Bloomfield BOE...Something To Hide?

How does a BOE get so messed up? This group makes the county and state government look good....

"Digesere said personal information, like where employees went to college, should not be published."

Is he kidding? Not only should the resumes be made public as per the LAW, but this idiot should be fired.

How ridiculous? At the many, many back to school nights I've attended for my kids over the past 15 years or so one of the first things a lot of teachers say when introducing themselves is (for example): I'm Mr. X. I have a bachelors degree in blah blah from so and so university and am currently working towards my masters degree at yadda yadda u.

Why would teachers be afraid to tell anyone where they went to college?!

I could understand if the personnel office redacted certain information (home address, phone numbers) from the resumes. But worrying about divulging their alma mater? Something's weird about that.

It of course has nothing to do with what was said. They are afraid that if they show the resumes that people will realize that they are idiots for hiring cronies, friends and generally unqualified poeple for the jobs in question.

I agree Cheese, so when do we met as an angry mob and run them out of town?

I need at least an hour to sharpen my pitchfork.

lol..if it were only that easy, Bloomfield schools would be in much better shape in no time. But count me in anway..:)

The first reason that comes to mind for refusing to release educational background info is that some of these folks may not have completed their degrees, or may have one in a field other than what they're teaching. Either way, this is public info, and to refuse to release it is outrageous and makes these administrators look like they're up to no good.

Well, the next BOE meeting is Tuesday (3/11)and should prove to be most interesting.

Cheese, hrh & others,

If you truly want to witness something sad, if not comical, if not ugly... attend the Board Of Education Meeting this coming Tuesday, March 11th. The Audit in question is from the NJDOE, Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance. It was conducted by Robert J Cicchino, Director of the OFAC, with questions to be addressed to Charles Peffall at 609-292-1319. It is accessible through the Open Public Records Act, either through the school's business administrator (Michael Derderian) or through the state. Reference case 1384 of you OPRA through the state.

The cover letter states that this must be discussed in public.

It makes one wonder,gre just how did some of these superintendents get their jobs. Bloomfield's super should read No Child Left Behind. Actually it spells out in at detain, that such information, including colleges attended, and grades, be public and part of the criteria that verifies if staff are highly qualified. Which by 2007, all staff should be highly qualified according to NCLB

This happens all the time, especially at the local level. Just because a state passes a law doesn't mean that every person applicable by the law understands it, and their new role it entails.

I'd bet $10 that there's nothing improper about the hidden resumes, other than the superindentant would feel like a tattletale blabbermouth if he released everyone's work histories. The infromation should still come out, especially now that the appearance of something fishy has been raised. But I wouldn't expect there to be much "there" there. (I would guess, and hope, that all superindentants are being told that if someone asks for their teachers' resumes, the correct answer is a grudging "okay, fine.")

...but what if there is something 'there' there?

McDonald didn't ask for any old resumes. There was a purpose, I'm sure.

The audit points out several hirings of individuals at upper levels of the salary guide, with missing credentials.

Plot thickens?

"the superindentant would feel like a tattletale blabbermouth if he released everyone's work histories."

In todays age of google, monster.com, etc. this seems like a BS excuse. As mentioned by another poster - he could have removed personal info and simply showed the credentials.

I could take the names and addresses off the resumes of the people I work with and you?d still be able to tell what we do and that we are all qualified to do it.

I wonder if Digesere would be shocked to learn that public employee salary information is freely available out on the net for us all to query. (All we need now is a link next to each employees name for a pdf of the employee's resume!)

His notion of employee professional qualifications being "personal information" is arrogantly insulting, especially so considering that pay scales are usually tied directly to the degree level held by the employee.

This is even more infuriating considering that Digesere and the Board apparently have a pretty whopping budget increase in store for us this year. Digesre's obstinateness only creates the perception of public malfeasance.

I really think we should seperate this issue with the budget that really must be passed. When it was not passed 2 years ago- I hear they turned the heat off in the buildings at 2:00 pm, and some of them got quite cold. Good things are happening in the schools. If you have problems with the Digesere go to the Board of Ed Meetings and deal with it directly. They are tight on time, perhaps don't handle the public correctly- but get to the bottom of it without having the students be compromised. We have to keep the forward movement of the Bloomfield Public Schools going.

Mary, it is easier said than done to seperate the two.

While I agree with you in theory, that this budget must be passed, many would argue that had this administration not run the district into the gutter fiscally by hiring unqualified addministrators (specifically the special ed director--it was her inexperience that cost us big $$), this budget wouldn't have to be so inflated.

Though I am of the philosophy that we have to pass budgets in order to provide the best possible education, this will be a tough one to pull that "yes" lever for since I now have zero confidence in this administration.

