Idioms For Idiots

To celebrate Black History Month Dear Principal John Deacon put this idiom in the weekly memo.

"Get Out of My Face"

This is an African American expression. It is a saying that you might use if someone is standing too close to you, bugging you, disagreeing with you and disapproving of your actions. You would say this to get him to move away quickly before they get hurt. The expression is used usually in anger. When someone is in your face and you think you might get angry, you could say, "Get out of my face," to help prevent a fight or accident.

Nice. Only someone with a severe mental illness will think this a good choice of idioms. But whilst on the subject, SBSB as come across other idioms that Dear Principal John Deacon plans to use to celebrate other cultures.

For Israeli Independence Day:

"Jewdown"

This is an expression Jewish-Americans use when they want to get a better price. For instance, "I am going to Jewdown the salesman on the price of the Buick."

For St Patrick's Day:

"What will I drink for dinner?"

This is an expression that Irish-Americans say on St Patrick's Day. As in, "I am so drunk, what will I drink for dinner?"

For Columbus Day:

"Hey, Shutupa Your Face!"

Italian-Americans are fond of this expression. When they are about to whack someone, or part of the crew is being annoying, someone will say, "Hey, Shutupa Your Face!"

Thank you so much Dear Principal John Deacon showing the world what a narrow, twisted, tormented person you truly are.

The same six are still running through the school. Dear Principal John Deacon was nowhere to be found despite numerous attempts.

The same six students are running through the school. Dear Principal John Deacon refused to do anything other than wish the problem away.

Yet another little dirty secret about Dear Principal John Deacon has emerged.

Six 5th grade students have been running around the halls all morning. There teacher is out amd since they know there are never repercussios from Dear Principal John Deacon it will go on and on and on.

A Scorcher!

Wow, today was hot, huh? Temperatures reaching 90 degrees. Probably hotter in the classrooms. Or other parts of the school. But not in the main office, or Dear Principal John Deacons bunker.

Our school is lucky. Each and every classroom has air conditioning. What sucks is that according to an edict from Tweed the air conditioners are not allowed to be turned on until May 29th so the city can save a few bucks. However, there are allowed special dispensations. Dear Principal John Deacon made sure of this.

Dear Principal John Deacon decreed that the office, and its bunker were allowed to be cooled by the wonder of modern air conditioning. Not even the classes facing the interstate, and the construction that is going on right in front of the school were allowed to turn on the air conditioning.

This is yet another shining example that Dear Principal John Deacon only cares about Dear Principal John Deacon and not the children, the school, or the community.

A very dirty little secret has been learned about Dear Principal John Deacon.

Very interesting development. The Chosen One has not been seen for two days.

Dear Principal John Deacon has more lives than Morris the Cat.

Santiago Taveras is taking Dear Principal John Deacon to the wood shed over the Quality Review now. Does BFF Yolanda Torres approve?

The school is the Titanic.

Wonder how BFF Yolanda Torres feels about the Quality Review?

If Dear Principal John Deacon spent less time holed up in its bunker and stopped the "gotcha" attitude with staff and took responsibility for its incompetence than the review would have been better.

The results of the Quality Review are in! The school is undeveloped with proficient features. In other words we suck. The best ting is that the teachers come out looking great but Dear Principal John Deacon looks like the a incompetent moron. We had always done well with the quality review till now.

Amazing too is how and why "the teacher" is still here.

Dear Principal John Deacon is still here. It has more lives than a act. Anyway today is more of same. The same 2nd grader is running through the school. The Chosen One and Dear Principal John Deacon refuse to do anything. This has been going on for months.

Should BFF Yolanda Torres be held just as culpable for the fiasco at the school as Dear Principal John Deacon? Maybe more?

Enabling Dear Principal John Deacon

Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines an enabler thusly:

one that enables another to achieve an end ; especially : one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior (as substance abuse) by providing excuses or by making it possible to avoid the consequences of such behavior

Now, this does not mean that Dear Principal John Deacon is a substance abuser. Besides, Dr Hans von Schlaggel from Vienna the guest columnist on April 8 has already diagnosed Dear Principal John Deacon with suffering from malignant narcissism. So we do have an official diagnosis. But someone who suffers from malignant narcissism must be confronted, have an intervention, must not be enabled. And this is where BFF Yolanda Torres comes in.

Think about it. How can Dear Principal John Deacon overcome this diagnosis as long as BFF Yolanda Torres continues to enable such self-destructive behavior from Dear Principal John Deacon? BFF Yolanda Torres, in the role of the co-dependent spouse might think she is helping her BFF Dear Principal John Deacon. This usually includes making excuses, covering up, looking the other way at self-destructive or dysfunctional behavior Dear Principal John Deacon exudes. But this is not helpful. It only perpetuates such behavoir from Dear Principal John Deacon.

