Candidate for St. Paul school board paid $12,000 to resign from teaching job
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posted by Bob at Monday, October 12, 2009
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45 Comments:
John Krenik is running for the St. Paul school board. The reasons behind his departure from the district are unclear.
By EMILY JOHNS, Star Tribune
Last update: October 11, 2009 - 9:03 PM
A candidate for the St. Paul school board was paid $12,000 by the district last year to quit his job as a special education teacher at Murray Junior High School.
According to the settlement agreement obtained by the Star Tribune, John Krenik, a Republican-endorsed candidate for the board, agreed to "not seek or accept work as a teacher with [the] district at any time in the future" in order to receive the money.
It's not clear why the district wanted Krenik, 46, to resign.
Krenik, who had worked in the St. Paul district since 1992, did not return phone calls or e-mails seeking comment.
The agreement, dated Sept. 16, 2008, says that the district's director of secondary schools, Denise Quinlan, filed unspecified charges against Krenik with the school board in February 2008, charges the board accepted a month later. Those complaints were dismissed after Krenik signed the agreement.
By accepting the money, Krenik also agreed not to sue the district.
Krenik, the former chairman of the St. Paul Republican Party, ran for state representative in 2000. This year, he said he was going to challenge St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, but ended up seeking a school board seat instead.
In the September primary, Krenik got the last spot available on the November ballot when he came in sixth of seven candidates, beating only Republican Richard Easton. Three spots are available on the board for the general election. Another will be filled by a special election on the same ballot.
It is not unheard of for disgruntled former district employees to run for the school board and win.
A school board member in Prior Lake was a campus supervisor at Prior Lake High School when he was fired by the district. He ran for the school board that same year and won, causing the superintendent to resign.
A fired custodian sits on the New Prague school board, and a principal who was pushed out the door of a high school in the South Washington County district is running for the school board there.
Krenik filed a complaint against the district with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights on Feb. 1, 2008, two weeks before Quinlan filed her charges with the school board.
In the complaint, which was later dismissed, Krenik said the district had discriminated against him because of an unspecified disability.
He said that, in May 2005, he confronted Winston Tucker, the principal at Murray, saying Tucker had "abusive behavior toward both staff and students."
"Dr. Tucker's reply to me regarding his behavior was, 'We'll see how far you get in reporting me,' " Krenik wrote. "Beginning shortly after this incident and continuing throughout my employment I have been subjected to discriminatory treatment."
Tucker declined to comment.
Krenik alleged that his full-time behavior-management aide was taken from his classroom, something he said he needed because of his disability. He also said that he was the only teacher not allowed to send students to in-school suspension. Because of this, he said, he was struck in the head by students three times, something that he said could have consequences for his disability.
Few details about resignation
He said in June 2007 that he heard from an administrator that he would be recommended for termination.
The human rights department dismissed Krenik's charges after looking into the situation, saying that the evidence "did not substantiate [Krenik's] allegations of discrimination."
The St. Paul Public Schools has declined to release further details about why officials paid Krenik $12,000 to resign.
Mary Cathryn Ricker, president of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers, also signed Krenik's settlement agreement. She declined to comment, saying that the union doesn't comment concerning specific member cases.
Other conflicts
By accepting the money, Krenik also agreed to withdraw a request for an opinion from the commissioner of administration regarding the district's handling of his employee data.
Between the years 2002 and 2005, Krenik also challenged assessors' valuations of several pieces of land he owned in St. Paul. By doing so, Krenik reduced the taxable value of these properties by a total of more than $130,000 over the years.
He also received a $6,500 settlement from Comcast in 2005 because he said the company's employees damaged his property while working on cable TV lines.
He said that the company's trucks drove over his "No Trespassing" signs and caused ruts.
As part of Krenik's settlement agreement with the district, it agreed to remove from its files every document that Tucker, the Murray principal, completed about Krenik and place them in a separate investigative file maintained by the district's legal department.
Those files are to be released only when required by law, when the district needs the information to respond to charges or claims against the district or its current or former employees, or with Krenik's permission.
The district declined to turn over those documents to the Star Tribune, saying that it is not public information.
The agreement also says that the documents will be destroyed no later than six years after the date of the agreement.
Emily Johns • 612-673-7460
Sounds like Krenik is a fiesty little guy
For Search Engines you should put John Krenik in Sub.Matter Shows how REpublicans who own property are "Bullied" http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=John+Krenik+St.Paul+MN&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Further Krenik writes on the Big E-Dem all the time, strickly a DFL Non-profit Forumn
(Sharon, go away with your constant promoting of your blogs. Have some courtesy for the person who put their effort into this blog and as for a link to your junk. Its rude and bad netiquette to constantly link your stuff on the comment section of someone else's blog. )
Sounds like Krenik should not have been left alone with our children.
