Ann Arbor administrators shuffled after Carpenter Elementary principal is placed on leave
An Ann Arbor principal has been placed on administrative leave until further notice, district officials said Tuesday. Administrators from Scarlett Middle School will be shuffled to help address the temporary gap in leadership.
Charles Davis Jr.
From A2schools.org
Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Dawn Linden sent an email to parents at Carpenter earlier today explaining the situation.
"Beginning today, March 12, Principal Davis will be out on leave," Linden wrote. "We ask for your understanding that due to employee confidentiality, we cannot share details or comment further about the leave. In an effort to ensure support for the high quality education already underway at Carpenter, we have asked Mr. Ed Broom to step in as acting principal."
Broom is being placed temporarily at Carpenter from Scarlett Middle School, where he has served as assistant principal for the past seven years. Linden's email said he has an Educational Specialist Degree in administration and more than 23 years of teaching and leadership experience in education.
Jaye Peterson, a physical education teacher at Scarlett, will serve as acting assistant principal in Broom's absence, Margolis said. Peterson has served temporarily in this position before and is "well prepared to assume the administrative duties working with (Scarlett Principal Gerald) Vazquez," Margolis said in an email to Scarlett parents.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
KateT
Wed, Apr 17, 2013 : 5:46 p.m.
Ms. Barnes, former principal, sent home letters so filled with errors, it was an embarrassment. Another teacher there kindly made a movie for the children, but with all the grammatical errors, I cringed to show it to relatives. She, too, has been promoted to principal. Now this guy is accused of dishonesty and creating fear, etc. What are the criteria to become principal around here? I do know of one amazing elementary principal. Yes, Mr. Collins left big shoes to fill. Among other things, he would walk childen to Evergreen Apartments and personally deliver them to their parents. He was smart, caring and devoted. I kept my fingers crossed that my kids would make it through before he left. The guy is a living saint, and I mean it. I do know first-hand that Mr. Broom is an outstanding leader: smart, caring and devoted, so Carpenter is in good hands.But Scarlett needs him back, so he can rejoin that great team.
pescadero
Thu, Apr 11, 2013 : 7:02 p.m.
A month later and still no update? This doesn't appear to be medically related, so it wouldn't be covered under HIPAA. If this is a disciplinary matter - the information should be available through the FOIA. So what has annarbor.com/Ms. Arndt managed to dig up on the situation in the last month? AAPS certainly isn't saying anything.
IHEARTAA
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 3:45 p.m.
To say that Kindergarten classroom numbers declined at Carpenter because of the principal, just because you want to say it, is neither fair nor true. All AAPS parents know that last year was the first that all AAPS Elementary schools went all day K, so the need for students who did not live in the Carpenter Zone to attend Carpenter was no longer needed. Families were able to attend their home schools because it now gives them something that Carpenter had been giving for years. Until we find out what actually happened, we can not know the extent of what is behind this Principal's leave. I am just as anxious as the next to know what is going on, but we should keep this school, this district, this principal, and his family in our prayers as we wait to hear.
controlmymail
Tue, Mar 19, 2013 : 6:42 p.m.
Not only a principal but a MENTOR, a person who seems to relate & understand the needs of our children. Mr. Davis was always available for my family, he never raised his voice, he took out time to help our boys when they were struggling with behavioral issues and he never seemed too friendly or inappropriate with parents. His dress attire was also casual and relate-able at times.By pulling Mr. Davis from Carpenter with no reasons (found legit) is a break in our psychological contract with Carpenter Elementary School and the entire AAPS districts. The trust is gone! If he did not abuse or harm our children-then where is their principal? and why can't the children contact Mr. Davis? Change is good-how else would we have gotten through slavery, women's rights plus? I know there are some people who want things to stay the same, so they could continue to benefit, but it's better for the people who wasn't given the "privileges" to have just as much as an advantage!!! Minorities need to STAND UP for what they believe in ----just like the majority (in Michigan).
4thekids
Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 8:15 p.m.