Oh, oh. Wait. Dr Hans von Schlaggel just walked in, and seems to have a beer stein, a very large one at that, in his hand. He is signaling he wishes to add something to the discussion.

Guten Abend meine Freunde! I am good. I have been drinking a lot of Deutsch Bier. Bönnsch. No Budweiser for me. Budweiser tastes like Pferde-Urin. So quickly, I explain what what the enabling, co-dependent does. In this case BFF Yolanda Torres. Then I finish and I go back to be with the hübsche Frauen.

Individuals who enable others have weak boundaries, low self-esteem, and have difficulty being assertive when they communicate with others. Feeling needed as an enabler is not worth the long term ramifications created by the enabling. The person being enabled will have some difficult short term consequences. And now you see why.

Now I go back to the Brauhaus. Gute Nacht und süße Träume!

A feature at the blog will be instant blogging about the wackiest school in the Bronx when something wacky happens. You will be able to identify these posts by lack of a title.

Edited 4/16/09 for spelling. Thanks to a loyal reader.

Shout Out To Yolanda

Yolanda, are you happy with what is happening in the school? Seriously, can you honestly say that you are? Your Best Friend Forever has not only dragged the school into the gutter, but is and has dragged your name, and your reputation into the gutter as well.

Is this what you expected this year to be? You probably thought that you and Dear Principal John Deacon would have a great time imparting your educational policies on the children of the school. You could both ride off into the sunset of retirement together looking back on how two BFF's saved the day. But something went amiss, and you probably didn't expect the near total meltdown of Dear Principal John Deacon did you? And now you are doing what any loyal friend would do in this situation. You are trying to save her. But you are going about it wrong.

There needs to be a full throttled intervention on your part. An intervention like they do with addicts. Dear Principal John Deacon is beyond just having a "talking to." It is time to do the right thing. Think about it, if the right thing was done would that little girl have had to have been terrorized by Numb Nuts?

Yolanda, do you believe that the children come first? Give an example of everything you have heard that Dear Principal John Deacon has done that placed the welfare of the children first. You can't. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Yolanda, how would you feel if your children were in that school? Place yourself in the parent's shoes. That is all you need to guide yourself by. I know you are a good person. Place the children first.

The Demented Mind Of Whitney Tilson

Whitney Tilson. Mr Know-it-all. I have just noticed reading his blog and have come across a post from April 4 that showed the kind of ignorance those who think they know what is best for us posses when it comes to education. Click here for the link, but I am republishing it here and will dice and slice with my rebuttal.

I have to address one of Robert Jackson's main arguments for watering down mayoral control: that parents need to have a major role in how schools are run.

My child's school, in our district, the parents have a voice. It does not mean that they are the ones making the decisions, but their voices are respected and heard. I am sure the parents of Dalton, FIeldston, Horace Mann, etc.. have a major role. Why are not the parents of inner city schools afforded the same?

This is sort of like motherhood and apple pie -- who could possibly be against parental involvement? -- but let me take the other side of the argument.

You left out baseball and Chevrolet.

First, let's clarify what we're talking about: everyone is in favor of parental involvement when it comes to getting their children to school on time, checking their homework, coming to parent-teacher conferences, working with the school to deal with discipline problems, etc.

Oh Whitney, it is so much more than that. It is about building a community within a community. Parents talking with one another, children talking to their parents, having parents and children having ownership of their education.

The debate isn't over these things; rather, it's about MANAGEMENT issues:

Ah, yes, control. That is what it all boils down to in the end, right?

what reading curriculum should be used; is the principal doing a good job and, if not, what should be done; which teachers should be hired and fired; should a school be shut down; etc.?

So Whitney which reading program to you favor? Voyager? I am sure you do. Let's ask Senator Landrieu. No one is saying that parents should unilaterally make these decisions, but should be at the table, to have a voice when these decisions are made.

Or is it that you feel that inner city parents of color are not capable of making such decisions? You really have never hung out in the 'hood, have you?

When it comes to these key decisions, I think involving parents will result in WORSE, not better, outcomes.

Let me change that for you. "I think involving inner city parents of color from da hood will result in WORSE, not better outcomes."

I know for sure that I don't try to tell the head of my daughters' school how to run her business

Road apples!!! Bullocks!!! Of course you do. You can't help yourself but to. You seem to have no problem telling teachers, and anyone else that gives you attention how to run schools. Do your children even attend NYC schools?

nor does she tell me how to run mine.