This guy claims a disability based on getting smacked in the back of the head by three eleven year olds?
He sounds like a little weasel who starts a lot of shit, then goes crying he'll sue and has been able to collect on settlement after settlement.
Nice racket if you can get it.
"Sounds like Krenik should not have been left alone with our children.
This guy claims a disability based on getting smacked in the back of the head by three eleven year olds?
He sounds like a little weasel who starts a lot of shit, then goes crying he'll sue and has been able to collect on settlement after settlement."
For your information, Mr. Krenik worked with the kids who had "behavioral" issues. I have met Mr. Krenik on a few occasions and I have met very few teachers who have as much compassion for these kids as Mr. Krenik had. From what I know of him he was a great teacher who cared about the kids who are quickly labeled as bad kids by the school district and thrown in the bad kid classes. Ask any teenager who is sentenced to one of those classrooms what they think of the way they are treated. And then ask them how many times they have tried and failed to get into mainstream classes. Those classes/programs are like a big black hole. Once a kid is labeled by the school district and forced into those programs they can never get back out of them. This is a recipe for failure for countless kids. Being labeled is humiliating and demoralizing and when these kids try to get out of the program and are repeatedly told "no" they just don't care any more. Their attitudes get worse and then manifest themselves in the classrooms they feel they are sentenced to. I'm not saying that many of these kids didn't do something to get in those classes in the first place. But they should not be stuck there for the rest of their primary education. Its like a black hole they can't escape from. I know many many kids who this happened to and I know some who did a lot worse to a teached then the kids who assaulted Mr. Krenik. I think everyone who don't understand those classrooms should spend a week in one. Then you'll understand.
Oh yeh. I forgot to say I will vote for Mr. Krenik.
Please stop writing, you're contradicting the story.
You said ---From what I know of him he was a great teacher who cared about the kids---
That doesn't add up when we read he took about one-fourth of his yearly salary as a settlement to NOT teach in the school district forever. He cared so much about the students that he sold them out for 12,000 dollars?
The next thing that stands out is that these kids- who are the throwaways and need not just care but, discipline and guidance that they don't get anywhere, if they are to make it, are left with a guy who is emotionally unstable. That is utter none-sense and needs to be addressed.
Krenik is making a nice side income of suing anyone who looks at him cross-eyed. Not sure what his 'real job' is but, I'm not seeing the difference with voting for him or Bill Dahn for mayor. Dahn cares about the homeless and everyone who is not gay or mexican. However, putting him in charge of $550,000,000 is psychotic.
Without knowing the whole story behind Krenik, his limitations and tenure with the Schools, it would also be psychotic to put him in control of over $600,000,000. I don't know if this article helps or hurt him but if he loses, he'll probably sue every voter for a buck each.
Knowing that he'd sell out his future and the kids for $12,000. tells me everything I need to know about him.
10:36 I didn't come to the same conclusion that did from the article. Having been in business for many years, I know that there are times when you need to take someone to court. The article says that Mr. Krenik took Comcast to court once for damaging his property, which seems logical.
If someone damages your property and they are unwilling to pay for the damages caused, sometimes you are left with no other alternative but to take them to court.
A few years ago when the county assessor was revaluing homes, I along with many of my neighbors appealed our home values. This is our right to do so. The county assessor was wrong and our home value was reduced. We were not trying to evade taxes, but pay the correct amount of taxes. I fail to see how this appealing his property taxes is related to Mr. Krenik running for school board except for the fact he is a Republican running in a Democrat town.
There is a much bigger story here. Reading through the lines one would have to agree that if the school district, or I shopuld say the principal didn't do something wrong here, why would they settle.
This was a hatchet piece by the Star Tribune. It's very easy for even the best teachers to run afoul of the "powers that be" in MN public schools when it comes to politics. It also amazes me that schools have trouble getting rid of poor teachers, but have no problem ditching teachers who are a political problem or try and hold them accountable for their actions.
