Update: Frisco art teacher reaches settlement with district (museum trip)

[rainbow4321]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/collin/stories/102506dnccofriscoteacher.6ea69fa2.html

The Frisco school board unanimously approved a settlement agreement Monday night that ended a high-profile dispute between the district and an elementary school art teacher.

The agreement prevents her from suing the district and stops her from applying for another teaching job in Frisco.

The 7-0 vote from the board signaled the end of a lengthy fight that put the district in the national spotlight for the last two months.


Ms. McGee, a teacher at Fisher Elementary School, says she was pushed out of her job after a parent complained about a child seeing nude art during a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art.
-----------------------

http://www.planostar.com/articles/2006/10/25/frisco_enterprise/news/a-newsfri01.txt

-According to the terms of the agreement:

* McGee will submit her resignation effective at the end of the 2006-07 school year and to not re-apply for employment with the district.
* The district agrees to accept the contract; to rescind and disavow the proposed non-renewal of McGee's contract; to not release information to prospective employers, except with consent or in response to a public information request; and to include in her personnel file a 2004 letter of recommendation from former Fisher principal Jo Murphy.
* Both parties agreed to the full release and waiver of claims and agreed not to sue or disparage one another.

[redqueen]

1. Shameful.

I wonder what percentage of Texans think that seeing that work of art was any kind of big deal at all.

[kurth]

2. Plano, "soul-deadening... populated by guys in golf shirts and

Sansabelt pants and women in bright fake gold jewelry and alienated teenagers." - Lance Armstrong

[dkofos]

5. That's the truth

[redqueen]

8. It truly is.

It sprang up during the 80's... if that has anything to do with it.

[damntexdem]

9. And Collin County as a whole is on a downward trend:

1) rapid population increases, creating congestion and overrunning open spaces;
2) declining economic status: has slipped from the top-ten U.S. counties to twenty-something in the last five years or so; and
3) arguably, soul-deadening.

[rainbow4321]

14. And really good at blaming others for their problems--w/ God thrown into the mix

With this kind of mentality of not accepting responsibility, the poor teacher didn't stand a chance of the school district telling the parents to grow up..much easier to find a scapegoat and keep the locals happy. I really wish the complaining families would come foward so we all could scrutinize *their* lives. But that won't happen, much easier to hide.

Notice the part that says that lower income residents new to the area "muddies" the $$ stats. Translation: Repukes are none too happy about the newer, more diverse population. It's easier to blame them for the $$ outlook than chimp's shitty economy!


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/102506dnccopricefolo.346c820.html

Collin County also has stumbled – statistically, at least – out of the nation's elite. With a median income of $70,784, it is still the wealthiest county in Texas but is no longer among the 10 richest counties nationwide.

The slide stems from a mix of financial factors. Personal overspending, lower salaries and layoffs are part of the reason. An influx of lower-income people also muddies a read of the region's financial health.

Sarah Dobrenski moved with her husband, Steve, from Northern California to Frisco two years ago. The 31-year-old mother of two said she likens her time in Collin County to standing on the sidelines of a marathon in which the runners "had to keep up with everybody else."

Mr. Enns said the Bible includes 2,350 verses about money – more than about work, love or family. "God does have a lot to say about debt and giving and generosity," he said. "Everything is God's, and ... we are only stewards."

[Scooter24]

13. Me and my boyfriend just bought a house in West Plano.

There are critics everywhere, but the people in this city are genuinely nice.

The average yearly income in this area is $145,000/yr. It's a very cultured and professional area which in my opinion, is beautiful.

[AspenRose]

23. Don't forget the drugs!

One of the best places for those 'alienated teenagers' to score some cocaine or crystal meth.

[rainbow4321]

24. Don't even get me started on the drug situation

I found out that kids were buying/selling pot at a skate park in the county..city (that's just north of Plano) owned skate park. I had found pot in my daughter's room and asked where she had bought it..she said at the park.

So I called city hall as well as the local police's narc unit who both promptly refused to help me unless I gave my name/number..they are not into anon tips. I had told them I didn't want to give my name do in fear of my daughter being being confronted by these thugs if my name came out. The cops said they were aware of the drug problem but it would be violating the kids' civil rights if they did an unannounced visit to the parking lot there with the drug dog or had the dog go around the whole park. Ok, so if there are no drugs in the car on the person the dog will walk right BY that person..so what's the problem??????

I told them my concern that kids were going to get in the middle of a potential drug buy gone bad and get killed...again they said they were aware of it but unless I could give them a kid's name or license plate they could do nothing.

Called the local Dallas DEA unit who said they didn't want to step on the local police toes and that the local cops lied to me when they brought up the dog going thru the parking lot/civil right issue. Said if it was happening in a public place and on city owned property, the cops had a right/duty to investigate. DEA agent said his office goes after "bigger" cases than just local kids at the park.
Wrote an email to a reporter at the Dallas Morning News with all of the above. Asking for help in exposing the drug use/buying and selling at the skate park in Collin County. Never heard back.

Basically, no one wanted to piss off the local, white, upper class folk here in Collin County. Much easier to look the other way...til some get killed, no doubt and the city officials will act shocked and devastated.
*My* kid is never allowed back at this "skate park"..ever.

[lapfog_1]

3. All of that religious art from the great masters of the

Renaissance must make their little freeper heads explode...

the boobies!!!... those naked boobies!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. Especially the Madonnas that offer their breasts to the baby Jesuses

Everybody knows he was bottle fed.

[Gelliebeans]

21. it really comes down to that doesn't it?

:rofl:

[dkofos]

4. I would have walked away and let them guess what my next move

would be.
But, I am not her

[aquart]

6. Are these people insane?

Did they do a psychological workup of that parent?

[smoogatz]

7. So, she loses her job AND waives her right to sue?

Some deal.

[Demeter]

10. That's Justice, Texas Style

They forewent the jail time, tar and feathers.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. The morans strike again

It's a body, stupid.

[Anakin Skywalker]

16. If God Really Did Design Their Bodies

then why are the CONservatives ashamed of theirs?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. The trouble is that they're so sexually repressed

that they can't get beyond the eroticism of their bodies.

[TexasLawyer]

15. Seriously, could this story make

Texas look any more hick, stupid and mean-spirited?!!???

I am embarrassed for my state. Why not just impose sharia law and get it over with?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

18. I've always wanted to see the Kimbell Art Museum

I'd hate to see it censored...

[silverweb]

19. Explore the museum's collections!

They have a wonderful website and you can see a great number of their holdings _here_

I haven't seen any naked boobies yet, but I haven't explored too far yet, either.

:D

[treestar]

20. This stupid school district is making itself hostage to every

idiotic parent who objects to anything.

Why they would lose a good teacher over something so stupid is mind-boggling.

[Jed Dilligan]

22. There's actually a place called "Frisco"?

I thought it was just a name that idiots use for San Francisco, CA.