Something to laugh about

Collier County schools have had little humor lately.

The School Board rejected teacher pleas for a raise of more than 1 percent after nearly a year of hearings. Students protested the board's decision to change their high school schedule from block to a seven-period day, saying the move would hurt their education.

Then there's the former superintendent's lawsuit against the School Board, which he alleges violated the state's Sunshine Law before firing him. And you can't forget the budget crisis that has district leaders looking to ask voters for a local property tax increase to offset losses from the state.

One local teacher is trying not to be gloomy about the situation. She's posted a parody web site poking fun at the district's superintendent struggles (that would be the lawsuit). It's good fun. Take a look.

Comments

[flcertifiedteacher]

Thanks so much for mentioning my parody blog.

There's lots to laugh at, and lots to ponder, for those with both head and heart...

I really appreciate you mentioning it!

Thanks again.

[flcertifiedteacher]

Well, I thought I had finished it, but I ended up adding 4 new sections below the big Three Stooges photo. (However, that's it.)

Enjoy this parody blog:

http://www.labbottsaysvisitrockford.blogspot.com

[Chip]

Thank you FLCertifiedTeacher! After my own experience in censorship and threats from the CC School Board, it's wonderful to read your blog. Well done. You get an "A" from this FLVS.net parent.

[Chip]

Read my story at
http://bytemeworld.com/schoolboard.htm

[flcertifiedteacher]

Hello Chip,

Thank you for your nice post to me. I'm glad you liked my blog and gave it an "A." (And, I agree! It IS an "A" blog!)

I am very interested in reading your blog, too. But, unfortunately, I have not yet had a chance to do so.

I am in the midst of a lot going on in my life right now.

Thanks again for your positive comment.

[flcertifiedteacher]

PS Chip, upon rereading your comment, I think you should take a look at the "comment policy" on the left sidebar here.

I myself meant to thank you only for the nice compliment you wrote about my parody blog (I was not thanking you for your entire posts).

And, I said I am interested in reading your blog, too, because: I like reading blogs.

However, unfortunately, I really don't have the time right now.

As for what else you wrote, again, I would just suggest you remember this education blog does have a comment policy posted on the left side.

And, again, I only mention all this because I did not want anyone who reads my quick response to you, above, to wrongly assume:

I know or agree with whatever you yourself are talking about, because I do NOT know you or what your blog says. And I do not know your individual experience with any school board.

Just wanted to clarify my response, here! Thanks.

PS BTW, you should read the new education blog at the LA Times and THEIR rules and regulations. I took a look at it today, and was EXHAUSTED from reading it! Whew! [As of today, and what I read:] They tell you "law enforcement" will be coming after you or something. It's amazing! I was too tired to bother reading all of it.

In short, this education blog here, GRADEBOOK, has a much more sensible comments policy, in my view. It's short and to the point, and user friendly.

[flcertifiedteacher]

Tuff-Teach forum - thank you!

I just wanted to say a big "Thank you!" to the teachers who posted a link to this blog, THE GRADEBOOK, and this post -- "Something to Laugh About" -- on their teacher forum in Pinellas County, Florida, here:

http://www.tuff-teach.com/pcs/showthread.php?p=100843

[Chip]

My bad ;) I should have said, "After my own experience in censorship and threats resulting from my criticism of the CC School Board, it's wonderful to read your blog."

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading civil liberties organization defending digital rights - eff.org. They are an excellant resource and they publish a legal guide for bloggers at http://w2.eff.org/bloggers/lg/

Peace out

[flcertifiedteacher]

Hi Chip,

Thanks for both links. I have heard of Electronic Frontier Foundation, but I appreciate your mention of it here for others.

Also, my apologies to you, if I sounded hesitant about looking at your site. I was, because at first, I didn't understand what you wrote. But when you rewrote your comment, I decided to take a look at your site.

I was very impressed with your writing on your site. It seemed clear to me you tried, tried and tried some more to be heard, in an effort to improve the situation in Collier County Public Schools. IMO, you did the best you could do.

I was also impressed with the VERY informative and various links you included on your site.

