Richard Boone played Paladin, a sophisticated hired gun who lived in an upscale San Francisco Hotel between assignments. According to Samantha Marcus of The Morning Call, Paul Blunt is an Easton lawyer who will negotiate for a fee, for both school boards and teacher unions. Zahorchak has hired Paladin, I mean Blunt, to negotiate with the Allentown Teachers Union for the next contract. Considering all the financial consequences of a contract, I can't fault the hire per se. 
With all the questionable, new full time administrative positions Zahorchak has created, it's good to see this important task outsourced to a true professional. Perhaps when it's time to hire a new superintendent, the school board should consider outsourcing that decision.
MM, did you once get rejected from a government administrative job? This issue is getting old.
ReplyDeleteThe average life of an urban superintendent is 3 years. It is not enough time, even in good times which these are not, to improve educational performance. To call for the resignation of this important position and start all over again with someone else is truly irresponsible. You are putting your issue of too many administrators over what is best for Allentown's children.
I agree with Michael. Fire the superintendent for hiring too many administrators. I truly believe that Molovinsky could run our schools better than this guy. What does he know about Allentown education? He is from out of town. How hard can it be to run a system like a school district. Cut out all the free social programs, free lunches, baby sitting (also know as kindergarten) and sex education. I never had sex ed in schools and I am OK. Special ed, come on it is a waste of our hard earned money. If parents did their jobs we could have a fine school system like the one that educated me. I earn over $40,000 and pay my own health insurance and taxes.
ReplyDeletegary, please again read the post. it simply says that when the time comes for a school board to hire a new superintendent, perhaps they should use a consultant next time.
ReplyDeleteanon 6:13. i do think they hired the wrong person, but this post doesn't call for his firing. i support special education and many of the "free" programs. we have a large percentage of students in poverty.
Yes, MM you did not call for the superintendent's firing. At least not today. I apologize for misreading. Nevertheless, my points about turnover in the job stand. It is important to support the person who is responsible for the future of the city.
ReplyDeletegary, i think when you write It is important to support the person, you mean that they should not be criticized. on that point, we disagree.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletecriticism can be constructive or destructive--knowing the difference is the key
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletecomments 7:18 and 8:06 have been deleted. the cyberstalker really doesn't care about any issue besides his own obsession, he just trolls to attack his long, innocent, enemy list.
ReplyDelete"this post doesn't call for his firing" -MM
ReplyDeleteHypocrite. "Fire Him Now"
anon 8:22, aka cyberstalker, even that post, title besides, doesn't call for his firing. Zahorchak said if he doesn't raise the test scores in three years, fire him. John (Zahorchak), we don't really want to fire you now, but we don't care that much about the standardized test scores.
ReplyDeleteyour comment, like your blog, is a distortion. please stay on your blog and submit your comments and links there
I think everyone is ignoring Molovinsky's real intent of his posting, that is hiring a gunfighter to stick it to the teachers' union. When many teachers' unions were deferring pay raises and re-negotiating contracts due to the state funding crisis, the AEA failed to do so. Shame on them. The teachers say they support the children but not if it asks them for any sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Steelbreast---the teacher union is to blame for my taxes going up, in fact unions in general are to blame for the recession and high unemployment. If we didn't have unions we'd still have the steel and mack!
ReplyDeletesteelbreast, my intent was to point out that they hired outside help, despite creating multiple administrative posts. he is a gunfighter; but time will tell what orders he was given. the union boss claims that they were not offered sufficient guarantees to justify concessions. the final layoff figure of 112, although unfortunate, is probably in line with state cutbacks.
ReplyDeleteI agree with MM on some of the social programs to help the poor but there should be some accountability and positive results shown from these programs. I don't see that! If political correctness and liberalism was removed from the schools, which will never happen, the schools would be able to teach and discipline would return. With a good education, jobs would be a priority and the number of welfare recipients would decrease. The numbers of and cost of social programs would decrease and money now poorly spent, could be used for hiring good teachers, based on merit, not union demands. This is what is best for our students and that is what we should be fighting for. After all. it is our children and our tax money! To be fair, the superintendent has little to work with. He is between a rock and a hard place. Too many students don't want to learn and many parents don't care enough about their children's education. Just look at the product coming out of our schools. Tattoos, body piercing and entertainment is more important than getting a good education or a good job. Awhile the "third world" students are getting their master's and doctorates, we are being dumbed down. We have become fat, lazy and many are drugged up to feel good for the moment. One walk through Wal-mart will show us that and one walk through many neighborhoods will be our last! This affects everything in society. The way we think, the way we vote and the lack of leadership in government. We are what we learn and we learn what we are taught!
ReplyDeleteStealth.
A "hired gun" sounds great!
ReplyDeleteNow, perhaps we can have a proper boycott of Glazier's Furniture next time the radical left wing Fruitcakes do not get whatever they think they are entitled to.
Those signs I took down that one Sunday morning were absolutely pitiful in terms of professional quality workmanship...
...I mean, hey, if you are going to do something --- then do it right!
ReplyDeleteLike completely blow the freakin' lid of Federal spending, for example.
I know, I know --- Bush's Fault!
Still, my point remains the same.
"off of Federal"
ReplyDelete"even that post ["Fire Him Now"] title besides, doesn't call for his firing" -MM
ReplyDeleteSo that title was a distortion. Hypocrite. Oopsie.
because of the cyberstalker, aka oopsie and mr. hyperlink, comment moderation has been resumed.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should write about last Thursday night's ASD board meeting. Is it true a city resident revealed all sorts of questionable expenditures?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Michael. Fire the superintendent for hiring too many administrators. I truly believe that Molovinsky could run our schools better than this guy. What does he know about Allentown education? He is from out of town. How hard can it be to run a system like a school district. Cut out all the free social programs, free lunches, baby sitting (also know as kindergarten) and sex education. I never had sex ed in schools and I am OK. Special ed, come on it is a waste of our hard earned money. If parents did their jobs we could have a fine school system like the one that educated me. I earn over $40,000 and pay my own health insurance and taxes.
ReplyDeleteJuly 29, 2011 6:13 AM
I do too. The disgusting secret hiring of a former city official speaks volumes.
Truth be told, even if MM did state he should resign he would be 100% correct.
ReplyDeleteThis guy is focused on one thing, his career and how things APPEAR in three years. After he is gone all hell will break loose.
This guy makes the prior super look like a saint. It seems he rules primarily through fear, intimidation and lots and lots of smoke and mirrors.
May prove out he is the worst thing to have happened to Allentown in the past decade.
All will come out especially when he starts hiring board members for his straw man grant positions.
Talk about ethics.
I wonder how many students' names this guy really does know? Maybe a dozen, if that!
I can hear the Zawhorechick email send button being pressed now.
New Gang in Allentown - perhaps the most dangerous yet: Center City A-Crips (Arena Community Restoration in Progress).
ReplyDelete