Of course not. Teachers are not that pretentious to think they can tell someone in international finance to run their business.

Nobody thinks parents should have a say in how inner-city hospitals are run, so why on earth should they have a say in how inner-city schools are run?!

Oh please. This is comparing apples and oranges. Whitney where is your blog on how to run inner city hospitals? But you see there is a difference. Medical people and people with the knowledge of medicine are making decisions at the hospitals. Lawyers are making education decisions. See the difference? But you yourself are the one who is screaming on how to run schools. Funny, are you a parent of color and/or a minority? Of course not. Not with a name like Whitney Tilson.

There are few things harder than running a school or school system, esp. an inner-city one, filled with the most difficult-to-educate students,

Dude, that is the challenge. That is why we do what we do. Just out of curiosity please share any and all schools that you have run.

But there again is that your assumption between inner city, which I believe is code for "children of color/minority", and difficult to educate. Are we dipping a toe into some bigoted thoughts here Whitney?

the lowest-caliber teachers,

And you know this how? Please give first hand knowledge that all teachers of the inner city are low caliber.

the most militant unions

Yeah, you better watch out for the brown shirts of the UFT. Jeez!

and other entrenched interests, and the most corrupt (or bought-off) politicians.

**cough** TWEED **cough**Joel Klein**cough**

The people who can make any difference at all in improving this system (which can best be described at a Mad Hatter's Tea Party) are a rare breed.

And you are one of them right. Here comes Mr White Guilt Liberal to save the day.


Why on earth would anyone think that a group of parents (often disorganized

Translation: "Why on earth would those dumb asses in the projects or on Section 8, on food stamps, or not of my color and upbringing....."

-- or worse yet, organized by the unions

So who has been organizing those charter school parents?


-- and often made up of the most militant, extremists with axes to grind) would help these great leaders do their jobs better???

Why do you think you can do it? Or why do you think you know it all?

Is Whitney Tilson Conflicted?

For those who don't know who Whitney Tilson is, Whitney is basically a person living out his white liberal guilt trying to explain to the little people how to run urban education. Whitney is one of the founders of Teach for America, and fancies himself a bigshot at KIPP. Now mind you, Whitney has never been educated, taught, nor even allowed his children to be inside an urban school. He has a blog that spews forth with his anger at those who disagree with him, and probably suckles at the teet of Joel Klein.

Anyway, the team here at SBSB as started to investigate Whitney and have found out that in 2007 donated $1,000 to the re-election fund of Senator Mary Landrieu (D) Louisiana. Now why would some hip, hedge fund manager from New York donate to a senator from Louisiana?

Could it be that Senator Landrieu accepted $30K donation from Voyager Expanded Learning's CEO Randy Best and suddenly Voyager was granted a $2 million earmark from Senator Landrieu? Is there a connection between Whitney Tilson and Randy Best? Randy Best is a leader in the charter school meglomania circles as is Whitney.

But more disturbing, Senator Landrieu has cited in Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington as one of the "Top 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress" report. Why Whitney would you associate with such a person?

Just asking questions.

Charles Barron Rocks!!!!!

Watch and pay close attention to Charles Barron. The most coherent thing I have heard from a non educator about why Bloomy and Klein have failed the children of NYC.

Does SCI believe in Children First?

Does the Special Commissioner of Investigation's office really put the children first, or is it really just a protective service of Tweed and the teachers?

When David Ciorciari of SCI was asked if it is against the law, or unethical if a 2nd grade CTT class in my school that has been out of compliance all year that the principal should not be held responsible he replied:

"Hey, if we investigate and see it is out of compliance we tell the principal to put it in compliance."

Really Dave? Tweed has known since NOVEMBER that this class has been out of compliance! Up until February 13th, the class had 13 special ed. students and 9 general ed. students. Since February 23rd, the class has 14 general ed. students, and 13 special ed. students. And, now get this, is two over the limit for 2nd grade. But you ask, what about a class size grievance? Can't be done because the five students that were added have not been put on the official class roster.

Now if this is fixed it won't be until May at the earliest. School ends in June. Again, is this an example of Joel Klein's vision of Children First? Have these students been given a proper education this year? Have their needs come before the needs of the administration?

Thanks Dave.