I was quite surprised to read the Naples Daily news article about Steve Donovan's reaction to the Hinshaw Report before the firing of Baker -- as Donovan was reported as saying the Hinshaw Report was the "WORST report" he's ever read or something like that -- yet,I find that reaction odd because: exactly HOW MANY reports has Steve Donovan -- a high school drop-out, and then GED, as well as a 1st time school board member -- ever read in his life? His reported reaction to the report seemed very obviously way overblown.

In addition, I thought you made a valid point in something you wrote, saying that this report was a whole lot of work for a matter that involved VERY few students [in comparison to the whole number of students in the county] or something like that.

All very interesting...

Consequently, I decided to include a link to your site on my site. Scroll down on my site, on the left side, to Poll #5, for parents. Below that poll you will see I added a link to your site.

I have heard from other parents, too, in regard to my parody site. I am glad they are reading it.

I think they should read your site, too.

Finally, I loved the graphic you had showing the Taj Mahal as the symbol of CCPS. I posted that, too, at the top of my site and near the board members now being sued.

Thanks for sharing. And for being patient with me.

I am still overwhelmed with everything I have to do. But I am glad I made time to look at your very worthwhile site, because you were obviously very sincere in your efforts to improve the Collier County Public Schools district, at least in my opinion.

Thanks again for writing to me here.

PS Also -- Chip, thanks for taking the time to email me, via the contact form on my site. I chose to write you back here, on this GRADEBOOK blog. I hope you'll be taking a look here -- and see my reply to you! :)

[flcertifiedteacher]

I also meant to mention in my above post to Chip (and all):

According to a parent who emailed me via my parody blog, Collier County Public Schools just got a big mention in a new book by a former teacher, called: "WHITE CHALK CRIME."

Here is the new book:
http://www.whitechalkcrime.com/Buy.html

It is also available on Amazon.com

The author is the founder of a national organization to end teacher abuse, and a member of parentadvocates.org, which has her bio online at their site.

I have not read this book yet, but I am guessing the example of Collier as a district engaging in white chalk crime concerns the two on-going class action discrimination lawsuits filed by parents of ESE students. Their website is here:
http://www.collier-ese-reform.com/about.htm

They have a very interesting page summarizing the rather negative history of Collier County Public Schools here (scroll down to
"Collier County's Illustrious History"):

http://www.collier-ese-reform.com/news.htm

While every school district has its share of challenges, I would say, from my perspective, that Collier County Public Schools is unique in that it creates many of its own problems.

And, of course, this is a shame, since there are indeed many hardworking teachers, as well as students, and concerned parents and community members who would like to see this school district be more than a joke.

[flcertifiedteacher]

Here, below, is an interview with the teacher/author of WHITE CHALK CRIME --

http://www.whitechalkcrime.com/

As I mentioned above, this is a new book that mentions Collier County Public Schools as one of many examples of a school district engaging in WHITE CHALK CRIME. Her interview on ednews.org, before the book came out, is here:

http://ednews.org/articles/22915/1/An-Interview-with-Karen-Horwitz-About-Teachers-and-Teacher-Abuse/Page1.html

[flcertifiedteacher]

I almost forgot -- just to continue the "Collier Comedy" wrap-up for today:

On this very recent Naples Daily News article, titled:

"One company could have an advantage in the bid to privatize Collier [Schools] custodial services"

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/09/one-company-could-have-advantage-bid-privatize-col/

-- my post #45 received the following reply from a reader on post #49:

Wow! What if post #45 is correct? Or even partially correct?

#49 Posted by GoIndians on May 10, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

-----------
So, you see: some of us still have our Thinking Caps on (despite the non-stop laugh riot known as Collier County Public Schools)!

[flcertifiedteacher]

In addition, in this weekend editorial by the editor of the Naples Daily whatever -- wherein he claims to know something about a "Free Press" -- I responded to him on the first eleven posts, with links of news he never published about the actual background of the current "superintendent."

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/10/phil-lewis-not-just-j-school-stake/

I am wondering if the town can stop laughing about this school district long enough to ponder the violation of this town's constitutional right to a free press back in August 2007, during the switcher-roo of superintendents -- as this violation of constitutional rights of an entire community is obviously what I evidenced in my eleven posts, IMO.

