Dear Anonymous-

In response to your post…I am neither an inmate nor is Espiritu an asylum. I am a parent, and a customer of the school. You implied that if I voice my opinion I am an inmate, thereby calling me and other parents either crazy or criminals. I am neither. I am simply a concerned parent who wants to see two people get their jobs back.

I don’t know who you are. I am sorry that you are afraid to give your name; we have been very respectful of everyone’s opinion. If you would like to talk to me personally I am available; simply email me at fixescs@gmail.com, or call my home phone. It is in the directory and I would be happy to set up a time for us to meet or talk.

The petition is just that: a petition. Do you support it or not. If you don’t, don’t sign it. I removed your name from the petition and placed your comments on the blog because it looks like you don’t agree with the petition. I did not remove you, I did not censor you, and I did not tell you to send your children to another school because you and I don’t agree. So, far over 81 families do support it and have a right to their opinions, as do I.

Like many families, we want to try to put an end to intimidation. Your comments like: ”it’s some parents who are misinformed about the extents of their rights.”, “you all have created a public personal vendetta”, “You pay tuition for a service to be provided, and if that service is not aligned with you, you go find it elsewhere”, and ” Take your kids out of ESCS” Whether you know it or not, these are threats, this is intimidation and it is wrong. I am not easily intimidated, but I know a threat when I hear one. Let me address one of them.

You pay tuition for a service to be provided, and if that service is not aligned with you, you go find it elsewhere”. Do the parents have no say in their children’s education? Do the parents who are the “consumers/buyers” have no say in the service that is provided? Does the school not need to listen to recommendations or concerns of the parents? If 81 families signed the petition do we all have to find another school? Can’t we work together to improve the school we have? Why is working to make things better a threat? Why is speaking up when you feel a wrong has been done, followed by threats? Isn’t this how we got into this issue in the first place?
I think part of the problem here is that the parents don’t have representation on the board of education and there is no process to air issues that a parent might have with the decisions made at the school. I know that you don’t think “we have that right”, but I think it’s a pretty good idea to have at least a resolution process so that perhaps issues like these don’t have to go to the bishop or the superintendant.

We wrote the email and organized the campaign because we felt that the decision was wrong, and unjust. I assure you I am a pretty shrewd guy, and no one “baited” me. We felt that we had no other choice as good Catholics and members of the church, school and our community to speak up. I am sorry that you do not agree with us, but you are welcome to voice your opinion, just as we have voiced ours.

Anonymous

Comments: John Shine, This petition you have started in the name of the O’Shields is appalling and absolutely blasphemous. By the O’Shields exposing their contract issue and you taking their “bait” as to the the reasons for their contract not being renewed (you say you are one of those “in the loop”) you all have created a public personal vendetta to have Mrs. Penn expelled under the veil that you can’t allow for an injustice to occur. Statements like “decisions are illegal”, “we’ve all had our frustrations with Mrs. Penn”, and “I have seen our school and parish eroding” are nothing more than embellished statements and falsehoods that create fear and doubt about the environment that many of us are members of. There are many that have not experienced any of the issues you raise and it’s obvious in your writing, that either have you because your letter is filled with innuendos, gossip and accusations of improprieties without any substantiating facts. If Mrs. Penn was acting in such a reckless manner, there would be abnormal rates of turnover within her staff, and a mass exodus of students. One can clearly see the opposite if they choose to look; a low voluntary faculty turnover rate and an enrollment decrease that aligns within the norms of any other school; especially given our current economic environment. You have mentioned 3 families and now 3 faculty members as being “bullied” but you don’t state that there are a lot more families and faculty that have not. If you really fear that bullying is occurring at the school, and an “illegal” act has occurred, then act accordingly. Take your kids out of ESCS and address the legal issue with the appropriate authorities. Anyone who has managed an organization can clearly see that Mrs. Penn is acting in the best interest of the school and with the utmost professionalism. She has not engaged in defending her position, despite being personally attacked, and has not made discipline issues a public matter. Meanwhile, given all the false characterization of her motives and behaviors she has given two of her employees 6 months to find their next job which is a noble act in it of itself and not aligned with your characterization of her. I only urge people to read this for what it is; simply, its some parents who are misinformed about the extents of their rights. You pay tuition for a service to be provided, and if that service is not aligned with you, you go find it elsewhere. Lastly Mr. Shine, the environment you want is for the “inmates to run the asylum” and anyone with any common sense knows that your environment would simply not work. Respectfully submitted

bed bug dog trainer said...

