A School System That Needs a Blog

As we begin formulating a new dynamic website for Opelika City Schools, Clint Wright and the Lake Wells Charter School System make a terrific case study about the potential of a blog in an educational setting.

There is an opportunity for both sides to enhance their voices and garner support. Presently, BreaktheCharter.com is counterproductive in its effort and increasing negative publicity. In this case, a blog could truly be an asset if Clint Wright understood its worth.

Clayton Wilcox’s blog was a great example of putting a content management system to work for the benefit of an organization.

Thank you for the post. It was extremely valuable.

First of all you need to get your facts straight. The first item you state incorrectly is that the charter system does not have a website. They have had a website from the beginning. It is LWCharterSchools.com. Check it out and you’ll see that you are wrong. Second, you seem to only believe what you read in the newspaper. Big mistake. The charter system is doing great and is committed to hiring good teachers for the students of Lake Wales. The teachers who are making a big “stink” over their releases are the ones who needed to go. There are many, many reasons for their release, but because we are in a professional businesss… WE CAN’T STATE THEM PUBLICLY! Everyone needs to grow up and move on.

You and the husband that created the website are the first two in line for the “Clueless Express.” Get over it.

Well, I do think that a blog site would be beneficial to school systems today. Parents, teachers and even students would be able to voice their opinions, concerns or stories. I think that this would give the school system sort of an online community. For example, if my high school had a school blog I think our principle would have been fired a lot earlier than what she was because were extremely upset with her ways of treating kids for many years. I think it would really give a voice to people outside the school district as well.

I think it is a good idea that the husband of the teacher who was fired from Lake Wales should have his own blog and be able to voice what he wants on it. On the other hand, like the Delta flight attendant story, I don’t think it was appropriate of her professional position to have pictures of that intention on her blog site. Granted it is her own site but she represents a company just like in high school when your coaches say “you represent our high school whether you are in uniform or not.”

I think the whole problem with the blogging system in school systems is that you are getting straight opinion. I mean people are stating strictly opinion about how they feel and their intentions may not to convince you to be on “their side of the issue” but they will leave information that may make them look like they are wrong for being upset. So, as I think the blogging would be overall beneficial to any school system, I also think that it could just be a site for complaining and ranting and nothing ever be concluded. I’m guessing that if this did happen it should be handled by a public relations representative.

I just found this site 9-3-05 or I would have responded sooner. I know this site is not a format to debate the pros and cons of the Lake Wales Charter Schools system, but I would like to respond to another post here.

LW Person said that the charter system has a website. They do have one but it is a business site that relates to the school system operations and is not set up to be a forum of discussion. Second, I would like to state that I was in full support of the charter system. I have now changed my position because the charter has not followed through on what they promised. The teachers were pomised that they would have the same rights that they had with the Polk County School Board. They were not given these rights. Whether or not a peticular teacher was doing a good job or not is NOT the issue. The law provides that certain steps are taken for the dismissal of a teacher. Very specific steps have to be followed and a teacher has the opportunity to correct whatever the problem might be. This did not happen. The teachers at Lake Wales High School were taken completely by supprise. Not only that but when the principal was asked why they were let go, his response was that he did not have to tell them why they were being fired. They were given a two line letter thanking them for their service this year but they would not be back next year. The superintendent and the charter board then backed him blindly. Even after complaints and an invertigation where no teachers or administrators were questioned because of possible litigation, the board found no wrongdoing. Instead of looking to find the problem and doing the right thing, the board adopted a “legal position” to make themselves look better. The charter has taken the position that the teachers were “displaced”. Displaced in the words of the district and the teachers union mean that a teacher is displaced for certain reasons such as a drop in enrollment. More teachers were hired to fill the same positions. The principal can’t arbitrarily dismiss a teacher. During the charter conversion I thought the people on the board, that I have known all my life would, “do the right thing”. I was wrong.

The LW person states that all is well with the charter. All I can say is that this person has his/her head in the sand, or perhaps that is what they have been told.

In short the reason why the teachers were fired does not matter. They were not given due process under the law.

Much has yet to unfold in this story. Time will tell who was right and who was wrong. My guess is that in the end some heads will roll.

Thank you, Ben.

I appreciate your comments here and participation in the discussion.

I’ll only add one thing. You gave your real name and email address. The commentor you cite chose to not provide their name.

I think that speaks volumes, regardless of what anyone feels - one way or another, about the school board’s decisions.

Were this a blog for debating the back and forth of such a local controversy, that is a problem each side would have to struggle with in their decisions as to how they run the blog, the validity the blog would have in contributing to an understanding of the controversy, and the over all value of running the blog at all.

I appreciate Josh offering this one example to the contributors and students as we consider how - and if - online communication could/should be used in a variety of instances.

Thank you, again, Ben.

I am the person that started breakthecharter.com.

The creation of the site was in response to the firing of teachers in an entirely non-professional fashion, and in breach of contract. The contract under which these teachers worked, calls for a well defined set of steps to be followed prior to dismissal, all of which were bypassed by the high school administration. Additionally, the charter administration, and board of trustees, publicly backed the decisions of LWHS principal, Clark Berry.

With such a blatant disregard for the rights of these teachers, the website provided a nice opportunity to allow the citizens of Lake Wales to learn more about the people charged with educating their children.

We are currently averaging 40-50 hits daily, without the benefit of search engines. The community seems to be interested enough to continue to visit the site, and we hope that it opens the eyes of many who weren’t aware of what is going on in the LWCS.

I agree with you, there is definitely a need for blogs in school systems. As a graduate from Mountain Brook High School, the Natalie Holloway story hit close to home. This summer, I worked with a public relations practitioner at school system close to my university. As the lady I worked for knew Mountain Brook’s public relations professional, I began thinking about how the school system must be handling the PR disaster.

With so many students from the high school going on the senior trip and the high school coaches serving as chaperones, even if the school system had no direct liability, they were still getting negative publicity. In Mountain Brook’s case, a blog would have been a great way to give up to date information on Natalie. The school could publicize any fundraising efforts to help her family as well as counseling and support for the students on the trip. I believe the blog would also be beneficial for the press, who could ask questions and see what the school was doing as a result of her disappearance.

I know that Mountain Brook School System hired a private public relations agency to handle the crisis. However, if the agency controlled the blog, as a representative for the school system, the information process would be expedited. In issues that are as highly publicized as this one was, it is always important that the community has fast access to the correct information. When this does not happen, rumors begin to spread.

So, although Mountain Brook differs from the school system you mentioned above, I see the importance of using blogs throughout educational systems.