Well, that's it for today's laughs from Collier County Public Schools!

[flcertifiedteacher]

Well, I actually remembered a few more chuckles I wanted to post today.

But then I saw this article -- and am now ROTFLMAO:

"Former Collier School Board members in favor of settlement between district, former superintendent"

9:38 p.m., Monday, May 12, 2008

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/12/former-collier-school-board-members-favor-settleme/

-----
I'm laughing because: what about all the taxpayers who are OPPOSED to a settlement? And want this matter to GO to trial? (Like me -- I want it to go to trial. So do MANY other people on the local newspaper's forum.)

Are former school board members now ganging up on the whole community of Little People who want the TRUTH to come out?? Why is the TRUTH so frightening to the Big People? It's not frightening to us Little People...

LOL...

[flcertifiedteacher]

From the above link:

"Baker’s contract was declared void a week after the Hinshaw & Culbertson report found that the district failed to uniformly award credits to students taking courses paired with Advanced Placement classes."

------------

One little chuckle I wanted to mention is how there is a poster on the Naples Daily Snooze who claims this Hinshaw Report from this law firm ACTUALLY stated in their report something like:

"this report CANNOT be used as a basis for terminating Ray Baker."

But, then - it WAS used as the basis by the three board members who are now being sued.

I don't know if the report said the above or not, but if it did -- aren't these three board members acting outside of the legal advice given by the law firm that prepared the report?

And thus, engaging in an abuse of power?

That is actually two little chuckles:

(a) the report was misused by the board according to a person who claims to have read it (and it is linked on the individual parent's site linked on my site); [HA HA HA] and --

(b) in firing Baker, because of this report, the three individual board members abused their authority/elected office/power/ whatever you call it.

[HA HA HA - another chuckle].

--------

And, in doing so -- Baker's attorney, in my layman's view, should be amending the complaint to include ABUSE OF POWER against the three board members for the reasons above, and more reasons, below...

And, should be amending the complaint by adding "AGENTS" of these three board members are ALSO being sued -- just in case there are John Does #1-3 and more who were really motivating these board members.

I think there were. And, I think I have received an email from John Doe #2, and I will post it here.

Won't that be a laugh riot! HA HA HA!

[flcertifiedteacher]

BTW -- if the reason the current superintendent has no application from August 2007 (REQUIRED) on file, is because of his "personal relationship" with Linda Abbott, so, he just doesn't need one --

well, why didn't Abbott recuse herself from the voting? Why is she allowed to vote AND have a personal relationship with Dennis Thompson? Isn't that a conflict of interest rising to an abuse of power?

Another chuckle! HA HA HA!

Another abuse of power is that all three members of the board getting sued voted IMMEDIATELY instead of WAITING as the school board's own attorney advised, because Baker's contract required a two week waiting period or something like that.

So, ANOTHER abuse of power. Where is this cause of action in Baker's complaint?

You don't even need to prove what these three board members were saying on their 3AM phone calls to have a win on the abuse of power conspiracy or individual abuses of power:

It's all right on the videotape of the meeting, in the report, and in the school board attorney's advice!

These 3 board members repeatedly acted outside the LAW -- and did so KNOWINGLY since they ignored all the legal advice!

HA HA HA! Isn't this the funniest school district in the universe!

[flcertifiedteacher]

And speaking of funny stuff like abuses of power -- on that thread I posted here earlier today in response to the newspaper editor, there was also more I wrote, regarding a poster's claim of the current superintendent abusing his power right now in getting these bids -- since that is NOT his actual job. Scroll down on that thread comments to see what I am talking about!

It's a laugh riot, these real or perceived abuses of power!

HA HA HA HA!!!

[flcertifiedteacher]

Well, I think those were the chuckles I planned on posting.

Now, onto the laugh riot that is the email I received from John Doe #2.

In fact, come to think of it -- I think
John Doe #2 likes to write to me, and he is also the author of this other email I received.

I didn't write back to either email.