My wife and I moved to Ann Arbor because we felt this was a forward thinking progressive community. I am shocked at some of the racially charged comments, suggestions that Mr. Davis was hired only for "diversity," and other baseless accusations. The fact that Mr. Davis's race is even a part of this discussion is disturbing. As a parent of two boys (who happen to be african-american), I appreciate the concern about the leadership of your child's school. I just pray that parents and adults can set a better example of civil discourse and fact-based opinions than what I am reading on this post.
cricketrunner
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 10 p.m.
For those that are insinuating that parents at Carpenter are racist and unreasonable in expecting Mr. Davis to "fill" Mr. Collins shoes...you are wrong. I don't care if our principal is black, white, green, or blue...as long as the leader of the school does his job. Yes, Mr. Collins was a great principal, but never once did I expect the new principal to be his clone.
Scarlet
Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 12:52 a.m.
Bravo Cricketrunner! To add on, many of us bent over backwards, sideways etc. at last minute whims, giving extra leeway because he was new. This is not a Carpenter community issue.
mb1969
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 8:21 p.m.
My son is a kindergarten at Carpenter and he was one of the reason I put my son in that particular Ann Arbor School. I have never had a problem with Mr. Davis, he always spoke to me, he knew my son's name along with ours that I would hear him call. From what I am reading on these blogs, people are having a hard time with the change from 2 years ago, and was looking for a way to get him out. Hopefully that is not the case but do hope something is said because I may take my child out of the school now.
mb1969
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 10:18 p.m.
If those things were occurring then he should be held responsible. I work with these types of issues everyday in my job. But like I said I never experienced anything like that with him.
cricketrunner
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 9:56 p.m.
Well said, Scarlet.
Scarlet
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 9:17 p.m.
As I posted to another Carpenter parent, I am happy for you that you had a positive experience with Mr. Davis. My guess is you did not work with him directly or have any reason to disagree with him. As many have said, the kids or "the babies" were his priority. He definitely cared about the kids in general and most of the nice things I can say are related to the kids. However, there are also stories where he did NOT treat the kids appropriately, issues with how he treated staff, volunteers quitting etc. I personally had teachers APOLOGIZE for how he treated me and asked me to not quit helping the school. Any Principal putting his teachers in a position where they need to apologize for his behavior is unprofessional. He could be offensive and dismissive. He took credit for ideas and successes he had little to nothing to do with. Whatever happened to incur administrative leave, I can only guess. However, there are multiple issues he for which he SHOULD be held accountable.
JRW
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 7:40 p.m.
Just an added note: my daughter in law works in the district and there are a handful of low performing principals in AAPS. The real problem is that AAPS has no real guts when it comes to evaluations and these principals who are underperforming continue in their positions. I don't know specifically about Mr Davis, but whatever deficiencies he may have had in the principal role should have been addressed a long time ago, and corrected. Things like this don't happen out of the blue.
JRW
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 7:37 p.m.
CAn AA dot com use FOIA to get the info on why Mr Davis was placed on leave? Is he still collecting his salary? I think the public has a right to know what is going on when a principal is asked to step down mid year and no reason is offered.
skigrl50
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 6:48 p.m.
I've heard there have been numerous union grievances filed against him.
Steffetta
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 5:25 p.m.
Mr. Broom is awesome. I wish him the best, but us folks at Scarlett will miss him. Good luck!
dogpaddle
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 5:09 p.m.
I would like to echo the positive comments about Mr. Davis from MominSuperior, Davis Supporter, Anotherannarborite, etc. I used to teach with Mr. Davis and as a fellow colleague, let me tell you, he is an excellent combination of professional and even more importantly, genuinely cares about kids and ensures their well-being and success which should be a number one priority when judging an educator. I know, too, he will tell you "like it is" and not mince words, so perhaps there are some parents at Carpenter who don't like that. It's also interesting that the positive comments have come from Haisley. So perhaps before judging Mr. Davis who many of you don't know, perhaps you should question equally, Carpenter. I could just as easily ask what's wrong with Carpenter that this wasn't a good fit? I will also say in both Mr. Davis' defense as well as Carpenter's, that if he had "huge shoes to fill" by replacing Mr. Collins, then indeed that might be part of the problem as parents and kids might have had a hard time dealing with the loss and change in admin. Until we have all the facts, passing judgment either way is premature.
treetowncartel
Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 9:48 p.m.
