Comments on: COMMENTARY: Anonymous School Survey Biased and Cowardly

By: Theodore Warner

Theodore Warner — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 03:27:07 +0000

Rae Vaughn, I have no idea what makes you think I was dismissive of the community’s voice, why you depict my work for teachers and education as “self promotion,” why you view my work in Northampton as a stepping stone, or why you view my commitment as “feigned.” Those are characterizations that seem to reveal more about you and they do about me.

It’s none of your business, but a teacher’s contract with the school district and the regulations that surround employment for the district spell out very clearly how a teacher can resign midyear. I followed these procedures carefully and both the superintendent and school board approved. I made effort to lesson the impact on my classroom and my students, as any teacher would. There is no ethical issue there, whatsoever. If you dislike the “series of substitutes,” I recommend you take your complaints to the district. They are misdirected at me.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: While recognizing the intensity of emotions surrounding Northampton Public School issues, we believe all parties in this comment chain have had their say. Comments for this story are now closed.)

By: Rae Vaughn

Rae Vaughn — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 03:09:31 +0000

I did respond to the survey, but I was not behind it. I appreciated the opportunity to share my experience and thoughts. I thought it was a genuine effort to address real concerns. I did not appreciate Mr. Warner’s dismissal of my feedback as trash at the time he wrote this piece. It made my heart sink to see the voices of families and teachers dismissed. I don’t know who was responsible for it, but I don’t care if the survey met the technical criteria for validated research. All I cared about was the opportunity to be heard. Mr. Warner’s dismissal of this community’s voice was disheartening and downright disrespectful.

The survey was not the subject of my original comment nor was Dr. Lascu. I do take offense to Dr. Lascu’s characterization of the data collected as rubbish. Our feedback was raw and real. I wish that the results were still visible because every comment represented the voice of a real person being impacted by real issues. Anecdotal feedback is not rubbish.

My original comment was about the feigned commitment to this community apparent in Mr. Warner’s shameless campaign of self promotion. NCPS was a stepping stone. He didn’t lose a moment’s sleep when he walked out on his contract and left students at the mercy of a series of substitute teachers. When you sign a contract for a year’s service and walk out on that contract before satisfying even half of it, isn’t that an issue of integrity? It is my understanding that walking out on a teaching contract is an issue of ethics.

By: Dana Lascu

Dana Lascu — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 17:31:19 +0000

A Richmond email does not detract from my dedication to my Eastern Shore home; I have as much of a stake in improving the schools and life on the Eastern Shore as anyone else. It is surprising that this divisive subject is resurfacing and a way to address it is to provide a free valid and reliable solution. What’s there not to like?! (Indeed, the old survey is biased and the data is rubbish.)

By: Theodore Warner

Theodore Warner — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 14:48:51 +0000

Rae Vaughn, were you behind the anonymous survey?

I can’t imagine why else you’d have such xenophobic antipathy towards me or Dr. Lascu. Did you feel personally attacked by my critique of the survey? Have you been nursing a grudge ever since? Is that why you’ve taken such a bizarrely personal interpretation of my change in employment? (By the way, people change jobs all the time… it’s not an issue of integrity or dedication.)

By: Rae Vaughn

Rae Vaughn — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 02:49:45 +0000

Hmmm…someone with a Richmond email discounting an Eastern Shore survey as biased and offering services. Say hi to Ted and let us tend to our community as we see fit than you!

By: Dana Lascu

Dana Lascu — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 15:47:33 +0000

This is a simple matter: anonymity of survey sponsorship is not a problem as long as the researcher conducting the survey is known, trained in data collection and analysis, and, most importantly, unbiased. The survey, as it stands, is biased and the data collected using this instrument is, more or less, garbage.

Should you need this type of study performed appropriately, I volunteer to help and maintain sponsor and respondent anonymity. Email me at dlascu@richmond.edu. This is what I do for a living and for fun.

By: Stefanie Hadden

Stefanie Hadden — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 13:12:07 +0000

Hear, hear, Rae Vaughn. While Mr. Warner may have turned a fancy phrase or two, his words ring hollow now, don’t they?

By: Rae Vaughn

Rae Vaughn — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 03:12:34 +0000

Mr. Warner seemed all too committed to transparency until he abruptly walked out on his English students at Northampton High School last month. Where was his commitment to integrity when he [. . .] left a trail of dust headed for a job with the Virginia Education Association in Richmond? His hasty departure suggests that his motive for organizing and moderating a school board candidate forum that he invited Richmond VEA representatives to attend had little to do with the welfare of this community or the students he was supposed to be serving.

By: Theodore Warner

Theodore Warner — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:08:06 +0000

Cynics call the truth naive.

By: David Boyd

David Boyd — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:31:42 +0000

“If there are real world problems that need solutions, no one can be fired for pointing them out or voicing them in a professional manner.”

That’s an extremely naive point of view. Like Dorie, I’ve been there, too.