Jim Schutze of the Dallas Observer again makes false accusations about the investigations of Superintendent Mike Miles

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Jim Schutze of the Dallas Observer again makes false accusations about the investigations of Superintendent Mike Miles

Jim Schutze of the Dallas Observer recently, Wednesday, October 30, 2013, posted the following false statements:
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Mike Miles and the Bad Annual Review Issue: More Bullshit from The Dallas Morning News

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/10/mike_miles_and_the_bad_annual.php

“Nothing in Smith's investigative report or Coggins' first review of it gave Miles' enemies on the board the red meat they needed to take him down. They didn't even get a cold hot dog. So the board members most involved in persuading Smith to do the initial investigation, Carla Ranger, Bernadette Nutall and Elizabeth Jones, goaded Coggins to give it another try.”

"Yeah, well please allow me to present a very different take on that whole process. Coggins, who was paid 50 grand for his work, combed over the investigative report produced by Don Smith, head of the school district's Office or Professional Responsibility or OPR, and found it was a jumble of bullshit allegations, not one of which would stick, ginned up with heavy participation by school board members out to get Miles over school reform and teacher pay and tenure issues."

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These statements are false.

Actually, I knew nothing about the complaint filed by Communications Chief Rebecca Rodriquez against Superintendent Mike Miles until it was accidently revealed to Dallas ISD board members in a closed board session.

I had no involvement at all in persuading Don Smith to do the initial investigation. The board was never even informed that an investigation of Superintendent Mike Miles was being conducted.

And I certainly did not ‘goad’ Attorney Paul Coggins.

Attorney Coggins reported information discovered during the investigation and asked if Trustees wanted him to look further into it. He never reported that Trustees ‘ginned up’ anything.

The complaint against Superintendent Mike Miles was filed with the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) by former Dallas ISD Communications Chief Rebecca Rodriquez.

Notice in the Jim Shutze article there is no mention of the fact that the complaint was brought against the superintendent by an employee in his own "cabinet."

No, Jim Schutz wants readers of his article to think that it was a Trustee problem.

It was not.

It was a problem between Superintendent Mike Miles and the Communications Chief he hired - Rebecca Rodriguez.

Jim Shutze admits to having become an "apoplectic apologist" for a public official.

Spreading disinformation and distorting the truth is even worse and blatantly dishonest.

"Good journalism always seeks the truth, and the truth is not a lie."

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Disinformation is intentional false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately. It is an act of deception and false statements to convince someone of untruth. (Wikipedia)

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Jim Schutze stated:

"Right away let me say: No one is more troubled than I am by my own knee-jerkism concerning Dallas superintendent of schools Mike Miles. How the hell did I ever find myself in the role of predictably apoplectic apologist for a public official? Please, somebody free me from my own alliteration!"

A Teacher's Creed

"In the classroom on the first day of a new school year, I am eager to meet my students. I have rehearsed my greeting and first day’s remarks, but no matter how many years I’ve prepared for this procedure, it’s always new. My heart pumps a bit harder, faster; I feel adrenaline like an athlete, or like an actor, or maybe like a novice public speaker. It’s a marvelous feeling, this first day, because I know that something special is going to happen, and I know it because I’ve experienced it before and I know that I will experience it every time I meet a new class throughout my venerable career. And then they’re seated before me and I smile at this special feeling. This is an assembly of students, yes. But there’s so much more, because each of these young persons is more than just a student entrusted to me. Each of these students has a story to tell, a lifetime, however brief, of experiences, a history in volumes whose richness and depth I can barely begin to fathom. And so as I absorb the first glimpse of these young charges, I must appreciate the extent of my responsibility, of the privilege I’ve accepted in presenting these young souls my special knowledge. In offering them my talent and passion, I am adding an enormous array of new bright stars to the vast firmament of their minds, stars that will never have time to fade in their lifetimes. I will be part of their story. And I know that each of them will always be part of mine. And that’s a good feeling, a feeling that is perpetually renewed, revisited, and rewritten in A Teacher’s Creed."

Carla Ranger - Dallas ISD Education Blog

Thursday, October 31, 2013