Well as this holiday season approaches it gives us time to pause and see what the year has brought. For the students and staff at Danville Public Schools it signals an end to a year of frustration, deceit, and lack of leadership. In honor of all those who have been cheated by the district I give you the Twelve Days Of Christmas at DPS:
On the twelfth day of Christmas DPS gave to me……..
12 months of mismanagement……
On the eleventh day of Christmas DPS gave to me…….
11 tons of rubber mulch…..
On the tenth day of Christmas DPS gave to me…….
10 SOL scores a leaping………(as if by magic they keep changing)
On the ninth day of Christmas DPS gave to me…….
9 central office personnel dancing their way around answers to serious questions..
On the eighth day of Christmas DPS gave to me……..
8 administrators a-milking the taxpayers of the city…..
On the seventh day of Christmas DPS gave to me
7 clueless school board members a swimming in a pond they do not understand.
On the sixth day of Christmas DPS gave to me…..
6 golden geese a laying golden eggs to cash in to pay for their ridiculous projects
On the fifth day of Christmas DPS gave to me…….
5 tons of useless policies…………..
On the fourth day of Christmas DPS gave to me……..
4 calling parents that never get a return call……….
On the third day of Christmas DPS gave to me……………
3 French fries under the new “proportional” feeding policy for free school lunches
On the second day of Christmas DPS gave to me…………
2 ways of doing things…wrong and really wrong
On the first day of Christmas DPS gave to me……
An autocrat where a superintendent leader ought to be……….
Yes folks it is not really a time to be merry. The school district is being held hostage by so called leaders who believe fear and intimidation are management techniques. Maybe the New Year will bring some change but don’t count on it. Ho, Ho, Ho !
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Election Roundup-The Thanksgiving Turkey
So the elections are over and what has been gained? Is Danville any better off then it was a few weeks ago? Did Pittsylvania County suddenly come kicking and screaming into the 21st century? Only time will tell.
In fact nothing has really changed. Though I usually disagree with the Register/Bee they hit the nail on the head with the editorial about some of the county supervisors. The egos of some of the member could fill the Goodyear blimp. The incumbents have nothing to be proud of at all. The county has for years steered rudderless through the sea of politics and has accomplished exactly nothing. If a business was run like Pittsylvania County it would be bankrupt. No plan for the future, no financial management, and no idea of where to go now. The new members are outnumbered by the old cronies and will spin their wheels in frustration for years. You see, the county has no plan. None. Zip. Nada. The supervisors idea of long term planning is deciding the dumpsters will be green.
The county supervisors need to realize that the largest county in Virginia has no plan for growth, no way of balancing the budget, and no clue as to how to prepare for the future. They shell out money for an industrial park in Gretna that has no water, sewer, or road access. What would stockholders in a large corporation think if a board of directors made such an asinine decision? There would be an uprising. It’s a shame Pittsylvania voters can’t act like stockholders.
Yes taxes are low. And what do you get for the taxes? Nothing. The supervisors fund the schools at the bare minimum. They wouldn’t even do that if they were not forced to by the state. And yet the schools perform well. Perhaps they should do worse so they can get some more money! The supervisors give lip service to the bond referendum which the voters surprisingly voted for overwhelmingly. Lets see how long it takes them to act on it……
The state representation is no better. After a mud slinging campaign and an obscene amount of money spent what does Danville have? A delegate who was listed as one of the most ineffective representatives during the last term in Richmond. Add to that a new state senator who will be so low on the totem pole that southside Virginia will be a forgotten area when the feast in Richmond takes place. This is what the voters in Danville wanted?
As this Thanksgiving begins it will be hard for this area to look around and give thanks for much. The inmates have taken over the asylum.
In fact nothing has really changed. Though I usually disagree with the Register/Bee they hit the nail on the head with the editorial about some of the county supervisors. The egos of some of the member could fill the Goodyear blimp. The incumbents have nothing to be proud of at all. The county has for years steered rudderless through the sea of politics and has accomplished exactly nothing. If a business was run like Pittsylvania County it would be bankrupt. No plan for the future, no financial management, and no idea of where to go now. The new members are outnumbered by the old cronies and will spin their wheels in frustration for years. You see, the county has no plan. None. Zip. Nada. The supervisors idea of long term planning is deciding the dumpsters will be green.
The county supervisors need to realize that the largest county in Virginia has no plan for growth, no way of balancing the budget, and no clue as to how to prepare for the future. They shell out money for an industrial park in Gretna that has no water, sewer, or road access. What would stockholders in a large corporation think if a board of directors made such an asinine decision? There would be an uprising. It’s a shame Pittsylvania voters can’t act like stockholders.
Yes taxes are low. And what do you get for the taxes? Nothing. The supervisors fund the schools at the bare minimum. They wouldn’t even do that if they were not forced to by the state. And yet the schools perform well. Perhaps they should do worse so they can get some more money! The supervisors give lip service to the bond referendum which the voters surprisingly voted for overwhelmingly. Lets see how long it takes them to act on it……
The state representation is no better. After a mud slinging campaign and an obscene amount of money spent what does Danville have? A delegate who was listed as one of the most ineffective representatives during the last term in Richmond. Add to that a new state senator who will be so low on the totem pole that southside Virginia will be a forgotten area when the feast in Richmond takes place. This is what the voters in Danville wanted?
As this Thanksgiving begins it will be hard for this area to look around and give thanks for much. The inmates have taken over the asylum.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Delegate Debacle
Is it just me or has the delegate race become a three ring circus? Just get a few more clowns and it is complete. They should take this on the road, the road out of town that is.
The back and forth sniping is getting ridiculous. Who ever is giving them election advice needs to go back to Richmond. Neither should stoop to the level that this campaign has been driven to. Negative ads, public smear campaigns, and whisper activities have made this truly a hard contest to watch. No longer do the facts matter only the sound bites. The twisting of facts would make Houdini proud.
Adam Toomer did not vote against 1,500 jobs. What he voted against was a corporate giveaway program that was so far overboard that it defies economic logic. The analysis the city did on anticipated income was so flawed that a fifth grade math student would be shaking his head. Will there really be that many jobs? Probably not. And many will be part time with no benefits. Will the stores all be new stores to Danville? Probably not. Many will relocate from other areas of the city. Therefore it is not new revenue but “relocated” revenue. This was truly a false claim and Danny Marshall knew it.
Danny Marshall is not against senior citizens. This ad by the Tomer campaign is a ridiculous statement and Adam knows it. But he continues to run the ad. Tomer knows that the vote was a budget issue and not a vote against seniors. Get off that bandwagon.
Both need to grow up and start talking about things that matter. Neither has a record of success in the areas that Danville citizens care about. Marshall beats up on Tomer saying he never created any jobs. Well neither has Marshall. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth Danny ascended to his job as a result of family dynamics not any hard work on his part. Jeez a job would cut into his days at the track. Tomer worked for……………..hmmm where did he work? What does he do anyway? The way he ducks the question you would believe he was CIA or something. Hey guys stick to the facts. Don’t let citizens go into the voting booth and flip a coin.
But the cheap shot at Tomer’s wife was a real all time low. And Danny can’t say he had nothing to do with it. Too much evidence points at him. Get out of that gutter. Its low and it is no character builder.
So both of you, straighten up and fly right. Citizens want the facts. Stop poking each other in the eye and give us the facts. How will you best represent the citizens in Danville?
The back and forth sniping is getting ridiculous. Who ever is giving them election advice needs to go back to Richmond. Neither should stoop to the level that this campaign has been driven to. Negative ads, public smear campaigns, and whisper activities have made this truly a hard contest to watch. No longer do the facts matter only the sound bites. The twisting of facts would make Houdini proud.
Adam Toomer did not vote against 1,500 jobs. What he voted against was a corporate giveaway program that was so far overboard that it defies economic logic. The analysis the city did on anticipated income was so flawed that a fifth grade math student would be shaking his head. Will there really be that many jobs? Probably not. And many will be part time with no benefits. Will the stores all be new stores to Danville? Probably not. Many will relocate from other areas of the city. Therefore it is not new revenue but “relocated” revenue. This was truly a false claim and Danny Marshall knew it.
Danny Marshall is not against senior citizens. This ad by the Tomer campaign is a ridiculous statement and Adam knows it. But he continues to run the ad. Tomer knows that the vote was a budget issue and not a vote against seniors. Get off that bandwagon.
Both need to grow up and start talking about things that matter. Neither has a record of success in the areas that Danville citizens care about. Marshall beats up on Tomer saying he never created any jobs. Well neither has Marshall. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth Danny ascended to his job as a result of family dynamics not any hard work on his part. Jeez a job would cut into his days at the track. Tomer worked for……………..hmmm where did he work? What does he do anyway? The way he ducks the question you would believe he was CIA or something. Hey guys stick to the facts. Don’t let citizens go into the voting booth and flip a coin.
