[Southsider2k12]

It is amazing that it took them this long to have a community uprising over Harding.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/ea...3202c66d2d.html

E.C. superintendent under fire

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E.C. superintendent under fire

By Carmen McCollum carmen.mccollum@nwi.com, (219) 662-5337 nwitimes.com | Posted: Tuesday, March 8, 2011 11:00 pm | (17) Comments

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EAST CHICAGO | There was a community uprising Tuesday night at the School City of East Chicago board meeting.

Half a dozen Central High seniors assailed a change a change in the graduation date, and a request was made to remove Superintendent Michael Harding.

School Board President Fernando Trevino made few comments during the raucous meeting that drew a crowd of more than 100. Afterward, however, he said "The board will take everything into consideration."

We take all comments seriously," Trevino said. "The superintendent has an annual evaluation."

Regarding the students' complaint that the board had treated them disrespectfully by not including them in the decision-making process when the graduation date was changed from June 5 to June 12 because of added snow days, Trevino said, "It's something we'll look into. I commend the students for speaking up. We'll take it under consideration."

Seniors Adriana Guevara, Dorea Henderson, Sharliah Walton, Briana Lewis, Stephanie Tucker and Kaitlyn Hernandez all came to the podium, however it was Guevara and Henderson who spoke.

The seniors made it clear they had no problem making up snow days, and they offered to go to classes on Saturday. However, they said family and friends had made plans to travel from across the country based on the graduation date they were originally given.

They said it was unfair to change the date without discussing it with the senior class. A large group of students walked out of the school and to the administration building last week to talk to the superintendent but were unable to meet with him. Eventually, students walked back down Columbus Drive to the high school and returned to classes.

The Rev. Rodney Golson of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in East Chicago, who came along with two other Hispanic community leaders, said the black and Hispanic communities have united and "we want to see Dr. Harding removed."

Complaints of racial discrimination in the district surfaced when resident Wanda Gordils said Harding has systematically removed black and Hispanic administrators, replacing them with white staff from his former job in Michigan City. Harding did not respond to her comments.

East Chicago City Councilwoman Myrna Maldonado said she and Councilman Jim Ventura went to Central High on Friday to find out what was going on. She said they were turned away and security was called.

"Until you start doing right by the people of East Chicago, we will continue coming here. The people who are hurting our children need to go away," she said.

[MichiganCityDDS]

"Harding did not respond to her comments."

OMG! what a surprise!

[MC Born & Raised]

"Harding did not respond to her comments."

OMG! what a surprise!

I, for one, am shocked. And appalled.

[Informed]

Harding operates his fiefdom, as he wants regardless of what anyone else requests, whether board members, employees, students, or the public. He answers to no one, returns calls or makes himself available to no one outside the Harding chosen. He is a documented liar, unprofessional, but a master at scamming and diverting his true self. I’m surprised someone has not physically handled him at this point, and that’s a credit to the people from refraining.

Hopefully there are stronger board members there as compared to what he was allowed to do to MCAS and Michigan City by the M.C. board.

[Ang]

Harding operates his fiefdom, as he wants regardless of what anyone else requests, whether board members, employees, students, or the public. He answers to no one, returns calls or makes himself available to no one outside the Harding chosen. He is a documented liar, unprofessional, but a master at scamming and diverting his true self. I’m surprised someone has not physically handled him at this point, and that’s a credit to the people from refraining.

Hopefully there are stronger board members there as compared to what he was allowed to do to MCAS and Michigan City by the M.C. board.

Amen!

[Southsider2k12]

It is amazing that he is doing the exact same things he did here. All new administrators, no teachers contract, bringing in his old hires from other systems... Soon should start the major building projects and new debt.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/ea...7df2665f96.html

EAST CHICAGO | In late 2007, the School City of East Chicago couldn't make payroll, postponing the Dec. 28 payroll by a week.

Three years ago, the school district couldn't pay its utility bills. The School Board approved a $2.8 million judgment bond in March 2009 to pay off $2.4 million to NIPSCO and $339,930 in back water bills.

Last school year, the district eliminated 12 administrative positions and restructured schools. It consolidated Block and West Side junior high schools and made West Side the freshman academy. Last year, the district cut 4.5 percent, or $2.1 million, of its budget because of $300 million in state budget cuts to K-12 education ordered by Gov. Mitch Daniels. This year, district officials are estimating a cut of about $2.3 million based on the district's monthly draws from the state.

