I know there is usually a longer time in between my posts so don’t get used to the idea that you will be getting a new one every couple of days. My earlier blog originally contained today’s work but I was advised that it would be to long and people wouldn’t read through to the end. I didn’t want you to miss out on the chance to see some of the basic foundations that make up the character of the man running the district and the environment he has created. I know again it isn’t the most scandalous of issues within the district (we will get to those too, I promise).
Our order of business today deals with King Dugger, also known as Gary Dugger, the superintendent of the district. I will admit to you that unlike Dr. Mike Walker, the president of the school board, I do not have a law degree from an online university. Not having that online law degree, I can’t personally tell you whether or not this particular action of His Highness is considered illegal. I will tell you that I found it to be troubling in the least and severely unethical in the highest aspects. During the opening convocation back when Rick Perry was running for Governor again in 2010 Gary Dugger made a statement to the entire gathered community of educators. He declared that we “needed to vote all the Republicans out of office” in November. I am not sure if that is illegal for him to say. It wasn’t a joke or opinion. It wasn’t a question or even just a statement. It was a command, because he had just stated the poor state of education and the budget issues in Texas. I know that it crossed the line because the following year, this last year’s convocation he made a statement in which he said, “Dr. Walker has made me promise to not make any political declarations this year.”
It shouldn’t matter if you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or Unconcerned as to who he was declaring for the staff to remove from office. What should concern everyone is that fact that it was said at all. This creates quite a hostile type environment when the leader of a place as big as this district makes such a statement. Those who would disagree would begin to feel uncomfortable or even threatened solely on their own political views. It creates almost an underground society where fear that you will be judged or looked down upon because of a differing opinion. It creates a kingdom of intimidation. One man’s opinion, view, or politics reigns supreme because he holds your job and your future in his hands. I can tell you from personal experience and from testimony of others that Gary Dugger can be a vindictive man if he feels you have crossed him or not agreed with him. He is a bully.
I find it funny that a Superintendent is such an intimidating, bullying man when we are living in an age where people are adamantly fighting to get bullying out of our schools. During various convocations he has exerted this exact image and demeanor. During one year when there was much grumbling and unhappiness among teachers (because of the environment of fear and intimidation was prevalent throughout the district) he reminded all of us that for only 1 position at an elementary school (a kindergarten teacher if I remember correctly) the district had over 2,000 applicants to apply. This was a clear shot to the concept that if you won’t do as we say or like what we do, teachers are a dime a dozen and you can be replaced. During the disagreement over the removal of the G/T program and the complete and utter destruction of the ESL program we were advised not to pick a side or speak out. Of course those things were never emailed or officially stated because that would be illegal. Those things were passed on from one to another in the great waring against “rocking the boat.” We were to play the “game” as older teachers advised because of the understood threat of the consequences for disagreeing with His Majesty Dugger and Her Highness Furman.
It’s not by coincidence that the moral and job satisfaction for teachers who have been in the district longer than 5 or 6 years continues to drop. People who loved this district and loved the family feeling they got from working in Kennedale routinely whisper of how it’s changed. They talk about the dictatorship and fear of losing their jobs for any little reason so that the administration can just replace them with a “yes” man robot who will do their bidding without question. Some of the greatest teachers are hunkering down and losing the style and personalities in the classroom that translated into success for their students and instead are just counting the days until retirement. They are hoping not to offend the wrong administration royalty or their stoolie and be forced out of their job before they can afford to.