But, I will post those TWO emails here right now -- and maybe Baker's attorney will see them, and perhaps realize there really IS a reason to add John Does #1-3 to that amended complaint I hope he writes for Baker, and add "Abuse of Power" on ALL of these John Doe's and 3 board members.

I will also translate into real English what John Doe #2 was trying to say to me in these two emails I will post from him below, because I think I am smarter than he ever wants to admit, and he knows that privately already.

But, maybe not! Maybe I am just a big joker here! HA HA HA!

Or maybe I am right, and these two emails coming up really ARE from John Doe #2 whose real middle name, is, I think, something that rhymes with "Trellis."

[flcertifiedteacher]

Here's the first one I received from someone I believe is "John Doe #2" --

from Briarpatch1948@[deleted here]
to [other email address I used]
date Fri, Feb 1, 2008 at 12:18 PM
subject your blog
mailed-by bounce2.pobox.com

[my first name],

I enjoy reading your blog and shown it to a number of people. You seem to be very well informed. I may be able to give you some info about the devil that washed under the table.

Meanwhile Terry Walters claims that he is graduate of Harvard and is a lawyer. I have not been able to prove these claims. Do you have info or suggestions as to how to go about a better search?

Larry

------------------------------

Here is my translation, though there are other ways I could translate it, too:

[_____],

Golly gee; I had no idea you knew how to go online to this new thing called the "internet" -- and input "Dennis Thompson" AND "Rockford" into a search engine!

BTW, here is a lie I would like to tell you and I wish you would believe:

There was NO media blackout in Naples;
about Dennis Thompson.

Here's what I hope you believe:

It's just that YOU alone are able to do this incredible "research" thing -- by gosh, I am amazed! You are so "well informed" that I just HAD to email you!

I sure wish I could do a search like you on this new thingie the "internet."

Can you "teach" me?

I realize now I am a jerk. Because you see, what we did was this:

We DID have a MEDIA BLACKOUT -- and a cover up in place.

Our cover up was this:

We a duped Harvard trained lawyer -- who is also teacher in Collier.

We had HIM go out to Rockford to "interview" this Dennis Thompson. (And, approve Thompson for Collier.)

We thought this Harvard-trained lawyer's "expert opinion" would be enough of a cover up for us -- along with the MEDIA BLACKOUT on Dennis Thompson.

And, we misled this teacher to think: he'd become principal of his school if he did this for us.

But really we were telling a big lie to him! We just used him!

HA HA HA!

However, now I am hoping: you feel kind of intimidated with this new information about this teacher -- who is INDEED a Harvard trained lawyer. (And, a jerk, since he did NO online research about Dennis Thompson.)

Do you feel intimidated by this Harvard-trained lawyer background of his? I am sure hoping you do.

Let's see if you now do a search on him and his background on your computer...

[flcertifiedteacher]

Then, later -- I think John Doe #2 changed his email address, and sent me the following email, to come...

BTW, isn't this all SO FUNNY! HA HA HA!

The Collier Comedy Hour just never stops.

[flcertifiedteacher]

Here's what I believe is email #2 from John Doe #2:

from TRAINWRECK@[deleted here]
to [via the contact form on my parody blog],
date Sat, Apr 26, 2008 at 12:03 AM
subject Love your blog

Duuuuuuude! Your blog is awesome. You have spent a ton of time on it, huh? I applaud your efforts.

Suggestions to add to your site. Maybe these are on here. Your site is deep. Search Dennis Thompson on myspace. Funny stuff. Good links if not on there. The problems you are bringing to light are real and ongoing.

Thompson's dissertation, real or purchased, supports increasing spending on teachers had the most direct correlation to improved student achievement (my summary of his findings.) Very interesting in relation to recent salary non-negotiations.

What is the disgruntled lost application for 15 years thing about? Post something on your blog so I know you got this.

-------------------------

My abbreviated version of a translation of this email is below:

"Wow! I did not even know you are a female! I thought you were a GUY!"

etc...

[Ha ha ha...]

[chip]

Thanks for the shout-out.

Here is another interesting first (at least I've never heard of it)...the SACS Accreditation Committee is seeking community input on the School Board! Letters must be received by May 30th.

