Response To A Comment About An "Assessment Team" Going To Alafia Elementary

Here is the link and the comment:

Blogger: Public Education - Politics, Business and Education - Post a Comment: "I have heard that an Assessment Team is being dispatched to the school. Time will tell whether this will be a true investigation or not. If the team truly looks into the matter, there can be only one conclusion. Otherwise, it will only have been a step taken in the course of cover-up and damage control.October 20, 2008 2:40 PM"

There is so much to say regarding this comment. My personal opinion is never, ever trust "the system". While there are a few, maybe many, trustworthy people who work for "the system", I repeat, I would never, ever trust "the system". This is based on years of experience from many different perspectives.

One would have to read every post and link that I have written to understand what I am talking about. The problem with that is that not every post is germane to why one should not trust "the system". You have to put the dots together.

My first response to an "assessment team" is you must understand the Delphi Technique:

Using the Delphi Technique to Achieve Consensus -- November 1998 Education Reporter

I have seen it in action and it is real. I have witnessed this in different arenas within the HCPS. Do not ignore it.


Here is my prediction. They will develop a team of district people and targeted parents. They will hold a set number of meetings. The District will be in control of all paperwork regarding the recording of all of the meetings. The first meeting will be to bring out all of the problems. Emotions will be kept in check as this is "just the information gathering phase, and emotions get in the way of positive outcomes". The District will take this information and synthesis it into 4 areas. The District will identify the problem areas "based on information gathered", and bring it back to the group. The group will then be subdivided so that the parents are divided. These sub-groups will hash out the emotional aspects of "the issues". The next meeting will be where the District "brings to the whole group" a breakdown of how the issues were decided upon. There will be a "discussion" and a "consensus" will be "agreed upon" by all. The final outcome will be that the problem was taken care of and "everyone" is in agreement. It won't be until later on that the parents figure out they were snookered, but the official paperwork and "official decision that the parents agreed to" will be on record.

Please remember that I am labeled a "malcontent". "Nothing the District does will ever please me". "(I) have a personal vendetta against the District". Ok. I accept it. Just prove me wrong.


If I am wrong, I will be very pleased. And surprised.