Councilwoman Blackwell: Don't fire Moffett
by thenotebook on Mar 16 2011
Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell plans to introduce a resolution in City Council tomorrow calling for the retention of Audenried High School teacher Hope Moffett.
The resolution says that Moffett was removed from her classroom and recommended for termination "after expressing her personal opinions. " It calls the punishment "severe and unwarranted," saying she gave the students tokens "openly and with positive intentions."
Moffett had spoken out against District plans to convert Audenried to a charter school and gave tokens to students who used them to attend a protest at School District headquarters.
The District issued a statement in response saying that "we respect the opinions of all City Council members," but reiterating that "this is not an issue of First Amendment rights. It is an issue of endangering students' safety and well-being."
Text of the resolution, dated March 17, 2011, follows:
RESOLUTION
Whereas, Audenried School teacher Hope Moffett was removed from her classroom after expressing her personal opinions concerning district plans to transform the school into a charter school and provided tokens to students who wanted to participate in a demonstration on February 15, 2011 against the change; and
Whereas, more then 1,000 teachers, students and union supporters rallied outside the Philadelphia School District’s headquarters on February 15th against proposed budget cuts; and
Whereas, Hope was assigned to an administrative office and former storage area known as the “rubber room” to sit in isolation for over ten (10) days; and
Whereas, Hope’s immediate removal from the classroom and assignment to the rubber room has been deemed unfair by the Philadelphia Federation of Teacher’s Union who stand in support of Moffett; and
Whereas, Audenried High School is one of the 18 schools designated for restructuring as part of Superintendent Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman’s academic reform initiative; and
Whereas, all school administration personnel, teachers, students, parents, residents and visitors in our City have a right to speak freely, without fear of retaliation or intimidation by others under our First Amendment rights; and
Whereas, in the midst of large-scale changes within the School District, the professional and personal opinions of all stakeholders are welcomed and encouraged; and
Whereas, it is severe and unwarranted sanction to be fired for an issue involving school tokens where it was done openly and with positive intentions; and
Whereas, it is important that students learn to be involved in educational experiences both inside and outside the classroom; and
Whereas, teaching with passion and understanding the needs of one’s students is important to the complete learning process; and now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Philadelphia City Council hereby calls for the retention of Audenried High School teacher Hope Moffett.
Philadelphia City Council
3rd Council District
March 17, 2011
Comments (37)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 21:13.
Yeaassssssss
Submitted by Mary Del Savio (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 21:30.
Just beautiful:
"Whereas, teaching with passion and understanding the needs of one’s students is important to the complete learning process; and now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Philadelphia City Council hereby calls for the retention of Audenried High School teacher Hope Moffett."
Toxic water, lack of adequate heat and a/c, unreliable security systems, rodents and insects, mindless curricula, crumbling school facilities...THESE endanger our students on a daily basis. NOT our teachers.
Thanks you, Councilwoman Blackwell!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 21:36.
THANK YOU, Councilwoman Blackwell! Thank you for having some common sense, as well as the ability and courage to think for yourself.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 21:50.
How sad. Wasting City Council time on a person who proved her own incompetence by giving students tokens to leave school. This a joke. She needs to be fired. Let's continue to make her a "hero." No wonder this city is quickly becoming Detroit Part Two.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 06:04.
Wow, you are seriously missing the point!!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 11:45.
Yes, very seriously missing the point. She was "rubber roomed" well before the issue with tokens was discovered. She was sent to administrative offices for exercising her first amendment rights and encouraging her students to participate in the democratic process to the dismay of the higher-ups at the district. The last thing the district wants is a crowd of informed students voicing their opinions, and Moffett was giving them the tools to do just that. I have yet to find a teacher who has not given out tokens, prom money, or gift cards to grocery stores (all technically fireable offenses).
And if we are becoming "Detroit Part Two", what are you doing to stop it?
Submitted by I Teach in Philly (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 16:02.
"giving students tokens to leave school"
I've done that and I will do it again. Any time a student comes to me because he/she lost their transpass or missed the bus, I will help any way that I can.
They say they want to fire Hope Moffett for giving transpasses? then fire me and the many other generous teachers in this district for doing the same thing at some time or another..
