Colbert County School Board Hijinks

From a reader:

Ms. Gale Satchel called all 12 month employees to the Central Office on July 28, 2017 at 7:30 a.m. for a meeting to place blame, not to accept responsibility for her actions.  It would seem her little red wagon is loaded with problems!  The situation is as follows:

The week of July 4th was given to all 12 month employees as free vacation time.  Monday, July 3rd was declared a state holiday by Governor Ivey and Tuesday the 4th was a federal holiday.  However, the 5th, 6th and 7th were not recognized holidays but actual contract days for these employees.  The 7th was Friday and these employees have Fridays off during the summer due to working FOUR 10 hour days.

Upon being called out for giving 12 month employees time off without board approval by someone on Shoalanda Blogspot, Ms. Gale, has decided to ask the 12 month employees to give back 16 hours of the gift she gave them.  Why 16?  Why not 20?  If Ms. Gale knew her job or the law she would know that asking 12 month employees to “come up with” 16 hours to turn in to her is classified as FRAUD and she could then turn around and terminate them for lying about the time worked.  If employees use Sick Leave it is considered Sick Leave fraud and is also punishable by termination.  Personal Time should not be used because the 12 month employees didn’t request to be off.  It would also be against the contracts and those who are salary employees.

While explaining this situation, Ms. Gale had a photo on the screen in front of 12 month employees to show them who is to blame for this problem.  The photo was of Ed Bowman.  Mr. Bowman has no actual ties to the school system, he is just a tax payer, like me, who wants Ms. Gale to do her job as she is supposed to.  It seems Ms. Gale is having issues doing her job due to not being qualified for the job of Superintendent.  There are requirements in place for the job and she does NOT meet them.  It is a shame the local judge that signed off on her to run didn’t do a background check to see if the requirements were met.  It is also very suspicious that former Superintendent Anthony Olivis signed off saying she had the qualifications.  One would wonder why people would perjure themselves to get her on the ballot.  

Ms. Gale is flying high on the Colbert County taxpayers’ hard earned money and flying is being used literally!  In May, Ms. Gale went on a field trip to Washington DC with 5th grade students from across the county at tax payer expense and when something more fun and exciting started happening at home she jumped on a plane in Virginia to get back for the photo ops at a ballgame and concert!  How much did that ticket cost the taxpayers!  I bet the rental on the luxury car was cheaper than that last minute plane ticket!  I also hear that Ms. Gale wants a covered carport at the Central Office so she doesn’t get wet going in her office on rainy days!  I guess it’s beneath her to open an umbrella!  She needs to get over herself and come back down to earth with the rest of the taxpayers in Colbert County!

She and the board are out of control and need the same scare tactics they are using on teachers to be used on them.  They seem VERY proud of antagonizing and frightening teachers and even brag about it in public.  Again, some people need to remember the Golden Rule!  

I hope and pray that the state will eventually see what is going on in Colbert County and take over her position and put someone in it that is actually qualified and not just a narcissist with too much power! 

 *****

We published the above guest editorial completely unedited. We would love for some knowledgeable reader to address the qualification issue. This is important now and in future elections. We are not familiar with much that is happening in the Colbert system, but we can say we've received many fewer complaints about Ms. Satchell than we did about her predecessor. 

Changes In Cherokee Schools?

A TimesDaily reader recently wrote this in a letter to the editor:

Sorry, Colbert County School Board, but you just got a tax increase in 2013. Where did that money go? I find it impossible to believe expenditures beyond your control have gone up so much that a 75 percent tax increase in the last two years is necessary. In my business, if operating expenses went up 75 percent in two years, I would fire the manager! I understand there are a couple of roofs that leak at the schools, but do you really expect us to believe that a $24 million tax increase over 25 years is necessary to repair some leaks?

The letter writer posed a very good question. We get letters also. Here's one that just came in. We believe it to be 100% accurate or we would not publish it:

Yesterday, The Colbert County School Board met for a work session. The Board went into an "executive session" with no explanation of the reason for a secret meeting. It is unclear if the TimesDaily had been notified of such a meeting, probably not since the Board has previously enjoyed a Board Training Retreat in Birmingham without notifying the public either. The insiders believe the executive session was to discuss getting rid of Mr. Thomas Casteel, principal at Cherokee Elementary School, where the wife of Dr. Jeff Cornelius (asst. superintendent) works and reportedly does not like Mr. Casteel. Another day in the demise of Public Education.

This would make principal number four that Olivis/Cornelius have sought to oust. Better okay more than 75% in new taxes to cover the lawsuits.

*****

There's less than two weeks to Pick Your Pate. Please remember to make a donation to HASRA or Safeplace when you vote. We'll announce our winner in early June.



Shoalanda

A Must Read for Colbert County Parents

The following is a guest editorial from a concerned Colbert County citizen. If you live in Colbert County, please don't fail to read this!

Colbert County School System Employees Concerned About Superintendent’s Leadership

Colbert County School System employees are concerned about Mr. Olivis' leadership as demonstrated by his latest transfer. A Leighton Elementary School employee (let's call this person "Doe") was recently transferred to the Maintenance Department, even though there is already a permanent employee assigned to do the Maintenance Department job. In a misuse of taxpayer money, Olivis then hired a substitute to replace Doe at LES.

On the surface this looks minor, but what took place to prompt this move? Sources say Olivis failed to deal with a serious incident that took place at LES involving Doe. Instead of dealing appropriately with Doe as was necessary, a transfer was made. An investigation should be initiated into the event that resulted in this reassignment.

Where Olivis is concerned, transfers seem to be the method of choice for dealing with both real and personal issues.In the case of the Doe transfer, there was allegedly a serious act committed for which a serious consequence was required. Instead, a reassignment took place.

But in the case of Mr. Montgomery, the harassed principal at Colbert Heights Elementary, no fault was found as evidenced by the Board having renewed his contract. However, Montgomery's name and reputation have been irrevocably damaged, he's been publically humiliated, and Olivis is still attempting to punish him with a transfer. 

Employee moral in the Colbert County School System is at an all-time low. The system was a good place to work – now fear of and intimidation from its leadership are felt countywide. There is no sense of direction, communication is absent, and system finances (not including lawsuits sure to be filed) are in danger of State takeover.

The resignation of the system's two leaders, Mr. Olivis and Mr. Cornelius, is necessary if the school system is to survive. Where are you, Billy Hudson, Andy Bolding, and Sandy James?  We need you!

*****

This is compelling. Mr. Olivis doesn't have to answer to us; he does have to answer to you, the parents!



Shoalanda