Scammon School Chicago

2012-05-17T18:52:00.002-05:00

A New Low for Chicago Politics and Rahm Emanuel

Today Mayor Rahm Emanuel visited Scammon School at 4201 W Henderson an elementary School on Chicago’s North-West side. If you think you recognize this name it is because of the numerous problems that have been reported by the media over the years. The Principal Mary T. Weaver a known liar, and one of the most corrupt Principals in the CPS system hosted her friend Rahm Emanuel to come to the School.

Apparently the Mayor really does not care about the children of this city nor anyone but himself but his staff should have done better research. Principal Weaver whose son Paul Weaver who worked for the City of Chicago Department of Finance is close with Alderman Reboyras lied on his resume saying that he was a tutor for the Scammon which was never the case. Principal Mary Weaver’s daughter Alexandra also on her resume claimed to be a tutor at Scammon School while her mother was the Principal all false.

Principal Weaver has had more employee complaints filed with the board and Teachers Union than any other Principal in CPS. Principal Weaver has bribed LSC members, accepted favors from LSC members, fixed school elections, and purchased lavish items for her and her staff with CPS funds and tax payer money. So if Mayor Emanuel has no problem with this then what does that say about him? I have contacted many City and State officials about this and other issues but I guess the Mayor’s visit shows just how and who has been protecting her.

Principal Weaver has released all the students at Scammon Schools personal confidential information to a Parent, and who knows who else. The Principal and her staff under her direction has violated children’s Civil Rights to which she continues to do and been found guilty of this yet still no one has done anything. I was shocked to learn about this trip from the Mayor before it happened from an inside source. This same source also told me that the children were allowed to be in the video but were unable to be active participants in the making of the video.
Principal Weaver is still denying Special Education Services to children with IEP’s (Individual Education Programs) to this day and Dr. Richard Smith and Rebecca Clark continue to allow this to happen. The mayor should be ashamed of himself for allowing this to continue and exploit these poor children who are being denied a appropriate education. You can find the proof of all this at the following links along with some pictures of what the schools inside really looks like. One maintenance employee for the School has told me that she refuses to allow them to fix the issues with the school correctly and make it a safe place for the children. Like covers on the florescent lights, mold, asbestos, electrical problems, paint peeling, and much, much more.
After the School and the Principal have been in the news twice once for sex scandals and once for a sending teachers to Las Vegas nothing has happened to the Principal. This does not include a child who tried to commit suicide at school, or the many violation of children’s rights she is responsible for and continues to violate.

The CPS Board has refused to open e-mails sent to them so they can have deniability even though they have been made aware of the issues on many occasions. I hope a reporter has the strength and integrity like Dave Savini to do another report on this School and its problems there are many witnesses including Teachers, former Teachers and Parents all who have been ignored. Some Parents have even claimed to have been threatened with being deported if they come forward.

You may be asking where is the NAACP or any of the other many organizations that are suppose to help with these types of abuses like the Better Government Association well it’s a good question you should ask them. Where is the Mayor’s integrity? Where is the Mayor’s Honor? I guess it’s lost in this case and will continue to be lost until we find a new Mayor.

Jason B Glenn

CPS and the Board seems to think we are Stupid

2011-10-01T00:06:00.000-05:00

As the Case Manager for Scammon School Allison Dawson, the Principal Mary T. Weaver allows Carmita Ortiz the librarian to test Special Education students. Not only is Ms. Ortiz not Special Education certified Ms. Ortiz is not even a teacher. Ms. Ortiz the Librarian for Scammon School also lives in Skokie, IL and has done so for many years thus never making her eligible for employment at CPS. But as a long family friend of Mary T. Weaver she was given the job even though others who met the requirements. Further, as the documents show (I am unable and unwilling to release Children’s private information) clearly someone was coaching the students so that Scammon would get off academic probation. This would allow the school to have another three years until they would not be achieving AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) and have to cheat again.

