The question was posed: What do you think of Dr. Murfree’s contract? I wanted to let it stew for a bit before I said anything, but at least some people are curious. Not surprising, since I’ve made it pretty clear I wasn’t a fan of the whole process that resulted in his hiring. For those who don’t know, he’s being paid $140,000 to start with and that will bump up to $147,000 per year after he’s certified.
And all that for a guy who is wholly unqualified?
You see, Dr. Joshua Murfree is qualified to teach in the Dougherty County School System. He may even be qualified to be a principle in the Dougherty County School System. But having never actually worked in a K-12 system, he’s completely unqualified to run one. It’s like they gave me the blasted job, and I’m not even remotely qualified.
Then, they let this guy write his own contract. Let that sink it a bit if you’re unfamiliar with the whole thing. They let this man, who has never worked in a public school system, or even a private school, write his own contract. The result? You get a man who was unqualified and expected a yearly salary of $175,000 per year. That was $25,000 more than Dr. Sally Whatley, who was qualified for the job in the first place.
Then, we find out after the School Board went ahead and decided to hire him despite their promises to the people of Dougherty County that we’d get a say that this man is apparently an albophobic racist who thinks it’s time a black man is superintendent. I guess Dr. Culbreth didn’t qualify in his estimation. And he’s going to be responsible for educating the children of Dougherty County? Is he going to car about all of the kids? Or just the black ones?
If we’re going to have a public schools, they should exist for everyone. It’s how it should have worked in the 1950′s and earlier, and it’s how it should work now. I sincerely hope they do, but his emails to the Southwest Georgian are hardly the kind of thing that comforts me.
Now, this man is going to be paid as much as $147,000 per year. Meanwhile, qualified teachers are looking at twelve furlough days next school year. Twelve days, and someone who’s unqualified is going to make seven times the median income in the Albany metro area.
Oh yeah. That’s the way to keep good teachers and educate our young.
On the plus side, Deerfield and Sherwood Christian shouldn’t have any problems recruiting new students for next year.
His total compensation is $165K to start and $173K if he gets certified. Look for top paid white administrators, principals and teachers to be demoted, reassigned or fired soon.
Yes, and that includes things like health insurance and other incidentals that would have probably been included regardless of what the starting salary, which is what I wrote the post about.
Put in simplest terms, it is a fraud.
It is a fraud on the part of those members of the school board who voted that Dr. Murfree was “the best qualified candidate available”, when in fact he was not. It was not the truth.
There were other candidates available who were “qualified” for the position. An unqualified candidate, by definition – cannot be more qualified than a qualified candidate. I understand that they chose the candidate first, then ran afoul of the pesky “requirement” that an unqualified candidate can only be hired if he were the “best qualified candidate available”. In English, that phrase suggests someone from a pool of lacking candidates but who comes closest to meeting the criteria – not the person whom the majority of board members personally likes the best. And there’s the fraud. The School Board knew that Dr. Murfree wasn’t the “best qualified candidate available” when they voted. They thought they were just dotting the “i”‘s or crossing the “t”‘s. But they knew it was not true. Since it was “required” for his hiring – his hiring is tainted with fraud.
The School Board will cover the expense of hiring an unqualified friend as superintendent. They will simply raise school taxes on the dwindling taxpayer base and furlough teachers. See? That isn’t so complicated. And it’s an ethical lesson for the school children as well. However, it is not the lesson we wanted them to learn.
Those arrogant school board members have no shame. They have discredited themselves and reflect poorly on our community. The entire affair is a travesty and they full well know it.
Cartman,
I made some calls and did some checking and sadly “Being best qualified candidate” isn’t any requirement for temporary certification. If you have the required degree and pass the test you are approved.
As for the big picture, I wish I had a $600 a month car allowance when my school district was several million in the hole. The guy lives in Albany, and should drive his own car to and from work. That is openly wasting taxpayer dollars.
Tim:
http://www.albanyherald.com/education/headlines/90716874.html
From the Albany Herald article linked above:
“The “best-qualified applicant available” was one of the last hurdles for Murfree, who doesn’t hold the job’s required state certification of at least an L-6, according to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission….
….Because he doesn’t have a certificate on record, Murfree needed the board to vote that he was the “best-qualified applicant available” in order to start the process of him receiving a waiver permit. Ranked 34th out of 37 applicants by the Georgia School Boards Association on criteria the Dougherty County School Board compiled, Murfree has two years to fulfill the PSC’s requirements.”
This is another case for the race card.If he had not got the job,he would have screamed RACE.That is getting old here.I dont care what your race is,you have to know what you are doing.It scares me to think of this man in charge of children in albany.what is best for them.And as for Gov. pratice around here,it s parr for the course.They do what they want to,not what we the tax payers need and want.I dont have any children,but i do pay school tax.Now i dont mind that to help the children,if it does.But not to pay this man this much money,for what?Race is what got him in there.And that is a shme.Race is played on so much.But if you think about it,it s played by most black people.Well there are a few white people i know that should and probley will scream Race,as they should.But then again,how far will that get them,since we know what Race rules Albany.Sorry to say that but it is true.And anyone who says it is not is a LIE.I was always tought not to say anyhing behind anyones back that i would not say to there face.And i would say this to anyone who would care to hear my concerns.And when it s the truth,it s not slander,i have had that thrown at me a couple time also.Yet people in Gov. can say what they like about anyone,and it is not slander,or racist.Bull malrakie.I have my own fight with Gov. in albany,and i will not give up till they answer to it.We need people who see one color,in Gov.,in schools,and in life in general.And Most of All In Albany.I am not anyones judge,we have only one true judge to answer to.And he does not do so on the color of your skin.
I dont know if you all get the Hearld or not.But Murfree was shown talking with students,and it seems he had his on agenday,the kids were all of one color.Our kids need someone who does not see color,but help for the kids,all kids.He got this job the wrong way,by the good ole boy system.Now we,not the City or county,will be paying for ir for years to come.People can not admit when they are wrong.Or they just dont want to.I sure would like to be a friand of someone in office.then maybe they would help me.But i dont want hand outs.I want Justice for All.All of the school board members know they are wrong for what they done.But they get away with it.We the people should have been able to vote on this,it is our Kids,not yours.But as the race card is being played every day here in albany,it may come back and bite you in the butt.I hope it does,dishonest people are what is hurtting Albany.If you cant get something the honest way in Albany,just make a few friends where it counts.You will have it made.Now what are you all going to do about the other kids of diffrent races?