I'm with you guys on this one. Based on the comments it looks like there was a faction of staff and parents out to get this guy from day 1. It is hard to lead when the heels are dug in. I'd add that people need to be careful for what they wish for.
swimthis
Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 9:16 p.m.
in my experience parents in this district have little tolerance for those of us that don't mince words or sugar coat everything which is setting these kids up for failure later in life. they will not be able to handle a manic boss or difficult people. you can be respectful and diplomatic, but if the message isn't what parents or kids want to hear they will cry that you were mean or unprofessional.
say it plain
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 3:13 p.m.
Wow, both in the comments about "minority hires" and in the implications about Davis' 'representing', there is much to be concerned about here as a reflection on our community. Was he put on leave for issues related to what box he ticks off on questions about race? On how he dealt with race in the school or as an administrator? If not, then why is this coming up? Are we really still 'there' when thinking about individuals who don't look just exactly like we do-- that a person who was not suited to the job he was given (as it sounds like from the comments) and is alerted to this, is claimed to be causing people's children to "distrust" others who look like he does? Gee I'm honestly puzzled here...
mb1969
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 8:39 p.m.
I so agree with you because that is the feeling I got. All of the comments some to have a racism tone to it which is sad but something that is still dealt with in the US.
A2Father
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:23 p.m.
I have had all 4 of my children attend Carpenter with 2 of them currently enrolled. I have had a handful of interactions with Mr. Davis. Overall, I cannot say that he was rude or anything like that, but as most parents with a similar situation as mine can attest... Mr davis had some HUGE shoes to fill coming after Ron Collins. Night and day difference between those 2. As any carpenter parent knows... the parking lot at 3:40pm is a nightmare! bumper to bumper, multiple lanes and kids running out to parked cars. Mr Collins would be directing traffic, scolding parents who were not driving safely and he would walk most every kid to their parents car. Whereas Mr. Davis tends to stay up on the hill talking nice and smiling pretty at all the cute teachers and the Moms. I have never seen him show concern for the kids running out to get into their parents vehicles. Everytime I have gone into the office at Carpenter, there is Mr Davis, leaning over, half sprawled out across the counter directly outside of his office. Oh, how unprofessional he looked. I will give credit where it is due. I have a special needs child and he got to know Mr. Davis very well as he had to go into the office to get his meds daily. Mr Davis was always very good to my son and my boy was quite sad to hear about Mr. Davis leaving Carpenter. He knew my son by name and seemed care about him. My son would even roll down the car window everyday and yell his goodbye to Mr Davis as we drove past. Final thoughts... Simply put, some men are teachers and some are leaders. Mr. Collins was a leader and a great one at that. Mr Davis is a teacher and he should have stay that. Hes no Mr. Collins for certain.
anotherannarborite
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 12:54 p.m.
My daughter had Mr. Davis as a 5th grade teacher. He was an excellent teacher for her with social development. I didn't think he pushed her hard enough academically. He had frank and honest discussions with me about my daughter and I appreciated his forthrightness. He also went above and beyond to create positive social interactions and opportunities for her with her peers. Two years later my daughter is still enjoying the social benefits he facilitated for her. For example, the kids she went to 5th grade with are much more understanding of her oddities and include her in social situations much more so than would be expected. I also felt most parents appreciated his work at Haisley and wished he had gotten the principalship there. I don't know what happned at Carpenter, but I am surprised that it's not going well for him there. Perhaps the different cultures at Haisley and Carpenter played into it.
Scarlet
Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 12:45 a.m.
I wasn't a parent in district when the national headlines were hit, however from what I know of it, you are correct, towncryer, it IS very similar. Even the racial "issues".
towncryer
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 11:44 p.m.
Scarlet, it is AMAZING how all your descriptions of this principal and interactions with him mirror another principal who has had his share of "scandal", in fact one made nationwide headlines! It's really unbelievable, you could just insert his name into all you have said and be completely accurate!
Scarlet
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 10:33 p.m.
