wired for the "new technology" ... new courses assigned to some teachers with no direction on what or how to teach it.... BUT the second floor core looks real.nice with its new paint job

Anonymous said...

It's all smoke and mirrors

Anonymous said...

C'mon…being set up to fail should be second hat by now……………..

Anonymous said...

I've put in 5 8 hr days at no pay to try to get ready for the mystery class headed my way. Who needs names or numbers, not to mention schedules? We are professionals, it's all a trip to the zoo.

Anonymous said...

is there a sense of disbelief or concern from the new high school administration yet? surely they were promised the same support and are now just starting to possibly realize That the school committee is totally inept.

Anonymous said...

Ask yourself how Bob Unger can compare 40 years ago when he first began his short career as an educator to today!!!

Forty years ago, New Bedford High School was one of the top schools in the state.

Forty years ago the Standard-Times has a large readership.

Forty years ago the city of New Bedford was entirely different than it is today.

Forty years ago there were more manufacturing jobs than today.

Forty years ago, I believe, people had more respect for each other than today.

So Mr. Unger what are your solutions to increase readership for the Standard-Times, reduce crime in the city, bring back manufacturing to the area and USA, and have people respect each other?

Anonymous said...

Unger is an irrelevant fool and his paper is in the toilet where it belongs.

Anonymous said...

It seems the young ,inexperienced are pushing out the veteran teachers in all areas! I pray for those " new teachers" at Parker, I pray for the new teachers at NBHS...welcome to the jungle!

Anonymous said...

The teachers that have stayed behind have been asked to take the new teachers under their wings! I'm very sorry, but I'm not qualified to babysit the new 12 year olds that now walk the halls at New Bedford High School! If asked to help a new teacher, I will kindly explain that I don't know the new policies (because I haven't been given our beginning of year packet) and the people to ask would be the 8 suits that will now be roaming the halls. We were told last week, by Kathleen Dawson, that conduct cards should only be written in extreme cases and that all discipline should be handled by the teachers! Did you know that sending them out of the room due to behavior removes all power from the teacher? As for Bob Unger, please come into my classroom and see what I do for a living! I will gladly trade professions with you! I bet you can't last 15 minutes in my shoes. The demands that are put on you by the 90 administrators alone would drive anyone to insanity! God bless the teachers of NBPS! Until Durkin is gone, we are in for a wild ride! Teachers will leave at more alarming rates. I am still looking to get out of the district! If things go as badly this year as they did last year, I will not be working for NBPS again! Our students and teachers deserve better than this yet our fearless dictator, Pia Durkin, goes out with Mitchel Chester for weekly dinners! Does anyone else see a problem with that? Have any other superintendents in the state been given the reigns of their own level 5 schools? Let that 1 marinade for a minute!

Anonymous said...

It's going to be an interesting year! God Bless the "newbies" they're going to need it!!!

Anonymous said...

At 5:00 pm the NBHS staff was sent an email from the new headmaster telling us our school day now has been extended due to the turnaround plan. I honestly don't remember the time in our new contract. We need to download our opening school package and print it to save the city ink. WHAT! Dear God!

Anonymous said...

Don't print it at HOME! Use one of the many broken printers in your school, damn it!

Anonymous said...

what a joke

Anonymous said...

Damn straight……….

Anonymous said...

I wish it was……………………………..

Anonymous said...

How is it that people who make over 100K can only answer questions with "I don't know, we hadn't thought of that and we'll have to talk about that"?
They can't manage a schedule or a class list but somehow figure out how to buy cheap, ugly shirts that we're going to be forced to wear. These were their gift to us. Spare me the gift and buy me supplies and books!
Can't wait to see tomorrow's lunch fiasco. Grades 9 & 10 have 1st lunch and 11 & 12 have second lunch. So what happens to classes that have a mix of 10 & 11? Oh, that's right, they didn't think of that! How's the turnaround looking so far.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the comment about not printing things at home. Ink is expensive and I spend enough on it doing things I need to do for my job. These "opening school packages" should be provided to us.
Very tired of being expected to spend my hard earned money to save the district money, Oh that's right, "do it for the kids!"

Anonymous said...

This is America they can't force you to wear ugly shirts...tell them to take those shirts and shove them...

Anonymous said...

Remember when A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE imprinted on the bottom of NBHS letterhead actually meant something!?! It is really too bad what has happened to New Bedford. I would never have believed in a million years that the district would nosedive like it has.

Anonymous said...