A teacher Ms. Edie Sokolnicki seems to have a magical like gift every time she test’s some Special Education students they seem to pass every time. Not only that but they also seem to score almost twice as well as they did on the pretest. The charts are literally off the charts in some cases the score nearly double. Ironically Ms. Sokolnicki was a teacher at the School where Mary T. Weaver’s children went to School what is going on at the Board? I would be interested in learning weather Mary t Weaver ever worked for Sears as Alicia Winckler CPS Human Resource Department came to CPS from Sears. I will be investigating that in the future and will let you know what I find in next month’s issue.

When I asked the district how the 8^th Grade class was able to go from a score of 9.8 in ISAT testing in math in 2007. Then the 8^th Grade students in 2008 scored 34.8 which is an increase that is statistically impossible without some form of cheating. I was told by CPS that the reason was that they had a new teacher that year and she was very good. The problem with that is because there was so many eyes are watching this teacher now that in 2009 8^th grade scored a 12.5. This is almost an exact decrease in relation to the increase from 2007. Maybe the teacher started drinking, or maybe she just forgot how she taught the year before?

Let me give you some examples of things Mary T. Weaver has committed including numerous counts of tax evasion and allowed her staff to do the same. Manda Lukic purchased five I Pads under the guise that they needed to see if they would work before a Federal Grant was approved. However the Federal Grant had already been approved at the time of the purchases and the Grant did not include cases and upgrades. These items were purchased from Micro Center with the Schools tax exempt ID, even though it is now Mary Weavers contention that she had always intended to pay the money back. However, the money being paid back would be tax free also three 2hr. Ultra HD Camcorders that were purchased supposedly for the Christmas party. If true this had nothing to do with School supplies or operations and gifts are not suppose to be tax exempt. This was just in the course of one year I cannot even begin to imagine how often this has happened since 2006.

Angela Burgos, Manda Lukic, and Mary Weaver have all gone shopping during school hours on many, many occasions even purchasing laptop computers for some of the staff, as one inside source at the school has told me. The source has told me that she requested his computer back recently asked for them back due to the pending audit. This is tax fraud both Federal by not declaring gifts over $500.00, State, and City Taxes as well. This goes beyond the scope of simple CPS Policy Ethics Violations and others, this is just outright criminal.

Misuse of public funds, theft, tax evasion, perjury, and the list goes on yet some people to be named in a later article (General Counsel’s office of the CPS Board Law Department) and others from the Board Alicia Winckler, and the accounting department allowing this to continue. As I have seen no evidence of any actions by anyone from CPS or the Board in any way. At one point after I made formal allegations, an investigator Raymond Poloko conducted a nonsense, incompetent investigation that found nothing. After I received the letter that the investigation was concluded and unfounded or sent to another department(s) for investigation I sent them evidence I had found. After receiving this evidence that proved wrong doing I received an e-mail that the investigation would be reopened. I guess a mad parent with a computer could find more from his home with no internal help or access then Mr. Poloko.

To me this was just another way to shut me up to keep the investigation stalled and/or stopped until the next administration or some other reason I don’t really know. Of course this is only my opinion based on the fact that Mary T. weaver is still allowed to be Principal, maybe they are taking steps I am unaware of? Proof of some of this misconduct and misuse is at the following link in the accounts records http://scammonschoolchicago.blogspot.com.

I feel that Ms. Dawson whom lied under oath during a Due Process hearing needs to come forward about the issues she is aware of with the Special Education denials and directives by Mary T. Weaver. If she does not then she is as guilty as the rest for it is her job, as Case Manager is insure the laws are being followed. I know it is hard to admit the truth when you would be considered a co-conspirator but that is what the Whistle Blowers Act is good for as many teachers have come forward and done. If she was threatened with her job and was in fear then she would have some excuse, if not then I can only think she was and is complacent with what was and is being done. I have had several teachers tell me that they have asked her to have a student evaluated for Special Education but were denied and the Children were never evaluated. This would be a violation of Child Find if it was true and as the Case Manager she should or would know this.

I would like to see a real investigator (not Raymond Poloko) go to the school with the evidence thus far and questions the teachers with their Union Representative present so they feel safe to speak without further retaliation as in the past. It is still happening in the present and future by Mary T. Weaver and those that are allowing her to do this. Make no mistake I have nothing personal against these people other than I dislike liars, and people who hurt and steal from Children. Further, I will never stop until these people are brought to justice voluntarily or because the News Media’s stories give them little to no choice.

