“LEVEL 5 as LEVEL 3” PSD SCAM SENDS SEISMIC WAVE THROUGH OFFICIAL PITTSFIELD … JIV TACITLY ADMITS PLANET’S STORY IS CORRECT
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016) — THE PLANET hit a nerve yesterday. We had near-record traffic, everywhere we went we ran into someone who had read or heard about our column, and the day even included not one but two e-mails from Pittsfield school supt. Jason “Jake” JIV McCandless. Wait until you see the prose poems he sent.
Yesterday, THE PLANET exclusively reported that Pittsfield had five Level 5 schools being officially listed at Level 3, a ruse, if true, with monumental implications. At Level 5, the state swoops in for receivership. You can read the details by going to yesterday’s post.
Officials are working overtime to dismiss this information. THE PLANET expected that. Our “crime?” Caught in the act of investigative journalism, something no one else does around here. We stumbled upon a literal State Secret in which JIV has been gratefully complicit, and The Suits want to control the fallout. This is especially true with the city about to get into the “action” phase of its FY2017 budget. This is the budget for which the PSD administration, with the approval of the school committee, awarded 16% to 18% pay hikes over three years not just to full- and part-time teachers but also to (take a deep breath):
— Guidance counselors, department heads, team leaders, unit leaders, head teachers, supervisors of attendance, coaches, librarians, media specialists, teachers of students with special needs, speech therapists, caseworkers, clinical social workers, in-hour suspension teachers, peer mediation counselors, certified ESL teachers, supervisors of vocational education, instructional technology specialists, evening school teachers, ABE teachers, TPP instructors, mentor teachers, school nurses, school nurse leader, occupational therapists, physical therapists, academic coaches, and extra-curricular personnel.
This is also the budget wherein your Pittsfield School Committee OKd an additional $3 million to JIV and crew for presiding over a disaster.
As to the credibility of our information, it originated from state sources. The radioactive information was passed to THE PLANET by an impeccable source with access to the “second set of books,” so to speak. We had it confirmed, ironically enough, from within the PSD itself. That’s all we will say about our sources. The information is good. Otherwise, why would JIV and/or his designees not refute our allegations? Why would they not take us up on our offer to correct the record? You can answer that for yourself.
Yesterday, THE PLANET sent JIV this e-mail after our story hit:
——– 000 ——–
JAKE
I’m sure you heard about or read my most recent column, on the Level 5 schools in Pittsfield being billed as Level 3. I would love to have your input, either for THE PLANET or for PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION … or both. If comments, you can send me an e-mail and I will be glad to publish it. If TV, let me know what Thursday night is good for you (show runs 7 to 8 p.m. live). You could do a portion of the show if that is more accommodating to your preferences. If you wish to meet in person, I would love that as well. It could be on or off the record, maybe just a coffee to chat and exchange views. Will it spoil some vast, eternal plan? Who knows? We might hit it off? Let me know.
Cordially,
DAN
——– 000 ——–
JIV wrote back:
Good Morning Mr. Valenti,
This reply prompted THE PLANET‘s follow-up:
JAKE
This e-mail then showed up later yesterday:
Good Morning Again,
THE PLANET shall leave it up to you to judge the forthrightness of the superintendent’s reply regarding our claim that up to five Pittsfield schools are at Level 5 but are being listed to a hoodwinked public as Level 3.
THE PLANET, ever the joyful optimist, will note the following:
* JIV wished us “good morning,” twice. That’s known as getting all “Debbie Reynolds.”
* He twice acknowledges receipt of our missives. That’s done only because it’s the law.
* He claims not being familiar “with what [we] report.” That’s a scream, since (a) we know for a fact that he was fully apprised of yesterday’s PLANET, and (b) we nicely summarized our claims. Yet JIVE would have you believe in his ignorance. This is known as the “Sgt. Schultz Defense.” Nonetheless, his refusal to refute our information provides his tacit agreement with our report. Once again, THE PLANET caught them in the act.
* He not only declines coffee, but he “respectfully” declines. Oh happy day!! THE PLANET followed up with this e-mail: “Too bad, because I treat my guests to GREAT coffee.”
Somehow in the Great Somewhere, Joe DiMaggio, Mrs. Olsen, and Juan Valdez are weeping.
———————————————————————————————-
“All confrontation is based upon deception.” — Paul Watson
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in the comment section or opinions published within the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not those of PLANET VALENTI or endorsed in any way by PLANET VALENTI; this website reserves the right to remove any comment which violates its Rules of Conduct, and it is not liable for the consequences of any posted comment as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and PLANET VALENTI’s terms of service.
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Dan, you have to try the Coffee Cake Cupcake at Dunkin Dounuts, Jiv doesn’t know what he’s missing.
The lovely Linda Tyer’s fiscal year 2017 municipal budget will explain everything that is happening in Pittsfield politics this year. I predict another about 5% spending increase, whereby a majority of which will be consumed by the public school system. The vested interests will win once again in Pittsfield politics, while the local taxpayers will lose ground. People will continue to move away from Pittsfield, while jobs will continue to be lost in Pittsfield. Pittsfield politics’ tax base will continue to shrink. Pittsfield politics downward spiral will go on.
