The Melting Students And Teachers Of Delcastle Technical High School

Students and staff at Delcastle Technical High School in the New Castle County Vo-Tech School District have been sitting in classrooms with unbearable heat for over a week.  But the district is refusing to fix the real problem.

Exceptional Delaware Proudly Endorses Kathleen Davies For State Auditor

Only one candidate in the State Auditor race has the tenacity, patience, grit, resolve, willingness, and heart to perform the role of State Auditor.  She has soul and a love for auditing second to none.  She has been put through the wringer by those who didn’t want her to do her job.  But she has come through that ordeal a stronger and better person.  For that reason alone Kathleen Davies deserves your vote.

Candidate Message: Rachel Blumenfeld, 12th State Representative District, Democrat

Two Democrat candidates in the 12th State Rep. District will square off this Thursday in the Delaware Primary.  Rachel Blumenfeld will face Krista Griffith.  The winner will take on incumbent Deb Hudson in the General Election in November.  Blumenfeld, a teacher in the Colonial School District, sent her candidate message to me this evening.

Will Odyssey Become The 2nd Delaware Charter School To Unionize This Year?

Parents of students at Odyssey Charter School received the following email tonight from the Head of School, Denise Parks.  If Odyssey teachers and staff do vote to unionize they would become the second Delaware charter school to do this.  In May, Charter School of Wilmington voted in the majority for joining the Delaware State Education Association.

Good evening, OCS Families–

Our new leadership team continues to work to improve communications and also to promote transparency in school developments. To reinforce these efforts, I want to make you aware that OCS has received notice from the State of Delaware, Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) that the Odyssey Charter School Education Association (“OCSEA”) has filed a petition to represent certain academic and facilities employees here at OCS. This process ultimately will lead to an election to determine whether OCSEA, as the union, will represent this group of employees in collective bargaining negotiations. I want you to know that the leadership team strongly believes that remaining union-free is the right thing for both OCS and for the staff involved. I will endeavor to keep you informed of key developments as they occur in this process. Please contact me if you have any questions. Whatever the outcome of this vote, I look forward to a productive year for our school.

Yours in education, Denise Parks Head of School

Dan Shelton’s Bizarre Psuedo Maybe Endorsement For Ralph Taylor Is Causing Many To Scratch Their Heads

It’s a rule of thumb in elections: You can’t endorse candidates if you work in a state agency.  When that candidate is on the school board who hired you and can fire you, that endorsement is clearly a conflict of interest.  The 31st State Rep. District primary race has been a popcorn eating event for weeks now.

Enter Ralph Taylor, a Capital School District Board of Education member running for the 31st State Rep. seat against incumbent Sean Lynn for the Democratic ticket.  Today, he posted the following on his Facebook page:

While Shelton does not come out and say “I endorse Ralph Taylor” it certainly comes across as an endorsement.  Especially since it is two days before the Primary.  The fact that the Capital Board of Education has allowed Taylor to use the microphone at board meetings to promote his campaign has not been ignored by attendees in the room.  One attendee, who wished to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, said the following: “Taylor shouldn’t be using his seat on the board for political purposes.  It gives the impression of vote for me or else.”

I wholeheartedly agree.  Shelton’s short of a full endorsement definitely dances on that fine line between a reference letter and an endorsement.  Is Shelton aware Taylor is using this as leverage in his campaign?  I did ask the Taylor campaign on the Facebook post if this was an endorsement or a reference letter.  The campaign responded it was “a note of support”.  The campaign also asked if I was being “petty again”.

It is a given that district employees are not allowed to promote campaigns for school boards.  The same is true for using state time to promote a candidate in elections.  This is just weird.

Tammy Smith From Auditor’s Office Uses Social Media To Smear Davies While McGuiness Family Spreads The Hate

With two days until the Delaware Primary, things are heating up.  For the State Auditor race, some people are getting scared of a Kathleen Davies victory.  So much so they are willing to torpedo their professional life so folks don’t vote for Davies.  When it comes from the Auditor of Accounts office with someone who reported directly to Davies, that is very bad for that employee.  The Merit Employee Review Board has not even finished their hearing but Tammy Smith feels she can say whatever she wants.  I think what may shape Smith’s career is her Facebook post, not the outcome of the Primary.