When the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA), the local teachers’ union, filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) against the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School District, it was clear there was a chasm separating the two institutions. Following a meeting with HSEA members before Wednesday’s school board meeting, and comments made by Superintendent Patrick Mapes speaking before the HSE Board, the gulf between HSEA and HSE Schools appears to have widened significantly.
Teachers met next door to the school administration building prior to the 6pm board meeting. Referring to comments from a local organization, HSEA President Abby Taylor said, “There are not sides when it comes to treating people kindly. We, as teachers, have never chosen a side. We have chosen to support students, every, every step of the way.”
Becky Slayton, the ISTA Uniserve Director for HSEA, provided a timeline of what led to the ULP filing. Administration was contacted up the chain of command about allegations of a “toxic workplace” from HSEA President Taylor. With no resolution when attorneys for HSEA and HSE Schools spoke, HSEA authorized ISTA attorneys to file the ULP action.
“Right now, what (HSE Schools are) doing is merely trying to bust up the union, so that you do not have a voice,” Slayton told the teacher group. She adds the union will see to it there is a hearing on the ULP.
While Mapes was providing the board with the District’s update on “Vision, Goals, Organization, and Budget,” he had some direct comments about teachers and those representing them. He began by talking about people believing everything they read on social media.
“As a school corporation, we will not drag legal issues through social media,” Mapes told the board. “It’s unprofessional and provides no value. Education is a service providing profession that is striving to build student skills so they may be good citizens. That’s the goal no matter what community you’re in. ”
Mapes went on to say the following: “If we’ve employed people who do not want to serve students and put their own agenda in front of a mission to educate students, then those people should leave our district because we’re here to serve students. That’s why people got into this business. They want to help kids. And if they don’t want to help kids, then I really don’t have any place for them.”
Mapes then quoted a comment from Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, “…schools help promote our community.”
Slayton says if there is no settlement of the ULP, and as of Wednesday that does not seem likely, the state will hold a hearing, with a decision coming by October of this year.
Larry, no mention of the bombshell announcement regarding the district’s financial mess? That our former CFO could not balance a budget and over-extended our expenses to the tune of millions of dollars, all while covertly playing a shell game behind the scenes moving money around across funds to feign like everything was covered in the interim? That this will take our district years to recover from before we have any prospect of getting back to a balanced budget? That Mapes committed to cleaning this up over time without negatively impacting teacher salaries or critical student-facing operational dollars? THAT was by far and away the headline of the night, and it’s being glossed over by a desire to perpetuate an anti-administration narrative to drive continued negativity and divisiveness……while getting clicks. For shame.
That is a complicated story… will take some time, hope to post today.
Anonymous is making some serious false accusations that were not stated last night , unless they watched something else. If this is what Mapes actually said then there should be legal action taken on the former CFO’s part. Anonymous is crossing some boundaries and making some seriously false allegations.
That is a complicated story, will take some time, hole to post today.
Well, now we all know why the CFO was dismissed. Abysmal job performance from an unqualified individual that made a mess of our district’s finances and will take us years to repair. NOT misogyny, politics, or other angles that fit a certain narrative, as many would hope you would believe. Couldn’t be more clear….Sadly for us all.
And how would you know this? Your board approves every single action. Take it up with them. They should be fired according to you.
It is not the job of a CFO to balance the budget. It is the job of the CFO to facilitate the Board balancing the budget, something they chose not to do. I know some elements of this community look at any kind of expertise as elitist and offensive, but this is just basic business.
How is Mapes going to “fix” this, when he hires his wife, his friend, and his friend’s wife, all at rates much higher than customary, for roles they are not qualified to perform? That’s hilarious. And it’s just getting started. The changes might not affect teacher salaries directly, but they’re likely to increase class sizes and staffing; arguably worse for both students AND teachers. Rather than blaming the CFO that did her best to keep the lights on, blame the people that enacted the funding cuts in the face of continuing budget surpluses.
Fixing the budget is much easier, trivial really, compared to the damage done in terms of student preparation for later grades and post-secondary choices, toxic work culture that drives out the best performers, and a policy base that is unable to generate positive results OR mitigate the bad things that inevitably happen in a district of this size. Fixing the budget can be done in a year or two, while the other damage will take a decade to fix (i.e. once the students age out of the corporation), if they can even be fixed at all (e.g. the reputational damage).