To be considered by the visiting accreditation team, the written statement must: include the author’s complete name, address, daytime phone number and Collier County School Board voting district; and be mailed to the Accreditation Team, c/o Traci Dami, the School District of Collier County, 5775 Osceola Trail, Naples, FL 34109.

Also be sure to include a copy to
Mark A. Elgart, Ed.D.
President/CEO AdvancED*
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, GA 30033
melgart@advanc-ed.org

[chip]

Also - on a side note...Thompson was FIRST introduced to this district years ago by none other than Nelson F. Kinda makes you sick to your stomach doesn't it.

The lawsuit waiting in the wings is going to make Bakers look like a cake walk and sure to bring loads of National negative press to Collier - and I'm not talking about the Nelson F case either.

[flcertifiedteacher]

Chip,

Thanks for your posts here. I did not know Nelson F. -- the criminal defense lawyer who was president of the school board, and accused of sexually molesting a student for years before committing suicide in a local park -- introduced Thompson to this district.

I am beginning to think a safer job than working as a teacher in Collier County would be doing something in the gambling or porn industries. I don't know about those industries, but it seems like they would have a higher quality of leadership than this school district.

I added some new sections just today on my parody blog.

These are located below the large photo of the frat house, and above the Homework for Students section, on both sides of the page.

Enjoy.

[flcertifiedteacher]

Well, just as a little Collier Comedy update here -- late tonight, just now in fact, I added yet another little section to my parody blog.

It's on the right side, just above the HOMEWORK section for students.

I was thinking about this a lot -- because I myself find it VERY FUNNY how a daily SNOOZEPAPER that keeps an entire community IGNORANT is able to find the buck -a-roos to EXPAND. And buy new REAL ESTATE in a very EXPENSIVE location, and build an ENORMOUS NEW BUILDING!

It's all so FUNNY! Who is paying the bills for keeping the snoozepaper quiet? Who is paying the new expansion bills? Is it one and the same:

Big [Snoozepaper] Brother????

An actual photo of the new building is now on my site. It looks even bigger than the Taj Majal admin center for the FUNNY school board members being sued.

HA HA HA. Just another update on the Collier Comedy Hour...

[flcertifiedteacher]

Chip -- here is the letter I wrote and am sending tonight to the SACs accreditation team.

However, based on my past experiences with this district, I do not expect my voice will matter much in any matter involving this school district. (And, I could have written a whole more, but it's too depressing for me to think about.)

I will also email my letter below to the guy whose email address you wrote, above.

Thanks.
----------------------
May 13, 2008

Accreditation Team
c/o Traci Dami,
School District of Collier County 5775 Osceola Trail, Naples, FL 34109

Re: SACs Accreditation Committee request for Community Input on the School Board

To Whom It May Concern:

I am a Florida certified teacher, and received a Masters degree in Elementary Education from the University of South Florida in Ft Myers in 1997, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and no criminal record.

I am writing to tell you of my complete and total disgust for the Collier County School Board members now being sued: Linda Abbott, Richard Calabrese, and Steve Donovan.

In my opinion as a successful K-12 teacher outside this district, and a successful educator in higher education, these people do not value nor communicate with stakeholders, as evidenced by their actions when they voted in favor of Dennis Thompson last August 2007 as superintendent.

Specifically, I did not appreciate nor approve of the following:

(1) The school board members’ failure to disclose to the community that Dennis Thompson has a history of teacher abuse, as evidenced by his mistreatment of Tiffany Parker, a successful and ethical teacher in Rockford whom he removed from instructional duty -- despite her tremendous success with minority students and over the objections of parents supporting her. Thompson then hired a private investigator, and reportedly made her life miserable. This was done, according to Thompson, because Parker didn’t follow his “chain of command” and switch from her successful reading methods and federally approved reading program, to his reading program, which is the same failed reading program used in this county.