As for the BOE, I'll give them a pass if they get rid of this guy & all of his hires asap.  In fairness to them, this community was screaming for change a few years back and they did what was asked of them in getting rid of the super and hiring someone from out of district who they thought would have a unbiased eye on things.  No way they could've predicted what has happened.  Once the pieces are put back together, let's all hope that any forward progress that has been made will continue and that we won't be in a 2 steps forward, one step back situation.

Once again, I'm left wishing I had gotten out while I could a few years back before my family developed such strong ties here.

Here's someone who claims there is a rational explanation but then goes on to talk about "crap" he inherited and says the district's scores "stink" - sure does not sound rational to me.

The deal: Vote him out. No new contract. Then I will vote "yes" on the budget, giving them a vote of confidence that they're trying to do best by our kids. But if they insist on giving him another contract, then I can't have any confidence in them or their budget.

"I hear they turned the heat off in the buildings at 2:00 pm, and some of them got quite cold. "

Is this true or a rumor?

Even if the inflated budget gets passed what makes you think this crew of greedy grunts will keep the heat on all day over giving themselves a raise?

Voting yes for this budget is the same as closing your eyes and handing them your wallet.

Assuming they are doing their best is bull - so us the resumes or STFU.

Most memorable quote:

"I inherited all this crap, I didn't cause it," said Digesere.

Again:

"I INHERITED ALL THIS CRAP, I DIDN'T CAUSE IT," SAID DIGESERE!!!!!!

Lesson one on how NOT to win friends and influence people, i.e., voters and taxpayers!!

Yes, Anne. And how about the fact that our standardized scores STINK. STINK. Do your kids' scores STINK? My kids' scores don't STINK.

And if I was a teacher in Bloomfield I'd be about ballistic right now. Apparently our pathetically low salaries are okay for the teachers whose stinky crap was inherited, but not okay for those employees now Hand Picked By God (Digesere).

The turning the heat down at 2:00 was told to me by a mother whose child was in the school system 2 years ago, when it was voted down.
I understand the anger. There is a more productive way to change things than voting the budget down. Be on the Board. Go to meetings. Confront and dig in, in person.
We have to vote yes on the budget to keep things going. There is progress, important progress.
Because, and inspite, of it all.
That said, if you are angry you have to get more involved. That is the only answer.

"I inherited all this crap, I didn't cause it," said Digesere.

LOL. Frank, I know the feeling.

But let's be clear about the rag that is reporting this. I wrote a strongly critical piece about Bloomfield Life here on Baristanet concerning the last municipal election. I made the charge that the ear of the editor must be constantly dripping with the saliva of Laura Curcio, BOE member who won election unopposed, who is quoted far out of proportion to her importance on the board. Their coverage of the district continues to confirm my suspicion.

This is the same paper that months ago ran a fairly routine robbery story splashed on the front while in the same issue relegating a story on a dramatic 10 percent decrease in crime across the board in Bloomfield to somewhere back around A9 with the supermarket coupons. They might have gotten away with this crap (nod to Digesere) except that Bloomfield is blessed with another newspaper. The Independent Press gave the significant decline in crime story prominent display out front where it belonged.

This administration has shown significant progress on a number of fronts in a relatively short period of time. Much of the noise I've theorized is coming from a vocal few who are desparately trying to derail a contract renewal for Digesere.

Funny how all the sudden the (assistant) superintendent is cooperating with McDonald's O.P.R.A. request for resumes. You know, coincidentally after the article that made them look like CRAP was published.

I have to say that even if every single thing in the audit is "bogus" (dream on), the fact remains that the quotes attributed to the superintendent are ..... horrific!

Bogus

accused the auditor...of an ethical breach

I inherited this crap, I didn't cause it. (Really? The 'crap' referred to in the audit all occurred during Digesere's time as superintendent!)

(Bloomfield's) math scores stink

For those so worried about the budget, the Life's article pushes for a 'yes' vote on the budget and suggests voting out the incumbents as your backlash.

Hello Mary, you must be new to this town. People who post here and on nj.com don't want to step up to the plate; they want to spew. If it's not one thing it's another. This in entertainment, not civic participation.

unlike yourself, crier, who isn't wasting your time spewing on a website?

I am going to stay involved. I am going to vote no on the budget.

Yeah, I'm new here. Moved to Bloomfield 2 years ago, and can't believe what I walked into. For the record, I've helped start a free program for the special needs elementary school kids, am a parent rep on some committee. But after voting YES on the budget I may feel the need to crawl into a hole. Emily Smith, an incumbent, is a hard working creative heartfelt human being. I will say that. Now I'll go read about Bloomfields current redevelopment/parking lot fiasco-