You couldn’t be more wrong. It is absolutely the CFO’s responsibility to create and manage to a balanced budget. The school board defers to and counts on the CFOs expertise for that all to be accurate and truthfully presented to them. They are presented with high level figures and count on the CFO’s testimony that the budget is correct and will work. In this case, the CFO committed to an expense budget that was inaccurate and could not be covered by the available dollars. She told the board the teacher raise could be covered. She was wrong. It could not be. Thus, the damage control and budgetary clean up begins.
Manage to a balanced budget, yes? Create it? No. Maybe propose, but that’s as far as it goes. The Board is responsible.
Going a step further, if things were so bad for so long, so inept, why didn’t the Board intervene sooner? Again, 100% their responsibility. You can’t decide post hoc that it was somebody else’s fault, especially when a) it’s an imbalanced power dynamic and b) the person is no longer here (after being strung along in a most unprofessional manner).
The real issue (because the above are already par for the course with this crew) is that the new CFO is clearly a “yes man” that won’t perform the role that you described. They will give the board what they want, having complete loyalty to those individuals and little if any to the community.
And moving money between accounts? That’s not by definition “improper”. It’s by definition what accountants do…
How many years back are they claiming the budget has not been balanced? Also, mk045, you claim Mapes’ wife is not qualified for the position she is in. What qualifications is she lacking?
In my opinion, it really doesn’t matter if Mrs. Mapes is qualified, or not. Just the appearance of hiring your spouse is not a good look.
The only people who believe that was a “bombshell” are from Fishers One. It’s astounding people like you believe every negative thing you’re told about HSE. Mr. Mapes grandstanding, bully pulpit diatribe last evening was unprofessional at best. Our former CFO did an excellent job. She was dismissed (and paid her full remainder of her contract by the way) because Mapes wanted to bring in a long time friend. She had the backing of the majority of the Board. It’s important to note the CFO isn’t responsible for balancing the budget, that’s the job of the School Board. The real bombshell last evening was how well academically the district students are doing, even back to the time when 4 now current Board Members told the community they were failing. Clearly by the numbers that wasn’t true. It’s way past time to stop the negativity and “other side” nonsense and fully support our educators.
After hearing Mr. Mapes speak I am more concerned for our HSE school system than ever.
He spoke of HIS vision, HIS Goals, His Plan. Mapes publicly criticized the work of former employees, specifically over finances, which was not only unprofessional, it cast doubt where there should be none. This borders on dishonesty and we all need to take note. My trust was lost last night.
There are checks and balances in place and money is never transferred from one fund to another without board approval. It is common practice. It has been for years. It may not be his preferred way but it doesn’t make it wrong. It was always reviewed in detail in public and the board had ample opportunity to question and discuss prior to approving. The budget has always been balanced. To insinuate otherwise is plain dishonest. I recall one board member praising that approach actually, if my memory serves.
I can’t even begin to react to how much he insulted our educators. Morale must be at an all time low after last night. I wonder what the parents and teachers have to say about Mapes in Perry township. It can’t be good.
I hope the community can see through his remarks. I pray that the board realizes that they employ him, not the other way around, and take some steps towards undoing damage already done. I hope that voters think long and hard about who they put on our school board and try to undo some of this damage that has been done.
Mapes is tearing down a great school system to put his own mark on it. It shouldn’t be about his ego, but it appears that is what it is all about.
And how long is he even going to stick around? The board took a page from corporate America to bring in a bull dog to “clean house” for a couple of years, and then all those who are left and have been long- invested will have to clean up the mess and trauma in the wake.
Very few reputable corporations would tolerate the behavior Mr. Mapes displayed last evening. It’s akin to “the beatings will continue until morale improves”. Not to mention blaming the former CFO, with no real substantiation, is the epitome of poor leadership. You are spot on though asking how long will he really be here? And yes, there will be a mess to clean up in his wake.
I always find it interesting when people post hateful, ugly comments anonymously. Stand behind what you say and think. Deal with the fall out of your words.
Our school system was audited multiple times during Katy’s tenure with HSE. Interestingly, they didn’t find mismanaged funds or accounts running in the red. It is clear Mapes doesn’t want to work with the teachers, and he is creating doubt to be able to deny the teachers and school admin raises this year.
This is a disgusting, juvenile, low move to try to ruin someone’s reputation… and he called anyone in the community who dares question his authority unprofessional. Seems Mapes needs to take a look in the mirror.
Wondering what percentage of the comments above were from union activists…???