But the cheap shot at Tomer’s wife was a real all time low. And Danny can’t say he had nothing to do with it. Too much evidence points at him. Get out of that gutter. Its low and it is no character builder.
So both of you, straighten up and fly right. Citizens want the facts. Stop poking each other in the eye and give us the facts. How will you best represent the citizens in Danville?
Saturday, October 13, 2007
The First Annual DPS Darwin Awards
Well the votes are in and its worse then I thought. I expected to receive a few disgruntled employee e-mails however the ones I received were well documented, superbly written, and most of all exhibited a level of frustration that points to one indisputable fact---that there is a serious problem at DPS. Many thanks to all who contributed. The more I read the madder I got. The school board and the city council need to take notice, the barbarians are at the gate and knocking loud!
Opening the envelope………….And the winners are………
FIRST PLACE-DARWIN AWARDS
The total misuse of school board funds and disregard for the public trust. I was absolutely shocked at the information I received on this issue. All e-mails pointed out at least one instance of ridiculous misuse of our taxes. The city needs to read these when they board asks for more money. Here is a sampling of just a few. As I promised these were checked through other sources to verify the correctness of the information.
- Two schools were repainted within one year of each other because a central office administrator did not like the color. Other schools have waited up to seven years to be painted.
- The purchase of multicolored rubber mulch for playgrounds at approximately four times the cost of regular mulch. The mulch was spread in stripes of different colors because it “looked pretty”. Does anyone in the administration have children? How long did they believe this was going to last? What a waste of labor!
- The purchase of two iphones at $600 each for the superintendent and the asst superintendent. Were they afraid they would miss the soaps or what? A ridiculous waste of taxpayers money.
- Tearing out all the base molding at the new central office because they did not “like the color”. The ironic and moronic part of this is that they picked the molding to begin with! And due to the fact they tore the wallboard taking it off they needed to go back with wider molding to cover the damage. How totally absurd!!
- A private bathroom built for the asst superintendent. Hmmm afraid some common sense might get on you by using the bathrooms of the commoners? Approximate cost? Unknown at this time.
- Installed a new kitchen in the central office complete with oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, and fancy cabinets. I’ve heard of break rooms but was Martha Stewart coming? Who’s living there? The most amazing part is that the high dollar refrigerator has an ice maker and water in the door but it isn’t hooked up because the powers that be have decided that if they want water “get it from the spigot in the bathroom”. How absolutely condescending to employees who are on their team!
- Exorbitant over time costs. According to sources the over time being paid to maintenance employees (to complete “special” projects) over the last two years exceeds the over time paid in the previous ten years combined! Lack of planning, poor scheduling and complete lack of understanding that this is public money. It is also reported that in the last two years not one construction project was brought in on time or on budget. The multiple sources were quick to point out that it was not the fault of DPS maintenance but of the inaction, wrong action, or absurd actions of the central administration.
- The central office move. On the week of the move it was discovered (great planning) that not enough offices were available for all the employees! Guess the one who counts people was absent that week. To accommodate the mess employees were forced to double and triple up in offices. When they still would not all fit new offices had to be built over at Langston to take the overflow (using------you guessed it-------overtime workers!). With so many vacant or soon to be vacant school buildings (many believe Woodrow is next on the chopping block) was it wise to take a long term lease on a RENTAL building. (In researching this issue I attempted to get a copy of the lease and the yearly cost. I was told I would have to file a Freedom of Information request to get it. Hmmmmmmmm ) Several people noted the terrible parking situation. Not enough spaces and few visitor spaces. I checked this out myself. I went to the central office at 11:00 in the morning and there was not a single space available within two blocks. I sat and watched the visitor spots and noted that they were being used by central office employees, not visitors. So much for an “open and inviting” environment.
- Totally dismantling the custodial services department. The administration in all its wisdom created “day porters” (hmmm is this the 1930’s?) who simply emptied trash and swept floors. The real work was left to the night time “traveling” crews who moved from school to school. This created full time positions with the associated benefits. The problem was simply it did not improve the general cleanliness of the schools. Custodians had no attachment to the schools they cleaned at night and thus no pride. Instead of valuing school based custodians and paying them a decent wage, they turned them into basically “contract” employees. They might as well contract out to ServiceMaster. Oops don’t say that they might try that next. Well basically the whole experiment failed and the plan had to be scrapped at considerable time and cost.
There were several other money wasting examples cited but they could not be confirmed. If anyone has info on incidents not included please respond to the saveourschools2@aol.com and provide the information and documentation. The real crime here is that classrooms are overcrowded, several employees let go, yet money is not being wisely used.
SECOND PLACE-DARWIN AWARDS
Allowing well trained, professional and experienced administrators to leave
In the last two years many school and central administrators left the district completely disillusioned by the leadership of the division. Conservatively, administrators representing over 150 years of experience were allowed to leave. Talking with some of them revealed that many would have stayed had they seen a glimmer of hope in the future. Top principals left for other jobs in the area, retirement, or new jobs in North Carolina. How the school board could not see this drain of experience and not question the reasons defies logic. The fact, more seasoned administrators left in the last two years then in the previous seven years. Several who responded with e-mails cited “lack of leadership” as the major reason and others reported an atmosphere of fear and intimidation as the reasons they left.
THIRD PLACE-DARWIN AWARDS
Creating an atmosphere where good employees are not recognized or appreciated.
Several, in fact all, of the e-mails pointed to a lack of appreciation by the central administrators for the employees. They feel that they are on the front line yet the administration does not seek their input and in fact discounts their knowledge and experience. Many have left for Pittsylvania County Schools where they report that the atmosphere is like night and day. In the county they report that administrators actively seek their input and appreciate their efforts. The most amazing thing they report is that central office administrators are actually OUT VISITING THE SCHOOLS! As a result Danville has one of the highest percentages of teachers who are not “highly qualified” by state standards. Recruiting teachers for Danville must be like getting kitchen help for the Titanic. DPS gets around many of the licensing requirements by creating titles for people such as “Instructional Facilitator” when they do not have administrative credentials. Sort of like a weird version of why buy the cow when you get the milk free. The fact remains DPS employees will continue to drain into surrounding areas until the school board gets their collective heads out of the sand and see what is occurring. (Oh yes Chicken Little, the sky is indeed falling.)
HONORABLE MENTION
The following were reported also but only received an honorable mention because they could not be completely confirmed. Evidence exists but, as the courts put it, not “beyond reasonable doubt”. If anyone has additional information on these issues I would be glad to reprint them as confirmed.
· The superintendent, in direct defiance of school board order, continues to live in the county. Oh yes she purchased a house in the city but someone else lives there! The asst superintendent for administrative services also reports a city address but in fact still resides in North Carolina.
· A substitute list that is one step above a “warm body”. Teachers report that the list is so miserable that teachers actually try to “book” their substitute months ahead of time. Sounds like a ticket to Hanna Montana……. (gotta have small kids to understand that one) Why is the list like that? Many point to miserable pay as the main reason.
· I was sent an e-mail that supposedly came from the superintendent that asks teachers to help find teachers for positions (hmmm paging Human Resources……are you there?) and indicates they would consider “career switchers, graduate students, or part-time…..” Doesn’t seem to be the route towards “highly qualified”.
· This was confirmed but I did not know where to put it: A school board member had a child who was having a problem with a teacher at GW in a math class. The teacher refused to give into the board members demand that her grades be raised. Instead of standing by the facts (test grades, etc) the superintendent instead arranged that the child (of yeah and two of her friends) were given a free pass to attend a DCC class and receive a special tutor, all at DPS expense. Don’t we wish all students had such opportunities?
This was perhaps the most painful blog I ever had to write. The evidence was so overwhelming that it was undeniable. If you watch the school board meetings on TV you would think things were all rosy. But scrape the surface a little and this “golden district” is really just a pathetic film over rust. It is being eaten up from the inside. How the school board sits by in the wake of such evidence and not call for massive accountability is beyond understanding. Every one of the seven dwarfs needs to be removed from office for malfeasance. This is not just being deceived they are part of the problem. While I was a strong supporter years ago of elected boards all we really did was trade one idiot board for another. I wonder if DPS pays for the operation to get the board members arms disjointed and stretched so they can pat themselves on the back all day. If it wasn’t so sad it would be funny. But it isn’t funny, it’s pathetic. DPS parents need to wake up and see what is happening. Council needs to look at the books closer. And the citizens of Danville need to look for qualified, honest people who see what is happening to a once great district and get them to run for board positions. It is not a time to sit back and expect others to do the work. If the city wants to recruit new industries they better have a school district that is not in the shape that DPS is at the moment. If something is not done soon the last teacher leaving Danville needs to turn off the lights.