Submitted by Teacher (K.R. Luebbert) (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 21:56.
Wow, I am stunned and heartened. Thank you, Councilwoman, thank you.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 21:58.
BRAVO, Councilwoman Blackwell for believing in the abilities of our young people to make their own decisions and for the teachers who express support and trust for those students.
And bravo for supporting freedom of expression, even when it's a teacher - America's current version of a second class citizen - doing the expressing.
Glad to see Dr. Ackerman doesn't intimidate everyone in this city.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 22:09.
Thank you Councilwoman Blackwell.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 22:12.
To the other Anonymous poster-I know of many other teachers that help students with things such as tokens. It's nothing new. And, until poverty and pride go away, it will continue to happen. There's a reason why a number of people scoff at that charge.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 22:40.
While I understand the idea of giving tokens to a student who lost their transpass and needs to get home, this is different. The tokens were used by students to leave school during the day without permission.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 23:07.
I really, really want to support Dr. Ackerman. Really, I do. But every time she speaks in public I find it even harder. Even if you ignore how much she's distorting the facts, her points don't even make sense. Arguing that a 16-year-old taking public transportation, peacefully, to travel through the center of Philadelphia in the middle of a weekday afternoon to attend a public rally, at the School District, is "endangering" them is really hard take with a straight face. Really, Dr. Ackerman? Really? A disciplinary notice for failing to follow procedure -- perhaps. But immediate termination?
Would permission slips have been a good idea? I suppose. Can the SDP demonstrate a single, legitimate parent complaint about the issue from before it became a big story? I doubt it -- given that the original letter to Ms. Moffett said nothing about it.
And the Promise Academies having "no" complaints? Really? They are a huge improvements, I will fully agree with that, at least in some cases. But every school (Central, Masterman, Mastery, KIPP, etc.) has complaints. Promise Academies are no different. Again, Dr. Ackerman is either delusional or disingenuous.
There are probably hundreds of people who'd support nearly everything in Ackerman's agenda if she'd just be honest and transparent.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 18:00.
I doubt hundreds buy maybe 2 or 3 if they had guns pointed at their heads. Follow the Money and the truth will be easy to see. Google John Q. Porter who is the head of the Mosaic Foundation who just received 2 schools from Ackerman. PLEASE Google that name.
Submitted by Meg (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 07:55.
What the tokens were used for was not in any teacher's control. The fact that Hope or any teacher reaches into their own pocket to help their students is the issue.
Those kids act and speak in their own interests, peacefully and clearly. This is something they should be proud of.
We should continue to back them.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 22:26.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your support, Councilwoman Blackwell, means more than you know.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 22:31.
I'm all for supporting Hope, but isn't this the crazy person trying to get prayer in schools?
Just wondering if this is one of those, times where you say thanks but no thanks to certain endorsements.
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 23:29.
Councilwoman Blackwell is far from crazy. You may not agree with her opinions on school prayer, but she certainly has a right to express her viewpoint, and even act on it, without being attacked. The same First Amendment that applies to Hope Moffett applies to Councilwoman Blackwell. Personally, I'm thrilled that both of these women are willing to speak up for what they know is right.
In a twisted sort of way, I suppose Dr. Ackerman must believe that she herself is standing up for what's right, but she's so far removed from the ChildrenWhoComeFirst that she hasn't a clue what's really best for them. We're still waiting for her to show her face at our school after countless broken promises that she would be a frequent visitor.
I was no great fan of Paul Vallas, but at least under his administration, he and his staff members did bother to set foot inside the non-showplace schools once in a while. If Ackerman didn't have her face plastered all over the place trying to generate more awards for herself, she'd be a perfect candidate for "Undercover Boss", because nobody in the schools would recognize her.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 22:51.
First the President of the NAACP, now Councilwoman Blackwell. It will be interesting to see if this is the beginning of the end for Ackerman. In San Francisco, even her supporters started to suggest maybe she should leave toward the end (for the same reasons that are popping up here -- not listening to anyone and blaming student protests on teachers [she accused a very articulate student leader of being a puppet of the teachers in SF]). It's hard to find another superintendent that gets the observable improvement that Ackerman does, but still is severely unpopular. After three cities, when will she start to look in the mirror?:
From the SF Chronicle, September 2005:
"She probably needs to find another place to be at this point," said Novella Smith, a parent who served as campaign manager for Ackerman backer Jill Wynns' successful bid for re-election to the school board in November.