In the Star Tribune comments the following was posted:
"I saw on SPNN (St. Paul News Network) that Krenik demanded the resignation of the current interim superintendent, Suzanne Kelly, during open comments at a school board meeting, and shortly after was kicked off the district's budget committee. Kelly holds no master degree, no background in education at all, and a bachelors in fine arts. The State told the school board that they were out of compliance with the law, but they say that Kelly is staying in place and that if the state wants her out of the post, they have to sue the district (that's real fiscally responsible, huh?). Now get this- Suzanne Kelly used to be the managing editor of the Star Tribune. That's how the paper may have gotten the information they did get- but rumor around town is that the incumbents up for election were talking about this hit piece at a recent DFL function- they knew about it more than a week ago too... so the info also could have come from any one of them. Anybody who cares about Saint Paul Schools really should demand the district immediately come into compliance with the law. Just given these connections between Kelly and the paper, not only is she not qualified to be superintendent, but it shows that she just might be willing to do anything to anybody who may try to hold her or the district accountable for the lousy job they are doing."
I thought this was interesting:
He (Krenik) said that, in May 2005, he confronted Winston Tucker, the principal at Murray, saying Tucker had "abusive behavior toward both staff and students."
"Dr. Tucker's reply to me regarding his behavior was, 'We'll see how far you get in reporting me,' " Krenik wrote. "Beginning shortly after this incident and continuing throughout my employment I have been subjected to discriminatory treatment."
Tucker declined to comment.
This is common in my school district as well. It becomes a policy of "Do as I say, not as I do."
Oh, John is the victim.
This has nothing to d with his politics, its his behavior. Whenever he is called on it, John cries discrimination for no reason.
There are thousands of teachers of in the system, unless they have run for office, you wouldn't know their politics. John brought his in the school and wanted to play administrator by making decisions beyond his classroom.
You're calling $12000 a settlement? That's less than pennies. Its less than a third of what his salary would have been. He signed and agreed to never teach in the district again. If he would have went to court, he would have made more on paid leave.
It seems the district had teacher who wanted to do everything but teach and once they waived money in his face- he chose to leave. His discrimination was also dismissed.
Again, he doesn't get access to the school board until we know:
1. What is his claimed disability?
2. Why was he released and signed an agreement to never teach in the district again.
I wouldn't trust Krenik any further than I could throw him. He's icky! Any time he writes a letter to the paper he comes off sounding like a brown noser that would say anythng to anyone to be on the right side of a situation. We're sick of politicians with this mind set.
Republicans are presenting facts and evidence.
The DFLers are responding with smears and innuendo based on their own prejudices.
This city will not see justice, much less prosperity, until EVERY DFLer in this city is frog-walked into vans to haul them off to prison.
The city is 80% DFL.
Krenik is 80% crazy.
Bob is 80% sick of this place.
John, what the hell did you do?
I know you read this blog, so have one of Bob's minions post it so you can keep that measly 12 grand, which is probably spent by now, 13 months later.
I've been to most DFL functions for our incumbents and I've even complained about a couple of you challengers (John and Pat). They never gave any indication that something like this was in your background. You would have known by now.
You sold out for 12 grand? To go unemployed during these economic times? You could have at least held in for a year's salary- if you really had something.
Talk to us, don't go silent now.
Eric
Krenik won't tell you the truth. He'll tell you what he thinks you want to hear.
The bigger problem here is that someone leaked classified/protected information to the media. If I were Krenik, I'd demand an independent investigation. Someone needs to lose there job over this.
Eric,
Krenik was a union guy who stood up for his teachers.
Here is an article that sheds some light on what is going on in our schools.
Part one:
June 3, 2008
Section: Main
Edition: St. Paul
Page: A1
BOARD FORUM A SOAPBOX FOR ANYONE BUT US, TEACHERS SAY
EMPLOYEES PERCEIVE SIGNS FROM HIGHER-UPS TO KEEP QUIET AT MEETINGS
Doug Belden
dbelden@pioneerpress.com
At each of its monthly meetings, the St. Paul school board stops whatever it's doing, usually at 6:30 p.m., and opens the floor to the public. It's an opportunity for people to take concerns directly to the district's ultimate decision-makers, without administrative filtering.
But is the soapbox intended for the district's 6,600 employees, as well?
Officially, the answer is yes. But at least twice in the past three months, staff members have gotten the clear impression they'd be better off keeping their mouths shut.
The apparent clampdown comes as steep enrollment declines in the state's second-largest district and rising federal accountability standards are prompting program changes that are bound to stir plenty of opinion among those directly affected.
"The need for communication and the need to speak your mind is going to increase exponentially," said Mary Cathryn Ricker, president of the St. Paul teachers union.
"Teachers need to be trusted that they have an expertise in an area," she said. "More often than not, our opinions are going to be really valuable to the success of a program or an idea."
Despite what some employees may have heard the past few months, the board's public comment period does remain open to district staff, said Christine Wroblewski, the district's chief community relations officer.
"It's a public forum for anyone who wants to come to speak to the board of education," she said.
The latest incident was at the May 20 board meeting.