(2) Thompson’s abuse of teacher Tiffany Parker made national, state and local headlines, and was reported in the Rockford Register, and resulted in parents, teachers and school board members creating the Rockford Reading Disaster website, which continues to be operational today.
The national press reporting this abuse included the NY Times in 2005, as well as a conservative educational think tank, the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, which is the most respected conservative educational research and think tank in the country. The NY Times article was written by Sam Freedman, an education professor at Columbia University. Thompson should not have been hired, and the school board failed to disclose his application to the public, so we could see if he reported this material information on his application. This would have made him ineligible for hire. A failure to disclose it means he should be fired now for fraudulent omission.

There are many, many other acts of these school board members I disapprove of, as I believe their actions show a complete and utter lack of interest or respect for teachers, parents and students. I have created a parody web site about these school board members, and it was recently featured in the St Petersburg Times GRADEBOOK, an education blog. You are welcome to use it in your research, as the links to news articles mentioned above are included therein:
http://www.labbottsaysvisitrockford.blogspot.com

Thank you for considering my statement here.

[my name, etc. District 2]

[flcertifiedteacher]

Chip, BTW - I did send that letter, above, last night, by certified mail to: the guy in Georgia you mentioned, and to the other address here in Collier. (And, I emailed that guy, too.)

I really risked a lot to do that letter, in between other work I was doing. I was at Kinko's and made the mistake of going out to eat -- and driving 30 miles in a 40 mile zone. For this, I got pulled over by a Naples cop.

The police officer claimed to be concerned I was "impaired" for driving 30 miles in a 40 mile zone.

To me, now, this sounds like: another fake DUI was on the way.

Fortunately, there were witnesses, as the guy in Kinkos was watching this through the window. And I think now this put a dent in any fake DUI arrest of me.

I think I have learned a lot living in Naples, Florida: (1) always try to find an honest witness when you are pulled over by a cop; and (2) If this means you have to keep driving to find a witness while the police car siren is blaring, then, just keep driving till you see someone else, so you have a chance to survive.

With a witness at hand, in Kinkos, it seems to me logical now that the police officer only gave me a written "warning" instead of a fake DUI.

Well, so much for another fun update of the Collier Comedy Hour. I am not in jail for driving 30 miles in a 40 mile zone. (It's a miracle.)

Have a good day, Chip. And ha ha ha about whatever. It's just Collier Comedy. Ha ha ha...

[flcertifiedteacher]

Chip, I can't recall at this moment (without rereading everything above) if I mentioned my new section on my parody blog, re: the snoozepaper's expansion. Scroll down on my parody blog, on the right side, to just above the HOMEWORK section.

Ha ha ha. The laughs just keep coming here in Collier County. Hope that whatever lawsuit waiting in the wings you mentioned can maybe like hurry up a little bit (or a whole lot), before I am tossed into jail here forever on some bogus charge for laughing so hard at the nonstop Collier Comedy Hour... just a thought. Ha ha ha. Just joking around here...

[flcertifiedteacher]

I always think I am finished with this parody blog, but then -- I think of something else.

This morning I added some new sections -- again, just above the HOMEWORK section, and below the frat house photo, scrolling down on both sides.

I think this really IS it.

And a big HA HA HA to everyone today!

[flcertifiedteacher]

Well, I have read that the school board voted last night, 4-1, to accept a settlement in this litigation.

I guess that means:

Now, I have to take down my parody blog, since it was about the lawsuit -- and now there is no lawsuit.

I have decided to enter a creative writing program at a university abroad, if I am accepted, and to publish my parody blog as a book.

Then, the laughs can just keep on coming with respect to the Collier County Public Schools Comedy Hour.

Forever.

I guess when a whole town's constitutional right to a free press is violated, it just doesn't mean much nowadays. Or something like that. Strange how accepting people are of such matters.

Oh, well, laugh it up! HA HA HA!

[flcertifiedteacher]

OK, so now -- I have made my parody blog
an invited reader site. Not available to the public.

I still plan on writing a book about it. But, I am most interested in getting to a university where I can do that.

I would have left my site up, even when writing my book, but -- I don't want to be hassled by anyone. I don't want a lawsuit from the school district. Or anyone else who can't take a joke.

So, I took it down.

