Russom AND Fatta OUT !

[Old gal]

Chris Fatta is such a wonderful person and would do anything for the school and the kids! What a shame to have got caught up in this mess! I hope it all works out fo him!

[iinquriing mind]

I have teeth wrote:

This was a witch hunt. Anyone who knows danny and chris, know they are good guys. Big D will be fine I worry about Chris. Kind of surprised a St. j teacher would do this, but that's what big money will do. Anything to gain the attention from there husbands, or what we here....ex-husbands.

No one is disputing the fact that Chris is a nice person but the fact remains that when you're in a position of authority, and someone expresses a concern to you, you have to follow a certain protocol like we do with kids when they say serious things. Protocol wasn't followed for whatever reason, and there is a consequence for that as there would be if a teacher ignored a serious concern from student. Hopefully things will work out and Chris will be back to work soon.

[I have teeth]

iinquriing mind wrote:

<quoted text>
No one is disputing the fact that Chris is a nice person but the fact remains that when you're in a position of authority, and someone expresses a concern to you, you have to follow a certain protocol like we do with kids when they say serious things. Protocol wasn't followed for whatever reason, and there is a consequence for that as there would be if a teacher ignored a serious concern from student. Hopefully things will work out and Chris will be back to work soon.

Yeah and just like any other game of tattle tale he did look into it and most likely felt that it wasn't enough to warrant any action. This wasn't good enough for a bunch of whiny teachers. So what happens they get Michel involved. Now everyone loses. The kids especially and now the taxpayers have to fund what will be a significant buyout. Way to go.

[iinquriing mind]

I have teeth wrote:

<quoted text>
Yeah and just like any other game of tattle tale he did look into it and most likely felt that it wasn't enough to warrant any action. This wasn't good enough for a bunch of whiny teachers. So what happens they get Michel involved. Now everyone loses. The kids especially and now the taxpayers have to fund what will be a significant buyout. Way to go.

To some people that's just "Dan being Dan" but to other's it's offensive. Doesn't matter, he was a superintendent, you don't go there with people you hardly know, especially when you're vying for a chance to be their boss. If this whole situation involved a teacher instead, everyone would want to lynch them, so what makes him different? his "can't touch this" attitude? His six figure salary? Or the fact that this kind of behavior has been the status quo in Oppenheim for so long that people have become complacent about it? What's done is done, he should have thought before he opened his mouth and ruined things all by himself.

[drew60]

I totally agree wih iinquriing mind it make you wonder how long this smut has been going on in our nice country school It makes me sick and it's embarassing that our suprintendent can't go into another school and control his hormones. Makes you wonder how many others he's talked to like that and they we're afraid to say anything for fear of losing there much needed paycheck. I think the guy should get the hell out of dodge. I feel sorry for his family his wife and kids must be devestated. If I we're his wife he'd be geting out of dodge by himself. As for Mr.Fatta he is just as guilty shame on him.

[Oops]

They made a mistake, seems pretty simple. Why do you think that it should go without a penalty? You insist it's a head hunt or others should just put up with stuff and no rules need to be followed. I just don't get your thinking that people of authority should not be held accountable for their actions, even if both were just mistakes. You send kids to school to learn rules and you teach them at home, but then you don't want others to follow rules.

[FanofTruth]

Boy Howdy, people back home seem mighty quick to schedule a hanging. If your new puppy poops on the floor do you take him out back and shoot him dead? No...you make sure to be more aggresive with housebreaking training. So why is everyone so quick to rush to judgement regarding Mr. Russom and Mr. Fatta? A more appropriate and less costly solution would be to send them to "Sensitivity Training." As a matter of fact, such training should be mandatory for ALL SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES. In more civilized parts of the USA, that's what school districts do to prevent situations just like this. Along with the training, there should be a PROCESS for dealing with transgressions on an incident by incident basis, with appropriate action if it escalates. You people are making a mountain out of a molehill. One insensitive/awkward remark should not cost anyone his or her career.

[Rules]

Truth, are you sure that the proper rules are not being followed? After all these are people responsible for your children for 7 hours a day. They are not pooping puppies.
I don't know the rules either, but think someone is doing what is called for in whatever this case may be. Unions are involved so we might think that that group has certain procedures.

[FanofTruth]

Rules wrote:

Truth, are you sure that the proper rules are not being followed? After all these are people responsible for your children for 7 hours a day. They are not pooping puppies.
I don't know the rules either, but think someone is doing what is called for in whatever this case may be. Unions are involved so we might think that that group has certain procedures.

Actually, since I am not privy to what is happening behind the scenes in this school district I can only answer thusly:

I have tracked the Topix forums back to see anything written about these two individuals. It seems quite clear that there has been a faction tearing Mr. Russom down pretty much consistently for quite a while. These people will jump at any excuse to see him gone. I still say that the punishment that has been demanded by these biased individuals hardly seems to fit the alleged crime. Seriously, I don't know why Mr. Russom would even want to stay in this school district at this point. If I were he, I would take the buyout and move far, far away where more intelligent people live and where he won't be called derogatory names, have his tires slashed and be slandered regularly. Even Jesus Christ told his disciples that if they encountered people who treated them harshly, that they should shake the dust of this place off their sandals and move on.

[Confused]

Can anyone comment on what exactly was said?