Well on that note I need to go look up “private schools” in the phone book. I have a lot of work to do……….
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Darwin Awards
Well folks the time is drawing near for the Danville darwin Awards in relation to Danville Public Schools. Not alot of time left. Remember October 12 is the deadline. I have received a few replies and they are indeed interesting. Don't miss getting your favorite story in by the deadline! For those of you that said to yourself, "I wish I had told someone about that...." here is the opportunity to do it.
Again like the rules stated each contribution must be true and verifiable. Several of you have asked how they would be checked. No, I will not be calling the Golden Palace and asking for the someone to verify these stories. Like I would ever get a straight answer........ I will be verifying the story through independent sources within the school board who of course will need to remain anonymous. The sources are good, haven't been wrong yet.
Someone wrote, an employee I imagine, and asked how would they know this wasn't a trap by the administration. Hmmmm isn't it amazing that an employee would even need to ask such a question? But the answer is no, all submissions will be kept in confidence.
I will personally have each submission checked and will give the readers all the facts I know about the submission including any doubts that may turn up or the strength of the issue.
Several of the ones received so far...............well I can only describe them as something out of a B movie, only true. The level of arrogance and selfishness is unbelievable.
So keep those cards and letters errr I mean e-mails coming. All submissions go to Savetheschools2@aol.com .
Geraldo move over, you aint seen nothing yet!!
Again like the rules stated each contribution must be true and verifiable. Several of you have asked how they would be checked. No, I will not be calling the Golden Palace and asking for the someone to verify these stories. Like I would ever get a straight answer........ I will be verifying the story through independent sources within the school board who of course will need to remain anonymous. The sources are good, haven't been wrong yet.
Someone wrote, an employee I imagine, and asked how would they know this wasn't a trap by the administration. Hmmmm isn't it amazing that an employee would even need to ask such a question? But the answer is no, all submissions will be kept in confidence.
I will personally have each submission checked and will give the readers all the facts I know about the submission including any doubts that may turn up or the strength of the issue.
Several of the ones received so far...............well I can only describe them as something out of a B movie, only true. The level of arrogance and selfishness is unbelievable.
So keep those cards and letters errr I mean e-mails coming. All submissions go to Savetheschools2@aol.com .
Geraldo move over, you aint seen nothing yet!!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Who Erased Dan River Mills?
Maybe its pure paranoia but doesn’t it appear that someone has a giant eraser over Danville and is trying to rub out the memory of the mill? Is this some kind of plot or is it really true? If so, who is behind it? OK kiddies get out your “Clue” game….was it done by Col. Mustard, in the conservatory, with the candlestick? Out of fantasy and into reality.
First, we have a large company that at one time employed over 8,000 Danvillians, suddenly crushed and sold off. We can all blame NAFTA, foreign competition, or the economy but the fact remains it disappeared. To find out who made this quiet giant go away I have a clue. Go into the bathroom, stand in front of the mirror, and look. The person staring back at you is the person who most likely destroyed Dan River. The American consumer decided that sheets from Taiwan at Walmart were ok instead of the Dan River Collection. So we bought the sheets and our money sailed over the ocean and with each dollar we sucked a life out of the mill. We all laughed when that little guy who ran for president told us that NAFTA would create a huge “sucking sound” as jobs went over seas. We all ignored him and laughed it off. And that’s why we lost Dan River.
Its easy to understand the economics that lead to this point but who or what is erasing the memory? The mill gradually shut down and the machines fell silent. We no longer had to worry about “mill traffic” on the Robertson Bridge. Oh how we now would long for the days to sit in a traffic line because of all the employees at the mill. When you said you worked at “the mill” no one had to ask what you were talking about. The mill was Dan River, and it was good. It clothed our people, provided a roof over their head, and put meals on the table. And every year it provided that trip to Myrtle Beach. The first week in July you were more likely to run into your neighbor at the Grand Strand then on Riverside Drive. Danville’s “mill week” was so great that other businesses closed down and the city was abandoned for fun in the sun. The few Dan River employees still working used the week to lower the river water and clean out the intakes. You could see all the way to the bottom of the Dan River (We swam in that?). And all was good…….
Dan River had some close calls like when the slicer/dicer Carl Icahn came to town to suck the life out of the mill. The city united, fought back the aggressor, and saved the mill! But the mill could not fight its biggest enemy….time. Danville could not fight this. The watch could not run backwards. It was the beginning of the end.
And so it came to be. The mill fell silent, the grass grew and the mill began to be erased.
Next, the symbol of Dan River, the Recreation Center, fell to the wrecking ball and corporate greed. We allowed a soulless entity to erase the Rec Center from the scene and covered up the wound as if it never existed. One more memory wiped away.
It became easier to erase the memory. The next move in this cosmic story was to eliminate the mill itself. The West Main St mill was quickly sold off. Soon swarms of workers moved over the complex ripping it apart, devouring its contents, until just the skeleton remained. The destruction was not complete until the bones themselves dissolved. It was like a weird episode of CSI. Here today, gone the next. The mill slowly melted away and like rotten fruit it was absorbed into the landscape.
Next came the Long Mill complex. It also fell victim to the wrecker’s ball. Like a vortex it gradually swirled and slowly began to erase itself from the scene. The eraser was on the move.
Now this terrible plague began to eat away at the biggest symbol of all----the home of Dan River Fabrics sign. The eraser began making each letter just a memory. One by one they vanished from the skyline. Only the eerie glow of the cutting torch penetrated the dim light. Like an unexpected amputation it was there one day and gone the next. The symbol of a once great company was vanishing into the mist. The erasing of a memory will soon be complete. Soon the city will have no record of the company that embraced the city.
Somewhere in a nondescript room a smiling individual slid the chair back from the desk. The light was almost gone as the night enveloped the room. He leaned forward to switch on the desk lamp but hesitated and slowly fell back into the chair. He put the tips of his fingers together and placed them on his chest. The index fingers tapped against each other and the individual pondered the situation. He gazed down at the worn map of Danville that was sprawled on his desk. The map at one time identified all the mill sites in town. Now there were just worn spots on the map where the words Dan River once appeared but were now erased. His eyes searched the map and saw no other indications of any mill memories. He slowly folded the creased map and placed it in his briefcase. He opened the center drawer and slid the pencil into it. Hmmm he noted. The eraser was almost worn down to nothing. His hand rummaged through the desk and emerged with a pencil with a new eraser on it. He placed it next to the lamp base. Might need this he thought to himself.
A few minutes later he walked the abandoned halls and stepped out the door. He was greeted with a gust of cold October wind. He gripped his briefcase and slowly descended the long granite steps. With his free hand he pulled his coat tighter against his chest. His eyes faced forward as he passed the cold figure of Harry Wooding. He hesitated a minute. What was that? As he passed the statue he could swear he heard a voice. “Be ashamed, be very ashamed…….” the voice whispered. Must be the wind he thought, playing tricks.
Tomorrow was a busy day……………more erasing to be done.
First, we have a large company that at one time employed over 8,000 Danvillians, suddenly crushed and sold off. We can all blame NAFTA, foreign competition, or the economy but the fact remains it disappeared. To find out who made this quiet giant go away I have a clue. Go into the bathroom, stand in front of the mirror, and look. The person staring back at you is the person who most likely destroyed Dan River. The American consumer decided that sheets from Taiwan at Walmart were ok instead of the Dan River Collection. So we bought the sheets and our money sailed over the ocean and with each dollar we sucked a life out of the mill. We all laughed when that little guy who ran for president told us that NAFTA would create a huge “sucking sound” as jobs went over seas. We all ignored him and laughed it off. And that’s why we lost Dan River.
Its easy to understand the economics that lead to this point but who or what is erasing the memory? The mill gradually shut down and the machines fell silent. We no longer had to worry about “mill traffic” on the Robertson Bridge. Oh how we now would long for the days to sit in a traffic line because of all the employees at the mill. When you said you worked at “the mill” no one had to ask what you were talking about. The mill was Dan River, and it was good. It clothed our people, provided a roof over their head, and put meals on the table. And every year it provided that trip to Myrtle Beach. The first week in July you were more likely to run into your neighbor at the Grand Strand then on Riverside Drive. Danville’s “mill week” was so great that other businesses closed down and the city was abandoned for fun in the sun. The few Dan River employees still working used the week to lower the river water and clean out the intakes. You could see all the way to the bottom of the Dan River (We swam in that?). And all was good…….
Dan River had some close calls like when the slicer/dicer Carl Icahn came to town to suck the life out of the mill. The city united, fought back the aggressor, and saved the mill! But the mill could not fight its biggest enemy….time. Danville could not fight this. The watch could not run backwards. It was the beginning of the end.