Very often, once becoming a principal, even good teachers change. Just because someone did well as a teacher doesn't mean they will be a successful principal. I would say that Mr. Davis was welcomed with little expectation. Those of us that worked with him tried to do so without being offended by his style, however, many people reached a "that's it!" limit and simply stopped working with him. I did not experience him to be very friendly, often passing in the hall without any acknowledgement of my presence. This did improve this school year, but the larger issues did not. Just attending PTO meetings he looked bored and when he spoke, he usually offended the volunteers showing up while making efforts to bring in more. He definitely had a habit of not always thinking before he spoke in public. If he should return to our school, I would hope he would do it humbly. But up until now, I would not use the word "humble" and Charles Davis in the same sentence.
Davis supporter
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 11:55 a.m.
Mr Davis was the best teacher my son had at Haisley, and we had several excellent teachers there. He changed my child's life, gave him confidence socially and scholastically and he constantly taught him the importance of making good choices in life. At the same time, he had expectations of all students and parents and he did not treat kids differently for any reason (race, economic status, etc). I will always be grateful for Mr Davis' impact on my family and I hope he is ok.
Tom
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 3:55 p.m.
Sounds like this is a classic case of putting someone in a managerial position who is best intended to be in the position from which they came. Perhaps Mr. Davis should realize is true calling is teaching.
dk
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 3:54 p.m.
Davis support, good info and thanks for sharing. To make a sports analogy, the best players usually don't make the best coaches. Seems like there is a lot of good support of Mr. Davis as a teacher, but little to none for him as a principal. If that's the case, shame on the school board for putting him in a position he wasn't suited for.
cricketrunner
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 12:56 p.m.
I had high hopes for him as principal because friends praised him as a teacher. Unfortunately he did not live up to my expectations. Should have stayed a teacher and left leadership of a school to someone else.
AlfaElan
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 11 a.m.
Come on people, his hiring wasn't about diversity. As someone else said he interviewed well, and he had done a good job as teacher and vice principal. A friend who had worked with him told me he should do well. The drop in kindergarten classes is not Mr. Davis' fault, it is because Carpenter is no longer one of the few full day kindergarten schools in the district (they all are now). Unfortunately he did not show good management skills from the start. Changing things drastically and unpopularly with your employees in an organization that is running well is not good leadership. HIs telling kids they should settle down and not run in socks because he did not want to write an incident report showed a lack of leadership and understanding of what motivates kids. Then the rumors of intimidation and harrasment of teachers started and some of the best teachers were so unhappy they retired early or left for other schools. This action and its timing indicates to me that the rumors were true and the administration has done due deligence. Sad to see someone whose ego confuses a position of leadership with personal power and hurts others as a result. We look forward to finishing the year with Mr. Broom. Our son at Scarlett like Mr. Broom and in his first day Mr. Broom has reached out to the parents and PTO which is a good sign. Hopefully he brings the effective leadership we had under Mr. Collins back so the teachers and staff are happier and more effective. Unfortunately I doubt it will bring back some of the great teachers who left.
Scarlet
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 9:03 p.m.
I believe one of those "leadership" rolls was acting principal at Haisley. As highly liked in his time at Haisley it unfortunately did not translate to being Principal of Carpenter.
AlfaElan
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 12:42 p.m.
SH1: It could be my bad memory as to what my friend had said almost 2 years ago. I do remember he said Mr. Davis had been in leadership positions in the schools and he felt Mr. Davis would do a good job. So I was surprised when Mr. Davis made hasty changes that indicated a need for better management skills.
Sue
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 11:24 a.m.
Thanks for your understanding and support of good staff whom had to leave under bad circumstances. One doesn't often hear this!
sh1
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 11:24 a.m.
Well-rounded comment, but for accuracy's sake, Mr. Davis never had a position as vice principal. He was rushed into a job as an elementary principal after only two years as an elementary classroom teacher. (He did have experience in high school as well.)
MominSuperior
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:55 a.m.