I wonder how the over 900 parents are going to feel and think when they learn that their children’s private information was given away and allowed to be released by others? I was told by a source at Scammon that Allison Dawson had e-mailed teachers with the Principals log in information and password. The teachers say they can provide the e-mail proof if they are protected from retaliation by CPS so we may never know how many disks or records are still out there. This only came to my attention after I had found that Mary T. Weaver while being investigated gave me a disk I assume accidentally with every student’s information. When I went to the office to get my sons test scores as there were many inconsistencies I asked Mary Weaver for the information about his testing scores. She seemed obviously upset in general and with me, she then went in her office came out with the disk and said here.

I placed the disk in my briefcase with the other disks of evidence, and recordings of meetings to which I have accumulated many over the years. I had requested my son’s files earlier and the next day was given the files so I had forgotten about the disk. Recently when going through my evidence including FOIA requests on disks and the recordings I put that disk in and was shocked. It had contained confidential information about every student at Scammon School including, address, phone numbers, student ID numbers, grades, test scores, Scantron scores, who tested them, race, economic status of the family, special education information, etc. This is a Violation of FERPA for each Student and ISSRA which the latter I was made aware of in an e-mail by Patrick Rocks General Counsel for the Board of Education Chicago.

I wonder if the parents have been informed as is required by law, or if Mary T. Weaver and/or Allison Dawson have been held accountable for these violations. Lately I wonder why the laws and policies are even in place as no one seems to be punished by them. No consequences, actions, arrests, firing, suspensions or even a stern talking to that I am aware of to date. Maybe if you work for CPS or the City of Chicago you are exempt for the rules, policies and laws and just us citizens are the ones that get punished? Well if CPS does not inform these parents I will inform the parents if they don’t find out from this document or the many News Blogs it is on.

How do you feel knowing of the extravagant purchases CPS employees are making during work hours, now you get an idea why CPS is broke? How do you think the Mayor is going to react when this hits the media and he was the one who gave principals more powers, and “reformed the Schools”? I see no reform and no accountability I have been fighting this fight for far too long and though I am tired I am more determined every day. I will never stop even if I have to go to Springfield or White House to make sure our Children are protected and learn without the Administrations fighting to do the opposite. I will keep speaking and getting the truth out until the bubble will have to burst from the mountain of evidence. I will Cc, the website and information to every teacher and pass out flyers at the school every day if that’s what it takes who knows I may get more evidence in the process.

Finally I would like to talk to the Public, Teachers, Administrators, Staff, Board members, Parents, and anyone else. If you have evidence of any kind including memo’s, documents, Audio, Video, or anything else I implore you to please send them to me. You can e-mail them in PDF to tcnuJasonGlenn@hotmail.com or Mail them me directly just contact me via e-mail and I will either come get them or give you an address to mail them to. It’s time to make a stand against corruption and politics, your identity will be kept secret and I will protect your identity no matter what. I have audio recordings that I took both legally and secretly that I will be uploading to this site. I know I may get prosecuted for it but if that what it takes to get the truth out then so be it. Laws are meant to protect the public and to insure justice is served. The politicians and government employees use that to say and do whatever they want this is not Justice and this certainly does not serve the public good. I will fight this fact all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to, or spend time in jail before reveling a source if that what it takes for the truth to be served and our Children to be protected.

By: Jason Glenn

We Want our Teacher BACK NOW!

2011-09-25T17:53:00.000-05:00

Why is CPS getting rid of our Good Teachers?

The Chicago Public Schools is losing great Teachers some until they can find another job and some being put on a “Do Not Hire” list. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has recently charged his new CEO Jean-Claude Brizard with giving Principals more absolute power with their Schools. However, there is a serious problem with this and that is principals are using that power to threaten, harass, and unfairly get rid of great teachers. What is worse is that these Principals are allowed to lower teachers’ ratings, move them to another classroom even after school has started. Cut teacher positions as a excuse for getting rid of a teacher and sometimes for no other reason they don’t like them. Let me clarify that when I say they don’t like them I mean because, the teachers won’t play office politics, are jealous of their looks, paranoia, or any number of a thousand reasons.