And so it came to be. The mill fell silent, the grass grew and the mill began to be erased.
Next, the symbol of Dan River, the Recreation Center, fell to the wrecking ball and corporate greed. We allowed a soulless entity to erase the Rec Center from the scene and covered up the wound as if it never existed. One more memory wiped away.
It became easier to erase the memory. The next move in this cosmic story was to eliminate the mill itself. The West Main St mill was quickly sold off. Soon swarms of workers moved over the complex ripping it apart, devouring its contents, until just the skeleton remained. The destruction was not complete until the bones themselves dissolved. It was like a weird episode of CSI. Here today, gone the next. The mill slowly melted away and like rotten fruit it was absorbed into the landscape.
Next came the Long Mill complex. It also fell victim to the wrecker’s ball. Like a vortex it gradually swirled and slowly began to erase itself from the scene. The eraser was on the move.
Now this terrible plague began to eat away at the biggest symbol of all----the home of Dan River Fabrics sign. The eraser began making each letter just a memory. One by one they vanished from the skyline. Only the eerie glow of the cutting torch penetrated the dim light. Like an unexpected amputation it was there one day and gone the next. The symbol of a once great company was vanishing into the mist. The erasing of a memory will soon be complete. Soon the city will have no record of the company that embraced the city.
Somewhere in a nondescript room a smiling individual slid the chair back from the desk. The light was almost gone as the night enveloped the room. He leaned forward to switch on the desk lamp but hesitated and slowly fell back into the chair. He put the tips of his fingers together and placed them on his chest. The index fingers tapped against each other and the individual pondered the situation. He gazed down at the worn map of Danville that was sprawled on his desk. The map at one time identified all the mill sites in town. Now there were just worn spots on the map where the words Dan River once appeared but were now erased. His eyes searched the map and saw no other indications of any mill memories. He slowly folded the creased map and placed it in his briefcase. He opened the center drawer and slid the pencil into it. Hmmm he noted. The eraser was almost worn down to nothing. His hand rummaged through the desk and emerged with a pencil with a new eraser on it. He placed it next to the lamp base. Might need this he thought to himself.
A few minutes later he walked the abandoned halls and stepped out the door. He was greeted with a gust of cold October wind. He gripped his briefcase and slowly descended the long granite steps. With his free hand he pulled his coat tighter against his chest. His eyes faced forward as he passed the cold figure of Harry Wooding. He hesitated a minute. What was that? As he passed the statue he could swear he heard a voice. “Be ashamed, be very ashamed…….” the voice whispered. Must be the wind he thought, playing tricks.
Tomorrow was a busy day……………more erasing to be done.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
We're Off to Pay the Wizard....
It was dark and dreary on the hill. The weather had turned from a pleasant autumn day to a cold and rainy night. The wind blew and whistled through the trees making groaning noises as they strained to remain erect. Lightning flashed across the sky forming a bizarre jigsaw pattern. The building on the hill seemed eerie and out of place for the countryside. Each flash of lightening reflected off the tall glass windows creating surreal images. The cold brick and mortar seemed less inviting then it was months ago when the picture of this mystical place was first published. Now as Bubba crept his truck up the winding driveway he began to think this was not a good idea. He had been promised wonders beyond belief, a new future, life without worry, and fantastic images of success filled his head. Now as the wind howled and rain beat the rust off his vehicle Bubba longed for the days in the mill. Life had been so simple then. Get up, go to work as he had for 23 years, sit behind his worn and creaky textile machine, put in his 8 hours, and come home to his three kids and his high school sweetheart.
But that was years ago. The mill where he and his father had worked (43 years for his dad) now was reduced to bricks to be used for the patios of the New York upper class. He could almost hear the cocktail party taking place on the Manhatten patio as two bleach blonde, over the hill socialites wearing Cartier necklaces discussed the recently completed patio.
Hillary took one more sip of her Cristal champagne and continued, “Yes, Barry and I waited months for the patio to be completed. The contractor, the same one that Tom Cruise used by the way, had a terrible time getting the brick. They came from a little mill town in Virginia. We thought we had them months ago but can you believe, they actually wanted to KEEP the old buildings that these bricks came from. Can you imagine? Well luckily someone down there saw the wisdom and dropped a wrecking ball on the place and we got our bricks! I can’t wait until the old wooden beams come for the game room. I better not hear any of that “historic” stuff. The Marlowes will be here at Christmas and I want that room done. Aren’t these bricks quaint? You see the markings on some of them? I’m told they came from workmen who sharpened their textile knives or something on the bricks. Look you can almost see some cotton fibers still clinging to them. If those bricks could talk…. Well they would probably say, get a job!”. Hillary threw back her head and laughed.
All Bubba wanted now was to turn around and race down the hill away from this place. But he knew he couldn’t. He had been out of work for over 14 months. The house was gone, and the truck would be next. He needed a job. The building on the hill was his last hope. But he had a nagging feeling that the glass and brick monster was not all it was cracked up to be.
He pulled the truck near the front door. The lights of the building reflected upward creating shadows that appeared to be reaching for Bubba. “Come in,” they seemed to call. “We know what you need. Have no worries.”
Bubba hesitated at the door. As each flash of lightening streaked down from the clouds it illuminated the inside of the building. He saw people scurrying back and forth along the hallways and open areas. It reminded him of the rats in the mill. Right now Bubba would have preferred rats over what was in the building. He knew that once he passed through the door there would be no turning back. He stood before the edifice created by the Council of The Dan. Weird lights blinked and flashed throughout the building. It reminded Bubba of the old pinball machine at the bowling alley. But these lights were coupled with cash register bells when they went on and off. A bell like sound shot from the building. Did it signal that an angel got its wings? No it meant someone got a new grant. For Bubba was not in Kansas (or Kentuck) anymore. He stood before the Castle of the Future lead by Dr. Franklin-stein and his Council of the Dan. There before him was the biggest mystery of all…….the Institute!!!! (Fade to black)
Sounds like a good story doesn’t it? Well this story is built on facts. Bubba had stumbled his way into the present day version of Count Dracula’s castle. But just like Dracula this monster was here to suck the life out of a community.
The Institute was built and funded on a series of grants, state funding and tobacco settlement money. (Pet Peeve #1: It’s amazing that when some of the people involved in these projects talk about grant money they act as if it was not “real” money. Several had said that no tax money was used, only grant money. Well what do they think grant money is? Your right....tax money!) The High Council met and decided among the bankers errrrr I mean the “visionaries” what was best for Danville. The High Council met (I bet there were hoods and flaming torches involved) and developed the idea of the Institute. This would be the saving project for Danville. The Council members reared back in their chairs and reached around with distorted arms to pat themselves on their backs.
The Institute was created, according to their Minister of Gobblegook, to create jobs. Stop. Someone please name me one job that the Institute created other then the high paying career coaster personnel that work there? Oh yeah, they created a gardener position to tend to the corn that is going to be made into concrete. What you say? Yeah concrete from corn. That’s our big future. How about bioinformatics? Lets see….what Danville worker will we put into gene finding, genome assembly, protein structure alignment, or sequence alignment? Again jobs are created but only within the Institute. The supporters say that they are “future” jobs. Unfortunately Danville workers have “present” bills to pay. How about getting a job that the average Danville worker can do? They don’t want to cruise the information highway, they just want a job building it. Danville has a noble history of providing some of the most skilled workers who produce superior products. Don’t sell them short.
The Institute and its proponents truly believe, I hope, that they are doing something good for Danville. Should they be successful it would be a great step for the area however if it falls flat on its face as other institutes in Virginia have then it will just be another waste of money. The so called Future of the Piedmont Committee which developed the idea of the Institute was so successful that one of its founding members is now….you guessed it……….an employee of the Institute! Well at least one Dan River laid off employee got a job.
And so Bubba stands in front of the Institute doors, rain streaming down his face. All the bells and whistles inside have no meaning to him. All he wants to do is click his heel three times and be back at work. He slowly turns around and heads back to the truck. He turns and looks one more time at the glass and brick palace. Hmmm he wonders. Do you suppose the bricks and steel of the Institute would make a nice loft condo project on the New Your City Eastside? Could the economic wrecking ball do that? Maybe Hillary needs an extension to her patio. Bubba could care less. His mind is elsewhere. Tomorrow the electric bill is due.
But that was years ago. The mill where he and his father had worked (43 years for his dad) now was reduced to bricks to be used for the patios of the New York upper class. He could almost hear the cocktail party taking place on the Manhatten patio as two bleach blonde, over the hill socialites wearing Cartier necklaces discussed the recently completed patio.
