Dr. Duran must go

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never LOVED Coach Murphy, but I never took him for a falsifying records kinda guy. (That’s what it sounds like he was removed from MCPS for. Yes I’m aware we don’t know that with certainty.)

It would be interesting to know the reasons for his career path since APS. He wasn't at West VA for very long, then he essentially was demoted to an Assistant rather than a Superintendent going to MontCo.....

Seriously. I need a Serial style podcast on this

My guess is Murphy got himself a huge VA pension, then a WV pension, and was working on a MD pension too.

Incredibly, Duran’s COO, Mayo, may have also been involved in the records falsification scandal in Baltimore County public schools that ended with the conviction of their former superintendent.

https://davidplymyer.com/2018/09/04/baltimore-county-schools-record-purge-more-significant-than-public-realizes/

This article is long, but it indicates Mayo omitted important information from financial disclosures that were later destroyed while he was head of HR.

I can’t find any whether that was itself investigated. But Mayo has a big part in APS these days. Hiring him doesn’t show great judgment by Duran. And what a ridiculous pattern for APS school leaders.

It doesn't seem that this information was known prior to Duran's hiring him. I don't think Duran is doing a good job; but wouldn't conclude that this is evidence of poor judgement. There's much broader and visible evidence of that- like his promoting people who aren't qualified, hiring people who aren't qualified or aren't doing a good job, creating an entire unnecessary layer of management (a cabinet) to distance himself from the community and the people doing the real work and decision-making, and his giving Syphax staff all those new holidays and days off that further limit their availability to front-line staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never LOVED Coach Murphy, but I never took him for a falsifying records kinda guy. (That’s what it sounds like he was removed from MCPS for. Yes I’m aware we don’t know that with certainty.)

It would be interesting to know the reasons for his career path since APS. He wasn't at West VA for very long, then he essentially was demoted to an Assistant rather than a Superintendent going to MontCo.....

Seriously. I need a Serial style podcast on this

My guess is Murphy got himself a huge VA pension, then a WV pension, and was working on a MD pension too.

Incredibly, Duran’s COO, Mayo, may have also been involved in the records falsification scandal in Baltimore County public schools that ended with the conviction of their former superintendent.

https://davidplymyer.com/2018/09/04/baltimore-county-schools-record-purge-more-significant-than-public-realizes/

This article is long, but it indicates Mayo omitted important information from financial disclosures that were later destroyed while he was head of HR.

I can’t find any whether that was itself investigated. But Mayo has a big part in APS these days. Hiring him doesn’t show great judgment by Duran. And what a ridiculous pattern for APS school leaders.

It doesn't seem that this information was known prior to Duran's hiring him. I don't think Duran is doing a good job; but wouldn't conclude that this is evidence of poor judgement. There's much broader and visible evidence of that- like his promoting people who aren't qualified, hiring people who aren't qualified or aren't doing a good job, creating an entire unnecessary layer of management (a cabinet) to distance himself from the community and the people doing the real work and decision-making, and his giving Syphax staff all those new holidays and days off that further limit their availability to front-line staff.

Yeah but it's known now. Isn't Mayo over HR?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never LOVED Coach Murphy, but I never took him for a falsifying records kinda guy. (That’s what it sounds like he was removed from MCPS for. Yes I’m aware we don’t know that with certainty.)

It would be interesting to know the reasons for his career path since APS. He wasn't at West VA for very long, then he essentially was demoted to an Assistant rather than a Superintendent going to MontCo.....

Seriously. I need a Serial style podcast on this

My guess is Murphy got himself a huge VA pension, then a WV pension, and was working on a MD pension too.

Incredibly, Duran’s COO, Mayo, may have also been involved in the records falsification scandal in Baltimore County public schools that ended with the conviction of their former superintendent.

https://davidplymyer.com/2018/09/04/baltimore-county-schools-record-purge-more-significant-than-public-realizes/

This article is long, but it indicates Mayo omitted important information from financial disclosures that were later destroyed while he was head of HR.

I can’t find any whether that was itself investigated. But Mayo has a big part in APS these days. Hiring him doesn’t show great judgment by Duran. And what a ridiculous pattern for APS school leaders.

It doesn't seem that this information was known prior to Duran's hiring him. I don't think Duran is doing a good job; but wouldn't conclude that this is evidence of poor judgement. There's much broader and visible evidence of that- like his promoting people who aren't qualified, hiring people who aren't qualified or aren't doing a good job, creating an entire unnecessary layer of management (a cabinet) to distance himself from the community and the people doing the real work and decision-making, and his giving Syphax staff all those new holidays and days off that further limit their availability to front-line staff.

To be fair, Duran didn’t *create* the cabinet. That was pure PKM. But Duran has kept it. Note: Coach Murphy also decided it was a very important to have himself a “chief of staff.”

[Anonymous]

Duran created the name “cabinet” and expanded the number of members. Under PKM it was called “executive leadership team”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Duran created the name “cabinet” and expanded the number of members. Under PKM it was called “executive leadership team”

Yep, the ELT was 8-9 people. Cabinet is 5-6. Advisory committees were advising to reduce the superintendent's direct reports for many years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duran created the name “cabinet” and expanded the number of members. Under PKM it was called “executive leadership team”

Yep, the ELT was 8-9 people. Cabinet is 5-6. Advisory committees were advising to reduce the superintendent's direct reports for many years.

When you add all the new directors and coordinators the number of central office staff has to be at least 1/3 higher than under the previous administration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there such a thing as a good superintendent? I recall people really didn't like the guy before Duran.

you haven't been here very long have you? PKM was absolutely awful.

