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High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

washingtonpost.com

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Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#61

Post by kelvin0 »

I applaud the budding journalists persistence, and certainly having someone falsify their credentials is a really terrible start into such an important position.

However, I must mention that I been in contact with so many really bad HS staff (teachers, principals..) all with legitimate credentials, that I am starting to wonder about their significance? A principal should probably have some teaching experience, but seems to be like more of an MBA/business type of background?

Also, let me clarify I was not one to get into trouble and had very good grades in HS. I can really remember 2 really good teachers, and the rest ... quite mediocre at best. I also dated a HS teacher (as an adult,much later on) so I've seen firsthand the inner workings of teaching 'system'.

Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#62

Post by wheelerwj »

This just in, there have been a surprising number of resignations from Faculty members all across the nation. In unrelated news, student journalist have begun investigating administrators credentials as projects for their school papers.

Seriously, this is remarkable. That kids today have the power to effect this level of change is nothing short of incredible.

Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#63

Post by scrummytim »

lordnacho wrote: post #25

It's time consuming to chase down credentials, especially as when you're hiring someone, it always feels more likely that they aren't making it up. After all, you have a great hiring process, right? My father-in-law is a doctor, and he tells me there's been several occasions where he's thought some colleague was really quite shockingly ill informed. He's always been too timid to call the bluff, but he says it's happe…

MD here. Is your father-in-law suggesting that several doctors he works with aren't legitimate physicians?

It seems a bit hard to believe. I've had to apply for medical licenses in 3 states, and it was a colossal pain the ass for each. Took 4 months the first time; and I have a completely clean record. Getting hospital privileges takes forever, too.

If fact, I think it should be easier, especially for those of us who did medical school, residency, and exams in the US.

Best doctor that I know failed 2 of his USMLE exams.

Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#64

Post by ska »

lordnacho wrote: post #25

It's time consuming to chase down credentials, especially as when you're hiring someone, it always feels more likely that they aren't making it up. After all, you have a great hiring process, right? My father-in-law is a doctor, and he tells me there's been several occasions where he's thought some colleague was really quite shockingly ill informed. He's always been too timid to call the bluff, but he says it's happe…

I know many practicing math PhD's who I wouldn't expect to remember Banach-Tarsky. Especially if you spend your time doing discrete math you really don't have much occasion to worry about the implication of AoC or non measurable sets. Heck I probably only remember due to giving lectures on it, rather than having taken them. Not that I'm really practicing much these days.

Math is a big place. Most of us will have at least heard of it, just because it is counter-intuitive and easy to describe. Some might only remember it as "oh, yeah, that sphere thing".

Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#65

Post by secfirstmd »

This happen in my school in Ireland also - with false credentials.

This part of the story I really respect:

"Under Kansas law, high school journalists are protected from administrative censorship. “The kids are treated as professionals,” Smith said. But with that freedom came a major responsibility to get the story right, Smith said. It also meant overcoming a natural hesitancy many students have to question authority."

Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#66

Post by pavel_lishin »

jrs235 wrote: post #45
nkurz wrote: post #29

I don't know how common falsified credentials are in school administration, but I'll mention a parallel experience that was a formative part of my upbringing. While I was in high school, my father taught at a small private college in Wisconsin, where he was on the hiring committee for the new college president. After being hired, the chosen candidate's behavior was surprisingly erratic, prompting my my father to cont…

This is a story about a teacher near where I live who only got outted for a fake degree when he ran for a school board. And from stories I have heard from his students, he got the fake doctorate degree because he wanted to be called doctor. In fact if students in high school called him Mr. Kulas he would correct them (sometimes chew them out) that he is to be referred to as Dr. Kulas. Use imcognito mode to open this…

We had a high school teacher who demanded that we address them as Dr. Whozits on the first day, and would correct us.

They learned that you can demand respect all you want, but if you actually want to get respect, you have to earn it from the people you're expecting it from.

Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#68

Post by throwaway729 »

nkurz wrote: post #29

I don't know how common falsified credentials are in school administration, but I'll mention a parallel experience that was a formative part of my upbringing. While I was in high school, my father taught at a small private college in Wisconsin, where he was on the hiring committee for the new college president. After being hired, the chosen candidate's behavior was surprisingly erratic, prompting my my father to cont…

Fascinating.

To this day, it's nearly impossible to find any account of these events. It's really hard to imagine that someone could commit such outright blatant theft and get away without so much as a hit on Google.

Was the con artist ever tracked down?

Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#69

Post by ryanmarsh »

kelvin0 wrote: post #61

I applaud the budding journalists persistence, and certainly having someone falsify their credentials is a really terrible start into such an important position. However, I must mention that I been in contact with so many really bad HS staff (teachers, principals..) all with legitimate credentials, that I am starting to wonder about their significance? A principal should probably have some teaching experience, but se…

In the US I feel like the primary education system is simply childcare for the working class. My experience with teacher quality was just like yours.

Re: High school journalists investigated a new principal’s credentials

#70

Post by pavel_lishin »

kelvin0 wrote: post #61

I applaud the budding journalists persistence, and certainly having someone falsify their credentials is a really terrible start into such an important position. However, I must mention that I been in contact with so many really bad HS staff (teachers, principals..) all with legitimate credentials, that I am starting to wonder about their significance? A principal should probably have some teaching experience, but se…

> I am starting to wonder about their significance? A principal should probably have some teaching experience, but seems to be like more of an MBA/business type of background?

The important bit here isn't which particular certification this person did or didn't have; it's the fact that it was fraudulent, and that they lied about it.

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