"I don't think she has a choice," Smith said. "The silly nonsense is coming from every direction -- from her, too. It makes the children look mature."
Pauline Vela, a member of Parents for Public Schools and Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth and a self-described busybody, said she no longer hears resounding support for Ackerman.
"Very few parents I know would be shocked or saddened," she said of a potential departure. "For people, even some supporters of Ackerman, it will be a relief. People are just ready to say, 'Let's try somebody different.' "
-SF Chronicle, 9/6/2005
Submitted by ban (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 22:52.
Hope: Do not be fooled. Jerry and Arlene shook hands.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 11:35.
Thank you.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 23:10.
HALLELUJAH!!!!! I really wish the SDP would stop trying to convince people this is about endangering students. Nothing cold be farther from the truth!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 23:45.
Thank you Councilwomen Blackwell!!! All Hope isn't gone! Thank you for supporting this!
Submitted by SD Teacher (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 00:27.
It has been written that Hope gave her students tokens openly (in fact she was the one who wrote it and that's where the district got the info). Fact: she has mentioned before giving tokens to students, buying winter coats, even paying a students cell phone bill once in an emergency situation.
Are all these things something every teacher would or should do. I do not know, but I am a teacher ina relatively poor district school in San Diego where most of my students live in motor homes, a few in monthly motel situations, and transiency is as high as 35% of students a year. I regularly buy snacks in bulk at Costco, and let students take home supplies like pencil and paper to do their work (supplies that I buy since the school budget has been cut). Students could choke on the food, stab another student with the pencil and I am sure be harmed by the paper, but the thing is, chances are that they won't and the benefit of them being able to have food in their stomaches, and materials to work with outweighs the risks for me. For each teacher it is different.
If this had been the first and only time Hope had provided tokens to her students it might seem she was promoting them going to the rally or whatever, but it obviously wasn't. It even says she encouraged them to go to a community meeting in the evening instead. Students in High School are going to do what they want to do and I personally (if you can't tell already) think they did do what was right. If students misused the tokens according to the district then how will they punish themselves for having good intentions about their free 'transpass' knowing that they are regularly used by students truant from school.
Submitted by SD Teacher (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 01:55.
Sorry, I was just looking at my post and realized I was typing so fast that I didn't edit for spelling and spaces :(
Submitted by Annon (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 01:59.
The people who are here saying that free speech doesn't exist in the workplace and that every employee should just tough it when their employer is doing something backhanded are looking at this wrong. That's what the employees at Enron did and look where that got us! Hope just looked at the data, saw that it was not correct/complete (as it was for another school and time) and asked for correct data. Students at other schools like King protested and walked out before Audenreid. Did she call up all those students and make them protest. The idea of her making the students take their time and effort to protest is laughable. I am sure these students will only do what they want to do. Hope Moffett is admirable because she helps them want to learn. 1000% progress in three years for her students is great. Why such a huge jump... They came so poorly prepared (many from Vare middle which was run incidently by Universal, the company now trying to take over this new $55 mill. school) More needs to be done, but the district is ignoring that this is the direction it needs to be done in. Why change something that is heading in the right direction in leaps and bounds. The trend in the data is going upwards so why try to fix something that isn't broken. Ackerman is only trying to 'fix' the wallets of the elite corporate whoremongers. Haven't they gotten enough of our taxpayer money already. When is ENOUGH, ENOUGH?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 17:55.
I agree with your sentiments but isn't it shocking that everybody knows the truth but the Queen continues to push her way through????
Universal is so dirty and incompetent that they lost both Peirce and Vare and now they are being given Audenreid. Gee--I wonder why????
The Mosaic Foundation is being given 2 schools by the Queen and just coincidentally, the Queen and the head of Mosaic worked together in Oklahoma City.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention that John Q, Porter the CEO was run out of Oklahoma and later Maryland for misuse of school money and schemes attached to the money. Yes, he seems like a perfect candidate to run 2 of our schools !!!!!!!!!! All of this is beyond comprehension but as Joey Coyle once said---Money Talks and Bull.... Walks. Follow The Money--All of this will come to an end but not in time to save another generation of our children. Keep building those Prisons in Northwest PA. though.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 05:55.