Hillary took one more sip of her Cristal champagne and continued, “Yes, Barry and I waited months for the patio to be completed. The contractor, the same one that Tom Cruise used by the way, had a terrible time getting the brick. They came from a little mill town in Virginia. We thought we had them months ago but can you believe, they actually wanted to KEEP the old buildings that these bricks came from. Can you imagine? Well luckily someone down there saw the wisdom and dropped a wrecking ball on the place and we got our bricks! I can’t wait until the old wooden beams come for the game room. I better not hear any of that “historic” stuff. The Marlowes will be here at Christmas and I want that room done. Aren’t these bricks quaint? You see the markings on some of them? I’m told they came from workmen who sharpened their textile knives or something on the bricks. Look you can almost see some cotton fibers still clinging to them. If those bricks could talk…. Well they would probably say, get a job!”. Hillary threw back her head and laughed.
All Bubba wanted now was to turn around and race down the hill away from this place. But he knew he couldn’t. He had been out of work for over 14 months. The house was gone, and the truck would be next. He needed a job. The building on the hill was his last hope. But he had a nagging feeling that the glass and brick monster was not all it was cracked up to be.
He pulled the truck near the front door. The lights of the building reflected upward creating shadows that appeared to be reaching for Bubba. “Come in,” they seemed to call. “We know what you need. Have no worries.”
Bubba hesitated at the door. As each flash of lightening streaked down from the clouds it illuminated the inside of the building. He saw people scurrying back and forth along the hallways and open areas. It reminded him of the rats in the mill. Right now Bubba would have preferred rats over what was in the building. He knew that once he passed through the door there would be no turning back. He stood before the edifice created by the Council of The Dan. Weird lights blinked and flashed throughout the building. It reminded Bubba of the old pinball machine at the bowling alley. But these lights were coupled with cash register bells when they went on and off. A bell like sound shot from the building. Did it signal that an angel got its wings? No it meant someone got a new grant. For Bubba was not in Kansas (or Kentuck) anymore. He stood before the Castle of the Future lead by Dr. Franklin-stein and his Council of the Dan. There before him was the biggest mystery of all…….the Institute!!!! (Fade to black)
Sounds like a good story doesn’t it? Well this story is built on facts. Bubba had stumbled his way into the present day version of Count Dracula’s castle. But just like Dracula this monster was here to suck the life out of a community.
The Institute was built and funded on a series of grants, state funding and tobacco settlement money. (Pet Peeve #1: It’s amazing that when some of the people involved in these projects talk about grant money they act as if it was not “real” money. Several had said that no tax money was used, only grant money. Well what do they think grant money is? Your right....tax money!) The High Council met and decided among the bankers errrrr I mean the “visionaries” what was best for Danville. The High Council met (I bet there were hoods and flaming torches involved) and developed the idea of the Institute. This would be the saving project for Danville. The Council members reared back in their chairs and reached around with distorted arms to pat themselves on their backs.
The Institute was created, according to their Minister of Gobblegook, to create jobs. Stop. Someone please name me one job that the Institute created other then the high paying career coaster personnel that work there? Oh yeah, they created a gardener position to tend to the corn that is going to be made into concrete. What you say? Yeah concrete from corn. That’s our big future. How about bioinformatics? Lets see….what Danville worker will we put into gene finding, genome assembly, protein structure alignment, or sequence alignment? Again jobs are created but only within the Institute. The supporters say that they are “future” jobs. Unfortunately Danville workers have “present” bills to pay. How about getting a job that the average Danville worker can do? They don’t want to cruise the information highway, they just want a job building it. Danville has a noble history of providing some of the most skilled workers who produce superior products. Don’t sell them short.
The Institute and its proponents truly believe, I hope, that they are doing something good for Danville. Should they be successful it would be a great step for the area however if it falls flat on its face as other institutes in Virginia have then it will just be another waste of money. The so called Future of the Piedmont Committee which developed the idea of the Institute was so successful that one of its founding members is now….you guessed it……….an employee of the Institute! Well at least one Dan River laid off employee got a job.
And so Bubba stands in front of the Institute doors, rain streaming down his face. All the bells and whistles inside have no meaning to him. All he wants to do is click his heel three times and be back at work. He slowly turns around and heads back to the truck. He turns and looks one more time at the glass and brick palace. Hmmm he wonders. Do you suppose the bricks and steel of the Institute would make a nice loft condo project on the New Your City Eastside? Could the economic wrecking ball do that? Maybe Hillary needs an extension to her patio. Bubba could care less. His mind is elsewhere. Tomorrow the electric bill is due.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Danville Darwin Awards
I am pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the first annual Danville Darwin Awards. These awards will go to the activity, person, or idea within the Danville Public Schools that borders (or crosses) on the ridiculous or is just plain stupid. Several people have suggested that I open it up to all the city agencies however there is so much it must be manageable award procedure. As such I have narrowed the focus to Danville Public Schools. Perhaps in the future the “awards” will be expanded to other agencies but for now I will focus on DPS. So much fodder…..so little time.
Here are the rules. You, the readers, nominate a policy, idea, decision, belief, or action by a school board member or an employee or most importantly a central office administrator. The nomination must be an item that deceives the public, wastes public funds, is a down right lie, or seems to indicate total lack of caring for students, employees, or the public. I know…so much to choose from! All nominations must be verifiable, true, and be able to be documented. This is not “Incredible Stories That I Wish Had Happened.”
The nominating committee (me) will review all submissions and choose the ones that make the awards (hey its my blog!). The awards will be featured in a future issue. I have heard many nominations already that are public knowledge. Don’t worry if you are a school board employee I will protect your identity (as well as any other person who submits a nomination). Make your submissions by October 12. Send all items to Savetheschools2@aol.com . Make them good, it should be an interesting awards ceremony. I thought of holding them at the Institute but geez who can afford the rates! Well I guess I could get the state to sponsor it then it would be paid for by the public.
Thank you for the many kind comments to the blog. As my daughter says, “If it’s the truth, it needs to be known.”
Don’t hesitate, send in your nominations today!
Here are the rules. You, the readers, nominate a policy, idea, decision, belief, or action by a school board member or an employee or most importantly a central office administrator. The nomination must be an item that deceives the public, wastes public funds, is a down right lie, or seems to indicate total lack of caring for students, employees, or the public. I know…so much to choose from! All nominations must be verifiable, true, and be able to be documented. This is not “Incredible Stories That I Wish Had Happened.”
The nominating committee (me) will review all submissions and choose the ones that make the awards (hey its my blog!). The awards will be featured in a future issue. I have heard many nominations already that are public knowledge. Don’t worry if you are a school board employee I will protect your identity (as well as any other person who submits a nomination). Make your submissions by October 12. Send all items to Savetheschools2@aol.com . Make them good, it should be an interesting awards ceremony. I thought of holding them at the Institute but geez who can afford the rates! Well I guess I could get the state to sponsor it then it would be paid for by the public.
Thank you for the many kind comments to the blog. As my daughter says, “If it’s the truth, it needs to be known.”
Don’t hesitate, send in your nominations today!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Held Hostage by a Gang
The citizens of Danville have fallen victim to gang violence. More sinister then any LA gang these gangsters were able to operate practically unseen by anyone in Danville. Unfortunately these gang members were not Crips or Bloods who wore bandanas, tattoos, and wielded guns. These gang members wore suits (some with dresses), designer shoes, and carried briefcases. This gang had several names, the Memorial Hospital Board Disciples, the Banker Mafia, and the Sell Out Kings just to mention a few.
How are they a gang? Well lets look at the law and see the definition: “Virginia State Law 18.2-46.1 defines a criminal street gang as any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, (i) which has as one of its primary objectives or activities the commission of one or more criminal activities; (ii) which has an identifiable name or identifying sign or symbol; and (iii) whose members individually or collectively have engaged in the commission of, attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or solicitation of two or more predicate criminal acts, at least one of which is an act of violence, provided such acts were not part of a common act or transaction.”
Gee, seems like this group qualifies. If denying adequate medical care is a criminal act then we have a clean sweep. This group most often referred to as “The Board” engaged in the commission of acts that denied quality medical care to many Danville citizens.
The facts are simply this:
Board gets greedy. Board sells to greedy group. Greedy group screws up. Greedy group tries to white wash problems. Problems grow. Greedy group hires and fires. Greedy group forces hospital to offer sub par medical care.
How will it all end? Many believe the next line to this story will be: Greedy group sells hospital and sails off into the sunset. This was a one act play from day one. Anyone could see this coming. But the question is why? The answer is simple---greed.
