[read at the 5/7/14 Board of Education meeting]

My name is Barbara Skokan. I am a retired teacher of the PA School System. I loved every moment I spent teaching and working with the children of this City.

It is obvious you have no idea how important these young minds are. They are the future of this City. After we are gone, they will be here, some sitting in your seats. Will you leave them a legacy to be proud of? For the future of our children I must say what I have to say tonight.

The following opinions are my own:

Nine people were elected to this Board of Ed – a job which requires them to work for the children and taxpayers of this City. But I also see some members on this Board working to promote a Charter School System formerly initiated by the Ex-Super of Schools Caffrey. How do I know this? I attend meetings and see Mr. Oritz burying his nose in an electronic device from which he is obviously reading. I thought Caffrey was gone. It is so obvious that certain members of this Board are chasing the ghost of Caffrey. This is not a chess game. You are dealing with the lives and future of our children. Good education has been the cornerstone of every successful society. In fighting of this Board of Ed puts a damper on the education process in this City.

Whether you realize it or not, this PAEd System is under a microscope. It is being viewed by many municipalities as a process gone awry. The dedication of our teachers so far has kept the system from collapsing in itself.

Why would a Board which professes to be dedicated to the advancement of our children have to deal with certain members who are not in since with the plan of promoting our children to a much higher degree of achievement?

Much of the conflagration between Board Members should never occur in an open forum. Personal differences should be sorted out in closed sessions. People’s names should not be called out to task. This opens the door to “worker never being done,” which is what is happening now. There seems to be a self-righteous wielding of authority such as a schoolyards bully would do – just to denigrate and degrade someone to feel the thrill of power.

I see before me a Board attempting to be open but what I really see is conflict among some members and accusations of mismanagement which will never be verified because they are untrue. SHADES of Caffrey!

Some people are making being contrary an art from or is it just a parlor game? Her strategy is thinly veiled. Their actions are deliberated counterproductive to the decorum of the Board of Ed.

The Board of Ed is still busy attempting to fill all the potholes left by Caffrey. There were many teachers who were vindictively suspended with pay by Caffrey that are now returning to productive positions within the system. All this because of unfounded frivolous and unsubstantiated charges by Caffrey. All of these teachers had to pay for legal counsel. Our tax money was wasted on self-righteous whim on Ex Super of Schools Caffrey.

The use of electronic devices should be banned during Board Meetings – Both open and closed sessions. It would be refreshing to hear original ideas generated by the Board instead of perpetual accusations against individual Board Members.

Instead of moving ahead, the Board is wasting their time, energy and money running in place with all this internal strife. Anyone viewing these meetings would see strategic controversy. In plain speak; they would see someone throwing a monkey wrench into the works.

Just imagine how much would be achieved if everyone pulled in the same direction. There seems to be a concerted effort by certain members of this Board to undermine the current Superintendent of Schools Rodriguez. We have been fortunate to return her to the position she rightly deserves. She has the special nuances and skills needed that would make this system run in an efficient manner. If you do not work together, nothing will be done. Don’t you see how you are hurting the children? It is so obvious you don’t.

– Barbara Skokan