"I'm all for supporting Hope, but isn't this the crazy person trying to get prayer in schools?"
LOL. Yes it is. And yes, it's hard to listen to anything Blackwell says as far as rationality goes. But ANYTHING that exposes the truth about Ackerman and her inability to manage anyone, Is a step in the right direction. Last week the NAACP came out in favor of Hope and now Blackwell. This is honestly the first time since Ackerman has been here that prominent African Americans in the city stood up to the carpetbagger, Ackerman. It seems like it is starting to be a bit of a trend, which would certainly mean the end of Ackerman in this city.
Submitted by Meg (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 08:06.
Okay - Prayer in schools is a free speech issue, too in some ways.
All joking aside, any support that is taken serious by the media, by this person's partners in leadership, or by other's in the political arena should be taken seriously.
I heard this morning that some of these political people are looking seriously at Ackerman's pay rate. Maybe the attention will help out in the long run.
Think she'll stay if the governor demands a lower pay ?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 11:40.
Jannie Blackwell is the reason why the SRC did not vote to approve West's SAC's recommendation last year during the Renaissance process. She entered the room, hugged Dr. Ackerman, whispered a bunch of stuff, and then Ackerman went back up to the table, and wrote on napkins to each commissioner that the vote was pulled. This is because she created the last-ditch "conflict of interest" story to discredit the parents. The members of the SAC were sitting in that horrible room waiting for the vote, and it just never happened. They weren't told why, they weren't told anything at all. They just left, some almost in tears of rage. We don't forgive Blackwell for that, and we never will. Presumably this is a Blackwell and Jordan go way back follow the money trail kind of thing - it's just "window dressing". I'm sure she alerted Ackerman that she would be doing this to throw the public and Jordan a bone. They both understand how politics works.
Submitted by ban (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 11:54.
My point exactly. Watch - on Tuesday the judge will rule in favor of Moffett, but acknowledge that Ackerman "in her zeal" to advocate for children "misinterpreted" reports from her staff and "mistakenly" moved Moffett to the rubber room until the facts could be evaluated. The judge will agree that Moffett did "cross the line," but that the sentence has already been served.
Submitted by Christina (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 12:26.
I was there. I saw that.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/18/2011 - 08:25.
Yes, Blackwell can not be trusted. Don't be fooled. She just likes to mix it up. This is why Philadelphia is so dysfunctional.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 16:38.
Whereas, It takes the engagement of the entire community to ensure the success of its public schools.
Submitted by Mike (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 16:43.
Councilwoman Blackwell, you have just earned my vote!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 17:34.
PLEASE----Jerry Jordan is a joke as a leader of the Union and we all know it. He always seems shocked and stunned by all life situations as if he is the deer in the headlights. Either he is exactly that or a pawn for Ackerman.
In any case, Ms. Moffitt will create chaos for the Queen across the country and in the media, neither of which the Queen wants.
The Bigger issue----PLEASE GOOGLE JOHN Q. PORTER WHO IS THE HEAD OF THE MOSAIC FOUNDATION THAT JUST RECEIVED 2 SCHOOLS FROM THE QUEEN. HE WAS RUN OUT OF OKLAHOMA AND MARYLAND FOR MISUSE OF FUNDS AS IN MONEY AND HE AND THE QUEEN WORKED TOGETHER IN OKLAHOMA. PLEASE GOOGLE AS YOU JUST CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 17:42.
Some of the comments above have a tinge of racism attached to them. It is not about color but Green is Green as in money. If these people were orange, it wouldn't matter. They are just stealing and selling the kids to the highest bidder and we all know it down deep. Just a shameless episode all the way around and, of course, it all plays right into the hands of the American Nazi Party--I mean the Republicans, who are trying to find excuses to shaft the inner cities even more now than ever before. The sooner the Queen rides out on her broom, the better for the kids and their schools. Yes, I just googled John Q. Porter and no, I was snot shocked to see his past legal issues with school money. The Queen is so arrogant that she just doesn't care who knows what anymore.
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