Focus Daily News on McFarland

Rita Cook writes

LANCASTER—A lone Lancaster ISD Superintendent finalist was named at Monday night’s Lancaster school board meeting when ISD trustees voted 4 – 3 on Dr. Michael D. McFarland, 40. Voting for McFarland were board trustees Joe Kana, Irene Mejia, Ellen Clark and Marjorie King and against Carolyn Morris, Marion Hamilton and Cynthia Corbin-Jarvis, who were actually more interested in a second candidate who has since asked not to be named.

...

“I believe the financial conservator from TEA has established perimeters and I know the money will not be as much as Dr. Lewis had been making,” McPartland added about the current pay structure being offered McFarland.

Broden vs Goldstein

Scandal for the Republican primary run-off for TX congressional district 30? Goldstein's voter registration links to Dallas County Elections and bring up a sample ballot.

http://www.dalcoelections.org/findvoters.asp?dt=4/10/2010+7:42:29+AM&Lastname=goldstein&Firstname=sheldon&Middlename=&birthdate=06/26/1951&voterid=&Submit3=Submit

Goldstein can't vote for himself. His registered residence is in Pete Session's district.

There are rumors that Lancaster city council officials need a similar review. Where do the council people register to vote, to claim homestead tax exemptions; to become eligible for county or city benefits?

Same sort of thing happens for Dallas school board candidate Lew Blackburn.

Needs more attention all around...

George (not C) Scott on schools

The train

My question to y'all ... do you like video of this sort better than text? Let me know in the comments or by e-mail

jeff dot melcher _at_ A T T dot NET

I'm really listening. And unlike assistant principals at certain elementary schools, I do respond.

Saturday! The primary run-off winds down.

Frankly it's a tiny bit depressing how many voters are confused about what's going on. Between the party primaries last month, the primary run-off "early voting" last week, the primary run-off "Actual Election Day" coming up Tuesday ... people are TIRED of politics and don't really want to talk about the CITY and SCHOOL BOARD elections starting up a mere two weeks later.

Voter fatigue it the best friend a lazy and incompetent incumbent could possibly have. (Uhm, let me be clear, that's ANY lazy and incompetent incumbent, not a particular specific incumbent.)

If the voters are too tired to pay attention, then the mistakes and omissions of elected officials are overlooked. Accountability, geared to give the power to hire and fire such officials to voters rather than some God-annointed judge or king, depends on wakeful watchful aware voters.,

So, if I'm knockin' on your door Saturday morning so early I wake you up, my apologies will be a bit insincere. Wake up! Your vote matters. Which ever way it goes.

The Morning News chimes in

A report on Michael McFarland actually focuses more on the bickering board.

If it bleeds, it leads, I guess.

Michael McFarland

A profile from his current district

"The Department of Achievement and Pupil Services is committed to implementing effective systems, rigorous educational programs and researched-based practices that lead to increased student achievement. A laser-like focus on removing barriers to success will be maintained while simultaneously ensuring high levels of learning for the students we serve. The Department respects the collective power of the stakeholders of Unit 4 and is committed to building a professional learning community focused on clarity of purpose, collaboration, and capacity building. As a result of our actions, we believe that students we serve will leave Champaign Unit 4 with more than a diploma. They will leave with choices and opportunities."

More

Dr. Michael McFarland is a 1993 graduate from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Education. While at Baylor he served as an Executive Board Member of the Association of Black Students form 1990-1993. He also received the Hankamer School of Business Most Outstanding Student Award in 1993.

Upon graduating, he began working for Tyler Independent School district as a classroom teacher and football coach. He served as a teacher for four years teaching Algebra, Computer Science, Trigonometry, and Accounting before entering administration.

McFarland received the Hitachi Promise for Tommorrow Scholarship to complete graduate work in the field of Education and completed his Masters degree in Education in 2001 at Stephen F. Austin State University.

He was served as assistant principal at John Tyler High School and Foster Middle School before he was appointed to principal at Foster Middle School in 2002. During his tenure at Foster Middle School he was selected as “The Best Principal in East Texas” by the Longview News Journal.

He accepted the position as John Tyler High School Principal in 2004. During a very tumultuous time period and was able lead the school through a restructuring movement that resulting in dramatic improvement in test scores, school climate and culture, and college enrollment. Because of the success of John Tyler under his leadership, the school was awarded as the “2006 College Board National Inspiration High School Award.”

He returned to Baylor University to complete his doctoral studies in Educational Administration. He received his Doctorate degree from Baylor University in 2005.

He currently serves as an Adjunct professor with Texas College University in their School of Education. He is also currently President of the Tyler Alliance of Black School Educator Alliance and Executive Board Member of the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators.

Lone Finalist

On a 4-3 vote, the Lancaster board named Michael McFarland of Champaign Illinois (formerly of Tyler) as "lone finalist".

Jarvis, Hamilton and Morris voted against.

Board president Morris offered a LONG speech in favor of another candidate from Fort Bend. She called the McFarland decision a "sad day" for Lancaster.

Trustee Marjorie King, speaking in support of McFarland, cited his work both theoretical and practical in making lower-income/diverse high schools more successful.

The board meeting lasted past midnight and the lone finalist announcement was the concluding business item. In other actions the board authorized interim superintendent Marables to continue talks with the city of Lancaster and the Deion Sanders "PTA" organization regarding summer camp.

April 2010 board meeting ...

So who wants to guess what the "inter-local agreement" is about?

Quoting the agenda:

"(13) Consider reviewing the Inter-local Agreement with the City of Lancaster and the Board’s Attorney – Carolyn Morris

(14) Consider Summer Programs for the children/students of Lancaster – Carolyn Morris"

Odd that the superintendent, Dr Dana Marables, isn't presenting. Not ready for "Prime Time"?

There are a range of matters previously defined in LISD policy that require interlocal agreements. For example, the district is authorized to make such agreements for nursing services with a local hospital; (GR-Legal) automobile liability insurance specifically for police vehicles; (CRB-Legal) and generalworkman’s compensation pools. (CRE-Legal) So, which one is it? Without specific details in the agenda it is impossible for the public to determine what particular agreement is being “considered”.

The language of “consider” in juxtaposition with “agreement” is also ambiguous. It falls under a section of the agenda marked “ACTION ITEMS”. If the LISD is making or renewing an “agreement” shouldn’t the agenda item be an “APPROVAL” question? If the matter is only for education preparing for later action, shouldn’t it be “communication”?

Odd, odd, odd.

Item fifteen is just as odd:

"(15) Approval and/or Discussion -- Naming of Finalist for Superintendent for Lancaster ISD"

I'll take a video camera and we'll see what happens.