I don't know what happened to necessitate the leave, but I have seen the good and the bad from Mr. Davis. I think he genuinely cares about the students and I have seen first hand the care that he has shown my son. I have seen him buy books for students who didn't have money at book fairs or cotton candy for students who didn't have money at Fun Nights. My son has autism and he has shown over and over that he cares for his well being and success as a student. As a parent, I can see how he has rubbed some people the wrong way.....I have cried numerous times over things that he has said to me in passing. Things that no mom wants to hear about their son. If he were a doctor, I would say that he has no bedside manner. I wish he was as good with dealing with parents & adults as he seemed to be at dealing with kids.
An Arborigine
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:54 a.m.
My expectation is that this will make news, a big impact on the school and its students, but we will hear nothing more of the reason for the admin leave. Sorry for those affected by this change or actions preceding it.
JRW
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 6:29 p.m.
Yup. Exactly. AAPS will sweep this under the rug and make it impossible for the real reasons to be publicized, as usual.
Morty Seinfeld
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:49 a.m.
I'm glad we're spending a premium so we could get an elite Superintendent so stuff like this doesn't happen!
USRepublic
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:46 a.m.
Tip of the iceberg.... Watch this thing unravel like a cheap suit.....
LS2013
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:35 a.m.
My son attends Carpenter Elementary, and I have had a lot of interaction with Mr. Davis. He has been a great principal, and seems to genuinely care about the students as if they are his own children. He interacts positively with all the students regularly and does a great job with making sure everything runs smoothly. I am pretty disappointed to hear this news.
Doug
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 9:03 p.m.
Your head must be on the sand!
Scarlet
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 8:56 p.m.
I am also a parent at Carpenter. I would say that you have been fortunate to have had a positive relationship/experience with him. We have lost volunteers, PTO members and participation since Mr. Davis joined the school. There have been issues with staff, parents AND children. We have not all been as fortunate as you.
Ron Burgandy
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:43 a.m.
At this rate, it won't be long before AAPS is ripe for a state takeover. The Ann Arbor Public School administration is starting to make Detroit City Council look like a MENSA chapter.
Tom
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 3:50 p.m.
I have no dog in this fight Ron but your comments were priceless!!
arborani
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:04 a.m.
Whatcha got against Mensa?
Bulldog
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:40 a.m.
The former administration was responsible for hiring him. Ms. Linden was not a part of the district at the time. He was one six principals hired out of 30 or so internal candidates. Ann Arbor...All the Best! as they say.
Goober
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 6:36 a.m.
Good or best bosses face up to their errors and correct bad decisions.
J. A. Pieper
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:26 a.m.
The former elementary level assistant superintendent ( for lack of knowing the exact title) wanted to hire him, and sold him to the interview committee. He interviewed quite well, but I think most people realize it was a mistake!
Basic Bob
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:59 a.m.
We are not concerned with Ms. Linden's involvement with his hiring. She was brought in to be in charge of everyone who works for her, not just those she personally hired off the street. Blaming the people who retired last year just doesn't work. And even the best boss can make a bad hire.
C. Montgomery Burns
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:34 a.m.
Release the hounds.....inside of the Ballas Administration Building.
Goober
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 6:35 a.m.
Yes - arf, arf, arf!
CheezeWhiz
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:21 a.m.
I have taken scuttlebutt in over the past year or so and the facts will be nice to know once shared. I welcome Mr Broom and wish for smooth transition at both schools
Piledriver
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:11 a.m.
It's a shame that all of former principal Ron Collins hard work turning that school around got washed down the drain in less than 18-months. Heads need to roll over there at the Ballas Administration Building. Quit your screwing around with social engineering by pushing the diversity agenda and just simply hire and promote the best qualified people for the job - PERIOD, no matter their race, ethnicity, etc.
AnnieB
Fri, Apr 19, 2013 : 12:54 p.m.
All of my children attended Carpenter, and when our family moved on to Scarlett middle school, I was proud of the changes that Mr. Collins had made and that my children attended Carpenter. Many years ago (before Mr. Collins) Carpenter had a poor reputation. I was pleased that my children attended Carpenter, the administration and the staff was incredible. It saddens me that this has happened to such a great school. Mr. Broom is incredible, Carpenter is very lucky to have him....
Zachary Jones
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 3:08 p.m.
The way your comment is worded seems you're implying that because he was black he wasn't the most qualified and that he only got the job because of the color of his skin. Is this what you meant?