Let’s give Behnke another raise and she’ll figure out a way to save money and buy a few unicorns to boot.
A top to bottom investigation of the school department by citizens is in order here.
Mr. Valenti,
To add to the disgrace of Pittsfield’s ‘Level 5’ school debacle, the Mass. Dept. of Public Health map, published yesterday in The Boston Globe, indicates that Pittsfield’s opioid overdose death rate in 2015, at 36.2 per 100,000, is ridiculously high.
What’s more, two Berkshire County towns have the honor of having the Commonwealth’s highest rates. Tyringham and New Ashford; at 239 and 420 per 100,000, respectively.
SEE:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/03/map-opioid-overdose-deaths-mass-town/Ckn7zRuySCj7WYZWKqbvjI/story.html
Is it time to reconsider whether the Berkshires is still a great place to raise kids?
Tyringham and New Ashford have two of the smallest populations in the Commonwealth, one or two incidents skyrockets their rates.
and a Dalton or Lenox resident having an OD in Coltsville or the Stop and Shop on Dan Fox Dr after buying their drugs in a car sale will also inflate Pittsfield’s number and deflate the surrounding town’s.
the smaller the area, the more suspect the statistics since around here in small towns two is a huge number and in the larger towns, they are a hub for activity.
I wonder if there will be a host of letters to the editors about this. If the old Eagle was told not to they would not have printed them.
Looks like the new Eagle is going to get an early coming out party. I assume they will feel obligated to comment on this story as to whether it has merit. Will they show up to the game? They will be graded.
Yes and if they do will they give DV credit? They have a habit of taking stuff Dan breaks then doing their sanitized version…as if they (the BB) broke the story…
Let the countdown begin, how long until it doesn’t show up? This is the exact thing they said would be published. O K Judge, we are waiting.
How long? How about the 12th of never? New ownership but same fluff ‘n stuff.
This is another eye opener for Morandi,Amuso,Mazzeo, Taylor……Sabic left town to consolidate…..Mayor you were hired to get a handle on them all,they are like children and they want you to step in and save them from themselves.They need you to take the blame….if you do this you will be the most admired politician in the history of Pittsfield.
Pittsfield Schools are a runaway train,I know this for a fact the people that work there are generally miserable but need their jobs.
When Pittsfield lost Bill Travis and Bill Cameron s experience and maturity and brought in a very immature Superintendent a few years back under Amuso and Masimiano it all went bad.
To repeat ,Mayor you were not elected to straighten out the highway dept. or the fire dept ,you were elected to go for the jugular at the school department
of
I second this!! This is a House of Cards, and needs a complete intervention and overhaul. The Money Train needs a halt.
The Mayor has to cut, just a matter of where and how much.
Oddly enough, this morning CBS news reported that this is national teacher appreciation week. I’m very appreciative that Dan has brought this to light. With that being said, one does not have to be a scholar to know what the quality of education is in Pittsfield.
As I have said before, painful as it is to watch – I am in favor of letting the train derail. A State takeover of the schools or receivership for the City may be the best thing ever.
We do not have an income problem (sorry Ms. Taylor), we have a spending problem. Even if we were spending the “right” amount, we are spending it the “wrong” way. A State takeover of the schools or a receivership and oversight board of the City has the powers to correct all of that.
I believe the folks in charge are simply unable to do this. Painful as the crash might be, it will result in positive changes.
Very well said Southeast. There is no question the Locals Refuse to do the right thing. It is pretty Shameful that adults use the kids for their cover and shortcomings. When you can no longer do the right thing…. Step Down!!
State oversight accomplishes nothing. Did the state take over the city’s finances during Doyle’s term? Obviously nothing was learned from that.
The new mantra of the Mayor and School committee should be, take care of each other because that’s all we have.
Start dimming the lights L T.
O J was looking for the killers and Cindy is looking for chapter 70 monies. Cindy, it’s over.
Looks like G Man’s political cutting seven percent rhetoric will come to fruition with this Administration,by default. G Man told us up front what he was going to do, the other two took the low road.
Watch Amuso,she is the key person who allowed the immature Superintendent to do as he pleased,the oldJRC program is another waste of money.They call it by different names now……you cant find 1 person who could explaine what Amuso,Yon and Eberwien did in those days.Amuso and Yon are still there so could someone please ask them about the success of those programs….Rule 1…never add a new program because you will pay for it for ever,it will never go away.
Principles must walk their building all day,they dont.May I suggest the Mayor have an office cleared at Mercer and move in until this mess is over,have Mrs Behnke explaine her budgets by line item….Mayor the taxes are up and the value of homes are going down.
You can’t blame the teachers and their unions for greedily grabbing every cent and perk they could get their hands on. Apparently it is the American way.
