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.