Goober
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 6:34 a.m.
I keep saying that all of Balas needs to go - all of them. Once the dust settles, a new team needs to be put in place to lead our schools. From my calculation, Balas can be reduced to about 10% of it's current size, once replacements with capable individuals is complete. Oh - replace the whole school board too!
cricketrunner
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:53 a.m.
Agree 100%. I'm truly optimistic now about the future of Carpenter. Hoping kids and families will return to the school. Great community, unfortunately brought down by poor leadership.
OHHIO
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:48 a.m.
We don't care which color smoke (black or white) the AAPS Conclave sends up, just get it right.
OHHIO
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:26 a.m.
Well said. We need administrators with experience who put the kids first...no matter where they come from and no matter what they look like.
Angry Moderate
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:09 a.m.
How does AAPS manage to hire the worst possible administrators every single time? They're either incompetent, or they don't stick around long enough to accomplish anything. Are we using some criteria other than who is the most qualified to pick them?
Scarlet
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 9:30 p.m.
Mr Davis was/is on the hiring committee. He interviewed well because he knows EXACTLY what Ann Arbor is looking for. I know Carpenter was looking for a strong leader. He said all the right things and was on the top of the list of parents/teachers representing Carpenter at the time.
Goober
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 6:32 a.m.
All we have to do is look at who is doing the hiring to know the answer to this issue and question. Change this group and the subsequent culture and the whole system will change. It starts at the top. Until this changes - nothing else will.......
J. A. Pieper
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:30 a.m.
Yes, they are. Think carefully and you will be able to figure out what the one, most important characteristic is required for becoming an administrator in this district, is shouldn't be too hard.
Tachyon
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 12:46 a.m.
I'm also a Carpenter parent. The school has not been a happy place for the past 18 months. Attendance at school events is down and we have been hemorrhaging students to charter schools and transfers in that period of time. For example, we went from 3 to 4 kindergarten classes between Fall 2010 and Fall 2011. As of Fall 2012 we have 2. I don't think there's much rumor blowing around in the Carpenter community -- we know exactly why this is happening.
Goober
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 6:30 a.m.
Quit tap dancing around the issue. What is the story? Why has this not been a happy place for the past 18 months?
J. A. Pieper
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:06 a.m.
I am just an AAPS employee with NO connection to Carpenter, but I have been hearing horror stories from families and staff since he arrived as principal. He told one of my friends that they could go ahead and pull their kids out of Carpenter, they would be replaced by the families escaping districts to the east!
cricketrunner
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 12:31 a.m.
I look forward to a positive end to the school year.
The Picker
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 11:53 p.m.
So what's the real story here? Won't someone spill the beans.
nickcarraweigh
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 11:48 p.m.
Undisclosed reasons to pull a principal at mid-school year? Good luck with that. The school district's stunning display of chutzpah, willfulness and disrespect for both its children and their parents is doomed to failure. While the Carpenter School community will be awash with rumors before nightfall (each more dystopian than the last), the truth will out in a few days. Blowback, anyone?
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 10:08 p.m.
"Beginning today, March 12, Principal Davis will be out on leave," Linden wrote. "We ask for your understanding that due to employee confidentiality, we cannot share details or comment further about the leave." you folks are all OUR EMPLOYEES. Who does Dawn Linden think funds her paycheck?
Angry Moderate
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 7:22 a.m.
Uh, yes, in private organizations we call it a "boycott."
Angry Moderate
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 7:22 a.m.
Uh, yes, i
Chris
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:07 a.m.
Flawed mentality. Should I be able to "boss" around any company/organization, public or private, because I fund (via taxes or purchasing products/services) of said organizations? Get over it.
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 11:22 p.m.
"Being a taxpayer does not make you someone's boss." actually it does if they are public employees. And I would add when your a public employee charged with the safety and well being of our children you lose even more 'privacy" when you misbehave to the point of being suspended from your job.
dancinginmysoul
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 10:54 p.m.