Four employees were scheduled to speak on health and physical education programming. Three dropped out. Word came from chief academic officer Valeria Silva that it wasn't the right forum, according to Liz Parr-Smestad, PE facilitator for the district and one of the four employees.
"Valeria Silva has raised concern that the public comment period of the board meeting is not an appropriate avenue for addressing the board and the administration about concerns and advocacy for the physical education and health programs," read an e-mail sent by John Olson, program manager for science, health and physical education, to Parr-Smestad and another staff member. He also was set to speak.
"The public comment period is designed for citizens to address the board directly since they normally do not have avenues of input that staff members have," Olson continued. "In your role as a citizen of St. Paul, you have a right to participate in the public comment period. In my role, I am going to decline to participate."
Parr-Smestad sees the episode as "our First Amendment rights being squelched."
Silva said her intention was to communicate through Olson that the employees would have more time to talk with board members in a different setting, such as a committee meeting. At regular board meetings, speakers are limited to three minutes during public comment time, and board members typically make no response.
Silva said employees certainly can participate in public comment, and she said she appreciates that they're passionate about their programs.
Staff members from Cleveland Junior High were not made to feel appreciated when they arrived at the February board meeting to advocate for their building, which is being merged with Farnsworth Elementary.
They were warned by Peter Christensen, executive director for high school education, about what they were about to do.
"There are consequences of doing this sort of thing," Christensen recalls telling the Cleveland staffers.
"I was angry at them," he said. "I thought for them, it was a bad idea."
Part two:
Interviewed about the exchange a couple of months after it happened, Christensen said his concern at the time was that the employees' words would derail the delicate process of combining the two school programs, particularly the sensitive issue of which building principal would run the joint operation.
As it turned out, he said, the process went smoothly. Of course employees are allowed to speak during public comment, he said, and nobody who did speak suffered any repercussions, he said. That claim was backed up by a Cleveland teacher who was one of the speakers.
Christensen said he was not directed by his superiors to discourage the Cleveland speakers. He said the episode was basically "Peter having a mini-rant."
David Kundin, general counsel for Education Minnesota, the statewide teachers union, said that, in 20 years, he has never heard of a teacher being prevented or discouraged from speaking at a school district's public comment period. "It's a public forum -- anyone can speak," he said.
Wroblewski said St. Paul Public Schools administrators have been more vigilant recently about informing staff in advance about the rules governing public comment (for example, complaints about personnel must be made in writing, and no names can be mentioned). But that's for their own legal protection, she said, and to protect the rights of others. It shouldn't be interpreted as suppressing their speech.
It's true that administrators prefer staff members exhaust other venues before coming to the board with their issue, Wroblewski said, but they're welcome to use the public comment option if they wish.
Ricker said that in most cases, teachers do pursue other avenues before taking their issues public.
"Our teachers tend to use the public comment period as a last resort, when they have not felt either asked or listened to in a number of other opportunities," she said.
In this time of widespread change, teachers are making more use of all the forums available to them for input, Ricker said.
In the case of public comment, many looked at the success Farnsworth Elementary parents seemed to have in lobbying the board directly for changes at that school and wondered if they might be able to get similar results, she said. "I don't think it was lost on teachers that that did result in some change."
It's not just a good idea for district decision-makers to hear directly from teachers on potential changes affecting their workplaces, Ricker said. There is also specific language in the contracts of teachers and educational assistants designed to protect their right to express their views, she said.
School board Chair Kazoua Kong-Thao said the health/PE and Cleveland concerns were valid ones for staff members to bring to the board.
She said public comment as it is currently structured is too limiting, and she'd like to find alternative formats to allow members of the public -- those who work for the district and those who don't -- more time and opportunity for give-and-take with board members.
"We're going to continue to tweak this, to make it meaningful for the board and for our community," Kong-Thao said.
Here is another article:
Kelly's lack of superintendent license puts her status in limbo
By Doug Belden
St. Paul school leaders continue to be at odds with a state licensing board after the panel Thursday rejected the district's request for permission for its unlicensed interim superintendent to remain on the job.
The Minnesota Board of School Administrators voted 4-2 not to reconsider its earlier denial of a variance — the equivalent of a temporary exemption — for St. Paul's Suzanne Kelly, who has no superintendent's license. The vote effectively leaves the denial in place.
The board is responsible for the educational licensure of all school administrators in the state. It's unclear what happens if the St. Paul district defies its ruling by leaving Kelly in the interim job, as district leaders said they plan to do for the next few months until a new superintendent is hired.
Judith Lamp, executive director of the state board, said there hasn't been a case in her three years with the panel in which a person with no license and no variance continued to serve as superintendent.