This is really non christian behavior. we are a family that has been a part of the parish since 1979, my husband and I were married in the old church in 1982 and when we had children they were enrolled in the parish preschool, then when the church announced a school would be built, we knew our prayers had been answered.

The school has been a blessing until the point that Mrs. Penn was employed. Since that time we have watched the school be destroyed. We remained quiet because we have been bulllied and intimidated by Mrs. Penn repeatedly. It is time to speak out because care about the school and the parish that represents it, even though we only have one year left for our second daughter that attends the school.

In this economy, I'm sure there are other family's (like ours) that are struggling to make the committment to provide a CATHOLIC education for our children. Coach O'Shields and his wife have been a cornerstone to our school and children. Both of our daughters have told us, that in time of need, they have always felt confident to go to Coach O'Shields and he has guided them in a christian way.

I know there may be reprocussions from Mrs. Penn (as always) when you challenge any of her decisions, but we would not be good CHRISTIANS if we did not stand up for the O'Shields, as they have been NURTURING ROLE MODELS for our children for the past 10 years for our children. In closing, I say don't renew Mrs. Penn's contract and renew Mr. Pendelton's contract and bring back the excellence that the school was before she became principal.

Fr. Bob has been a wonderful pastor, and has recently helped our family thru times of need, and I know he has the best interest of our childrens school and parish in mind. I know once he see's the concerns and realizes the truth, he will make the appropriate decision. In His Name, Bill and Laura Whitstine

MJM Fine Cigars And Tobacco said...

In our opinion ,there should be a zero tolerance for bullying ESPECIALLY in a Christian environment.

We also understand that there was a more serious incident that took place during school hours some weeks ago that if true went far and beyond simple bullying.

Folks. This is our school and unless I'm mistaken, the principle and teachers work for us. Even the hint that some families have been bullied and perhaps run off is completely unacceptable. We're now if fear of our school's administration should we voice our concerns? Wake up people!

I hope that you have your children enrolled at ES because you know the real value of a Christian education. For many of us it is a huge financial burden and one that we gladly bear. However, is it possible that many of us have allowed ourselves to fall into the trap that just because our children are in a Christian environment we assume that all is well? I certainly don't mean this to come across as an elitist statement but I know that most of us are probably more involved in our kid's lives than many. But apparently that's not enough and we're missing something. Are we all too busy to take notice or do we just assume that should an issue arise it will be addressed as we would like it to be addressed.

There is apparently a group of parents that meet to discuss textbooks and perhaps curriculum for the upcoming school year. But my understanding is that this happens after the textbooks have already been purchased. What's the point? Shouldn't this be happening prior to a purchasing commitment? What happens if there is objection from some of the parents? Too late. Would the books simply be returned?

I am guilty of also not making this enough of a priority to answer much differently.

Much like our government and elected officials, if we simply stand on the sidelines as interested but unengaged observers, we deserve what we get.

February 16, 2010 12:27 PM

Missy Liermann

To The Anonymous Posters; How can we enlighten you if you fail to identify yourselves? And yes, we have lost faith in the administration and have tried to resolve it to no avail. So, here we are.

Missy Kujawa

To the anonymous poster: I already signed but I just want to answer the anonymous poster. If what we hear is true, it is not gossip or a "witch hunt." I want to trust the administration, but the decisions being made the past year or so have forced me to lose my faith in the decision makers. Our numbers are shrinking. We are losing good families. I have to question why I am keeping my children in a place where I do not feel they are being protected...where they are taught that you should not speak up or you will be punished. If you know these decisions are just, and you are not part of the administration, please enlighten those of us who are not privy to information the administration has on these two wonderful people to support not renewing their contracts at the same time?

Anonymous

For those of us that are not "in the loop" please enlighten us and give us details as to the supposed bullying that's going on. It's only a rumor until facts are given. Thank you.

Anonymous

While many of us have "emotional" ties to the O'shields, we must bear in mind we're not privy as to why they're being let go. Those of you with business acumen understand it's illegal for administration to disclose these reasons to outside parties. Instead of passing judgment on administration in a situation where we don't know all the details, we need to have faith they are making the right decision. If we can't have faith in the administration then we probably shouldn't be at this school. Enacting a "witch hunt" and passing judgment isn't the answer for the supposed "Christian way."