The hospital for many years was the crown jewel of the city. It had its problems but none the less it functioned as an integral part of the social and economic make up of the city. People rallied behind it during good and bad times. Donations poured in and allowed the hospital to grow, evolve, and continue to serve the citizens. It was part of the fabric that cloaked the city with good will and security. Were emergency rooms crowded? Sure. Did people complain? Sure, but very few. It was an inconvenience that people put up with to insure they had access to a not-for-profit hospital that they felt connected to in some way. Volunteers filled the halls, the coffee shop, the wards, and the offices. People were actually allowed to work off hospital bills by working at the hospital. A true social experiment.
The hospital grew and grew, equipment was updated, state of the art computer equipment was purchased, top notch physicians were attracted to the area, and all was good in Mudville.
Then the gang moved in.
Like all gangs they sneaked in under the radar and no one saw it coming. The secret handshakes began, the strange language started, and the gang began to circle for the kill. The calf had been fatted and now it was time for the sacrifice, all under the banner of what’s “good for Danville.” The OG’s (Original Gangsters) could wait no longer, the dollar signs were intoxicating. The secret was contained but it would soon be the talk of the town. The stealth of the negotiations rivaled the A-bomb secrets. The suitors were whisked in and out of Danville while the OG’s sized up the offers. Who would make the highest offer?
When all the dust had settled another gang, the Lifepoint Outlaws, had taken the turf as their own. The Hospital Board Disciples merrily walked away with briefcases stuffed with cash. How much did they receive? No one really knows, but it was “good for Danville”. Most of the cash was destined for the Golden Calf on the hill, the Institute. “This will save Danville !”, said the banker gangsters. “Trust us. We know more then you do.” they assured the citizens. Little did they know the storm that was brewing.
Lifepoint roared in on their motorcycles and looked over their “turf”. Hmmm the OG’s thought. This place has lots to plunder. And so it went. They slithered through the hospital slashing and burning as they moved from department to department. They soon discovered that the hospital computer system was so sophisticated that their antiquated programs would not work! So a logical business decision would be to upgrade the software. No, not this gang. They ripped out nearly all the computer systems and installed out of date computers that could handle their software. A giant leap for Lifepoint, a leap backwards for Danville. The working population began to drop as workers realized they were on the Titanic and the lifeboats were leaving. Before they were canned they simply jumped ship. The surrounding hospitals were eager to get these highly trained individuals. And the quality of care in Danville began to suffer.
The hospital gang sat back and let things go from bad to worse. Pressure began to mount. The “old gang” of Memorial began to sweat a little. What if people really began to look into what we did they wondered. How can we take the heat off? Throw money at them they decided. So the Benevolent Disciples stepped forward and proclaimed, “Hear ye, Hear ye! The Disciples will alleviate all your worries. We will shower the local counties and cities with money. The Emerald City, the Institute, will receive our blessing. The Pittsylvania County church of a gang member will receive a gift. The DCC Castle will be showered with funds. Oh yeah don’t forget to toss a bone to Caswell County.
Employees at the hospital unfairly became the scapegoats. Short handed they strained to maintain services. The emergency room took the worse hit as service suffered and time delays grew. Then the hammer fell. Accreditation was in jeopardy. The Lifepoint gang met and mulled over the problem. Hmmm, what can we do to take the heat off the gang. “Toss them another CEO!”, they decided. So another CEO made the slow trek to the guillotine.
The neighborhood became restless with the gangs and began to fight back. The Hospital Board Disciples ran for cover. The gang could not fight so many people. The biggest gang of all, the City Council Bloods, entered the fray as always…..late. They quickly put together a commission to look at the issue and issue a report. And so a group met and met and met and met……. The final report told everyone what they already knew. A gang had taken the Crown Jewel and was holding it for ransom. The City Council Bloods threw up their hands and said, “We did all we can do.” The Hospital Board Disciples smiled………..all the way to the bank.
This story is not a work of fiction though many wish it was. This is how gangs infiltrate a city and eat away at its core. No one seems to care until it is too late. What can be done? New gang legislation? Increased gang intelligence and enforcement? The train may already have left the station.
And the gangs smiled…..all is good…..all is good.
How are they a gang? Well lets look at the law and see the definition: “Virginia State Law 18.2-46.1 defines a criminal street gang as any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, (i) which has as one of its primary objectives or activities the commission of one or more criminal activities; (ii) which has an identifiable name or identifying sign or symbol; and (iii) whose members individually or collectively have engaged in the commission of, attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or solicitation of two or more predicate criminal acts, at least one of which is an act of violence, provided such acts were not part of a common act or transaction.”
Gee, seems like this group qualifies. If denying adequate medical care is a criminal act then we have a clean sweep. This group most often referred to as “The Board” engaged in the commission of acts that denied quality medical care to many Danville citizens.
The facts are simply this:
Board gets greedy. Board sells to greedy group. Greedy group screws up. Greedy group tries to white wash problems. Problems grow. Greedy group hires and fires. Greedy group forces hospital to offer sub par medical care.
How will it all end? Many believe the next line to this story will be: Greedy group sells hospital and sails off into the sunset. This was a one act play from day one. Anyone could see this coming. But the question is why? The answer is simple---greed.
The hospital for many years was the crown jewel of the city. It had its problems but none the less it functioned as an integral part of the social and economic make up of the city. People rallied behind it during good and bad times. Donations poured in and allowed the hospital to grow, evolve, and continue to serve the citizens. It was part of the fabric that cloaked the city with good will and security. Were emergency rooms crowded? Sure. Did people complain? Sure, but very few. It was an inconvenience that people put up with to insure they had access to a not-for-profit hospital that they felt connected to in some way. Volunteers filled the halls, the coffee shop, the wards, and the offices. People were actually allowed to work off hospital bills by working at the hospital. A true social experiment.
The hospital grew and grew, equipment was updated, state of the art computer equipment was purchased, top notch physicians were attracted to the area, and all was good in Mudville.
Then the gang moved in.
Like all gangs they sneaked in under the radar and no one saw it coming. The secret handshakes began, the strange language started, and the gang began to circle for the kill. The calf had been fatted and now it was time for the sacrifice, all under the banner of what’s “good for Danville.” The OG’s (Original Gangsters) could wait no longer, the dollar signs were intoxicating. The secret was contained but it would soon be the talk of the town. The stealth of the negotiations rivaled the A-bomb secrets. The suitors were whisked in and out of Danville while the OG’s sized up the offers. Who would make the highest offer?
When all the dust had settled another gang, the Lifepoint Outlaws, had taken the turf as their own. The Hospital Board Disciples merrily walked away with briefcases stuffed with cash. How much did they receive? No one really knows, but it was “good for Danville”. Most of the cash was destined for the Golden Calf on the hill, the Institute. “This will save Danville !”, said the banker gangsters. “Trust us. We know more then you do.” they assured the citizens. Little did they know the storm that was brewing.
Lifepoint roared in on their motorcycles and looked over their “turf”. Hmmm the OG’s thought. This place has lots to plunder. And so it went. They slithered through the hospital slashing and burning as they moved from department to department. They soon discovered that the hospital computer system was so sophisticated that their antiquated programs would not work! So a logical business decision would be to upgrade the software. No, not this gang. They ripped out nearly all the computer systems and installed out of date computers that could handle their software. A giant leap for Lifepoint, a leap backwards for Danville. The working population began to drop as workers realized they were on the Titanic and the lifeboats were leaving. Before they were canned they simply jumped ship. The surrounding hospitals were eager to get these highly trained individuals. And the quality of care in Danville began to suffer.
The hospital gang sat back and let things go from bad to worse. Pressure began to mount. The “old gang” of Memorial began to sweat a little. What if people really began to look into what we did they wondered. How can we take the heat off? Throw money at them they decided. So the Benevolent Disciples stepped forward and proclaimed, “Hear ye, Hear ye! The Disciples will alleviate all your worries. We will shower the local counties and cities with money. The Emerald City, the Institute, will receive our blessing. The Pittsylvania County church of a gang member will receive a gift. The DCC Castle will be showered with funds. Oh yeah don’t forget to toss a bone to Caswell County.
Employees at the hospital unfairly became the scapegoats. Short handed they strained to maintain services. The emergency room took the worse hit as service suffered and time delays grew. Then the hammer fell. Accreditation was in jeopardy. The Lifepoint gang met and mulled over the problem. Hmmm, what can we do to take the heat off the gang. “Toss them another CEO!”, they decided. So another CEO made the slow trek to the guillotine.
The neighborhood became restless with the gangs and began to fight back. The Hospital Board Disciples ran for cover. The gang could not fight so many people. The biggest gang of all, the City Council Bloods, entered the fray as always…..late. They quickly put together a commission to look at the issue and issue a report. And so a group met and met and met and met……. The final report told everyone what they already knew. A gang had taken the Crown Jewel and was holding it for ransom. The City Council Bloods threw up their hands and said, “We did all we can do.” The Hospital Board Disciples smiled………..all the way to the bank.
