Our District role models at work.

People in power positions get to set the rules and name the players. That's why in political contests, the object of the game is to define your opponent in the negative before s/he can clearly define themselves in the positive. Thus you get "flip-flopper" or "third Bush term" or whatever seems to be necessary to paint the opponent as a bad choice.

In this case, you are getting "disgruntled employee." If administration can name you before you get a chance to tell your side of the story, they have won. No one wants a "disgruntled employee;" they are stereotypically anti-social, grumpy, not humorous, untruthful, and whatever other negative you want to lay on them.

But the "disgruntled employee" can actually be someone who is trying to look out for the many-students and employees alike. They see injustice, incompetence, or willful neglect and they are trying to bring some justice and fairness to the organization. The powerful do not want that because it is a threat to their status. They have resources (money) and the ear of the media and use it as a mouthpiece for their statements to justify their incompetence.

Do you fight this? Or do you just walk away in frustration? Here's something to consider. Administration has the responsibility for the education of the children of the school district. Children learn by example. Which example do you want them to follow? Do you want them to think that bullying is OK or do you want them to treat others as they wish to be treated?

If the answer is the latter, then you need to "screw your courage to the sticking place" (Macbeth) and let it be known that you will no longer allow the bullying to continue, that you insist on competent, fair management of the district's resources, primarily its human resources which it is squandering. Let it be known that you will expect that anyone who bullies others will be disciplined and fired if they don't stop.

Tell other parents, co-workers, newspaper reporters and editors that you expect better than you are getting. Picket the ESD. Pass out flyers.

If there is no pressure on the administration, nothing will change. You must create and maintain that pressure. Don't expect that Mark can do it himself. Don't sit back and think the blog will do the trick. It will take effort from each and every one of you to affect the change necessary to correct the mismanagement of the district.

Yeah, I'm sitting here 230 miles away; it's "easy" for me to say these things. We gave a combined 25+ years to the students and parents of the district. We are not the kind of people who can turn our backs and say, "that's not my problem anymore." Paraphrase Tom Joad in "Grapes of Wrath": "Where there's a teacher being bullied, I'll be there. Where there's an administrator abusing their power, I'll be there." This is not a case of being vindictive, but rather a case of seeking justice.

This is a much larger problem than just Edmonds. We are here to fight the good fight for everyone who is suffering under poor, bullying administrators. But we can't do it alone; we need your help as well. To change the culture at Edmonds will require input from the many. That's you-parents and employees. And if you don't want to stick your neck out or put out the effort, we can't help you.