Those are the things that happen when you chronically higher outsiders and not people from within our community. That is where the power of the NBPS and NBEA lies.

Anonymous said...

As much as I thought that PRAB and NBHS really needed a house cleaning I'm very disappointed that our School Committee sits silent at some of the idiotic decisions taking place.

Anonymous said...

That's why they are more commonly known as the "bobble head committee!"

Anonymous said...

That's why they are more commonly known as the "bobble head committee!"

Anonymous said...

How long do we wait for Pia's Turnaround to even remotely appear to be working?

Anonymous said...

It will never appear to be remotely working or work at all. Changes were made just for "the sake of changes." WHATEVER. . . . . . .as long as it looks good on paper! Too many experienced and valuable teachers were lost this past year. When there is no improvement shown, it will be the teachers' fault; for example, they resisted or couldn't fully adapt to the changes or didn't adequately take the "newbies" under their wings. I hate to sound negative, but I know how the system works. It has been proven time and time again.

Anonymous said...

OK…let's look at the testing scores from Spring of 2014. Did the High School improve? Of course not. Did all of the other schools, junior and elementary, improve? No, they did not. Well, Pia Imperfect, what the hell do have to say to that?? Guess what you big bag of nothing, all you are doing is bringing New Bedford down. Who brought you here, anyway??

Anonymous said...

She will blame the hard working teachers for her failures.

Anonymous said...

State Ed. Commissioner Mitchell Chester brought her here. She was a "shoe in" as he didn't want the state to have to do a "state takeover" like what happened in Chelsea years ago. Boston University took over instead of the state and saved Chelsea Public Schools. They actually "invested" in the students by supplying resources that went to the teachers, classroom, and students. (It was quite newsworthy at the time.) What is going on in NB with the state's money? It is lining the pockets of all the highly paid administrators! None of the state money went to classroom supplies, hiring more classroom aides, or new/improved technology, which would actually HELP the students! What is happening in NB is downright criminal! Has anyone found the 2+ million $ that is still missing?

Anonymous said...

The promise of $$$ from the state brought her here! Mitchell Chester didn't want to get involved with the mess NB is in! It has been a troubled district for years. . . . . .$$$ missing, etc.

Anonymous said...

FYI The BU/Silber takeover ended in failure. The solution to poor performing schools is like the elephant in the room-ENDING POVERTY. Instead, we continue to pretend one miracle teacher in each classroom will defy history.

Anonymous said...

To the last person who posted: I understand your stance on ending poverty, but even if that was EVER to happen, what is the solution for young students whose parents are undereducated and have no interest in the education of their children and are intimidated to even get started educating themselves? I realize there are absolutely No easy answers. I think many people realize that even if we, as a country, were able to put most poor families, low income families, etc. on the same income schedule as most regular middle income families, we still have the hurdle of undereducated parents having child after child whom they cannot possibly help (or care about) homework and extra-
curricular activities. Sad, but, I think, true.

Anonymous said...

We should stop acting like poverty doesn't matter in education. We should stop believing a teacher in a wealthy district is better than a teacher in a low-income district simply because their scores are higher. We should stop driving out the teachers that are willing to work under the most difficult circumstances. We must stop pretending everything is equitable so the results should be similar. Chronic stress in our schools is child abuse. I wasn't asking you to end all poverty, I was asking you to acknowledge that it is the factor above all others in our struggle to educate.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone (not Bobo) tell us the percentage of New Bedford parents that are college educated, and I mean those that have a B of Arts or B of Science degree--4 year degree?

Anonymous said...

Wave your magic wands people! Let's get rid of poverty!

Anonymous said...

And while we're at it…let's get rid of Dutra and Unger….Wee-hee!

Anonymous said...

How are the new teachers doing at NBHS?
Are any of them ready to lose it yet?

Anonymous said...

They can't lose it before they even have a solid class list and students to teach. Maybe Week #3? DISASTER administration. Just jargon and optimism offered by these new "leaders".

Anonymous said...

If the previous administration was this inept they would have been fired on the spot! Hey at least there were no lines of parents waiting to have their kids schedules changed like last year. (That's sarcasm)

Anonymous said...

Actually, they have the smallest classes and the best of the best. No accountability. Some have already found out it's not what they were promised.

Anonymous said...

Tell ya what…I wish every teacher in NBPS a great night's sleep tonight and the fortitude to face tomorrow with a renewed sense of confidence. Tomorrow will be a beautiful day for you All to enjoy. Detach from the hopelessness and embrace your colleagues who can help you through.