But you can blame the school committee, city councils and mayors for their own self serving behavior. Sadly though you can clobber these school committee people over the head with facts and time bomb budget perils but they just don’t care. And it makes them all look more than a little bit stupid since red flags have been popping up for several years. It is not fair to the taxpayers or the parents of the children that just any uneducated lap dog can run for such an important committee.
Can we blame the non-existent parenting that continues to create generation upon generation of thugs and hooligans? I’m sorry, victimized youth
No, because Dannyboy hates & blames the kids. They are all on his lawn.
Right. They are “victims.”
Can’t you just heir the Conversation in the superintendent of schools office and the School committee saying they will complain for a few days and after that things will go back to normal and we can get on with our business. Do you remember a few years ago when a woman who I think was on the School committee at that time said we are the professionals and we know what is best for the children and schools not the voting public. And I think that is the way that committee stills feels even if they don’t verbalize it.
I guess it depends how you define “professionals” but i do not see ANYTHING professional about this group of rubber stampers.
A top to bottom oversight board has to be formed while the school system is investigated. I don’t believe any Pittsfield politician should be part of the oversight board. We need full transparency…..good old boys need not apply. Let’s get this city under control.
Any citizens out there willing to run for school committee? That’s where it all starts in this town.
Great suggestion, DICK. Interested citizens who want to put an end to this Abuse By School Committee can contact danvalenti@verizon.net. Serious candidates only. There will be an election next year.
Our School Dept. and SC are corrupt. Can you imagine this going on in the private sector. The company would be out of business in no time.
They are gorging the taxpayer and our City Council allows it. (The CC could stop this nonsense by rejecting any and all outrageous budgets. But they won’t.)
And our educational system is going down the drain.
You bet we need an investigation……the sooner the better!
Spider, the company would not go out of business because these so called public servants would be fired during their first week.
I was referring to the ridiculous salaries being paid to school staff for questionable positions.
We need to get to work on running good candidates for the next school committee election. If you are interested in running or if you can recommend someone please email me….alreadytyred@aol.com
All grant to do positions should be eliminated.
Yon,Taylor,Dan, Jake,Behnke are not talented business people .Behnke keeps a ledger on what is spent,shes not walking down the hall and saying we can save 900 k if we close a school and Jake would say so ,thats just not what they do…We hired Mayor Tyer to not spend more money,to consolidate schools,to have a long range plan of consolidation…..Schools dont do this Mayors do and if she doesnt we hire the next guy girl ….
If you want to be elected run on the issue of school spending and your in.Mazzeo had potential but chose the restaurant and Iwould to….We are going to find out real quick if Linda is going to continue as Mayor
Anyone know what’s going on at West HousyWood, there was advertisement on the roadside for product for sale.
With all due respect to the current Superintendent, he says cuts will be painful to not only to the individual but more so to the children? In the private sector, in Pittsfield, thousands have lost jobs, thousands, doesn’t he know, we know this? He makes it sound like we are guilty of job cuts and the pain that goes with it for the children. Everyone knows the Schools are for themselves first. if they were so adamant about losing key positions, give your salary increases back and make the P S C give thier stipend back also. Walk the Talk, you’re all way overpaid to begin with.
73g for an attendance officer.
How about it Nota, seems a Walmart greeter could do that job. It would save some money and the retried person would probably do a better job.
Hello, yes, you won’t be in today, ok thank you for calling, good bye.
Three teachers had the final Jeopardy answer wrong, I had it write. Now that is scary!
Right
Community School coordinator is 75,000,during negotiations in the unions for kitchen people the negotiator said to Mrs Behnke if the school budget has no room for a raise for cafeteria workers could you tell us how did you find money to give yourself a raise and how much was it and she responded…non of your gd business….that is who your dealing with, if Tyer fails at cutting 5 million its overgive up and go away…..These people are not intimidated by her.She needs to go in and tell them to get it done in 2 weeks or you will be charged with insubordination.These people will bury her…..I still have faith in Tyer
Please, allow me to say my opinion about the U.S. educational system in general.
I was born and educated in Soviet Union. Graduated from HS in 1976. I know Math bettere than most of you–not because I am so bright at it, but because Soviet system was much better.
Multiple choice answers you have — just ridiculous approach:))
Statistically, you may not know anything, but still you can pass any test by 25% guarantee! And with certain brain activity, still you can pass 50% without even reading text books or understanding anything. In BCC, college Dean offered students to play games, hoping to make it fun learning. Nurse was appointed to teach Math for LPN nursing, who knew Math less than I do. Money have little to do with quality of education.
I am 57 now and I am ready to compete in Math against any of you:)) seriosly. ( Of course, you speak English better than me–most of you:)) One of my American tenants(74) can’t fill out money order–can’t write. Other, also American–can’t read.
Sad but true. And the school system will keep going the same old way. They think by putting students in a new building then they will come out smarter. I don’t understand how we came up with that way of think but it seams that is the message they are sending the public. I saw a council meeting on the budget and I only heard 1 councilor call for a cut in spending. I have become convince that it will never happen to make a real difference.
GAETANI NEWSHOUR ROCKS?