So that means I am then the boss of every member of Congress, in addition to the House. Plus the President. Cool. I'm about to end the sequester (is that how you'd say that???), create about a million jobs AND give everybody health insurance. I mean, by your very definition I can do that right...cause I'm their boss? I assume because I pay taxes? Your logic is flawed.
sh1
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 10:29 p.m.
Being a taxpayer does not make you someone's boss.
OHHIO
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 10:04 p.m.
18 Months too late...now hopefully some of the good families who took their kids out of Carpenter this year because of Chuck will bring them back.
Goober
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 6:27 a.m.
So, there is a problem here, eh?!
Christie O.
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 12:16 a.m.
Amen to that!
squidlover
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:26 p.m.
As a parent of a Carpenter student, I appreciate the effort being made to make this a relatively smooth transition considering the unusual circumstances. I do feel Carpenter Elementary has high quality teachers and support staff. Combining this with Mr. Broom's experience, I look forward to a productive end of the school calendar.
racerx
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 1:39 a.m.
My daughters went to both Carpenter and Scarlett. These are two excellent schools. I know all three educators also (Mr. Bloom, Ms. Peterson and Mr. Vazquez) and this tandem between the leadership of these two schools should be a smooth transition. As Carpenter is the feeder school to Scarlett having this team who've worked so closely in the recent past, I can't think of nothing but praise with the decision.
Paula Gardner
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 11:09 p.m.
Thanks for weighing in with this outlook. My kids go to Scarlett, and we've had no concerns about leadership. I'm also hopeful that Ed Broom's experience there bodes well for Carpenter and the rest of its school year.
a2xarob
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:04 p.m.
Mr. Davis is the principal being placed on leave. Mr. Broom is coming in as acting principal. Jaye Peterson will be acting asst principal. But who is (Principal Gerald) Vazquez? Sorry - I've gone over the article three times and do not see a reference for Vazquez. Thank you.
Danielle Arndt
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:11 p.m.
Oops, thank you a2xarob. He is the Scarlett Middle School principal. I will clarify this in the story.
USRepublic
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 8:56 p.m.
Unless Mr. Davis' information is protected under HIPAA, AA.com should be able to gain access to the information via the FOIA. There is no such thing as employee confidentiality when it comes to the personnel records of public school employees in the state of Michigan. http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=10730474106309145432
Danielle Arndt
Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 12:39 a.m.
Ah. Thanks, towncryer.
towncryer
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 11:49 p.m.
@ Danielle. Dicken refers to the infamous "black-only field trip". You need only google those four words. Eberwhite is probably about the sexual abuse that happened in the special ed classroom. I think USRepublic was mistaken about Lawton.
Danielle Arndt
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 3:16 p.m.
Thanks for jumping in quickly, Kyle, on the question. Dicken, Lawton, Eberwhite? Anyone care to email me about these incidents?
thecompound
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 3:41 a.m.
USRepublic, I think you mean Dicken and the field trip. And there was no discipline with that principal nor the interim one at Eberwhite, so this is really a headscratcher.
USRepublic
Wed, Mar 13, 2013 : 2:45 a.m.
Kyle....you should be all over this one... Where there is stink...there is "...." His only way out is if it is a medical condition.....but...the key is he was placed on leave....definitely not voluntary. Smells a bit like Lawton and the field trip.
Kyle Feldscher
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 10:44 p.m.
Typically, a government body must respond in 5 business days to a FOIA request. They are also allowed a 10-day extension. There are times when the process can get dragged out due to legal matters and could, theoretically, take months.
Are you serious?
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:58 p.m.
Lisa - there are definite legal time limits within which FOIA requests must be answered. I'm sure someone at aa.com can tell us what those time limits are.
queenie
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:54 p.m.
HIPAA is for health information!
treetowncartel
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:23 p.m.
One other thing is that some legal matters and matters of a peronal nature are exempt from FOIA.
Lisa
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:01 p.m.
Just remember that an FIOA can take a long time to "process." So AA.com may not get the info for months (or more).
DBH
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 8:43 p.m.
Has AnnArbor.com tried to contact Mr. Davis for comment?
Danielle Arndt
Tue, Mar 12, 2013 : 9:10 p.m.
I did leave a voicemail for Mr. Davis and will let readers know if I hear back. Thanks for asking though.