Dear Principal John Deacon's Official Diagnosis

To the regular readers, today's column is being turned over to Dr Hans von Schlaggel from Vienna, Austria. Dr von Schlaggel is currently the director of the Institut für schweren psychiatrischen Erkrankungen, or in English, Institute of Severe Psychiatric Disorders. Dr von Schlaggel has been a reader of the blog since its inception and has graciously diagnosed Dear Principal John Deacon's deep embedded psychiatric disorder and will share it here today. So without any further ado, please welcome the good doctor.

Danke, Herr Teacher in the Bronx, and guten tag to all the loyal followers of this blog. I hope this afternnoon finds you well.

After studying the Dear Principal John Deacon for several months I have come to the conclusion that it suffersx from what we say in German, bösartigen Narzissmus, or in English, malignant narcissism. This is a very severe form of mental disorder and usually incuruable, but treatable. But shall we, how do you say in English, oh ja, describe the symptoms. My lovely assistant Frau Helga helped me with that word. She is wonderful.

Malignant Narcissism is usually when four other personality disoders abound. It includes, nariccistic personality disorder (NPD), anti-social features, paranoid traits, and ego-syntonic aggression. Let's examine each of these seperate disorders to see how I came aboutthe diagnosis of malignant narcissism.

1.Nariccistic Personality Disorder (NPD) Five or more of the following traits must be indicated by the patient. I have highlighted in red what applies to Dear Principal John Deacon

1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is "special".
4. requires excessive admiration
5. has a sense of entitlement
6. is interpersonally exploitative
7. lacks empathy
8. is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her
9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

2. Anti-Social Behavior, or Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Three of the following traits must indicate. Traits pertaining to Dear Principal John Deacon are again highlighted in red.

1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest;
2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure;
3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead;
4. Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;
5. Reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
6. Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations;
7. Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another.

3. Paranoia, or Paranoid Personality Disorder. For of the following traits must be indicated.

• Suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her
• Is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
• Is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her
• Reads benign remarks or events as threatening or demeaning.
• Persistently bears grudges, i.e., is unforgiving of insults, injuries, or slights
• Perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counterattack
• Has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner.

4. Ego syntonic Aggression.

As one with anorexia will deny that he or she has a problem, so too does Dear Principal John Deacon deny that it has a problem. The ego is in conflict with the id.

So I thank you readers very much and the author of this blog for giving me a forum. Remember, those with Malignant Narcissism can internalize both aggressive and idealized superego precursors, leading to the idealization of the aggressive, sadistic features of the pathological grandiose self. Remember one with malignant narcissism should be considered part of a spectrum of pathological narcissism.

215 Days

Know that little clock on the bottom marking how many days a particular state education law and chancellor's regulation has not been followed? I am taking down the clock today. The law has stopped being broken as of 8 30 AM today. Unfortunately it is too little, too late. Not going to change things at all.

Hey Numb Nuts!!

Numb Nuts, now is the time to do the right thing. Time to make it up for all the careers you tried to ruin with such petty letters in the file. You do have it in you. To be a rat that is.

Dear Principal John Deacon lives in fear of what you know and what you might say. Don't think for a moment that it is going to come riding in on a white horse and save you. Only you can make it better for yourself. Remember the show "Mission Impossible"? What did the voice say to Jim?

As always, should any member of your team be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow all knowledge of your actions.

Dear Principal John Deacon has disavowed you. You have become the fall guy. Not that you are guiltless in the whole boondoggle, but you are the one taking the rap. It does not have to be that way. Do the right thing. You need to make peace with yourself. This is the only way you can.

Dang Pesky Varmint!

According to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary the definition of Varmint is:

Main Entry: var·mint

Pronunciation:\ˈvär-mənt\

Function:noun

Etymology: alteration of vermin

Date: circa 1539

1: an animal considered a pest ; specifically : one classed as vermin and unprotected by game law
2: a contemptible person : rascal ; broadly : person , fellow

It seems that we still have a varmint problem at the school. But do not fret. Please refer back the posting of March 24. What worked on unwanted pests can and will work on unwanted varmints. But an addendum. Starting April 9, there is no school until the 20th. This leaves one enough time to travel to Albany and to let the powers that be know what is going on in our school in regards to this varmint.

Please be careful. This particular type of varmint is tricky. It uses subturfuge to get what it wants, especially when it feels cornered. Be careful when approaching it in its burrow. This might lead to mind altering rays it shoots out from its eyes. Witness what it has done to The Chosen One and The Body. Both are now nothing but inane drones serving their master, I mean the varmint.

But most importantly the varmint hates having the light shined on it. When in the spotlight the varmint will scurry away and avoid responsibility. The more light that is shined on it, the weaker the varmint will soon become a paper varmint and soon be gone never to be spoken of again.