She said Kelly is not authorized to call herself a superintendent, and the school administrators board will need to research whether there are some job duties Kelly is not legally able to perform.
According to school district general counsel Jeff Lalla, Kelly's lack of a superintendent's license does not prevent her from legally performing any job functions.
Neither the state Department of Education nor the attorney general's office could offer any clarity Thursday, saying the matter is under the school administrators board's jurisdiction.
"The department has no authority to intervene," said Chas Anderson, Education Department deputy commissioner.
St. Paul school board Chair Kazoua Kong-Thao said she was "very disappointed" by the ruling, but she reaffirmed that the school board wants Kelly to remain in place.
Asked whether she was considering stepping down, Kelly issued a statement through district spokesman Howie Padilla saying she was committed to serving the school board and the district in any way the board sees fit.
School board members have said they picked Kelly for the interim job because, as chief of staff to former superintendent Meria Carstarphen, she had detailed knowledge of district initiatives.
Also, because she made it clear she wouldn't apply for the permanent job, they didn't have to worry that their interim appointee would appear to have an unfair advantage in that process.
Twenty-three St. Paul district employees have superintendent licensure, Lalla told the state board Thursday, but the only two in top-tier administrative positions who reasonably might be expected to step into temporary leadership — chief academic officer Valeria Silva and chief of schools Nancy Stachel — are expected to be candidates for the permanent superintendent job, he said.
"As a practical matter, it just makes sense to us" to have Kelly serve as interim, Lalla said.
The state board turned down St. Paul's initial request for a variance in large part because the district didn't post the position before filling it, Lamp said. That meant others who might have been qualified didn't have a chance to apply.
"It is troublesome," said board member Sanford Nelson, one of the four to vote against rehearing the issue.
The school board announced Kelly's selection in April. In May, the district's request for a variance was denied.
Kelly started officially June 1, and her contract calls for her to serve until a permanent superintendent starts or May 1, 2010, whichever comes first. The school board has said it intends to have a new superintendent selected by early December.
Kelly started as chief of staff in 2007.
Before coming to St. Paul Public Schools, she was chief of staff for Memphis City Schools and executive director of public affairs for Minneapolis Public Schools. She also previously worked at the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune newspaper.
Krenik, why not post under your real name?
Those articles show tensions between teachers and administrators, that's not new.
None of them sold out for a measly 12 grand. They are fighting the fight AND teaching the kids. That's life.
No classified information was mentioned in the article and there were no anonymous sources. We still don't know why and only Krenik, the administrators and school board knows.
Now that we know this much, its very important that we know if he is capable of serving.
Eric
Eric, I am a teacher in SPPS. I am not who you think I am unless I have a sex change, but I am just a common teacher, trying to work under very difficult conditions and very little direction from the administration down at 360.
I worked with John for several years, I know he cared for the toughest special education students in this district. John was the first one at school and the last one to leave.
BTW, John stood up for me and many other union members in St. Paul. I don't know why you have it in for him, but it sounds like you have it in for anyone who calls himself or herself a Republican. I bet you a beer that you have never met John.
I can't help you with your personal issues Eric, for those all I have is tissues.
Get it, tissues for your issues!
John Krenik is a good man!
S.W.
Eric, I am a teacher in SPPS. I am not who you think I am unless I have a sex change, but I am just a common teacher, trying to work under very difficult conditions and very little direction from the administration down at 360.
I'm married to a teacher, son of a teacher and my friend and neighbor works as a counselor to these same troubled youth. I am familiar with the profession.
I get the tensions between the teachers and administration. I did notice that the Teachers Union didn't endorse any incumbents this year. I don't know if that has happened before but, its certainly significant.
I worked with John for several years, I know he cared for the toughest special education students in this district. John was the first one at school and the last one to leave.
I, or no one on here, is disputing that.
BTW, John stood up for me and many other union members in St. Paul. I don't know why you have it in for him, but it sounds like you have it in for anyone who calls himself or herself a Republican. I bet you a beer that you have never met John.
Taking the word an anonymous poster who wants to be credible, is pretty tough. I'm the most pro union person you'll find on here. As a matter of fact, just look at the topics below to see that most don't respect public employee unions.
My issue with Krenik is that he is a kiss-up phony. He seems to work hard to make a martyr or victim of himself.
You'll have to explain how one can square up with being pro-union, as you frame John to be, and being a Republican. Every damn chance they get, they blame the teachers union for the state of schools.
I don't want a beer with John. He'll probably sue me for it being less-filling and not tasting great.
I can't help you with your personal issues Eric, for those all I have is tissues.