Under Gary Dugger’s leadership and Karen Furman’s tyranny this small town, family oriented district has become WW II occupied France. Disagreement isn’t allowed. Fear of executions (firing) abounds and a gray sense of hopelessness has descended upon each campus. Dissatisfaction is only whispered about among others you know you can trust not to rat you out to the “Thought Police.” Conform or die has taken over from the innovation and out of the box teaching that moved this district from just an acceptable place to it’s recognized status. That effort wasn’t because of the latest boxed program Karen bought at a conference because Highland Park uses it. It wasn’t because of a pay raise offered by the school board in its perpetual cycle of abusive boyfriend behavior. This innovation came because teachers created programs and teaching styles to fill in the gaps and the needs of the students. Thinking outside the box and questioning why things are done a certain way and then changing them to meet the current need of Kennedale’s students (not whoever created Karen’s latest conference program buying spree) is what got the district’s ratings up.
For the last two years Gary Dugger has stood before the staff and demanded that Kennedale will be Exemplary. His tone, the manner in which he presents this statement every year isn’t an encouragement. It is a threat. The only word he leaves out of his statement to finish it properly based on his attitude and tone are the words “or else”. Pretty harsh environment to work in when you aren’t allowed to work outside the lines of the programs forced down the districts throat by Karen’s fascist leadership.
I will finish up my current examples of how a culture and environment of bullying and intimidation has crept into this district through Gary Dugger and Karen Furman’s leadership by showing you how one of the most promising administrators himself has been changed. When Rick Edwards first moved into the administration from being the principal at Kennedale High School he was one of the most encouraging and positive people in a leadership role in this district. He was understanding and accepting. He identified with the teacher’s needs and struggles because it wasn’t that long ago he was on the front lines with them doing the battles everyday to help the students succeed. Most felt he was on a clear and direct path into being the next superintendent for Kennedale ISD. I can tell you that the character of the man he was when he first entered that administration office would have made him, probably, the greatest leader to move Kennedale into the future while still holding onto all the great small town things that made Kennedale an ideal place to live and work.
Rick isn’t that man anymore. After being shunted off into just being the paperwork administrator when Karen gobbled up every program, grade level, and anything else to do with actual running of the district (except of course the toilets, we already discussed Biondi’s area was beneath her interest); Rick changed. It was probably out of the simple necessity to survive in the now hostile administration environment he found himself in, but he changed none the less. His smile went from being honestly concerned and genuine to a forced painted on facade. His character went from inviting to calloused and harsh. Maybe he began to believe the hype up among the ruling class. Maybe he began to think of himself as above or better than the rest. I know he declared his time too precious and valuable when confronted by disagreeing opinions in a Kennedale foundation meeting this last school year. How funny that his time (that he was getting paid for anyway) was more important and valuable than the VOLUNTEERS who are on the foundation board. Guess he drank the Kool-aide with the rest of them. He has adopted the arrogant, overly self important, hostile attitude the rest of them have. It is the saddest out of all the things to come from the kingdom of intimidation created by Their Highnesses Dugger and Furman.
The biggest tragedy of all, though, is the fact that this happened at all. You see it isn’t like there wasn’t a way to fix it before it got this bad. The school board members have been told on more than one occasion just from myself of the treatment and environment that exists in Kennedale (and I know others have expressed it too). They are the Checks and Balance to the administration. Instead of changing the environment through oversight of the harsh retaliations and atmospheres of fear spread by the bullying, they have checked out (unless there is a personal aspect for them in it [Cheerleadergate 2011 for instance]). They act as though they are subservient to the district’s administration when in fact they are above them in the chain of command. The administrators work for the school board who was voted in to represent the public. Until the school board decides to hold Gary Dugger, Karen Furman, Rick Edwards, Mark Biondi, and all those who work with them accountable there will not be positive change. The board again uses the abusive boyfriend relationship model of behavior. They allow the staff and workers to be abused and then clear the conscience by offering a pay raise at the beginning of the next year. I can only assume they are hoping the teachers and staff will forget the abuse they have been dealing with while the board turned a blind eye. They pat themselves on the back by saying “See we treat our people well. They are better paid than others around them.” The entire time ignoring the glaring kingdom of intimidation that has taken root under their noses.
October 24, 2014
Bryan Kuykendall
Extraordinarily Ordinary 