I am not only speaking of Scammon School either it is however one of the worse I seen by far with a Principal that seems to be unstable mentally. I’m not sure if CPS does drug testing with its schools administrators but perhaps they should or at the least have them take a psychological test so they can be properly medicated. At Scammon School so many teachers have been replaced (wrongfully let go) or switched from one grade to another that I am loosing count. I can’t imagine having to work in that kind of environment and then teach an overcrowded classroom full of children. The ability to teach has to be effected as would your very soul and every other aspect of your life. CPS and the teachers Union need to do something about this situation or the teachers should stop paying their Union Dues for an organization that could seem to care less. CPS should do something because all the lawsuits and grievances, not to mention the bad press and eventual protests.

Mary T. Weaver the Principal at Scammon Elementary School has had the highest turnover rates in CPS, and I would imagine the most complaints filed. Yet for some reason she seems to be protected from being let go considering all that has happened one must wonder what she has and on who? Our children are asking why their teachers are not there anymore a question we cannot give them. The parents like I was and many more are upset because we were hoping our younger children get that great teacher next year or the year after when they go into that grade.

One story made me so mad that I could not believe it, a teacher was let go after school had already started. The teacher was escorted like a criminal to get her personal belonging from her classroom. The children asked what was happening and she said something like I have to go right now you will have a substitute for now. The next day when the children found out that the teacher was not coming back they were so upset they were in tears. When the parents asked if the teacher could go and at least say good bye to the children the principal replied “over my dead body will that teacher set foot in this school again”. Although the parents would have been happy to oblige Ms. Weaver lucky for her cooler heads prevailed.

Someone needs to explain to the Board and the Mayor that this new ridiculous policy is going to ruin CPS to a point that it is no longer fixable. Good teachers are leaving for the Suburbs and would never come back no matter what they were paid because their integrity and dignity is not for sale. My Children even though they no longer attend Scammon when they find out another of their favorite teachers has been let go get mad. You would think that you just told them their good friend has moved away and they don’t even go to Scammon so would have even seen them again anyway. I can’t even imagine how the Children that still are stuck at that School feel or their parents. The saddest part is the teachers that are safe from being let go the “Weaverites” are some of the worst teachers in CPS. I pray every day for those Children and parents that are forced to attend Scammon with Weaver at the helm and her friends.

I say that because I just learned another teacher is gone my Cc’ed friend, when I told my wife she was very, very mad and that’s being nice. So when the kids heard her reaction they asked what happened when she told them my son and daughter at the same time said why! It was the first time they have been in agreement since they were in diapers and my son was very upset. When they asked why she was let go because she was such a great teacher and she was cool. We had to explain that the Principal Mary Weaver is a bad person and that there is no real reason when it comes to her. My son who is in 8^th grade for the first time almost used a cuss word in front of me he said the Bbiiyad Weaver she is so terrible. I think we can guess what he was going to say lucky for him he was quick enough but I sure finished what he wanted to say in my head. Now I know why last year when she was on the roof for some hair event thing all the kids were shouting “jump, jump, jump!”.

I think the only way to make a statement that the board is going to hear is for the parents to protest the school by attending class with their children. That would mean as many parents as possible go to their children’s class and refusing to leave the School.

Look at what Scammons Administration purchased look at all

2011-09-24T02:29:00.000-05:00

Manda Lukic, Burgos, and Weaver go shopping.

Weaver side notes to Alligations under the whistle Blowers Act

2011-09-24T02:25:00.000-05:00

Click here notice its in Weavers own handwriting

Carmita Ortiz does not live in Chicago and Bribed Weaver

2011-09-24T02:18:00.001-05:00

Click here to see the truth

Why is CPS in Financial Ruin and Bleeding Money?

2011-09-23T00:35:00.000-05:00

Why is CPS in Financial Ruin and Bleeding Money?

