This is a portion of a note that Dan Wever sent in:
When the EPISD had a major problem this week and had meetings with the public for input Cabrera was nowhere to be found. EPISD Board President Trent Hatch told the public he was meeting with the State Commissioner of Education trying to secure possible millions of dollars in grants.
While this may have been true, Mr. Hatch should have also known that he and Dr. Brown had both gone to Austin to speak at the Texas CTO Clinic.
President Hatch should have known this as the superintendent is supposed to get his permission for events such as this. However, in the usual performance of public information and Transparency, we were led down the primrose path knowing that our absent superintendent was working hard to help the district.
elpasospeak 
Cabrera and Brown were in Austin for a variety of meetings, one of which was at the CTO Clinic. Let’s not make this out to be more than it was. The Board President said it was Board business. Neither he nor Cabrera are under any obligation to provide Mr Wever or anyone else a minute by minute running commentary of when bathroom breaks were taken, what was eaten for a meal, or when they arose each morning. This isn’t West Wing. It’s real life. I guess I get irritated when I see suppositions like this designed to make folks believe something shady is going on when really nothing is going on. Hatch may not have wanted any more confrontations between Byrd and Cabrera, so he sent him to meetings at TEA. Who knows? And better still, who cares.
LikeLike
Ripper, you would make a great board member.
LikeLike
Anon- nope I would vote to cut all of the central office by 2/3. And the old guard there would be up in arms a soon as I said leave teachers alone and let them teach.
As for whether anything is going on, I would tell you that it is such mass confusion with every little faction running this and that, doing his or her own thing, so they are thought of as the miraculous savior of education in EPISD, or looking for their 15 minutes of fame, that nobody -nobody – is in charge or knows all the game plans.And Cabrera can listen to input at all Board meeting but he doesn’t have a vote. The Board decides and he carries the water. This is what happens when a Board tries to micromanage and run day to day operations.
LikeLike
Ripper, the Board President, and the Superintendent make up the Agenda. They select what is in the consent agenda and it is loaded. You would never get to vote on the cuts you mention as nobody would second a motion you make more than likely. You as a board member would sit back and believe everything the Administration told you because that is the only source of information the board gets. I do not think this board has ever micro-managed anything!
LikeLike
This is what happens when you hire an unqualified superintendent.
LikeLike
Mr. Ripper, maybe if you understood what the main purpose of the Texas GTO Clinic was and the company that was presenting, it might become clearer as to the purpose. As for closing the schools, why are people like you, business comes first, unable or unwilling to consider what the closings would do to the students?
LikeLike
“Who cares?” you ask. You should put that on a raincoat and give it to Cabrera.
LikeLike
You all miss the point. I understand what the Texas GTO clinic was and E2L was there as the star of the show. As to closing schools, more than willing to consider the impact. But why is it always “for the kiddies”? Let’s be realistic Mr Wever, it isn’t about the students it’s about the loss of revenue to EPFTSP from the teachers who will be sidelined. Presented to the students in a positive light, just like good change management should do, they’d probably be thrilled to someplace different and hopefully not falling apart like their old school.
As to E2L- it’s a done deal. It’s been in the district since the old chief tormenter first introduced “Active Learning”. When Tim Holt won the battle to have ALL’s emplaced at every school. Why fight an already decided skirmish? Folks you need to get out ahead of these people or they will continue to run over you. And keeping your head in the so-called academic sand won’t make the problem vanish. Recall the board members. Ask TEA what they’ve done for us lately. Stop with the “union” rubbish. They’ve been continually emasculated by the last couple of administrations. Get the parents in front of the board, circulate the recall petitions, find a good education and business aware superintendent who doesn’t control the press. It’s not too late.
LikeLike
Ripper, you continue to associate me with the EPFTSP, probably because I slept with the President of the organization for 15 years. I am no longer associated with them especially since they supported the District of Innovation concept with open arms. They have allowed the district to be converted to a giant charter school. Education Reform is alive and well in El Paso. All education materials are bought on the open market. When the public wakes up the first thing they will say is WTF?
LikeLike
Remember dan, you are judged by the company you keep.
LikeLike
Ripper, what other meetings did they attend?
LikeLike
Ripper, what other meetings did they attend?
