motheroffour

Sun, Aug 8, 2010 : 8:19 p.m.

LG The principl's actions can not be allowed. Don't try to jutify his actions with how you feel about your past. Removing a child from the school building without the parent's consent to be on the receiving end of the principal's pasionate action can not be minimized, regardless if someone like you thinks it is good practice. I certinly hope you do not agree that this type of passionate behavior is acceptable. Principals do move from building to building. Seven years is a typical stay. The principal has not left any assignment on his own. He has been asked to leave. Balas, Huron, Tapan, Foresythe, Pioneer, A2 Open. He is now in a position that he not qualified. He is there because it is convenient. He doesn't have the knowledge skill set at elementay to even grade or elalute his own teaching staff. To suggest that he is just weeding out his non-performing staff is you being foolish. Stop it! He is just playing his old game of politics. I will get you a job if you support me corruption. This school community is broken. It needs to be fixed and the only way is to have this principal removed. Simple and plain if he is so good let him go someplace where his goodness is appreciated. Dicken was once the hidden gem of the AAPS. Now it has n become the Dicken Detriment. The Forsythe Fiasco Folly has become the Dicken Detriment to Society.

LGChelsea

Sat, Aug 7, 2010 : 11:19 p.m.

I was not at Dicken when this situation occurred. However, I know I am not the only person who thinks highly of Mike as an administrator. I worked with him. Yes, he is "passionate": about staff not performing their jobs, students disrupting the learning environment, and parents who also occasionally disrupt the learning environment. Yes, there were times that I remember Mike having to deal with a parent who stood in the hallway screaming at a teacher, a parent in the office making threats, and other similar situations. I also observed Mike's passion many other times: praising teachers for any number of activities, praising students for improvement and academic performance, and praising parents for their tireless work in the school. (This was not in an elementary school). Mike worked extremely hard at making certain that students were safe, challenged and respected in school. He did not show racial preference. He did not tolerate bullying of any kind, especially of special education students or any students that appeared to others to be different. The staff I worked with admired Mike and appreciated how he always made time for them, students and anyone who needed his time. Sure, there are others who would have different opinions, but I remember a very positive experience when working with Mike. For the commenter who insinuated that each time Mike was moved to another school, it was for a problem with him, this is NOT the case. It is well known that principals in Ann Arbor are shifted many times throughout their careers, for many different reasons. I just wanted to post as someone who worked with Mike, still admires him, and never saw him as anything but very effective. I feel bad about how the situation at Dicken has become so embroiled in the community.

LGChelsea

Sat, Aug 7, 2010 : 11:18 p.m.

I was not at Dicken when this situation occurred. However, I know I am not the only person who thinks highly of Mike as an administrator. I worked with him. Yes, he is "passionate": about staff not performing their jobs, students disrupting the learning environment, and parents who also occasionally disrupt the learning environment. Yes, there were times that I remember Mike having to deal with a parent who stood in the hallway screaming at a teacher, a parent in the office making threats, and other similar situations. I also observed Mike's passion many other times: praising teachers for any number of activities, praising students for improvement and academic performance, and praising parents for their tireless work in the school. (This was not in an elementary school). Mike worked extremely hard at making certain that students were safe, challenged and respected in school. He did not show racial preference. He did not tolerate bullying of any kind, especially of special education students or any students that appeared to others to be different. The staff I worked with admired Mike and appreciated how he always made time for them, students and anyone who needed his time. Sure, there are others who would have different opinions, but I remember a very positive experience when working with Mike. For the commenter who insinuated that each time Mike was moved to another school, it was for a problem with him, this is NOT the case. It is well known that principals in Ann Arbor are shifted many times throughout their careers, for many different reasons. I just wanted to post as someone who worked with Mike, still admires him, and never saw him as anything but very effective. I feel bad about how the situation at Dicken has become so embroiled in the community.

motheroffour

Thu, Aug 5, 2010 : 10:49 p.m.

Dmack please understand that the comments made by the community are in most cases, maybe all, about the actions of principal at the school. The lunch bunch is just one and only one of the many situations that make many people at the school feel that this principal has caused great harm to the entire school community, especially the small children. Stop trying to portray the Lunch Bunch as the reason for community's concern. It goes far beyond this one action. There is not one person in the community that feels that the Lunch Bunch was a simple human mistake and it has been corrected and all forgiven. It is the treatment of the parents, school staff, and especially the students that make everyone completely loose confidence that those at the school have a safe and secure educational future. The issue is not the Lunch Bunch.

dmack

Thu, Aug 5, 2010 : 8:02 p.m.

