Marching to the Beat of a Different Drummer

Superintendent of Schools Makes Contemptible Proposals to Skeptical Board

By Robert E. Jensen
The Desert Independent

February 5, 2010

BLYTHE, Calif – Supt. Dr. Yul Whitney was absent from the Budget Advisory Council meetings, the PVTA, Teamsters and CSEA deliberations as well. If only he had attended, he would have found employees willing to sacrifice “furlough” days, Academic Coaches, Tier III funds and other less-painful sacrifices in order to salvage the Blythe Middle School and High School Sports. If only he had attended, he would not have embarrassed himself in front of a packed Board Room as he did at the Special Board Meeting on Wednesday.

As such, he made three grossly outrageous recommendations to a skeptical board that also caught the audience aghast.

To wit:

1. Get rid of High School Athletics. This would save a spurious $180,000. This could also mean that the new-and-improved Football Field, All-Weather Track and $2.3 million pool would be mothballed. Obviously, a recommendation from a Supt. that has never taught or coached.

2. Go for a K-8 Alignment. This, of course would cost 15 teachers their livelihood – but never having taught, who cares. This, plus the attitude of Capt. Carney that “Teachers are a dime a dozen.” No mention was made of the cost of bringing in temporary bathrooms, portable classrooms and allowing the cafeterias the extra room for the influx. All educators, parents and site administrators turned their noses at this idea. So why did a non-teaching Supt. think it would be the “cat’s pajamas”.

3. Every stake holding group recommended the eradiation of the academic “coaches” that mentor those teachers that need little help. An online poll of the PVTA membership found that 81% of the rank and file found the “coaches” undesirable. Even so, the DAIT team stated that they were necessary and were willing to pick up the cost of over $300,000. As such, this motion ought to be considered a “moot point

A questionnaire by unnamed sources found that most teachers considered the “coaches’ to be nothing more than administrative functionaries. Even so, the DAIT team stated that they were necessary and were willing to pick up the cost of over $300,000. As such, this motion ought to be considered a “moot point.

The motion to table the motion put forward by Dr. Yul Whitney was tabled by a less-than-impressed Board of Trustees until these next meeting. Dr. Whitney would do well to consider the recommendations put forth by the Budget Advisory Committee during that time.