The circus some pretend to be the Alabama State Department of Education took another bizarre step Aug. 31 when Mike Sentance fired Deputy Superintendent, Jeff Langham. (Sentance promoted Langham to his $168,621 annual salary a few months ago.)
Various sources tell me Langham was informed he should find a new job by the end of December and that his salary was needed to close the “gap” in deficit spending that came to light last week during a board meeting.
However, this contradicts what Chief of Staff Dee Fowler ($205,792) told board members of the School Superintendents of Alabama board meeting Aug. 30. According to Fowler there is no deficit in the budget and that it is only a “myth.” (But then he also said most things attributed to Sentance are myths.)
Langham was superintendent of Elmore County schools before former state superintendent Tommy Bice brought him to Montgomery a few years ago. While in Elmore County, he was named the Alabama Superintendent of the Year.
News of this firing brought instant response from educators who have worked with Langham. One told me, “He is the only one who has enough sense to work with the board, the legislature, local school systems, superintendents and state department staff. But everyone knew something was up because Langham was being left out of everything. If Sentance or Fowler had even one supporter at ALSDE, they just lost them.”
Langham is the second former local superintendent Sentance has run off. Linda Felton-Smith, former Troy city superintendent also joined the state staff under Bice. But a few months ago Sentance put her on administrative leave as his way of again throwing someone under the bus, instead of taking responsibility himself. Her supposed “sin” was playing a role in the premature release of bad data dealing with graduation rates.
She came back to work and retired shortly after, with 41 years in service to Alabama public schools. And though Sentance’s hand-picked consultant who studied this episode reported that no one was to blame, he did not have the decency to apologize to Felton-Smith for falsely accusing her.
Apparently Sentance is intent on ridding the state department of as much Alabama institutional knowledge as he can and replacing them with people from out-of-state who know as little about this state as he does.
(At this point, his State Special Assistant, Jermall Wright ($168,621) is waiting for the state board to lift a hiring freeze so he can bring in three more outsiders. Wright came from Philadelphia, PA.)
I have many friends at the state department. They are sick and tired of the Sentance “reign of terror” where every day they wonder who will be let go next. It is a toxic work environment where no one trusts anyone else.
One of Sentance’s first hires was Chasidy White, a teacher in a Tuscaloosa high school. She is paid $113,479 and has the title of Director-Strategic Initiatives. But the only strategic initiative she seems involved with now is chief cheerleader and political operative for Sentance. It is common knowledge she monitors social media accounts of various department employees to see if they speak ill of the head man. She also arranged for Sentance to meet with Alabama Tea Party leaders a few days ago.
Recently she went out of her way to tell members of the department’s Teacher Cabinet about how much Sentance was traveling around the state to visit schools and see teachers in action. So when Sentance joined the meeting a teacher asked him to tell them about some of the good things he has seen in Alabama schools. According to someone in attendance, this question brought dead silence from Sentance and he finally said he had seen passionate teachers.
And there are people who still support this guy???? UNBELIVEABLE.
With the abruptness of Dr. Langham’s departure perhaps there are other reasons for the Superintendent’s decision…please keep an open-mind and investigate the story instead of prejudging motivations.
I have been investigating the record and actions of Mike Sentance for more than a year. The reason Sentance gave Langham was that they were trying to cut the budget by 20%. So you say we should not believe Sentance?
Three years ago this department had a reserve of $21 million. Now they project a deficit of $8 million.
I value your work in this area and you are much more informed than I on the issue. Whether or not we should believe Sentance or if other reasons for the dismissal exists is something I’m sure you wish to investigate for accuracy.
Mr. Lee – Please know that the three content specialist positions referenced in your article were intended to be filled by two former ARI SDE personnel (whose positions were previously eliminated due to funding cuts) and a teacher from Elmore County. These are not “outsiders” as you have erroneously indicated.
Jarmall Wright was hired by Mike Sentance to head a new Office of School Improvement/Turnaroud. I appreciate him stopping by to add his thoughts. But his response begs for other questions.
He mentioned he wishes to hire two former Alabama Reading Initiative personnel. Will they be placed in Montgomery just as his recent hires from around the country were? I understand we currently have only six ARI personnel working the entire state. So why should Montgomery have two of their own?
And what about the seven open jobs in Career Tech or the vacancy in the job of director of AMSTI? Both are programs with successful track records. Why are we starting new programs rather than supporting what works?
And is the interim Deputy for CTE and Workforce Development only being paid what she was paid in her previous position in CTE, with no compensation for increased scope of work and responsibility?
Mr. Lee,
I attended the Teacher Cabinet meeting you referenced. I can honestly say that I did not get the same impression regarding Ms. White “going out of her way” to advocate for school visits with Mr. Sentance; however, everyone obviously has varying perspectives…depending on who’s side of the story you are on.
Just out of curiosity, have you personally been in a public school recently?
Yes, I was at Bear Elementary in Montgomery this morning. Liz Hill is principal if you want to check on me. Are you on the Teacher Cabinet?
Must add that I find it very interesting that a state department of education employee making $168,621 annually as Jermall Wright does is spending his time reading blogs on a Friday afternoon and using his state computer to respond. How many others at ALSDE could get away with this?
Sir, these positions are not for Montgomery County. These are to support school students improvement efforts state wide. Perhaps it may help you to understand the work of my office. MPS is one of 11 districts my office will be supporting. None of the positions referenced in your article will do work in MPS.
Wow. Looks like the Sentance staff is checking your blog out. Great work Mr. Lee. Keep doing what you are doing. The future of education is depending on you. We really need Dr. Bice to come back to save us from this corrupt department.
LOL. As we country boys say, “stuck pigs squeal.”
Wow, sounds like you hit a nerve. “The hit dog yelps “. Keep up the good work. I am so sad about Dr. Langham. We need him. He cares, and he is honest, maybe that’s why they wanted him gone. Breaks my heart.
Bice and Pouncey are the ones who blew through the budget reserves. Check your facts with accounting personnel.
Since you seem to have info from accounting, why don’t you share the numbers with us? Pouncey has been gone from ALSDE more than three years and Bice 18 months. And as best I can find out, ALSDE had a reserve of $18 million when Pouncey left.
Why don’t you check the facts since you are running this blog and posting things? Don’t post what you don’t know. Call the agency and talk with people who know. You proclaim to be in touch with so many people, try calling the correct source for info. Check reserves from 2010 forward and see who spent it all.