Anonymous said...

I'll start out by saying that the New Bedford Public Schools needed new leadership when Mayor John Mitchell was elected. There is no doubt in my mind a change needed to be made. Mike Shea made everyone feel good but didn't really do anything. In comes Pia Durkin and today we stand here in year #2 which is trending to be worse than year 1, which is actually difficult to comprehend considering how bad things started for Pia .

Pia Durkin preaches accountability yet holds none of her hires responsible for anything.
- major scheduling mistakes at the high school can be attributed to Haskell and Gurek at PRAB. They insisted IPass could do all the scheduling by itself yet the past two school years have had disastrous scheduling mistakes such as assigning students Spanish 2 before ever completing Spanish 1.

- Google maps is not transportation software. The new director of transportation should be fired. Explain how a high school bus leaving @2:50 can somehow be at a elementary school @ 2:30 to pick up our students. This women wouldn't know union st from beetle st or what our schools even look like. Patrick Murphy was told these bus routes WOULD NOT work but they were implemented anyway.

- The Keith Middle school alarm fiasco was the biggest farce of them all. Does anyone really believe that a new school such as Keith wasn't equipped with a alarm . I'll believe that when Newton and Wellesley start volunteering to accept to influx of immigrants coming into MA. Fire the person in charge of security now.

Pia, prove to us that you hold your own hires responsible and accountable and not just the people who preceded you. Your minions do not need to be on Facebook defending you by claiming that you " are rebuilding from the ground up" .

When you arrived many things in the New Bedford Public Schools were broken. Rather than build on what actually worked, repair what was broken and add new ideas and hope into a system that severely needed it you have burned this system into the ground and installed Educational mercenaries in positions of power who are here for no reason other than to pad their resume and leave New Bedford in their rear view mirror .

Anonymous said...

can anyone talk about the lack of teachers that is reported in the paper? are any classes being taught by subs?

Anonymous said...

Please define "the ground up" that Pia is building from. What exactly is her starting point? Are we getting new children and parents?

Anonymous said...

Of course they are! Teachers absent are not getting subs in their classrooms. Kids sit. They get free time no adult in sight!

Anonymous said...

The "turnaround" sounds like kids getting the time of their lives! That would be a huge turnaround from the life and times of NBHS under Mike Longo. Where the heck are the leaders who REALLY care about the kids and teachers of NB? Thank God my kids are NOT suffering under this regime.

Anonymous said...

The "ground up" comment was made on Facebook by a recent Pia appointee claiming patience was needed with all the scheduling mistakes at the high school

Anonymous said...

That "ground up" comment made by a Pia appointee is ridiculous! These new people think they are profiling and styling. . . . .no you aren't! This new administration is a joke. . . .taking advantage of a poor urban community! They are padding their wallets, that's about it, folks! What about TIME ON LEARNING with kids walking the halls, rescheduled for the same class that they passed last year, and scheduled for Spanish II without ever having Spanish I! Imagine this happening anywhere else?

Anonymous said...

That "ground up" comment made by a Pia appointee is ridiculous! These new people think they are profiling and styling. . . . .no you aren't! This new administration is a joke. . . .taking advantage of a poor urban community! They are padding their wallets, that's about it, folks! What about TIME ON LEARNING with kids walking the halls, rescheduled for the same class that they passed last year, and scheduled for Spanish II without ever having Spanish I! Imagine this happening anywhere else?

Anonymous said...

Do you recall the big hoopla when it was brought out that information for payroll was done on index cards which probably was a backup?

Now to hear that the high school scheduling, which was a total flop, was also done by hand before being put into the computer. Instead of going forward we are going in reverse with the scheduling which was computerized more than 40 years ago.

That is what I call progress and heading in the right direction!

Anonymous said...

I've been around NBPS since the dinosaurs were still alive. There were a bunch of very old, stubborn ladies that were in charge of payroll and human resources that absolutely REFUSED to learn how to put anything on a computer. I don't understand why they weren't forced to update their skills, but they were not. Whomever was in charge of those octogenarians just didn't have what it took to move some of the departments downtown into a new century. And I remember some of those biddies by name….yeah I'm old, but I succumbed to the "new" generation of communication.

Anonymous said...

There are still about 12 classes left uncovered by a qualified teacher. We are in the third week of school. Teachers are leaving for other opportunities and you can't blame them

Anonymous said...

More teachers are finding their way out. More classes are being left uncovered. More students not learning and administration not being held accountable!