LikeLike
I’m still waiting for Ripper to answer your question. I’ll lay odds that there were no other “meetings.” The trip had nothing to do with grants. They were there to shill for e2L. Follow the money.
LikeLike
Supposedly with TEA reps to discus district business. But since you all were obviously shadowing them. I’ll let you tell the story
LikeLike
“Supposedly” is the operative word. Your first post said “Cabrera and Brown were in Austin for a variety of meetings.” You stated that without any qualifiers, so it’s reasonable for us to ask you to name those meetings. It’s a matter of public record that they were there with e2L execs to sing the praises of e2L. So while neither you nor I were there, I’ll draw my conclusions based on what I know for certain. And since EPISD offered no specifics about those grant meetings, my conclusion is that it was lame excuse to justify Cabrera skipping out on an important public meeting. This is the same superintendent who didn’t care enough to attend any EPISD graduations.
LikeLike
I CARE WHEN SOMEONE IS DECEPTIVE WITH PUBLIC MONIES.
LikeLike
I think there is a process involved in obtaining grants. Showing up somewhere away from scrutiny and merely asking for a grant does not pass the test. There is paperwork and timely filing that goes on at someone’s desk right here in El Paso. Or am I wrong?
LikeLike
The steps you mentioned are not the complete list. Very, very often, building rapport with a program officer, commissioner, appointed official, etc. Is instrumental in making sure a grant application rises to the top. Tis’ not a fair world, unfortunately.
LikeLike
Tis’ very fair for Cabrera and his “cabinet.” Just look at his contract and compensation. Not so fair for taxpayers.
LikeLike
Then schedule the public meeting when you don’t have a conflict. Very simple … if you care about the public.
LikeLike
Was Cabrera present at the Tornillo protest? If he could adjust his schedule to fit that in, but not be present at the public school closure meetings, he ought to take heat on that. The news reports were not clear on which superintendents showed up. And given that State Commissioner meeting was supposedly the conflict keeping him away from the public meeting other activities that may have extended that trip are worthy of scrutiny. Bottom line, the superintendent leads the district. When difficult decisions are being discussed he should be at public meetings helping to explain the rationale and listening to public input.
LikeLike
Could someone explain what the CTO Clinic (or is it the GTO Clinic?) actually is…
LikeLike
Helen, here is a link to the event. Texas CTO https://txctoclinic2018.sched.com/event/E8os/instructional-coaching-is-critical-to-successful-technology-integration
LikeLike
CTO = Chief Technology Officer I think.
LikeLike
CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. For 25 years, CoSN has provided leaders with the management, community building, and advocacy tools they need to succeed. Today, CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. he Texas K-12 CTO Council, a self-standing organization created by CTOs in the state of Texas in 2003, was CoSN’s first chapter. It was officially incorporated as a non-profit in August 2005. Their petition to the CoSN Board launched the process of creating state chapters. Its purpose is to assist Texas K-12 School districts in understanding how to plan for the use and successful implementation of information technology in Texas schools and advocate for districts’ technology needs to improve student learning.
Not business CTO’s but EdTech CTO’s.
LikeLike
I want to know. Did they stay for the cocktails and the CTO Casino Night party?
LikeLike
Cabrera and Brown were at CTO to present a sessions with an executive of e2L, the technology vendor. They were there to shill for e2L.
This is how the agenda described it.
Instructional Coaching is Critical to Successful Technology Integration
El Paso ISD mastered seamless tech integration through effective instructional coaching. The district hired technology instructors for their Power Up initiative focusing on adding devices and improving accessibility. Upon realizing the power of coaching to support their blended active learning framework, however, they converted their technology trainers to Active Learning Leaders who are being certified as e2L eGROWE coaches to support 4,000+ teachers in modernizing instruction over a 5-year responsible rollout of blended Active Learning.
LikeLike
Anon- They haven’t been deceptive with public monies, they’ve outright stolen and misused and dared someone to do something about it. EPISD has blown countless hundreds of millions of public money thru friends of friends “for the kiddies”. Software programs, learning initiatives, hardware investments like buying kids their own laptop(to use for what?), training, sheesh if there’s easy money like that to take and that they throw at these “Educational consultants”, no wonder every con man and woman is flocking to town to take advantage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I miss the old crooks. They’d find an empty men’s room, a few hundred dollars would exchange hands and it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. This new group steals millions with impunity.
LikeLike