Letter for letter writing Campaign

Dear _____________________,
I am writing to you as a concerned family from Espiritu Santo Catholic School. I have recently been informed that the employment contracts for both Sandy and Marshel O’Shields have not been renewed for the 2010-2011 school year.

I am deeply disappointed by this information, and to date have not seen a valid reason why these two wonderful teachers are not being asked to return. They are both valuable assets to our school, and an important part of our school family. They have both dedicated countless hours to our school and our students.

I feel strongly that Marshel and Sandra O’Shields contract should be renewed. Please help us to restore these two teachers back to their positions.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Email 2

Some of you may have received an email from me or from others this week. Some of you have signed the petition, while others may just be getting this email for the first time. If this is the first email you have received, please see the blog area where you can read about our concerns. The blog details our desire to have the O’Shields’contract renewed: http://fixescs.blogspot.com/
For all of you who have signed the petition: Thank you for all your support in the campaign to keep the O’Shields at our School!
Your support on the petition (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/oshields/signatures) has been wonderful and we know that this list will only grow!!! Please sign the petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/oshields/signatures
For those of you who have contacted us and who were afraid to sign the petition because you were intimidated, well you can rest assured at this point that the movement has strong support and you will not be alone. We understand your concerns about your actions possibly affecting your children. This concern/fear has us saddened and has made us even more determined to help the O’Shields and to protect future families who try to voice their opinions.
We also have heard from many that bullying is a real problem at our school and that many of you have encountered the problem and were not satisfied with the resolution. I think this is an important issue, but let’s get the O’Shields’ lives back in order first.
A suggestion of a letter writing campaign has been introduced and we think that this could be another way to affect change. We have included a template letter (of course you can use your own, but we thought we would provide a starting point).
Here are the key contacts:
Office of Espiritu Santo School
Margaret Penn, Principal
2405 Philippe Parkway
Safety Harbor, FL 34695
Phone: 727-726-8477
Fax: 727-799-2062
Email: office@escschool.org

Office of Espiritu Santo Church and School
Rev. Robert Schneider
2405 Philippe Parkway
Safety Harbor, FL 34695
Phone: 727-726-8477
Fax: 727-799-2062
Email: millie@espiritusanto.cc


OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
Most Reverend Robert N. Lynch
6363 Ninth Avenue N.
St. Petersburg, Florida 33710
Mail: Post Office Box 40200
St. Petersburg, Florida 33743-0200
Phone: 727-341-6830
Fax: 727-345-3086
Email: communicate@dosp.org

Office of Catholic Schools and Centers
John L. Cummings, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Catholic Schools and Centers PO Box 40200St Petersburg, FL 33743-0200Phone: 727-347-5539Fax: 727-341-6848Email: ocsc@dosp.org

Thanks, and our wish is to improve this school and continue to maintain a wonderful community.

John Shine

Please post

Please post your opinions and comments and any direction you think we should take.