[HS teacher]

The supt made lewd comments? In what setting? I'm a teacher and I've heard admins make all sorts of off the cuff comments in meetings that they'd never say in front of a large group. I'd certainly be curious as to exactly what these "gentlemen" said, where, and the audience. Maybe the audience was simply way too sensitive?

[FanofTruth]

HS teacher wrote:

The supt made lewd comments? In what setting? I'm a teacher and I've heard admins make all sorts of off the cuff comments in meetings that they'd never say in front of a large group. I'd certainly be curious as to exactly what these "gentlemen" said, where, and the audience. Maybe the audience was simply way too sensitive?

From what I have been told, it was a large group setting and Mr. Russom said something like: "We've got a lot of nice looking ladies here...kind of wish I was single." A mistake to say that...sure I'll give you that. It was a socially inept man trying to be charming and failing totally. LEWD...I think not. At the most it was a clumsy attempt to put folks at ease and to say, "Hey, I'm just one of you."
To take offense at such a patently goof-off remark is over-reacting.

[iinquriing mind]

FanofTruth wrote:

<quoted text>
From what I have been told, it was a large group setting and Mr. Russom said something like: "We've got a lot of nice looking ladies here...kind of wish I was single." A mistake to say that...sure I'll give you that. It was a socially inept man trying to be charming and failing totally. LEWD...I think not. At the most it was a clumsy attempt to put folks at ease and to say, "Hey, I'm just one of you."
To take offense at such a patently goof-off remark is over-reacting.

Again that's only part of the story, that's why you think this shouldn't be made such a big deal of, but it was much more then just saying "We've got a lot of nice looking ladies here...kind of wish I was single." Since they're still investigating the matter, no one is at liberty to say exactly what his words were but rest assured no one is "making a mountain out of a molehill" As I said once before you only have part of the story.

[I have teeth]

iinquriing mind wrote:

<quoted text>
Again that's only part of the story, that's why you think this shouldn't be made such a big deal of, but it was much more then just saying "We've got a lot of nice looking ladies here...kind of wish I was single." Since they're still investigating the matter, no one is at liberty to say exactly what his words were but rest assured no one is "making a mountain out of a molehill" As I said once before you only have part of the story.

Ladies and gentlemen the local expert has spoken. You must be Dr. Michel.

[FanofTruth]

iinquriing mind wrote:

<quoted text>
Again that's only part of the story, that's why you think this shouldn't be made such a big deal of, but it was much more then just saying "We've got a lot of nice looking ladies here...kind of wish I was single." Since they're still investigating the matter, no one is at liberty to say exactly what his words were but rest assured no one is "making a mountain out of a molehill" As I said once before you only have part of the story.

That's just plain BS. Instead of repeating exactly what was said you are content to let the rumor mill speculate and make accusations that may be just that. Somebody with some cojones needs to step up and give an exact quote and stop all the gossip.

[what now]

HS teacher wrote:

The supt made lewd comments? In what setting? I'm a teacher and I've heard admins make all sorts of off the cuff comments in meetings that they'd never say in front of a large group. I'd certainly be curious as to exactly what these "gentlemen" said, where, and the audience. Maybe the audience was simply way too sensitive?

Or maybe they just are not going to deal with over-sexed men!oh you know what?They should not have too!

[Visitor]

Exactly! We might never get an EXACT quote, but if this comment was made in front of a group, there must be someone with a backbone who can provide an accurate statement. Why the reluctance to speak up if this supt did something so offensive that he was suspended? Is there more to the story?

FanofTruth wrote:

<quoted text>
That's just plain BS. Instead of repeating exactly what was said you are content to let the rumor mill speculate and make accusations that may be just that. Somebody with some cojones needs to step up and give an exact quote and stop all the gossip.

[nonameopp]

I do not feel that name calling or down grading with help the problem at hand. i feel that no one should say what is or is not right for someone else. everyone takes things differently. I would not want anyone saying anything in a sexual manner because it is wrong and i have respect for my husband and my self. They know the line of sexual harassment they are suppose to be teaching it to our teachers and to our students.

[agree to a point]

nonameopp wrote:

I do not feel that name calling or down grading with help the problem at hand. i feel that no one should say what is or is not right for someone else. everyone takes things differently. I would not want anyone saying anything in a sexual manner because it is wrong and i have respect for my husband and my self. They know the line of sexual harassment they are suppose to be teaching it to our teachers and to our students.

Should Russom have said it?, NO.
Should Fatta have taken the complaint? In the current school environment where kids get suspended for making lego guns , of course!
Should those pack of teachers who forced the young teacher to make a formal complaint to give their current superintendent a leg up in the process, Hell No!
The question you have to ask yourself is did the teacher making the complaint do it for the right reasons or not?
On Sundays we ask God for the power to do the right thing, I'm not sure this was the way to do it.
All involved will have to live with their role in this for a long time.
And to the young teacher, we tell our students no to be pressured by our peers, this goes for the adults as well.

[Hopeful]

Maybe the OECS administrator said something someone felt was a sexist remark. Maybe it wasn`t intended to be bad. However, in this day and age, everyone must be careful about everything we say and do. Perhaps the STJ principal thought it was nothing inconsiderate and laughed it off while others thought that he should have reported that some were offended.
Unfortunately, the jockying for positios has begun. Everyone and everything is open to criticism by those wishing to get ahead.It makes everyone in both districts look bad when we should all be working together to make a better school system than the ones we have left behind.