Is it because they have too many Children to educate, and not enough budget money allocated to them? Maybe it is because CPS is not getting its fair share of Federal Grants and funds that are suppose to help and support the education of our Children? I know it must be because there are not enough Private companies and people donating money to CPS. If not that it must be that CPS is not allowed to have enough fundraisers to make essential supply purchases.

It’s none of the above, I have come to find out it’s because CPS has no accountability over its Principals and individual Schools spending. It would seem that the Board is more concerned with cutting and denying Special Education or intentionally denying Services. They are also willing to break their own rules about class sizing and just about anything as long as it benefits them. See the Board counts on Parents not having the time, experience, money, and patients to fight their deep pockets. Even if you have money and all the time in the world they still may deny your child Services because the averages are on their side. For every one parent that beats CPS and fight for in some cases years, in the end they still lose.

I, after fighting CPS for a couple years and taking my case all the way to Due Process, and filing the proper complaints with OCR (U.S. Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights), I only got the services my Child was entitled to. Even though the staff at the school lied about his test results and lied about just whatever they wanted not one of them was punished. Not even so much as a day off without pay or charges brought against them by the Illinois State Board of Education. Even though OCR said my Childs Civil Rights were violated they did nothing. They filed no charges against anyone, despite my continued complaints and requests so that these people could not do this to someone else’s Child.

See at the time I was both ignorant as well as naïve I was under the impression that if you were right and you fought hard enough Justice and Truth would prevail. I now know that justice is truly blind what’s worse is that she could care less. And that the truth is a smoke and mirror house of cards and no matter who is dealing the house (CPS) always wins. See after I won my Due process case by myself as I could afford no one to help me. Even after I was able to get OCR to admit that the School district and CPS violated my Childs rights another victory. I was not proud but was ashamed that after years of hard work yes my Child got his IEP and Services for Special Education. But I then realized that the whole time I was focused on fighting the system proving they were wrong. In the end my son lost over 5 years of those very services that he needed.

See CPS had won either way because after all was said and done the attorneys they have on staff get paid no matter what the outcome. However, for those five years they saved on the money it would have cost to provide the services my Child was always entitled to. So long story short in the end I lost, my Child lost, my wife lost, and my other children lost. See I had to spend so much time learning the law, filing papers, notices, requests, and my children didn’t have Dad to hang out with. My Child fell so behind he has to fight twice as hard just to catch up in school, and my whole family missed precious time with me and me with them that I can never get back. The only people that won were the Politicians, Bureaucrats, and lawyers most are one in the same.

It was at that time when I looked up and noticed my children had aged and my health had deteriorated that I swore I would not let this all be for nothing. This is when I decided that one Child at a time, one School at a time, one person at a time I would fight with all I have until I am dead, so that no one will ever have to go through what I did ever again alone. I for the first time understood the words of my hero’s like Dr. Martin Luther King who no matter how big the fight never give up. He also taught me that I should never stoop to their level for if I should then my victory was no victory at all. Or Mohandas Gandhi who beat the entire British Empire and won his countries freedom by just staying the course and saying no I will not give up no matter what you do to me. That if we can unite in one voice and say no, you cannot do this we will not permit it as a people you can do the impossible. John F. Kennedy who refused to back down from anyone and give into what he knew was right; no matter the cost even his life.

With this inspiration I will now show you why CPS is broke now, in the past, and will be in the future. I wanted you to understand how I found the answer and why I will never give up. I will take my Children’s School as the example but not the exception of what is happening at CPS. I thought hey if they would lie about my Child’s test scores and perjure themselves in testimony in a hearing what else am I missing? So I asked, filed FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests, went to every LSC meeting, talked to teachers and Parents. Even though I thought I could no longer be shocked by the depravity of what CPS can do while the Board looks the other way I got sucker punched again.