@somommybared 3 and others who commented. I am listening to your voice because you were there. However, my comment was directed to several posts in which individuals were not present nor part of the situation. My comments concerning race are this - the community needs to have deep conversations and resolve racial issues confronting the community - that was the main point I was trying to make. @ motheroffour - I never said only white parents or any of the other comments you made. I am confused because the entire incident at Dicken that was being discussed in the posts is related to the lunch club which is a race issue so telling me that I am creating racial divide does not make sense nor does it assist in helping to resolve the conflict that made parents upset in the first place (along with other issues I am learning) @somommybared3 - maybe an investigation about white privilege would be a great place to start a discussion. What I am referring to is the lack of concern or discussion over racial inequities in this community that are maintaining an achievement gap and disproportionality. It was not in reference to Dicken per say but the community as a whole...

somummybared3

Thu, Aug 5, 2010 : 10:40 a.m.

and by the way: what is this white privelege????? We are expected to feel guilt merely for our skin color: no matter how we act and treat people in our daily lives, no matter how much time and effort we spend at our schools helping all the children in our childs classroom, no matter how much extra money we give to ensure all children are given the opportunity to go on a field trip/ wear a school t-shirt/ receive school pictures -- no matter how hard we work at our jobs to make that extra money to donate to the school to help All the children.

motheroffour

Thu, Aug 5, 2010 : 10:35 a.m.

Dmack-It is not all white people who disapprove of this principal and want him removed. That is a fact. I do not know of anyone of any race who approve of his tactics. Put that on your fact list. Another fact is this same principal has been removed where ever he has worked in the AAPS. He is not certified to even be a prinicpal at the elementary school level. That is a fact. Staff is leaving at an alarming rate. Familes are leaving at an crippling rate. Those are both facts. They are leaving because of the abusive and neopotistic personality of the principal. That is a fact. It is not about race. There is unity in the community that the principal has done great harm to the community. If you would really care to understand the personality of the principal visit his Twitter at Madman 1953. You can really see what type of individual that the school is dealing with and someone who should model appropriate behavior especially working with young children. Children are just the pawns to justify his own gain. That will be his legacy and soon to become fact. People like you Dmack are trying to divide the community in racial lines where no division exists. Stop it!

somummybared3

Thu, Aug 5, 2010 : 10:12 a.m.

@Dmack: This is the problem, some of us Were there and Do know what the events that unfolded at Dicken were. It is with this knowledge that we are so upset and angry. Sure, if none of us knew anything then i guess it would be a non-issue........... i agree that the community needs to heal and everyone wants desperately to move on. Unfortunately that ain't going to happen any time soon with the same old principal = the same old problems. And please whoever is reading this : remember, there were all sorts of problems far and wide that parents were having of all manner of issues with Mr. Madison prior to the eruption of this Lunch Bunch fallout. He intimidates and belittles parents and teachers alike. Hello - 5 staff are Leaving the school.....doesn't that ring any alarms to the Board of Education or just to you, the public, in general.

ViSHa

Thu, Aug 5, 2010 : 8:16 a.m.

@dmack. The school is not attempting to recover. AAPS has done nothing to show the parents/staff at that school that they are taking the whole situation seriously. They appear to not care about good staff and good families pulling out. I'm sure there are issues concerning the achievement gap that need to be changed/worked on. Are you saying that until that happens, it is okay for white children to be "wronged" (more like bullied and terrified) and their needs do not matter? If so, wow. just wow.

dmack

Thu, Aug 5, 2010 : 12:59 a.m.

I am saddened and baffled at a community that claims to pride itself in investigation, integrity, and equity. NONE of us know the events that truly unfolded at Dicken unless we were present and to insinuate things that may have occurred only hurts a school attempting to recover from an event that clearly caused uproar. The true problem is that the A2 community is fast to talk race when white students are 'racially wronged' yet this community has not put forth as much passion or concern regarding the enormous achievement gap and disproportionate number of students of color in special education. Many responses regarding race in AA come from the place of 'white privilege' and keep the status quo afloat.

beachbaby

Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 7:53 p.m.

@turtlelover. So these groups that only white kids attend? Are they open to children of color and no one is interested or are children of color forbidden to attend these groups even when they express interest? Imagine what would happen if the latter were the case? I bet parents would be upset at the person in charge who allowed it to happen.