Get it, tissues for your issues!
Its not personal with me.I don't personally know John. You are the one who knows him personally and interjecting personal stuff about him. I commented on the story.
As bad as the administration is, how did John get to a point where his actions exceeded a paid leave, unpaid suspension, or even a decent severance? He tried unsuccessfully to sue, and took a relatively low settlement to leave teaching in the district, forever.
It doesn't add up.
Eric
They are fighting the fight AND teaching the kids.
Or at least the 40-something percent that don't drop out. And assuming you dumb down your definitino of "teaching" to the point of meaninglessness.
Amen brother!
I don't know John very well, and I have no idea what this issue is about, but I do know how things work at 360 Colborne.
Saint Paul, like the vast majority of government school districts, is considered the personal fiefdom of the Democrat party and the teachers union. Anyone that does anything that is seen to be a threat to the status quo is dealt with extreme prejudice.
Accepting $12k to resign permanently would seem fishy in almost any other setting, but considering the fact that the issue at hand involves an outspoken conservative vs. a leftist power structure, and having experienced the crooked machinations of the latter first hand, I will give the benefit of the doubt to the former.
Just the fact that the issue has, despite a "gag order", been made public at all should raise red flags.
I talked to Krenik last night.
And this situation stinks to hell.
Heads deserve to roll over this at 360 Colborne. Not just over this, mind you, but this'd be a specific charge.
And all of you gutless jagoffs who are casting aspersions and innuendo at Krenik over your impressions of the amount and what you claim (without ANY evidence) he did?
In a just world, your identities would be out there, and Krenik could pursue defemation actions against each of you.
Each of you should be ashamed. You are not men. You are worms.
John, if there is anything I can do for you let me know, you have my support.
I also met John for the first time last night. And I agree with whomever said it: heads need to roll at 360 Colborn. How is it that confidential personal data got released, from a district currently being "run" by a former Strib editor, directly to the Strib? This is in line with the gutless smear job the Strib pulled on Alan Fine back in 2006.
I'll be interviewing Krekik, along with Chris Conner, Pat Igo and mayoral candidate Eva Ng, this coming Saturday on the Northern Alliance Radio Network, from 1-3PM. Krenik has a school district to save - with graduation rates that might still be in double digits, a budget that is out of control, an endless game of interchangeable "bungee-celebrity-superintendents", and a school board that can't even do its single primary job (manage the Superintendent) but can give taxpayer money to "progressive" groups, badger JROTC and slime kids who join the military - so we may or may not get around to discussing this gutless and, at first glance, illegal attack against him; we'll probably choose to focus in the opportunity Saint Paul has to reject single-party government.
Oh, yeah:
You'll have to explain how one can square up with being pro-union, as you frame John to be, and being a Republican.
Actually, as a former public employee union member myself, you have it exactly backwards; it's the Democrats who have politicized the unions who have the problem "squaring" this issue. Many of us join the union - in many cases because we have no real choice - and focus on doing our jobs. It's the ideologues we share(d) jobs and a union with that tended to have cows about cognitive dissonance. My capo at my unionized gig damn near had an aneurism when I came out as a Republican.
Indeed, in corner after corner of life - work, unions, dating, neighborhood relations - it seems to be the DFLers in Saint Paul that can't abide dissent, dissonance, or disagreement.
That's how it "squares", Eric.
Every damn chance they get, they blame the teachers union for the state of schools.
With quite a bit of justification!
That's not my opinion, by the way. That'd be my dad - who taught for 40 years, spent two years as his district union leader, and taught college-level education on top of it all. He acknowledges the debt he (and we) owed the union when I was a kid. But when you get him going on the role of the union this past 20 years or so, he's indistinguishable from the most ardent big-L Libertarian on how they've damaged public education.
My sister, currently a teacher albeit a Republican (she lives in a state and district with a functioning two-party system), agrees, and then some.
I don't want a beer with John. He'll probably sue me for it being less-filling and not tasting great.
Well, then there'd be a dismissal on summary judgement. Why worry? Pop the damn top.
As bad as the administration is, how did John get to a point where his actions exceeded a paid leave, unpaid suspension, or even a decent severance?
Well, we don't know, now, do we? Which hasn't stopped people from filling the gaps with a whole lot of supposition and innuendo, has it?
Let's flip the question: If Krenik did something warranting termination, why hasn't some sort of suit been filed by parents against the district and Krenik?
Let me know when you find that. I'm a patient guy.
He tried unsuccessfully to sue, and took a relatively low settlement to leave teaching in the district, forever.
Ooh, another innuendo!