However, if someone like a university or the free press (such as this education blog or a comedy site) wants to host my site, as a parody blog, or an instructional tool, they already have my permission to do so since that is my understanding of the federal law and Fair Use.

For such free press and universities, there is no charge or fee that need be paid to me.

But, as I say: right now, just now, I made it read only by permission.

However, those entities already have my permission because again, that is my understanding of the law, even though I am just a layman. I think I made a great site. And, I know others agree with me.

Also, while it is indeed funny, there is much to learn from it. Since I am a teacher, and I do hope people learn, anyone who wants to host it would be doing a service for the public good, in my opinion. But, as for me -- I need to pack.

BTW, did you all know that in San Jose there was a superintendent who fraudulently claims to have a doctorate when he really didn't? He was prosecuted. An author in CA told me this and I believe her. I thought this was quite interesting. Some people can't imagine such things would happen in a public school district. But, I can imagine it. (And, the comedy that goes along with it, prior to discovery.)

Anyway, ha ha ha to everyone!

And to all, a good night.

[flcertifiedteacher]

OK, so now -- I have made my parody blog
an invited reader site. Not available to the public.

I still plan on writing a book about it. But, I am most interested in getting to a university where I can do that.

I would have left my site up, even when writing my book, but -- I don't want to be hassled by anyone. I don't want a lawsuit from the school district. Or anyone else who can't take a joke.

So, I took it down.

However, if someone like a university or the free press (such as this education blog or a comedy site) wants to host my site, as a parody blog, or an instructional tool, they already have my permission to do so since that is my understanding of the federal law and Fair Use.

For such free press and universities, there is no charge or fee that need be paid to me.

But, as I say: right now, just now, I made it read only by permission.

However, those entities already have my permission because again, that is my understanding of the law, even though I am just a layman. I think I made a great site. And, I know others agree with me.

Also, while it is indeed funny, there is much to learn from it. Since I am a teacher, and I do hope people learn, anyone who wants to host it would be doing a service for the public good, in my opinion. But, as for me -- I need to pack.

BTW, did you all know that in San Jose there was a superintendent who fraudulently claims to have a doctorate when he really didn't? He was prosecuted. An author in CA told me this and I believe her. I thought this was quite interesting. Some people can't imagine such things would happen in a public school district. But, I can imagine it. (And, the comedy that goes along with it, prior to discovery.)

Anyway, ha ha ha to everyone!

And to all, a good night.

[flcertifiedteacher]

This morning I put my parody blog back up, for anyone in the public to view -- with new sections throughout -- because of this new editorial from the Naples Daily News:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/20/editorial-state-attorney-should-take-another-glanc/

But, I think that's it for my work on this.

Enjoy the never-ending Collier COunty Public Schools Comedy Hour!

[flcertifiedteacher]

I wasn't expecting to do so, but: I have created some new PAGES for my comedy blog. Very short and very funny.

First, there's the new family vacation photo album page here:

http://www.collierteamsters.blogspot.com

Then, we have the "superintendent's private blog" page, wherein he responds to some of the many actual "Letters to the Editors" about him, published in the Naples Daily News. That new blog page is here:

http://www.dennisthompsonresponds.blogspot.com

And, finally, we have the most popular new section, just created days ago:

Quiz Yourself on Dennis Thompson's Background!

Yes, indeed -- take this 10-question quiz (multiple choice), and find out how much you know (or don't) about his actual background here:

http://www.dennisthompsonbackgroundquiz.blogspot.com

Laugh it up -- and enjoy!

[flcertifiedteacher]

Well, the comedy just doesn't let up here in Collier County.

New developments: revision of entire parody site to focus on thompson and district;

video now on the ever popular "responds" site; and

a bonus question now on the quiz site.

Very "funny" how Thompson evicted journalists from covering a protest by high school students against him, in a high school parking lot.

Also very "funny" how he is going after a high school AP teacher who is the founder of a local peace group. More info on this in the new bonus quiz question below, scroll down on quiz site on the left.

HA HA HA!

HA HA HA! The fun never ends!

http://www.dennisthompsonresponds.blogspot.com

http://www.dennisthompsonbackgroundquiz.blogspot.com