Last year, Superintendent Michael Harding, new to the job at that time, said eliminating the 12 people who were cut wouldn't necessarily be a cost savings. "We will be open for business, but we won't look the same as we have looked in the past," he said.

Yet this school year, the district hired nearly a dozen new administrators to replace those who were let go. Local residents have complained that Harding systematically eliminated Hispanic and black administrators, replacing them with white hires from Harding's previous school district in Michigan City. And they claim the new administrators earn higher salaries than their predecessors.

The Rev. Darnell Johnson, president of the Twin City Ministerial Alliance and a community activist, said his group's unofficial survey of administrators has verified the higher salaries. Despite repeated requests by The Times, the East Chicago school district has not make available official salaries.

"We're not taking anything away from the new administrators who were hired, but our longtime administrators took lower salaries so that money could be used in the classroom for students and programs," Johnson said. "Dr. Harding has ousted the people who worked here for many years and brought in people who are not sensitive to the culture and fabric of the community. There is unrest among the students. The community is in an uproar."

A Times survey of the top 32 administrators, including the superintendent, principals and instructional leaders, indicate they earn a total of about $2.6 million.

Harding, who signed a three-year contract when he became superintendent Aug. 31, 2009, started with an annual salary of $132,600. Based on performance, the contract calls for him to receive annual increases up to $5,000.

Financial, academic contrasts

Schools Treasurer Frank Ramirez said the district is in good financial shape and headed in the right direction despite ongoing issues with academic standing and test scores. This school year, for instance, the district upgraded its technology and initiated new construction projects.

The district has spent about $4.2 million to buy MacBooks for all teachers, administrators and students in grades five through 12. The long-range plan calls for the buying 3,333 laptops, including for pupils in kindergarten through fourth grade, though it's not clear how soon elementary students will get the computers.

The district also is investing $5 million in new track and soccer facilities at Central High and Block Middle School/Franklin Academy.

East Chicago has one of the highest per-pupil costs of any school district in the state. In 2010, based on the general fund alone, which is provided by the state, the district spent $7,843 per student. It rose to $7,921 this year. About 95 percent of students meet low-income guidelines for receiving free or reduced-price lunches, a distinction that triggers greater state and federal funding.

But the school corporation as a whole has not made federal adequate yearly progress for student achievement since the benchmark was established in 2002. Its flagship school, Central High, is in its fifth year of academic probation and under threat of state takeover this summer.

Treasurer Ramirez said the district is living within its budget on all funding levels. The general fund budget, provided by the state, for calendar year 2010 was $51.8 million, with a total budget of $75.3 million. The remainder of the budget comes from tax-supported money such as the capital projects fund, transportation fund and bus-replacement fund.

The general fund budget for calendar year 2011 also is $51.8 million. The total budget is $76.6 million.

Ramirez said 90 percent of the general fund, the district's major operating fund, goes to salaries and benefits. The remaining 10 percent of the general fund covers utilities, supplies, paper and lease agreements.

Superintendent Harding said the district has used its dollars to improve education. "We've utilized creative financing within the limits of the law, and we will continue to do that," he said.

Ramirez said it's not so much creative financing as it is managing its budget better.

Issues remain

Despite these strides, the district has not settled its teachers contract, which expired Aug. 10, 2010. Teachers and community members have crowded School Board meetings for the past three months complaining about a lack of communication between top administrators and the public. They claim teachers are treated unfairly by some of the new administrators and that some are not licensed properly.

Education consultants Rocharda Moore Morris and Linda Randolph assisted East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland in setting up a community meeting March 29 to give the public an opportunity to discuss concerns. Morris said it appears communication is the basis of problems.

"There seems to be a lot of hurt and distrust among parents and the community of the administration," Morris said.

A panel of about 20 people, including the mayor, School Board members, students and residents will review the concerns and attempt to provide answers and solutions at a follow-up meeting scheduled for April 26.

[Ang]

I think if we went through our archives, we would see similar stories from past editions of the News-Dispatch.

[Southsider2k12]

Apparently Harding has been on emergency leave for almost two months now.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/ea...cc38be897e.html