ViSHa

Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 7:15 p.m.

Actually, the leak is all the teachers and families leaving the school. Maybe someone will be happy when the whole school is one big Lunch Bunch.

somummybared3

Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 6:16 p.m.

Let me add, for the record, that this is not the only grievance against students and parents that Michael Madison has committed. There is a history that goes back years. Parents at Dicken just want to 'put an oil cap on the leak' (get a new principal) and clean up the mess.

madwicker

Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 5:46 p.m.

Well, i bet if Mr. Madison was a white principal or if Todd Roberts had a child in that grade five class, then he would have a big boot mark on his behind by now..... whatever color the children in the school are should make no difference to how they are treated and how the parents are treated. And by the way turtle lover: why exactly should we throw a fit about white and asian children doing well? Bravo that any children are doing well. And yes lets help the ones that aren't. But omg lets not chastise the ones that are doing well.

schnoodle

Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 5:07 p.m.

Except that the action was illegal. Choosing one group over all others based solely on skin color is wrong, no? What about the Title 1 kids who weren't brown? What about them? And, please show me the academics in pizza, basketball for the boys and art for the girls is. Can you say "Gender Stereotyping"?

turtlelover

Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 3:49 p.m.

Have any of you considered what the goal of the group was? No one is asking for any principals to be removed when there are groups that only white kids attend. Have any of you looked at the racial success of AAPS? Asian and White children are the only ones thriving? Why aren't you all yelling and throwing a fit about that? No one here was there and will never know everything that happened. What we do know is that a mistake was made. How about putting your energy into finding another way to meet to the goal - improving the academic success of black and brown children - in a way that does not "violate rights" or hurt feelings. We are the adults. We are spending our energy on anger instead of looking at what the original problem attempting to be solved was.

ViSHa

Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 8:05 a.m.

Any chance Patty DeYoung will come out of retirement? I hear they need a phenomenal principal at Dicken. I advise all concerned parents to get on their schools' Equity Committee and keep tabs on this!

Betty

Sun, Aug 1, 2010 : 5:21 p.m.

Does anyone know if David DeYoung (New Wines Principal) is related to Patty DeYoung former Wines principal? Lets hope yes and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! Patty was phenominal! Retired 6-7 years ago

madwicker

Sun, Aug 1, 2010 : 2:49 p.m.

Curious: If the Superintendant and the School Board do nothing in these types of cases (like when a Principal is so despised by the school population that families and teachers alike are leaving the school), then what is the point of having them at all? And who is the next level up after them?

magnumpi

Sun, Aug 1, 2010 : 11:30 a.m.

Seems with these comments, inquiring minds want to know! I wonder if aa.com can FOIA some of this information and do a follow-up story?

ViSHa

Sun, Aug 1, 2010 : 8:56 a.m.

I certainly hope that if this principal is continuing at Dicken School, the BOE will have him on a tight leash. If another incident happens at that school I can't imagine that there wouldn't be some kind of legal fallout.

beachbaby

Sun, Aug 1, 2010 : 8:40 a.m.

I am not sure why my comment was deleted, so I will rephrase. Fact. Lunch Bunch was found to be in violation of state law. Fact. The story concerning Dicken and Ann Arbor Public Schools made national news, many of the comments were not flattering and how I would want my school portrayed. Fact. Principal is still at Dicken, parents still waiting for follow-up to classroom incident.

swahili24

Sun, Aug 1, 2010 : 6:38 a.m.

Well i'm just blown away that after all of the stories that encompass Mr. Madison on ann arbor.com, nothing has been done to remove him from Dicken Elementary. I can't believe that teachers are leaving the school and that families are moving! It seems to me that Dicken will be suffering next year and will need a lot of support from community and other schools.

schnoodle

Sat, Jul 31, 2010 : 4:41 p.m.