Having tried to sue our utterly worthless but legally well-protected district myself, I'll speculate that anyone who wants to have a life had best thing twice before jumping on that train. Perhaps Krenik had other options, and didn't want to devote the next five years of his life and all his family's income and savings to a lawsuit with no guaranteed results?
Just a thought. I do not know.
It doesn't add up.
Obviously a recent SPPS grad :-)
6:01 PM said;
From what I know of him he was a great teacher who cared about the kids who are quickly labeled as bad kids by the school district and thrown in the bad kid classes. Ask any teenager who is sentenced to one of those classrooms what they think of the way they are treated. And then ask them how many times they have tried and failed to get into mainstream classes. Those classes/programs are like a big black hole. Once a kid is labeled by the school district and forced into those programs they can never get back out of them. This is a recipe for failure for countless kids. Being labeled is humiliating and demoralizing and when these kids try to get out of the program and are repeatedly told "no" they just don't care any more. Their attitudes get worse and then manifest themselves in the classrooms they feel they are sentenced to. I'm not saying that many of these kids didn't do something to get in those classes in the first place. But they should not be stuck there for the rest of their primary education. Its like a black hole they can't escape from. I know many many kids who this happened to and I know some who did a lot worse to a teached then the kids who assaulted Mr. Krenik. I think everyone who don't understand those classrooms should spend a week in one. Then you'll understand.
My response;
When my son was in public schools I fought the system year after year grades 1 thru the middle of 6Th grade to keep him out of special education.
They claimed he had attention deficit disorder, and wanted him on Ritalin. The tactics they use to get a parent to go along with special ed programs are harassing. All the while this was going on they were neglecting to provide my son with an education. They "wanted" him to fail to further fit the criteria of their objectives.
I threatened over the years to sue them for neglecting to educate my son. I personally had very little time to help him with his education. I was single and working 65 to 80 hours a week.
My son's self esteem was suffering miserably falling behind his peers academically.
I knew I had to do something. I paid out of my pocket for a psychologist for my son at Wilder Foundation just to see if there maybe some truth to the public school officials rantings. I felt at least I would have documentation they were wrong also if that be the case.
Low and behold the psychologist Wilder appointed my son was a part time special education teacher for the SPPS. She confided with me all of my suspicions about special education were true and I was right all those years PROTECTING him from that "black hole". She told me my son didn't have attention deficit disorder, he had abandonment issues with his mother.
I cut my hours at work and home schooled my son. My son advanced 4 grade levels in math in one year! 2 and 3 grade levels in other subjects. This was a kid public schools didn't think they could educate without special ed.
I educated my son with G.E.D. books. They are self explanatory. Both of us enjoyed science projects and reading. I made home school interesting for him. After my son left public schools he gained self esteem.
Armed with the information the psychologist from Wilder had told me I gave the big "I told you so" to the principle of the last school my son attended . The psychologist was fired from her job at SPPS for confirming my suspicions. I made a mistake, I had no idea how retaliatory some within SPPS can be. I apologised to her and she told me not to worry about it.
Is this your son who couldn't get a factory job in Alexandria?
Or the one that keeps getting in trouble with the police and calling you to fight his battles?
Looking at the end result, maybe you should have given him the drugs- or paid for catholic school.
Anonymous said...
"Is this your son who couldn't get a factory job in Alexandria?
Or the one that keeps getting in trouble with the police and calling you to fight his battles?
Looking at the end result, maybe you should have given him the drugs- or paid for catholic school."
First, that was a low blow to Bob and his son. You really should apologize.
Second, they tried that same shit with my kids at SPPS. Kept badgering me about getting them checked for ADD and ADHD. Of course, this never came up until I, repeatedly, challenged them for failing to educate my kids.
I did what you suggested to Bob. I pulled them both out of SPPS and sent them to Catholic school. The difference was like night and day. The Catholic schools never ever suggested that my kids were ADD/ADHD. NOT ONCE!
They were both honor students in Catholic school. catholic school, Home school. Anything is better than public school.
For anyone interested in doing a little research and learning a little about a pretty sinister program right here in Ramsey County schools, look up "ACE", otherwise known as "All Children Excel". It just might make your blood curdle. Remember, this is a "Ramsey County" program so it includes ALL schools in Ramsey County. Not just SPPS.
You know, a little sunshine on the persons behind the smack talk would be a community service, Bob.
Bob,
THANKS for your support!
Swiftee, Mitch and Anonymous THANKS for your kind words and support!
Sincerely,
John Krenik
Is this your son who couldn't get a factory job in Alexandria?
Or the one that keeps getting in trouble with the police and calling you to fight his battles?
Looking at the end result, maybe you should have given him the drugs- or paid for catholic school.
