DM- You’re a straight up guy. Surely no one’s doubting that you heard from folks upset about the hiring process. Nothing like working hard with a goal of moving up, and then seeing the rare opportunities go to appointments! (Folks may have thought you weren’t comfortable saying more on it, so left it alone.) Wasn’t there also buzz on here when Bruce Roaden was named into the newly created communications position? (NOT taking a swing at Bruce Roaden- seems like he may be the MVP of CDS!) Was the Vice Principal position posted for interview? And how was the shuffling of positions handled? It’s pretty baffling that CDS opens themselves up for such criticism. If you’re game, a CDS hiring/assignments practices related post would be probably be a great service to the community. (Unless it leads to rioting in the streets!)

DTR- So glad I misread the comment! What are folks so hellbent on pushing their politics thinking? Healthy debate’s one thing– you might can sway others to your side. Insulting them? Not so much! Fingers crossed that Cleveland Brown returns! I’m curious for the take on this latest hire too! :0)

Re race/ethnicity, religion, cultural identity, nationality, Moose Lodge membership, sex, age group, political party, Girl Scout Troop and other ways that people group themselves: We humans seem to be tribal by nature, perhaps by biology, so we’ll always have to deal with positive and negative effects of grouping ourselves. Community, social values, team work are positive outcomes. Prejudice, intolerance, discrimination, xenophobia, hiring bias are negative outcomes. Every single one of us, regardless of whether we are in majority or minority groups, socially dominant or less dominant groups, have to constantly guard against our instinctive, reflexive biases against those not in our group of the day. We’re all guilty and most of us work hard to do better. True confession: There’s nothing I enjoy more than to complain with other Moms about the ways our husbands are clueless about (Fill in the blank……school, carpooling, organizing the household, shopping, cleaning up, getting the kids to bed on time, etc., etc., etc.) It’s wrong. I’m going to work on it. But not until Monday because I’m going to get my nails done with a friend over the weekend and I don’t think I can resist….

We can’t know whether Cleveland was directly affected by the 4/5 decision – which I think is sort of what you’re implying with your original question here – but I hope people believe me when I say that there was another, very different reaction of disappointment by people inside the school system that was not reflected in comments here, except by Cleveland.

BTW, you and DM have a point…I was making trouble with an incendiary statement. While the tone was inappropriate, I still have to ask about Cleveland. He really was up in arms about the appointment of Mr. Roaden, but hasn’t commented about Ms. Lofstrand.