Bartlett's allegations, made just before the board approved the controversial calendar on Nov. 11, triggered an investigation by Dr. Linda Bernknopf. The investigator, in front of a boardroom packed with district staff and principals, stated Thursday that she found no evidence to support Bartlett's claims.
Board Chairman Dr. John Abraham said he would recommend Bartlett be censured for violating policy, which says concerns and allegations such as those Bartlett made should be brought directly to Superintendent Fred Sanderson and not publicly announced during a meeting. Board member David Banks, meantime, urged Bartlett to evaluate whether she should remain on the school board, while member Holli Cash said she was "insulted."
"Do you think you owe these five principals an apology for not following procedure as a school board member and the way you went about announcing it?" Cash asked Bartlett.
Bartlett said she wasn't going after principals directly. It was her intent to make sure a teacher/staff survey about calendar options was done fairly, and had asked that the process be looked into.
On Nov. 11, Bartlett said staff from five schools had shared with her information that caused her to question the integrity of the survey. Teachers told her that principals, for instance, had encouraged them to vote for the balanced calendar. The survey was not anonymous.
The district's survey found that of the 8,400 responses, 4,315 or 51.1 percent voted in favor of the balanced calendar. A balanced calendar begins the school year earlier in the summer and offers weeklong breaks during the school year. Abraham said he voted for the balanced calendar largely because of that survey showing teachers wanted it. The board approved it, despite parent opposition, in a 4-3 vote.
When Bartlett asked Bernknopf on Thursday if she had spoken directly to teachers during her investigation, Bernknopf said she hadn't because Bartlett never revealed their names, only schools. Bernknopf also noted that many of the principals were insulted.
"Has anyone ever said anything about you to another individual that was not true?" Cash asked Bartlett,
Bartlett replied, "yes."
Cash said, "How would you have felt if that person had taken the word of that individual without giving you the benefit of the doubt? ...What have you learned? As a board member, have you learned anything else from this experience?"
Board Vice Chairwoman Lynnda Crowder-Eagle said she hopes Bartlett "will accept responsibility (for her conduct)."
Pete Borden, a frequent letter to the editor writer and school board watcher, e-mailed the Journal shortly before press time to say, "... the planned, rehearsed and brutal hatchet job (board members) did on Alison Bartlett was unforgivable. Abraham made good on his threat to 'get her for talking about the coercion.'"
Since Bartlett joined the board in January, she has been considered the most independent member on what some say is a rubber-stamp board. She asks lots of question and has voted against other board members and the superintendent's recommendations on issues such as the balanced calendar, standard-based report cards and the board's strategic plan - the latter of which she voted in opposition to Thursday night after getting bashed by her colleagues.
The strategic plan was approved 5-2, with Bartlett and Morgan opposed.
In January, the board directed staff to design a strategic plan that measures academic progress, Associate Superintendent Dr. Steve Constantino said. Bartlett and Morgan said they wanted a full-blown, page-by-page discussion on the plan.
Banks said it is a living document that can be amended as the board moves forward.
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Or the fact that she too voted to close Oakwood High School and did not know what she was voting for and why?
Lynda needs to take a dose of her own medicine and see how she likes it.
Her attempt to "define" coercion was Clinton-esque. She deserved the beration from a room full of insulted professionals.
Ms. Bartlett obviously repeated gossip gained from parent/teacher friends of her's that turned out to be hyperbolized or even untrue. A mistake on her part for repeating it publicly - she should have apologized for spouting off out of emotion and in turn taking a shot at the integrity of the 5 principals she threw under the bus without any double checking of the validity of what she heard. She needed to take responsibility for her mistake during the meeting and apologize but her arrogance and detest for Cobb wouldn't allow it.
Whether she believed referring the information per BOE rule to the Superintendent would have been personally satisfying for her or not, she needed to respect her position as a member of the BOE enough to abide by the Board policy.
Hopefully Ms. Bartlett needs to pause and understand that those who fill her ears with accolades for being their maverick and mouthpiece are also filling her ears with half truths and persuasive opinions that they want her to use as a compass.
You are a smart woman Ms. Bartlett, smarter than you displayed last night. Take responsibility for your mistake, be judicious as far as what you hear and say, and begin to work more positively in the best interest of our students and schools if you choose to remain on the Board.
However, I think those board members were DEAD WRONG for speaking to Ms. Bartlett in that manner! How dare they? I'm reading the article and the things they said to her read like a parent is scolding a child!
To me it seems as if some of these board members are setting themselves up to get voted out of office during the next election.
And how are we different from those that were in Clayton a few years ago? Weren't they pulling some of the same shenanigans?
I would also suggest that the board leave her alone, and spend their time with something more important. I don't know, maybe EDUCATION?
Alison Bartlett - STICK TO YOUR GUNS! Continue asking the questions that most on the board don't have the courage to ask. You are a person of integrity. The name calling and accusations released on you from others on the board is highly insulting to you and to the citizens of Cobb County. You are doing what you were elected to do - look out for the best interest of the "stakeholders" (ie: students, parents, taxpayers). You had enough teachers tell you they felt intimidated to cause a concern on your part.
Should you have gone to Fred Sanderson? When he knows you don't agree with him did you really think you would have been taken seriously? I wouldn't have thought so.
I am a teacher and I know several teachers that did not answer the survey because, having to log in with information that could be traced, they feared retribution for not voting as Fred Sanderson wanted. I also know several others that did not vote because they felt the board would vote the way Fred Sanderson wanted them to vote, regardless of how they voted, and felt their opinion would not matter. Guess what? That's exactly what they did - voted with Fred!
Why is the calendar the issue they decided was the one they would "listen to the teachers" about? There are many, many other issues out there that they SHOULD be asking us about or they have asked and don't care to hear what we have to say.
I am concerned that a board member would listen to teachers over what is best for kids. Where is the research that tells us that this is what is best for kids? THAT should be the number one factor in making this decision. THAT is the business we, as educators, are in.
I'm sure I will enjoy my week of here and my week off there, but that does not make it a good decision.