THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS ARE WRITTEN ON THE SUBWAY WALLS: Feedback to 4LAKids about the replacement of the Principal @ HS#9, The High School for the Visual and Performing Arts.

A Beaudry Insider writes:

"Cortines talks about transparency.... I guess we got it here.  It is transparent that the powers don't care what the kids, parents, staff or community have to say   ...let's just move along shall we?"

A Parent Activist writes:

Here’s some info I dug up on Dale Vigil.  He’s the one who Superintendent Cortines allowed to make the final decision on replacing Mrs. Blake.  It seems Vigil has a history of these tactics.  He was also forced out, or paid off, to leave twice before.

The comments below are from the blog: HAYWARD EDUCATORS TOGETHER | http://bit.ly/bx7pKV

and from: BOARD FORCES VIGIL TO QUIT SR SCHOOLS CHIEF SAYS `NO LONGER A MATCH' by Robert Digitale in the Santa Rosa The Press Democrat/ Page 1 (February 24, 2000)

"Santa Rosa City Schools Superintendent Dale Vigil, a man credited with developing rigorous academic standards but criticized for lack of ``managerial focus,'' resigned Wednesday at the request of the Board of Education.  The board unanimously accepted Vigil's resignation at a special meeting Wednesday morning -the end of negotiations that the elected officials had kept a closely guarded secret. Vigil had been superintendent less than two years.  But they also have expressed frustration with him for his controversial removal of principals last year and, more recently, for killing a student testing program involving neighboring school districts around the city.

On Wednesday, the board directed administrators to try to revive that testing program. Some board members acknowledged Vigil's attempt to end it without their approval was a factor -- although not a decisive one, they insisted -in their decision to ask for his resignation."

The first expression of frustration by board members came a year ago when Vigil publicly fired two principals rather than allow them to quietly resign as typically occurred. His action, along with the proposed transfer of Fremont School's principal, set off angry protests against the school board at three different schools.

"Another sign of dissatisfaction occurred this past spring when board members and a facilitator met twice with Vigil behind closed doors to discuss his job performance. Only Pugh would comment, saying there were “significant issues'' between the board and Vigil."

"Vigil also worked at as an administrator at Los Angeles Unified School District for about five years.  His four-year stint as superintendent at the Hayward Unified School District was controversial and ended with the school board buying out his contract about six months early in December. The Santa Rosa school board also bought out his contract two years into his three-year contract in 2000."

"A bitter teachers strike occurred on Vigil's watch in Hayward, and the Hayward teachers union on Thursday issued a scathing statement criticizing his leadership and abilities. The union also lashed out at his decision to take a vacation to Mexico during the strike."

""Dr. Vigil, while a nice person, lacked the leadership skills necessary to improve the Hayward Unified School district, as well as exhibiting little interest in getting things done," the statement read, "He enjoyed talking about curriculum, but when it came time to implement policies the job seemed too big for him."

 

a teacher and long-time UTLA chapter chair writes:

I interacted with Dale Vigil when he was the Local District Supt. In the South Gate area. I can’t stand him. He hates teachers and wants nothing from them, other than to do what they are told. He made it very clear, and verbally expressed his opinion, that teacher union contracts are worthless. He knows what is best. Period. He is a bully.

And he didn’t think much of parents......

I know one of the people who interviewed for the job of principal at the new Waterslide High School. He was recruited to come. He decided that there was far too much probable interference and a complete lack of clarity as to the chain of command with who would ultimately be held responsible for the school – Would it be the principal, or would it be Eli Broad’s handpicked Public Relations/Fund Raiser ? He thought it over – and decided there was no way in he.... he wanted to leave a great magnet performing arts high school for the chaos and stupidity in LAUSD. Obviously a very smart fellow.