From an earlier article: Much of that work is being led by a consultant, Glenn Singleton, and his Pacific Educational Group. The district has been employing the company since the 2004-05 school year and has paid it $341,000 so far, Roberts said. http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-school-district-investigating-legality-and-principals-actions-in-black-only-field-trip/index.php Unfortunately, the Dicken Lunch Bunch had very little academic merit. I would rather have my $$ go to tutoring, than consultants on racial politics.

gina

Sat, Jul 31, 2010 : 9:39 a.m.

with regards to the question Magnum asked, here is some information about the Pacific Education Group: http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/02/achievement_gap_in_ann_arbor_s.html http://www.wmep.k12.mn.us/Posting/070925_BD_WMEP.pdf

gina

Sat, Jul 31, 2010 : 9:23 a.m.

here you go Magnum.......this gives some PEG descriptions.... http://www.eraseracismny.org/html/library/racenracism/ER_jo_DETOUR.pdf http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/02/achievement_gap_in_ann_arbor_s.html http://portlandobserver.com/?p=2382 http://www.wmep.k12.mn.us/Posting/070925_BD_WMEP.pdf

magnumpi

Sat, Jul 31, 2010 : 9:18 a.m.

Someone mentioned the Pacific Education Group in a now deleted post. Is this something endorsed by the AAPS? Is this something included in the budget that they are trying to trim? I don't remember seeing it in any posts in the many articles about the AAPS budget. I would certainly like more information about it if it is something being used in the schools and classrooms.

gina

Sat, Jul 31, 2010 : 8:34 a.m.

I am a Dicken parent. I've been keeping up with stories concerning Dicken for a long time now....but this is my first time writing in. I am absolutely devestated by what has been happening at our school. My family moved a long distance and chose our home based on this school. We chose this school because it was racially diverse. We chose it because it had a family feel to it. And we chose it because we believe in honesty and fairness and 'equity' (a term that is becoming annoying at this point due to the way it has been thrown around at Dicken). All of these things have been lost at Dicken because of the Principal and the poor leadership he has shown. Parents have been pitted against each other. Students are confused and upset. Our favorite and most special teachers are leaving the school because they can't handle the stress. This is crazy! Its an elementary school. We don't need these kinds of politics in an elementary school. Really Mr. Roberts - shame on you! Get us a new principal! Let the school heal and move on.

magnumpi

Fri, Jul 30, 2010 : 10:03 p.m.

Very well said Elizabeth, especially the last sentence, which is why I think this incident will leave a bad taste in peoples' mouth for a long time. It seems AAPS put a lot of thought into these principal appointments, I wish they would have given the Dicken situation as much thought.

Elizabeth Nelson

Fri, Jul 30, 2010 : 8:43 p.m.

In any large organization there are crappy administrators and it's unfortunate. I was disappointed at the response to what happened at Dicken, too. To me, it seemed rather cowardly and PC to minimize the issue with explanation of 'good intentions.' I just find it silly that people are so eager to paint an exaggerated picture when the obvious facts were damning enough: a principal who didn't bother to know the law, then couldn't smooth over a conflict but instead made it worse. That's bad enough from the person who is supposed to be leading the school. There doesn't need to be any conspiracy or villain to simply acknowledge that someone screwed up BADLY. What we saw was NO consequences for incompetence, PLUS scolding from the BOE that the community was unkind/uncharitable/unsupportive for even registering displeasure about the incident.

magnumpi

Fri, Jul 30, 2010 : 5:12 p.m.

possibly the term"freedom of speech" may have been used incorrectly, but make no mistake, the staff was told not to speak. parents were/are afraid to speak up. and make no mistake, teachers and families are leaving dicken because of this.

Elizabeth Nelson

Fri, Jul 30, 2010 : 4:12 p.m.

-sigh- It's amusing when children completely misconstrue the meaning of "freedom of speech" but it's very depressing when adults do...

elise

Fri, Jul 30, 2010 : 2:10 p.m.

Bonnie how and where are you even getting this information? Are you affilitated with the school community?

Bonnie L

Fri, Jul 30, 2010 : 11:58 a.m.