This story is not a work of fiction though many wish it was. This is how gangs infiltrate a city and eat away at its core. No one seems to care until it is too late. What can be done? New gang legislation? Increased gang intelligence and enforcement? The train may already have left the station.
And the gangs smiled…..all is good…..all is good.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
You Know You Live In Danville if...
Recently the Register and Rag, a daily fishwrap masquarading as a newspaper, printed an article on how you know you live in Danville. Here is my reply to it. (Some of these were donated by my kids.)
You Know You Live in Danville If
- “fine dining” means you go some place that actually serves the food on a plate.
- the streets are torn up every year just when school starts.
- utility bills resemble a Lexus payment.
- even the doctors won’t go to the hospital here.
- merge signs are merely a suggestion.
- “economic boom” is defined as a nickel increase in the price of scrap copper.
- the main newspaper is filled with news from yesterdays Richmond Times Dispatch.
- the age of your shoes are greater then the age of most Danville police officers.
- its easier to adopt a child then adopt a pet from the shelter.
- the Institute reminds you of Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz. A lot of bells and whistles but no one really knows what goes on behind the curtain.
- the streets are sprayed with water BEFORE an ice storm.
- the top job producer in the city is “demolition”.
- the school board could not pass a SOL test (Standards of Logic)
- restaurants serve food “deep fried” or “really deep fried”.
- The three largest religions are Baptist, Baptist, and NASCAR.
- Rotor Rooter is needed to clean out the arteries of the average citizen.
- the city needs a “multi media director” to produce the municipal version of the “Gong Show”.
- the city still collects trash the way they did in the 18th century.
- the day of judgment comes but you don’t worry since Danville is 10 years behind so you still have time.
- all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t put Danville Memorial Hospital back together again.
- you decide to move to the county so your kids will get a decent education.
You Know You Live in Danville If
- “fine dining” means you go some place that actually serves the food on a plate.
- the streets are torn up every year just when school starts.
- utility bills resemble a Lexus payment.
- even the doctors won’t go to the hospital here.
- merge signs are merely a suggestion.
- “economic boom” is defined as a nickel increase in the price of scrap copper.
- the main newspaper is filled with news from yesterdays Richmond Times Dispatch.
- the age of your shoes are greater then the age of most Danville police officers.
- its easier to adopt a child then adopt a pet from the shelter.
- the Institute reminds you of Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz. A lot of bells and whistles but no one really knows what goes on behind the curtain.
- the streets are sprayed with water BEFORE an ice storm.
- the top job producer in the city is “demolition”.
- the school board could not pass a SOL test (Standards of Logic)
- restaurants serve food “deep fried” or “really deep fried”.
- The three largest religions are Baptist, Baptist, and NASCAR.
- Rotor Rooter is needed to clean out the arteries of the average citizen.
- the city needs a “multi media director” to produce the municipal version of the “Gong Show”.
- the city still collects trash the way they did in the 18th century.
- the day of judgment comes but you don’t worry since Danville is 10 years behind so you still have time.
- all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t put Danville Memorial Hospital back together again.
- you decide to move to the county so your kids will get a decent education.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
How Can A District Operate This Way
Few people are privy to the workings of the inner circle that make up the Danville Public Schools central administration. However all Danville residents are members of the school district by the simple fact they are taxpayers or “stockholders” in this corporation called the City of Danville. As a stockholder every taxpayer has a right to see how the district is operated and be assured the district is being operated efficiently, openly, legally, and professionally.
However try to get some information out of the school district. It would be easier to get the combination to Fort Knox. The ivory tower cannot be challenged so sayeth the queen.
Make a call to the tower. Las Vegas would give better odds as to whether you would: a) actually get someone to answer the phone or b) actually get someone to return a call. The deck is stacked against you.
Really want to stir the kingdom up? Call and ask for the middle school SOL scores. These are more closely guarded then the missile launch codes. Just merely asking for them would cause the office to raise the threat level to red. The SOLCAT (SOL Crisis Action Team) would be triggered and the blast doors would swing shut. The high command would call an emergency meeting and they would huddle in the bunkers and contemplate the question, “How can we spin these numbers so they will look good? “ The crystal ball would come out, the Merlins’ would recite incantations, magic potions would be mixed, and the sacred book, “Lies of the SOL’s”, would be pulled from the shelf. The seven dwarfs of the school board would be assembled and the call would go out, “All Is Good”. The queen would rush in and the spin would begin. “Let them eat cake!” the queen would bellow. “How dare they challenge the high command!”
When all the smoke has cleared you would not be any closer to an answer then you were when you started.
Now lets look at the hemorrhaging of money from the district. Recently the High Council (City Council) withdrew their heads from the sand for an instant and gave the queen and the dwarfs $300, 000 additional to an already bloated budget. The reason? To add onto the Golden Child called Galileo High School. Yes, the administrators pleaded, we need money, money, money! We are so poor and we must shore up the Golden Child! And then the High Council (they must have been high to agree to this) forked over the money with no questions asked. Suddenly, as if by magic, (magic book keeping that is) the sacred education kingdom three months later announces they have a $1 million plus surplus left over! Hmmmmmmmm Lets see…I need $300,000….but I’m sitting on $1 million plus………….and I did not know this? In the meantime poor GWHS , once the flagship of the district, has been relegated to second class citizenship. Ahhh what has happened and why has it been allowed to continue!
Apathy has allowed it to happen. The only way to get the district back on track is to elect new leaders. Leaders who have a vested interest, leaders who know what is going on, leaders who realize the current direction is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic after it has hit the iceberg. The current board is simply not up to the task. The seven dwarfs need an “Extreme Makeover-Danville Edition”. This can only happen when concerned citizens step forward and take on the status quo. Next year school board elections are scheduled. Several seats will be up for renewal. Are there any Danville citizens willing to step forward? Will the queen continue like some actor in a weird Monty Python movie? Tear down an old building in Danville and the preservationists come out of the woodwork. Tear down a school district and not a peep is heard. Recently a good candidate for the school board was asked why they did not run the last election. The answer was depressing yet revealing. This person answered, “I think its to far gone to fix. I would only be one voice is a dark and murky sea. I really don’t have the fight in me to beat my head against the wall. The words “common sense” ring hollow with this group. I’m too old to take on windmills.” Sad, but true.
The High Council shares a burden of this blame. They have allowed the school board to blatantly squander money and allow practices that are detrimental to the district go unchecked. They answer, “Well the school board is independent!” True, they are an independent group but the High Council holds the money card. They need to reshuffle the deck and demand that reasonable expectations be adhered to and followed. Only by holding the leadership accountable can the castle be brought into line. The subjects (taxpayers) of the Kingdom of Danville deserve better. There is a two ton elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about it.
However try to get some information out of the school district. It would be easier to get the combination to Fort Knox. The ivory tower cannot be challenged so sayeth the queen.
Make a call to the tower. Las Vegas would give better odds as to whether you would: a) actually get someone to answer the phone or b) actually get someone to return a call. The deck is stacked against you.
Really want to stir the kingdom up? Call and ask for the middle school SOL scores. These are more closely guarded then the missile launch codes. Just merely asking for them would cause the office to raise the threat level to red. The SOLCAT (SOL Crisis Action Team) would be triggered and the blast doors would swing shut. The high command would call an emergency meeting and they would huddle in the bunkers and contemplate the question, “How can we spin these numbers so they will look good? “ The crystal ball would come out, the Merlins’ would recite incantations, magic potions would be mixed, and the sacred book, “Lies of the SOL’s”, would be pulled from the shelf. The seven dwarfs of the school board would be assembled and the call would go out, “All Is Good”. The queen would rush in and the spin would begin. “Let them eat cake!” the queen would bellow. “How dare they challenge the high command!”
When all the smoke has cleared you would not be any closer to an answer then you were when you started.
Now lets look at the hemorrhaging of money from the district. Recently the High Council (City Council) withdrew their heads from the sand for an instant and gave the queen and the dwarfs $300, 000 additional to an already bloated budget. The reason? To add onto the Golden Child called Galileo High School. Yes, the administrators pleaded, we need money, money, money! We are so poor and we must shore up the Golden Child! And then the High Council (they must have been high to agree to this) forked over the money with no questions asked. Suddenly, as if by magic, (magic book keeping that is) the sacred education kingdom three months later announces they have a $1 million plus surplus left over! Hmmmmmmmm Lets see…I need $300,000….but I’m sitting on $1 million plus………….and I did not know this? In the meantime poor GWHS , once the flagship of the district, has been relegated to second class citizenship. Ahhh what has happened and why has it been allowed to continue!