+1000 & he just got the boot in MCPS sexual harassment evidence tampering/ cover-up scandal
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/10/13/beidleman-investigation-mcps-tampered/

from the article: MCPS Superintendent Monifa McKnight told managers Wednesday that deputy superintendent Patrick Murphy “is no longer employed by the district.”

Wow, but not surprised! Around APS long enough to remember Murphy well. He insulted women from the podium during large in person meetings for their looks. First impression; what an absolute jerk. Only got worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never LOVED Coach Murphy, but I never took him for a falsifying records kinda guy. (That’s what it sounds like he was removed from MCPS for. Yes I’m aware we don’t know that with certainty.)

It would be interesting to know the reasons for his career path since APS. He wasn't at West VA for very long, then he essentially was demoted to an Assistant rather than a Superintendent going to MontCo.....

Seriously. I need a Serial style podcast on this

My guess is Murphy got himself a huge VA pension, then a WV pension, and was working on a MD pension too.

Incredibly, Duran’s COO, Mayo, may have also been involved in the records falsification scandal in Baltimore County public schools that ended with the conviction of their former superintendent.

https://davidplymyer.com/2018/09/04/baltimore-county-schools-record-purge-more-significant-than-public-realizes/

This article is long, but it indicates Mayo omitted important information from financial disclosures that were later destroyed while he was head of HR.

I can’t find any whether that was itself investigated. But Mayo has a big part in APS these days. Hiring him doesn’t show great judgment by Duran. And what a ridiculous pattern for APS school leaders.

It doesn't seem that this information was known prior to Duran's hiring him. I don't think Duran is doing a good job; but wouldn't conclude that this is evidence of poor judgement. There's much broader and visible evidence of that- like his promoting people who aren't qualified, hiring people who aren't qualified or aren't doing a good job, creating an entire unnecessary layer of management (a cabinet) to distance himself from the community and the people doing the real work and decision-making, and his giving Syphax staff all those new holidays and days off that further limit their availability to front-line staff.

To be fair, Duran didn’t *create* the cabinet. That was pure PKM. But Duran has kept it. Note: Coach Murphy also decided it was a very important to have himself a “chief of staff.”

But Murphy was accessible and the people in charge of the various departments reported directly to him. Duran has added a layer between him and the heads of departments.

[Anonymous]

Here's the org chart. What would you propose cutting? https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/10/Web-Organizational-Chart-101623.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the org chart. What would you propose cutting? https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/10/Web-Organizational-Chart-101623.pdf

Wow- 9 pages of bureaucratic bloat for the smallest county in the country! Don't get, me started!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duran created the name “cabinet” and expanded the number of members. Under PKM it was called “executive leadership team”

Yep, the ELT was 8-9 people. Cabinet is 5-6. Advisory committees were advising to reduce the superintendent's direct reports for many years.

When you add all the new directors and coordinators the number of central office staff has to be at least 1/3 higher than under the previous administration.

In the meantime, the classroom teachers are drowning trying to keep up with very large class size and concurrent excessive needs of students. Syphax is a waste of expertise needed for direct service to students. Stop the Syphax Bloat!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never LOVED Coach Murphy, but I never took him for a falsifying records kinda guy. (That’s what it sounds like he was removed from MCPS for. Yes I’m aware we don’t know that with certainty.)

It would be interesting to know the reasons for his career path since APS. He wasn't at West VA for very long, then he essentially was demoted to an Assistant rather than a Superintendent going to MontCo.....

Seriously. I need a Serial style podcast on this

My guess is Murphy got himself a huge VA pension, then a WV pension, and was working on a MD pension too.

Incredibly, Duran’s COO, Mayo, may have also been involved in the records falsification scandal in Baltimore County public schools that ended with the conviction of their former superintendent.

https://davidplymyer.com/2018/09/04/baltimore-county-schools-record-purge-more-significant-than-public-realizes/

This article is long, but it indicates Mayo omitted important information from financial disclosures that were later destroyed while he was head of HR.

I can’t find any whether that was itself investigated. But Mayo has a big part in APS these days. Hiring him doesn’t show great judgment by Duran. And what a ridiculous pattern for APS school leaders.

It doesn't seem that this information was known prior to Duran's hiring him. I don't think Duran is doing a good job; but wouldn't conclude that this is evidence of poor judgement. There's much broader and visible evidence of that- like his promoting people who aren't qualified, hiring people who aren't qualified or aren't doing a good job, creating an entire unnecessary layer of management (a cabinet) to distance himself from the community and the people doing the real work and decision-making, and his giving Syphax staff all those new holidays and days off that further limit their availability to front-line staff.

A slap in the face to the teachers in the buildings working with our kids everyday! Why doesn't somebody GIVE SOMETHING to the TEACHERS? They were not given new holidays or more paid days off! Disgraceful!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the org chart. What would you propose cutting? https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/10/Web-Organizational-Chart-101623.pdf

I'd start with whoever made this file. Too convoluded to see the whole structure in one view. if you need that many separate charts, you have too many directors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the org chart. What would you propose cutting? https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/10/Web-Organizational-Chart-101623.pdf

I'd start with whoever made this file. Too convoluded to see the whole structure in one view. if you need that many separate charts, you have too many directors.

+1. They sure have a lot of staff dedicated to outreach and “engagement” to be as bad as they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the org chart. What would you propose cutting? https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/10/Web-Organizational-Chart-101623.pdf

There's the open question of what 13 non-school based employees in the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office actually DO to support students. I see a lot of people with Dr. in front of their name and a generic title that doesn't actually tell me anything. Also, why are the Chief of School Support Office and the Chief Academic Office two separate units? Why does the Chief of Staff have a Director of Strategic Outreach with two employees under him when there is a separate School and Community Relations group with 14(ish?) employees?