When a Leader Loses the Faith of the People They Lead

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Where was Dr. McKnight during the 10 days BEFORE staff and students were to report back to school following winter break? Dr. McKnight and her six figure cohorts took extra vacations. That left no one to track the reports for COVID parents and staff were reporting for those 10 days. That left the lack of bus drivers unidentifiable. There was no one at Central Office to plan for the necessary changes in staffing and bus routes or even to communicate the situation with parents - even after Central Office had supposedly two administrative work days while schools were closed due to snow.

Taking a vacation during a crisis is not leadership. Spending $850,000 on extra leave for the most highly paid employees in MCPS is a waste of resources.

This right here is the crux of the issue. Many of this week's communications and logistical catastrophes were the direct result of leaving Central Office unstaffed last week. So you had bus drivers calling in, teachers calling in, and students returning covid forms, but no one on the other end to receive those messages and begin planning for contingencies. Having Central Office work last week would not have avoided every single problem, but it would have meant that the bus shortage could have been communicated sometime before Wednesday morning, and that planning could have been ongoing for staff shortages.

The problem is twofold: First, she abandoned her (highly compensated) duties and allowed her cronies to do the same, leading directly to crisis. Second, the optics/politics are terrible. At a time when public education is under real attack and with a hostile executive branch, THIS is something she thinks is a good idea?

Ditto the "pivot." If you know you are going to need to get a plan vetted by the bureaucracy, why have you not socialized the plan with them ahead of time? It is ridiculous to blame this on the State of Maryland when McKnight or one of her many staffers could have handled this behind the scenes and ensured that their plan would be approved before it went live. Shockingly bad politics from someone in an inherently political role.

Thus message assumes that McKnight not Administrators nor anyone in Central Office did anything over the break. An assumption which likely isn’t true. Plenty of people across and range of professions take time off and still do work. Particularly people in executive type positions. Its one of the reason that so many superintendents are resigning; their exhausted. Its also a reason why various private companies and academia provide sabbaticals; its provides opportunity to do other work and recharge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Where was Dr. McKnight during the 10 days BEFORE staff and students were to report back to school following winter break? Dr. McKnight and her six figure cohorts took extra vacations. That left no one to track the reports for COVID parents and staff were reporting for those 10 days. That left the lack of bus drivers unidentifiable. There was no one at Central Office to plan for the necessary changes in staffing and bus routes or even to communicate the situation with parents - even after Central Office had supposedly two administrative work days while schools were closed due to snow.

Taking a vacation during a crisis is not leadership. Spending $850,000 on extra leave for the most highly paid employees in MCPS is a waste of resources.

This right here is the crux of the issue. Many of this week's communications and logistical catastrophes were the direct result of leaving Central Office unstaffed last week. So you had bus drivers calling in, teachers calling in, and students returning covid forms, but no one on the other end to receive those messages and begin planning for contingencies. Having Central Office work last week would not have avoided every single problem, but it would have meant that the bus shortage could have been communicated sometime before Wednesday morning, and that planning could have been ongoing for staff shortages.

The problem is twofold: First, she abandoned her (highly compensated) duties and allowed her cronies to do the same, leading directly to crisis. Second, the optics/politics are terrible. At a time when public education is under real attack and with a hostile executive branch, THIS is something she thinks is a good idea?

Ditto the "pivot." If you know you are going to need to get a plan vetted by the bureaucracy, why have you not socialized the plan with them ahead of time? It is ridiculous to blame this on the State of Maryland when McKnight or one of her many staffers could have handled this behind the scenes and ensured that their plan would be approved before it went live. Shockingly bad politics from someone in an inherently political role.

Thus message assumes that McKnight not Administrators nor anyone in Central Office did anything over the break. An assumption which likely isn’t true. Plenty of people across and range of professions take time off and still do work. Particularly people in executive type positions. Its one of the reason that so many superintendents are resigning; their exhausted. Its also a reason why various private companies and academia provide sabbaticals; its provides opportunity to do other work and recharge.

It’s actually a better excuse for McKnight and other senior MCPS administrators that they didn’t work over the break. Because if they did in fact work and the outcome of that work was to produce this mess then ooof. That’s is a massive indictment of their competence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board is equally to blame.

+1
And yet, during the most recent election, people mostly voted to keep status quo. I don’t understand it.

The Apple Ballot is a force. That's really all you need to know. (Exception: Harris defeated Dasgupta.)

Yes. It turns out if there is one thing Moco parents hate more than bussing it’s virtual school. Dasgupta didn’t read the room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's disgusting that people are making this about race. It's about competence. Ot lack thereof.

Was Jack Smith competent? Please name some of the leaders that you have faith in right now. Let's see what your expectations are.

He was 100 times more competent than what we are seeing now. The return to school last spring was well executed. The only thing people argue about is whether it could have been sooner, not the actually communication, logistics and implementation. I personally thought it was fantastic, it was very thoughtfully planned and implemented, although I understand the hybrid was tough on teachers.