Apathy has allowed it to happen. The only way to get the district back on track is to elect new leaders. Leaders who have a vested interest, leaders who know what is going on, leaders who realize the current direction is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic after it has hit the iceberg. The current board is simply not up to the task. The seven dwarfs need an “Extreme Makeover-Danville Edition”. This can only happen when concerned citizens step forward and take on the status quo. Next year school board elections are scheduled. Several seats will be up for renewal. Are there any Danville citizens willing to step forward? Will the queen continue like some actor in a weird Monty Python movie? Tear down an old building in Danville and the preservationists come out of the woodwork. Tear down a school district and not a peep is heard. Recently a good candidate for the school board was asked why they did not run the last election. The answer was depressing yet revealing. This person answered, “I think its to far gone to fix. I would only be one voice is a dark and murky sea. I really don’t have the fight in me to beat my head against the wall. The words “common sense” ring hollow with this group. I’m too old to take on windmills.” Sad, but true.
The High Council shares a burden of this blame. They have allowed the school board to blatantly squander money and allow practices that are detrimental to the district go unchecked. They answer, “Well the school board is independent!” True, they are an independent group but the High Council holds the money card. They need to reshuffle the deck and demand that reasonable expectations be adhered to and followed. Only by holding the leadership accountable can the castle be brought into line. The subjects (taxpayers) of the Kingdom of Danville deserve better. There is a two ton elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about it.
Monday, August 27, 2007
We Wonder What Day Our School District Died......
Danville has always been a place that has resisted change. The feeling has been that "home-grown" is the way to go. This is not always a good thing. Sometimes "new ideas" and the dreaded word "change" will help elevate a city above the common belief that the old way is the best way.
This is exactly what has happened to the Danville Public Schools. After several years of outsiders running the district the thought process evolved to a point that an insider, regardless of who it was, could run the district the "Danville way". Unfortunately the pickings were mighty thin at that point in the city's group of candidates and a decision was made to install a person that had been swimming in the shallow end of the intellectual pool.
That was the day the district began to die.
Danville was already suffering from the pains and muscle spasms of a city that had already experienced a Katrina-like economic hurricane. A long term employer, Dan River, was removed from life support and allowed to gasp for breath and slowly sink out of sight. Tobacco, the areas other economic lifeline, has succumbed to a barrage of public health attacks and competition from foreign suppliers. There was a huge "sucking sound" as jobs were vacuumed up and shipped overseas. The city intelligentsia scrambled to rebuild the economy with words such as "nanotechnology" and "information based economy". The wheels churned, the whistles blew, the great new Danville started its chug up the long hill slowly repeating "I know I can. I know I can.....".
Laying silent like a dormant volcano was Danville Public Schools. Down but not out. Enrollment had dropped like a rock, free lunch rates inched upward as the district made its painful transition to an urban district. After several years of rocky leadership a partially new school board (the seven dwarfs......you can guess who Grumpy and Dopey are.....) stood on the bow of the good ship DPS and proudly announced "we're king of the world...." with a new leader. Danville Public Schools were saved! Unknown at that time, but widely suspected, the emperor had no clothes.
Despite all the hoopla and fanfare the district employees soon realized homegrown was for tomatoes and not school leaders. Morale started a deep nose dive as the district became more and more confused as to what kind of animal it was. The spin doctors worked hard and long to put on a face of "Everything is ok. Just don't drink the water!" The central office became the palace of the queen and all subjects were to swear allegiance and walk in step or be banished to the outside of the walls of the castle. The inner circle had spoken. The queen brought more and more clones in until the central office resembled a form of the Matrix. And the school board, like the band on the Titanic, kept playing the same tune assuring everyone that all was well.
The district' heart began to miss beats.......
As the months passed the schools became more and more confused as the walls slowly crumbled. Edicts were passed down from the ivory tower without thought or reason. Money was hemorrhaging out of central office as the leaders in training tried to put fingers in the holes in the dike. Test scores were massaged, manipulated, and spun to create a sense that all was ok. But high in the tower all was not well. "Drown them with policies! That should keep their mind off the test scores", rattled the queen. And so like a perverted Harry Potter movie the walls of the palace grew and changed, doors shrinking so only the select few could enter.
And the district developed a clot.......
The Merlin's of the district came up with a new idea. "Let's combine schools that are failing, change their names, and restart the clock for accreditation ". The leaders sat back and smiled, the kingdom will survive. Unknown to them however was the fact that the subjects were not as dimwitted as they thought. Teachers, students, and the last few effective leaders abandoned the district and jumped over the moat to Pittsylvania County and retirement. Some simply gave up, some ran to escape the flames, some just wanted a queen or a king who cared about them.
The district was put on life support..........
Again the seven dwarfs simply whistled "Hi Ho Hi Ho Its off to oblivion we go......." The queen and her court gathered in their new palace and wrung their hands. How can we blame all the problems on the past when our reign has become over two years old! "I know", said the queen, "Throw more money at it!" And so it moves on, the queen scrambling, the seven dwarfs burying themselves in policies, and the children suffering.
And the district gasped its last breath..................
Where it may seem like a bad fairy tale it is true. Only a reincarnation can save the schools. But the Grimm brothers are dead and there doesn't seem to be anyone to write a new chapter. Is there a J. K. Rowling out there?
Next: How can they operate the district this way?
This is exactly what has happened to the Danville Public Schools. After several years of outsiders running the district the thought process evolved to a point that an insider, regardless of who it was, could run the district the "Danville way". Unfortunately the pickings were mighty thin at that point in the city's group of candidates and a decision was made to install a person that had been swimming in the shallow end of the intellectual pool.
That was the day the district began to die.
Danville was already suffering from the pains and muscle spasms of a city that had already experienced a Katrina-like economic hurricane. A long term employer, Dan River, was removed from life support and allowed to gasp for breath and slowly sink out of sight. Tobacco, the areas other economic lifeline, has succumbed to a barrage of public health attacks and competition from foreign suppliers. There was a huge "sucking sound" as jobs were vacuumed up and shipped overseas. The city intelligentsia scrambled to rebuild the economy with words such as "nanotechnology" and "information based economy". The wheels churned, the whistles blew, the great new Danville started its chug up the long hill slowly repeating "I know I can. I know I can.....".
Laying silent like a dormant volcano was Danville Public Schools. Down but not out. Enrollment had dropped like a rock, free lunch rates inched upward as the district made its painful transition to an urban district. After several years of rocky leadership a partially new school board (the seven dwarfs......you can guess who Grumpy and Dopey are.....) stood on the bow of the good ship DPS and proudly announced "we're king of the world...." with a new leader. Danville Public Schools were saved! Unknown at that time, but widely suspected, the emperor had no clothes.
Despite all the hoopla and fanfare the district employees soon realized homegrown was for tomatoes and not school leaders. Morale started a deep nose dive as the district became more and more confused as to what kind of animal it was. The spin doctors worked hard and long to put on a face of "Everything is ok. Just don't drink the water!" The central office became the palace of the queen and all subjects were to swear allegiance and walk in step or be banished to the outside of the walls of the castle. The inner circle had spoken. The queen brought more and more clones in until the central office resembled a form of the Matrix. And the school board, like the band on the Titanic, kept playing the same tune assuring everyone that all was well.
The district' heart began to miss beats.......
As the months passed the schools became more and more confused as the walls slowly crumbled. Edicts were passed down from the ivory tower without thought or reason. Money was hemorrhaging out of central office as the leaders in training tried to put fingers in the holes in the dike. Test scores were massaged, manipulated, and spun to create a sense that all was ok. But high in the tower all was not well. "Drown them with policies! That should keep their mind off the test scores", rattled the queen. And so like a perverted Harry Potter movie the walls of the palace grew and changed, doors shrinking so only the select few could enter.
And the district developed a clot.......
The Merlin's of the district came up with a new idea. "Let's combine schools that are failing, change their names, and restart the clock for accreditation ". The leaders sat back and smiled, the kingdom will survive. Unknown to them however was the fact that the subjects were not as dimwitted as they thought. Teachers, students, and the last few effective leaders abandoned the district and jumped over the moat to Pittsylvania County and retirement. Some simply gave up, some ran to escape the flames, some just wanted a queen or a king who cared about them.
The district was put on life support..........
Again the seven dwarfs simply whistled "Hi Ho Hi Ho Its off to oblivion we go......." The queen and her court gathered in their new palace and wrung their hands. How can we blame all the problems on the past when our reign has become over two years old! "I know", said the queen, "Throw more money at it!" And so it moves on, the queen scrambling, the seven dwarfs burying themselves in policies, and the children suffering.
And the district gasped its last breath..................
Where it may seem like a bad fairy tale it is true. Only a reincarnation can save the schools. But the Grimm brothers are dead and there doesn't seem to be anyone to write a new chapter. Is there a J. K. Rowling out there?
Next: How can they operate the district this way?
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