8:42 PM
My response;
My son doesn't keep getting into trouble with the police as you would like folks to believe. He had trouble with the booze for many years and it brought trouble his way. Probably had somethng to do with his lacking self esteem.
Now, my son is a good father supporting his kids and wife. He has a job where he moved to. He is the kind of guy who wouldn't stand around and watch a stranger or friend be victimized. He'd act out to help anyone. I raised him to be a MAN!
His last incident regarding police was a clear case of civil rights violations. Walking in broad day light a police officer stopped my son to see if he was a legal citizen or had warrants. I told the story here and you make hay of this. Get your facts straight or have the guts to post with your name so I can address you properly.
Another incident I spoke of here. My son was falsely arrested for graffiti. He was released with an apology from the police and City Councilman Dave Thune!
It is a shame I have to put up with anonymous jerks like you 8:42
It would be easy for me to track urls, I don't do that. It would be easy for me to set the settings of this blog so only registered posters can post. I don't do this either. WHY, because I believe if it weren't for anonymity we wouldn't learn of many of the things going on in our city we should be concerned about. So, you can babble on and I will be right here to show folks even in your anonymous state you are a liar.
Public schools get a lot more funding for any student they can label and put into special ed. The kids most frequently labeled are minorities.
Your welcome John.. like I said, ANYTHING I can do for you, you let me know!
It would be easy for me to track urls, I don't do that.
Bob, you should track IP addresses, for your own protection.
There are quite a few people in the twin cities who have taken to posting defamatory bullshit under cover of anonymity. And the courts are still working out exactly how liable bloggers are for defamatory statements posted on their blogs by anonymous commenters.
For your own legal protection, you should track IPs, just in case gutless vermin like "8:42" do something really stupid. We'd rather it cost "him" than you.
Once we know you're tracking IP addresses- EVERY defamatory statement made against DSI and elected officials will also be brought up for tracing.
That tracking goes both ways and I'm going to wager that the city has more money and pull to get this info than some anonymous gutless wonder because their feeling were hurt.
Yes, we can finally find out who's real and who's not on here. Do it.
Once we know you're tracking IP addresses- EVERY defamatory statement made against DSI and elected officials will also be brought up for tracing.
Oh, yes, Government of Saint Paul! Please, please do send your goons out on retaliatory fishing expeditions on websites, looking for "defamation" suits that you can never win (because you can never prove malice, an essential factor in defamation cases against public officials)!
Do, please, try to show that the motive is ANYTHING BUT trying to stifle opposition!
Please, please, open yourself up to a cataclysmic First Amendment lawsuit!
I beg of you! Do it!
Bob! You owe it to the people of Saint Paul to set this trap out for Kathy's Komissars!
That tracking goes both ways and I'm going to wager that the city has more money and pull to get this info than some anonymous gutless wonder because their feeling were hurt.
Says the gutless anonymous wonder.
But it's interesting that the first thing out of your tobacco-stained lips is a demand that government crack down on all us bothersome peons.
Yes, we can finally find out who's real and who's not on here. Do it.
I agree! Let's just see those scabrous, law-breaking, fascist DSI fucks TRY to go sorting through the citizen complaints (that we don't dare make anywhere else for fear of retaliation), looking for the people who CALL THEM WHAT THEY ARE - two-bit Nazi wankers.
I fucking dare them.
Correction!
I'm sorry I don't know what was on my mind. I should have said IP addresses. Thank you 9:38.
I am not worried about a law suit. :)
There is a good number of attorneys lurking here who have expressed the opinion to me they feel this electronic town hall is a public service. Some have offered legal advice and representation.
I don't think we would have any problem at all proving we are
"On a Truth Seeking Mission"!
I'd like to thank John, as well as Pat Igo and Chris Conner, the three GOP-endorsed School Board candidates to get through the primaries, for appearing on the Northern Alliance Radio Network show yesterday. Great interview - but depressing. The SPPS is doing even worse than I thought; I didn't even know that the SPPS has one of the worst achievement gaps there is, even after twenty years of relentless, debilitating political correctness. Indeed - the more I hear John, Pat and Chris talk, the more I realize scabrous attacks like the Strib's hit piece on Krenik are the only real option the DFL has; the actual record is pretty relentlessly against the sitting school board.
No wonder so many of us have pulled our kids out of the district!
We also talked with Eva Ng, GOP-endorsed mayor candidate.
I'll post links to the hours when they get posted at Townhall.com. It was well worth a listen.
Thanks Mitch...
Bob! You owe it to the people of Saint Paul to set this trap out for Kathy's Komissars!
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