Oh, now I know you are a racist troll.

Jack Smith was ‘more competent’? That is a joke. Why? Because he was White, and because he was a man?

Let alone his pathetic Covid response, he was the epitome of incompetence. The curriculum fiasco was under his watch. The Damascus rape and the Rockville rape and the RM sexual abuse, plus so many others. All during his watch. MCPS scores have been on a downward trend, all under his leadership.

Dr. McKnight took on a school system what was already on a downward trajectory during an incredibly challenging time (Covid). Jack Smith left her with a MESS.

Yep. So many racist people on DCUM, even if they don't come out and say it specifically but their posts make it clear.
Jack Smith was "100 times more competent"? My God.

[Anonymous]

Jack Smith was incompetent. Jerry Weast was 1,000x more competent than either of them. That’s a fact and not racist for god’s sake

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Where was Dr. McKnight during the 10 days BEFORE staff and students were to report back to school following winter break? Dr. McKnight and her six figure cohorts took extra vacations. That left no one to track the reports for COVID parents and staff were reporting for those 10 days. That left the lack of bus drivers unidentifiable. There was no one at Central Office to plan for the necessary changes in staffing and bus routes or even to communicate the situation with parents - even after Central Office had supposedly two administrative work days while schools were closed due to snow.

Taking a vacation during a crisis is not leadership. Spending $850,000 on extra leave for the most highly paid employees in MCPS is a waste of resources.

This right here is the crux of the issue. Many of this week's communications and logistical catastrophes were the direct result of leaving Central Office unstaffed last week. So you had bus drivers calling in, teachers calling in, and students returning covid forms, but no one on the other end to receive those messages and begin planning for contingencies. Having Central Office work last week would not have avoided every single problem, but it would have meant that the bus shortage could have been communicated sometime before Wednesday morning, and that planning could have been ongoing for staff shortages.

The problem is twofold: First, she abandoned her (highly compensated) duties and allowed her cronies to do the same, leading directly to crisis. Second, the optics/politics are terrible. At a time when public education is under real attack and with a hostile executive branch, THIS is something she thinks is a good idea?

Ditto the "pivot." If you know you are going to need to get a plan vetted by the bureaucracy, why have you not socialized the plan with them ahead of time? It is ridiculous to blame this on the State of Maryland when McKnight or one of her many staffers could have handled this behind the scenes and ensured that their plan would be approved before it went live. Shockingly bad politics from someone in an inherently political role.

Thus message assumes that McKnight not Administrators nor anyone in Central Office did anything over the break. An assumption which likely isn’t true. Plenty of people across and range of professions take time off and still do work. Particularly people in executive type positions. Its one of the reason that so many superintendents are resigning; their exhausted. Its also a reason why various private companies and academia provide sabbaticals; its provides opportunity to do other work and recharge.

It’s actually a better excuse for McKnight and other senior MCPS administrators that they didn’t work over the break. Because if they did in fact work and the outcome of that work was to produce this mess then ooof. That’s is a massive indictment of their competence.

NP here who agreed. Was no one holding down the fort over winter break? There was silence from MCPS and our school principals as we all wondered what was happening. It was obvious that everything was about to be a complete mess, right as school resumed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. If they want to keep their seats in November, they have to give the job to someone else.

If DCUM are against McKnight she must be doing a great job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jack Smith was incompetent. Jerry Weast was 1,000x more competent than either of them. That’s a fact and not racist for god’s sake

I felt that Smith did a lot of good especially after Starr and all that 2.0 nonsense.

[Anonymous]

NP here -

I didn’t like Dr. Smith but I also don’t think Dr. McKnight is showing competency in the job. There was no communication from Dr. McKnight till the end of winter break. Meanwhile, other school systems were making plans to test all students and staff prior to classes resuming. No one was tracking the bus driver shortages and teacher shortages. Parents filled out the positive COVID forms and silence from Central Office.

No one was working during the extra vacation. No one was planning. People in Central Office get paid a lot of money to throw trash at the wall to see what sticks. The students are loosing out on instruction. Many couldn’t even make it to school without a bus. Where’s the oversight by the Board of Ed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Where was Dr. McKnight during the 10 days BEFORE staff and students were to report back to school following winter break? Dr. McKnight and her six figure cohorts took extra vacations. That left no one to track the reports for COVID parents and staff were reporting for those 10 days. That left the lack of bus drivers unidentifiable. There was no one at Central Office to plan for the necessary changes in staffing and bus routes or even to communicate the situation with parents - even after Central Office had supposedly two administrative work days while schools were closed due to snow.

Taking a vacation during a crisis is not leadership. Spending $850,000 on extra leave for the most highly paid employees in MCPS is a waste of resources.

This right here is the crux of the issue. Many of this week's communications and logistical catastrophes were the direct result of leaving Central Office unstaffed last week. So you had bus drivers calling in, teachers calling in, and students returning covid forms, but no one on the other end to receive those messages and begin planning for contingencies. Having Central Office work last week would not have avoided every single problem, but it would have meant that the bus shortage could have been communicated sometime before Wednesday morning, and that planning could have been ongoing for staff shortages.