Fix ESCS

By now, you’ve all seen the email or heard the news that the O’Shields’ contracts are not being renewed. I must admit that I have been one of the unhappy parents who has watched as other parents have stated their unhappiness with the way the school has been run since Principal Penn was hired, yet I have stayed silent. I have watched as good families, good teachers and good administrators have been asked/forced to leave.
I have seen Mrs. Penn intimidate parents and teachers, and brush off claims of bullying. I have seen the erosion of our school, our parish and our community, and I haven’t done anything. For that, I am truly sorry. I was afraid that my actions would somehow affect my children’s life and education so I stayed silent. Somehow I thought that there was justification somewhere and that the people who I trusted to guide my children’s education and their moral and ethical direction were well intentioned.
We’ve all had moments when we’ve been annoyed by Mrs. Penn. Sometimes we’ve been dumbfounded or irritated by her. Sometimes I understand that she has to make difficult decisions and other times I am not certain about the agenda behind those decisions. But I’ve kept my mouth shut as I watched her get rid of people who have challenged her: Mr. Pendleton, the Troncoso family, the Sosa family, and probably many others. And now she wants to get rid of the O’Shields. Who will be next? Think of your favorite teacher at the school. Do you want to wait until they are told to leave too or you?
I’m no longer willing to watch as friends and teachers are forced out of the school because they don’t agree with Mrs. Penn. I don’t think I can sit by as laws are broken, just because I’m afraid to speak up. I have trusted our school board, I have trusted our pastor to do the right thing; and time and time again I have been disappointed.
This is the last straw.
Here is what I know of the situation.
1. From what I understand, a child in the seventh grade has been caught bullying others, and behaving inappropriately. He is just a 7th grader and not completely at fault here. I understand that he has not just bullied one child, but I have been told that many children, girls and boys have been bullied, both through direct contact and through the internet. This email does not involve the bully, but nonetheless I am not going to accept this behavior. Normally I would trust our school to handle the matter.
2. However, when the issue was not properly addressed by both Principal Penn and Father Bob, the parents had no other choice but to bring the issue to the attention of the Superintendant and the Bishop of the Archdiocese. This is not rumor or gossip. This is documented in a letter sent from Principal Penn to the parents of the seventh grade. While it was poorly written and extremely general with “the intention to protect the children” it was obviously a veiled threat to other parents not to bring any matters above the authority of the pastor and principal.
3. The amazing thing is that if our school was a public school, these actions and steps by Mrs. Penn would be found to be entirely illegal. The fact that we are in a Catholic school, and there is still bullying occurring is unbelievable. One would think that a Catholic school would be held to a higher standard, and expect that such actions would never occur; unfortunately I have been disappointed. In a public school, this would be a violation of Florida Statute 1006.147, better known as Jeffery’s law. A copy of this law is located at: http://faptflorida.org/MidYearHandouts09/Safe%20Schools%2020090302%20Law%20Against%20Bullying_Rumenik.pdf. The law was named after Jeffery Johnston, a bright energetic boy who took his own life based upon the actions of a bully and the inactions of the school. Here are some excerpts:
· “Bullying or harassment of any student or employee of a public K-12educational institution is prohibited”
· “Retaliation against a student or school employee by another student or school employee for asserting or alleging an act of bullying or harassment. Reporting an act of bullying or harassment that is not made in good faith is considered retaliation”

4. The O’Shields--both Coach O’Shields and Mrs. O’Shields--were told that their employment contracts would not be renewed. I do not want to get into other people’s business but -- I feel as though these people who have committed their lives to our school and our community deserve defending. I know their child was not bullying people. Doesn’t it seem odd that after almost 10 years of serving our school that both of their contracts were not renewed at the same time? Why would parents of a seventh grader find that they were being asked to leave the school? Please refer to bullet 2 paragraph 3.
5. Unfortunately, as many of us in the loop have found out, if you cross the wrong people by speaking up, you will simply be asked/forced to leave the school! Why can’t we have a board of education, a pastor, and a principal who are focused on the rights of parents, teachers and children? Why can’t we work to make a better school together? How and when did we get to the point that we as parents are dictated to, in a manner of “it is my way or the highway”, when it comes to the welfare of our children, our community our parish and our school?
6. As for the O’Shield’s, I can imagine that their only crimes are: 1) Trying to improve the school they love, and 2) defending a child’s welfare. Should they lose their jobs? Should their family be driven into financial turmoil? Should their children lose their school and their friends? What Catholic lesson does this teach??? Who made this decision, and what example are they trying to demonstrate?
7. I know that most of you don’t need a history lesson in all the issues that have occurred in the school. I know that most of you want change and are finally willing to say: “Enough is enough!”
8. I am ready to fight, but I am not going to tell you what should be done. I am not going to create more issues, because I love this school, and my children love this school. Since my children are so important to me, I only hope that this does not affect them.
9. We cannot sit back as good Catholics and allow this to happen any longer; I feel that our faith requires our action.
10. Please keep in mind: “The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict...” -- Friedrich Nietzsche
11. I have set-up a BLOG so that all of you can come up with solutions. I think that WE need to resolve this issue together. I know that the current situation and the current environment are unacceptable. I know that this will affect enrollment and cost each of you more in tuition. (I say this because if I am not able to appeal to your moral compass, perhaps I can appeal to your wallets.)
12. Perhaps we can find a solution that will help to save our school, our parish, our community and our collective conscience. Please log on to the blog at: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=326507699095459358 and post your opinions.
13. Some have called for Principal Penn’s resignation. I am not certain whether this is heated comment or many are serious action. I consider the termination of any person a serious matter. For this reason I have also setup a petition that solicits your opinion bon the O’Shields. I know that this decision is going to be justified based upon budget cuts, and those issues need to be addressed but this is not the issue for the O’Shields.
14. I know that many have fought the good fight and fought it alone, and lost. I hope that if we move for improvements in our school that I and everyone who wants change supports the other.
15. The address for the petition is at this address: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/oshields

Thanks for your attention to this and yes I too agree I wish this wasn’t necessary.

John Shine