Mass. school superintendent fails must-pass English test

Associated Press ^ | 08-03-03

[Brian S]

This city's superintendent of schools, who recently put two dozen teachers on unpaid leave for failing a basic English proficiency test, has himself flunked a required literacy test three times.

Wilfredo T. Laboy called his failing scores "frustrating" and "emotional." He blamed his performance on a lack of preparation and concentration, as well as the fact that that Spanish is his first language.

[Brian Allen]

<< This city's superintendent of schools, who recently put two dozen teachers on unpaid leave for failing a basic English proficiency test, has himself flunked a required literacy test three times. >>

Some quota hires are more equal than Americans!

[miner89]

This is just pure lack of leadership by the individual who is supposed to be leading the entire organization. The leader has to get out in front and yell, "Follow Me!" This guy is whining that he should be excluded from the very effort he is "leading" others to do.

[DoughtyOne]

Well I don't seek to offend anyone, but I don't think the highly educated are the ones coming to the United States. The chances are he didn't recieve a full education in his first language. I'll give him one thing, he sure found a way to advance himself beyond any reasonable justification for doing so. Didn't he take a proficiency test as part of his employment process? $156k per year and he can't read or write. The guy obviously has a degree. And folks wonder why I get so livid regarding our education system and our continued support of it beyond all reason.

[Just another Joe]

I, for one, would like to see the test itself.
IMO, I am more than competent in the English language and I'd like to see how I do.
I could use a $156,000 job.

[CatoRenasci]

grammar, not grammer....

mea culpa! mea culpa! mea maxima culpa!

[OldEagle]

Do you think he is an immigrant? I didn't see it mentioned, but it is likely he is native born USA.

[EGPWS]

Wilfredo T. Laboy called his failing scores "frustrating" and "emotional."

hehehehe... He blamed his performance on a lack of preparation and concentration,

hahahahahah.... as well as the fact that that Spanish is his first language.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! GASP!

Go back to school mister, learn the language, and then teach your knowlege....or give up your position to someone that know's the language and learn from them!

[MissAmericanPie]

This would be funny if the consequences were not so horrible.

[RightWhale]

If you're not an English teacher, you don't look at the rules on a regular basis.

What if one's career lives or dies depending on the ability to communicate in writing? He may be able to express only simple ideas. FR finds no sympathy for the superintendent's position on language skills as it applies to him.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

It's worse than you think. I've worked for principals of schools that can't spell, but because they hold the Race Card they are the Principal.

I won't tell you how they treat the underlings. Not nice people, but all Democrats.

Of course.

Many of them flout rules and slack but who cares! They're brown and yellow and homosexual!!! That's the trick!

[lizma]

After he flunked a test twice you'd think he would get a grammer handbook and memorize the rules!! How hard could that be!

Either he's extremely stupid or extremely cocky, knowing that either way, the NEA will protect him.

[Just another Joe]

According to this article, 17 Lawrence teachers fight fluency rule , they have to take an Oral Proficiency Interview.

It isn't even a written test!

[jackbill]

The best Mexican resturant is next to the Superior and Distric courts, I wouldn't green card the help.

Is Bishop's Restaurant still in Lawrence? I had a great dinner there in 1990.

[rface]

I almost starewd to feel a little sorry for this guy 'till I read the last sentence:

Laboy, who receives a 3 percent pay hike this month that will raise his salary to $156,560, recently put 24 teachers on unpaid administrative leave because they failed a basic English test.

[orchid]

Those who can, do. Those who cannot,teach. Laboy is unable to do either, so he supervises. The incompetence of administators of education is one reason our schools are failing. There is no excuse for a superintendent to be still on the job when he is lacking in the most basic of communicative skills.

[Just another Joe]

Those who can, do. Those who cannot,teach. Laboy is unable to do either, so he supervises.

Ah, the Dilbert principle.

There are exceptions that prove the rule but they're mostly front line teachers that can, do, and teach.

[dennisw]

OT:Politically Correct
... Wilfredo T. Laboy, superintendent of the predominantly Spanish-speaking
Lawrence district, said: "I believe it is culturally biased. ...
misc.fitness.weights - Apr 28, 2003 by Lee Michaels - View Thread (21 articles)

"Snow day" essay = culturally biased ????
... Wilfredo T. Laboy, superintendent of the Lawrence district, which is 89
percent Spanish speaking, said: "I believe it is culturally biased. ...
k12.chat.teacher - Apr 17, 2003 by Conase - View Thread (11 articles)

[I_Love_My_Husband]

But he's brown! So, he's in like Flynn! And anyone asking for him to step down is part of the VRWC/Republican/Racist!!!

[DoughtyOne]

I believe all new immigrants should be proficient in English.  There is a faction of FR posters who take me to task for this.  They state that immigrant children become proficient in English by the second or third generataion.  Thus my comment on him having to be a first generation immigrant or else he would be proficient.

The article didn't mention his status.  My comments were tongue in cheek.

[Delta 21]

"He's going to have to pass. ... The situation will only get series if he goes much longer without passing."

He said it, not me!