I am in the process of an independent investigation of the actions of the Dicken School Principal. What I can share at this time is that the (1)principal did not force his passionate speech or yelling on the students on the day of the allegeded booing. His passion was forced on the class where the alleged booing took place, the day after that date. That would indicate that the school principal had (2)ample time to plan what some consider was his life passion. It is also know that one target of his passion was a student that had a parent that had previously complained abut the lunch bunch being segregated and against the law. The courageous converstion begins with punishing the children for having parents that think of even questioning the authority of a principal to do whatever he wishes. There is no evidence that booing took place. Who else besides the principal even mentioned booing?? Smoke Screen! There is no evidence that the principal actually heard booing. At best he hearcd a rumor from a teacher, not the classroom teacher, involved with the Lunch Bunch that some alleged booing took place. The statement made by AAPS Kelly is a complete fabrication of what happened. The School Principal only heard a rumor. Nice twist by Kelly. Nice chice of words. Destruction is type of change isn't it? Destruction of the community is only change everyone has to accept it. The teachers and staff that have witnessed the ordeal have been silenced to give their side the story. Their freedom of speech has been denied. Maybe there is some cover the guilty tracks going on. The community is being destroyed because our constitutional freedom of speech right has been denied. Honesty is not encouraged. Dicken and the Dicken community will become know as the school where human and constitutional rights are thrown out the window. I will continue my investigtion and will show evidence that the current national media situation at the Dicken School is only the tip of the iceberg. if you would like to receive the information that I have, please feel to contact me at lincoln.bonnie@yahoo.com Probably the best thing that parent can do to move toward a better situtaion for their chidlren is to envoke the School Of Choice privledge. Contact one of the surronding schools to "inquire" about placing children in these alternative choices. It might have a greater inpact if this is done as a group of prents and students. It would certainly help coordinate transportation issues should these other schools offer better opportunities. Once the taxpaying community relaizes that their neighborhood school is being changed into destruction and not a good place to raise family, postive improvement can be realized. Improvement is good. The truth is essential in relazing a good environment for education.

Steve Norton, MIPFS

Thu, Jul 29, 2010 : 2:29 p.m.

@boom, These are all elementary school appointments, and elementaries as a rule don't have assistant principals in Ann Arbor. While I don't know for sure, I imagine there is specialization in primary and secondary administration just as there is specialization for teachers for primary and secondary education.

magnumpi

Thu, Jul 29, 2010 : 2:11 p.m.

Does anyone know if there has been follow-up of the situation at Dicken? Have the adults in the room during the "passionate discussion" ever given their version of events? Seems with all this principal shuffling, something could have been done. After googling the principals in the story, it seems they are all well qualified and will do a great job for AAPS.

Mary Dooley

Thu, Jul 29, 2010 : 12:18 a.m.

I have transferred my son from Dicken to another elementary school, and feel gypped, because my older two children went to Dicken, and we lose the sense of community that we had, there. However, our experiences with attending Dicken have deteriorated to intolerable, since the current principal arrived. I just heard today of several highly qualified and appreciated teachers who are leaving the school, to get away from the situation (just as I am). It's really very sad and frustrating.

madwicker

Wed, Jul 28, 2010 : 12:20 p.m.

The school district has done nothing with regards to the situation at Dicken school. Teachers and students alike are transferring to other schools to get away from the bad situation there. A nice little school with a lot of nice folks is being wrecked by a very bad principal. Sad.

boom

Wed, Jul 28, 2010 : 12:01 p.m.

Do they ever promote assistant princiapls to principal? Seems like they brought a lot of outsiders in, although that may not be bad. Then again, one of them is kind of young. I'm not sure I would be real pleased if I was the assistant principal at one of these schools and I wasn't offered an interview.

A2Living54

Wed, Jul 28, 2010 : 7:18 a.m.

Excellent, we need some new blood in there! Good luck!

local

Tue, Jul 27, 2010 : 7:16 p.m.

Michael Johnson is a relatively young guy who will be overseeing teachers who have been teaching for as long as he has been alive. I will be anxious to see how it plays out. He may be a great teacher, but dealing with all the things that go with being a principal, I say good luck to him.

magnumpi

Tue, Jul 27, 2010 : 6:20 p.m.

@ Brian Excellent questions, i would certainly be interested in some follow up information. The AAPS higher-ups were adamant that this would be looked into;) Good luck to all the new principals!

Susan Montgomery

Tue, Jul 27, 2010 : 5:44 p.m.

Lucky Lakewood! Mr. Johnson was an outstanding and well loved teacher at Thurston. Old timers might remember him as the first recipient of the Ann Arbor News Young Citizen of the Year Award in 1998. Go Mr. Johnson!

Brian Kuehn

Tue, Jul 27, 2010 : 5:38 p.m.

Well, it appears the principal for Dicken School remains Michael Madison. What little information I have gleaned from news reports and blogs would seem to indicate that a number of parents are not happy about his remaining at that school. Did any adult witness ever come forward about what happened in the class room following the field trip? I never saw any report about what the other adults in the room were doing when the principal was either yelling or being passionate. Did the school district ever do anything, other than terminate the "Lunch Bunch"?