My Children’s School was Scammon Elementary School located at 4201 W Henderson, Chicago, Illinois 60641. See, I had caught the Principal Mary T. Weaver in many lies so thanks to her I started to dig and investigate. The School may sound familiar as it has been on CBS Channel 2 news twice thanks to some great people including Dave Savini and Michele Youngerman. I have no idea who is in charge over at Channel 2 Chicago but let me tell you that is one station that cares about the truth. Not just for the ratings, not because it’s popular, but because they care really care. I even started a Blog dedicated to just presenting evidence and so people at the School would have a place to upload my evidence. If you’re reading this you may be on that Blog http://scammonschoolchicago.blogspot.com or any of a number of online news columns I write for. The site above is only the facts you can see for yourself no agenda but the truth.

The truth is that CPS Principals and the Administration is stealing money from us the tax payers and the Government all while committing fraud. I found out that the Schools watchdog the LSC (Local School Counsel) was rigged and fixed by Mary T. Weaver and her staff. One member on the LSC Carmita Ortiz the School librarian does not even live in Chicago and never has which means she isn’t even suppose to be employed at CPS. But she thanks her long time family friend by buying here expensive gifts I am sure to stay in her good graces. Carmita keeps her job, The Principal Mary Weaver gets her not only to vote her way. If that’s not enough it’s the LSC that votes to renew the Principals contract but one vote is never enough to insure you get what you want. So you get a grandmother and her daughter on the LSC, the daughter lives in Niles using her Mom’s address to get your children enrolled. Since Grandma watches the kids after school while mom is at work it’s convenient and for Mary Weaver she now has two more votes. Ms. Kostner (community member of the LSC) somehow got her grandchild enrolled in school early, a source told me that there is no Birth Certificates in the students file. When the source asked the Child their birth date the Child was honest as Children at that age always are.

Then with some simple investigation I found out that an Aide for Alderman Reboyras is also on the LCS and guess what Scammon donated to his campaign fund. If that’s not a conflict I don’t know what is but now I know why Alderman Reboyras has done nothing about the issues at the school. I have e-mailed the Alderman numerous times and nothing I guess I know why now. The Principal even hired substitutes when Gery Chico’s wife spoke at the school so her friends could attend. Mr. Chico was at the time running for Mayor. Now Mary T. Weaver Principal at Scammon School has 4 of 6 members votes locked in how could she lose?

Another inside source on the LSC told me he was sorry but what could he do. If he didn’t vote Mary’s way and do what Mary Weaver Said he would get let go and would be on the no hire list. He said I get left alone as long as I keep my mouth closed. He even apologized for comments he made at a Board meeting but said he refused to say what she wrote for him to say, and he rewrote it himself less harsh. I can’t say I blame him in this economy losing your job and being on a CPS no hire list is scary when you have to support your family. He said it makes him sick that they must be the only LSC that always has unanimous votes every time.

In the documents at the blog listed above you will see money spent for among other things 5 I Pads purchased as gifts. Laptop computers given as gifts, Target Gift Cards for some of the LSC members, more food and snacks used for fund raising and the money raised put right in Mary T. Weaver’s pocket. If that’s not enough 1000’s in pizza to keep the kids happy and quiet, approximately $10,000.00 in profits from candy and other items sold at the school the money never going for the Children.

The worst part is that all these shopping sprees are during School hours and most done by Manda Lukic Assistant Principal with Mary Weaver Principal and Angela Burgos coming in a close second. When I say shopping I don’t mean popping over to staples down the street for ink cartridges. Even in some cases going as far as Niles Township to go shop with Chicago’s taxpayer’s money. I liked the three Ultra HD 2hr. Camcorders for their Christmas party and not one teacher I spoke to remembers them at the party. Maybe they got lost having been purchased in November?

I will not stop this investigation into Scammons misuse of public funds or the outrageous behavior(s) of the Administration with Mary Therese Weaver as the leader. The sad thing is that the buck does not stop there. The Board has been blocking and covering up for Mary Weaver since complaint one was made by teachers under the “Whistle Blowers Act” several years ago. I guess the teachers were unaware that the Board is both deaf and dumb in these matters. Once I finish with Scammon I will investigate Alderman Reboyras, and the Board members involved. I will insure that I weed out any and all corruption and complacency; in short I am hoping that one man can make a difference. In my mind these people in doing nothing or covering for Mary Weaver makes them co-conspirators’ after the crime.

The investigation continues…

By: Glen Presnell