The problem is twofold: First, she abandoned her (highly compensated) duties and allowed her cronies to do the same, leading directly to crisis. Second, the optics/politics are terrible. At a time when public education is under real attack and with a hostile executive branch, THIS is something she thinks is a good idea?

Ditto the "pivot." If you know you are going to need to get a plan vetted by the bureaucracy, why have you not socialized the plan with them ahead of time? It is ridiculous to blame this on the State of Maryland when McKnight or one of her many staffers could have handled this behind the scenes and ensured that their plan would be approved before it went live. Shockingly bad politics from someone in an inherently political role.

Thus message assumes that McKnight not Administrators nor anyone in Central Office did anything over the break. An assumption which likely isn’t true. Plenty of people across and range of professions take time off and still do work. Particularly people in executive type positions. Its one of the reason that so many superintendents are resigning; their exhausted. Its also a reason why various private companies and academia provide sabbaticals; its provides opportunity to do other work and recharge.

Look, I'm not saying that no one opened their email but they added those vacation days very recently. You can't have a systemic response to an unfolding crisis if all of your decision-makers are maybe or maybe not working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here -

I didn’t like Dr. Smith but I also don’t think Dr. McKnight is showing competency in the job. There was no communication from Dr. McKnight till the end of winter break. Meanwhile, other school systems were making plans to test all students and staff prior to classes resuming. No one was tracking the bus driver shortages and teacher shortages. Parents filled out the positive COVID forms and silence from Central Office.

No one was working during the extra vacation. No one was planning. People in Central Office get paid a lot of money to throw trash at the wall to see what sticks. The students are loosing out on instruction. Many couldn’t even make it to school without a bus. Where’s the oversight by the Board of Ed?

I didn't like all of Dr. Smith's decisions, but at least they decisions showed an ability to make and execute a plan of action. So, I was displeased with the two week asynchronous period at the beginning of covid, but Smith didn't back down when people were upset. He stayed the course, negotiated with teachers, and we ended up with a system that worked pretty well. It may not have worked for every kid, but the actual system (log in, work with a teacher in real time, complete homework, etc) was all functional.

Dr. McKnight is veering from crisis to crisis, making decisions and taking them back, making promises and failing to deliver on them. I'm not saying that she needs to personally update the tracker, but she has a whole team. Delegate and make sure it happens!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jack Smith was incompetent. Jerry Weast was 1,000x more competent than either of them. That’s a fact and not racist for god’s sake

I felt that Smith did a lot of good especially after Starr and all that 2.0 nonsense.

Curriculum 2.0 was started under Jerry Weast's tenure. Development began in 2008, three years before Starr arrived.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board is equally to blame.

+1
And yet, during the most recent election, people mostly voted to keep status quo. I don’t understand it.

The Apple Ballot is a force. That's really all you need to know. (Exception: Harris defeated Dasgupta.)

Yes. It turns out if there is one thing Moco parents hate more than bussing it’s virtual school. Dasgupta didn’t read the room.

Turns out it’s kind of hard to win when everyone hates your ideas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jack Smith was incompetent. Jerry Weast was 1,000x more competent than either of them. That’s a fact and not racist for god’s sake

I felt that Smith did a lot of good especially after Starr and all that 2.0 nonsense.

Curriculum 2.0 was started under Jerry Weast's tenure. Development began in 2008, three years before Starr arrived.

Development started under Weast. Procurement was done under Starr. And that’s where any hope that 2.0 could be successful went out the window, as the MCPS officials responsible for the procurement went to work for selected contractor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here -

I didn’t like Dr. Smith but I also don’t think Dr. McKnight is showing competency in the job. There was no communication from Dr. McKnight till the end of winter break. Meanwhile, other school systems were making plans to test all students and staff prior to classes resuming. No one was tracking the bus driver shortages and teacher shortages. Parents filled out the positive COVID forms and silence from Central Office.

No one was working during the extra vacation. No one was planning. People in Central Office get paid a lot of money to throw trash at the wall to see what sticks. The students are loosing out on instruction. Many couldn’t even make it to school without a bus. Where’s the oversight by the Board of Ed?

I didn't like all of Dr. Smith's decisions, but at least they decisions showed an ability to make and execute a plan of action. So, I was displeased with the two week asynchronous period at the beginning of covid, but Smith didn't back down when people were upset. He stayed the course, negotiated with teachers, and we ended up with a system that worked pretty well. It may not have worked for every kid, but the actual system (log in, work with a teacher in real time, complete homework, etc) was all functional.

Dr. McKnight is veering from crisis to crisis, making decisions and taking them back, making promises and failing to deliver on them. I'm not saying that she needs to personally update the tracker, but she has a whole team. Delegate and make sure it happens!

Exactly this. I give her some credit for taking over at such a difficult time. She may have good qualities but I’m not sure that this is the right job for her.