Will we see this in Posti's report tonight?

Last night, I received an email from Josephine Posti. Here is my response, which includes her original email. Again, I become the issue. Before you ask, the joke was about teaching math through history that is going around globally. Mary Birks' reaction is for a future post.

Josephine Posti,

If you listen to the five minute podcast on my blog, I never once accused you of plagiarism.  I was very careful to say that you had not cited your sources. I purposely avoided that word when I mentioned that Tom Moertel came up with 11 examples where you did not quote your sources.  It was Policy Chair Lebowitz who said that I "was making allegations of Mrs. Posti allegedly committing plagiarism." (3:54 on the recording)

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B9r_1biKte_bZmQzYTFhMWUtNjY4Ny00ZmQwLTk1OTEtYjI4ZWI4ZTVhMDIy&sort=name&layout=list&num=50

I guess I can make the same statement. The accusations you've made about me are serious, potentially defamatory and incorrect. 

Elaine Gillen

-----Original Message-----
From: Josephine C. Posti <JPosti@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>; School Board Email list <SchoolBoardEmaillist@mtlsd.net>
Sent: Sun, Sep 11, 2011 7:23 pm
Subject: RE: What is Mt. Lebanon turning into?

Mrs. Gillen,

The accusations you've made about me are serious, potentially defamatory and incorrect.  I've spoken to three attorneys, including our solicitor, an English professor, my management team and a number of Board members and District staff and none of them identify my inadvertent lack of citation as plagiarism.  Plagiarism involves taking credit for someone else's work, doing it without their permission and receiving a grade or compensation in return.  I didn't do that.  I've apologized for my lack of citation and corrected the error.

This email seems to be your defensive response to the reaction you got from one of my fellow Board members on Friday when you sent us an extremely offensive joke that is derogatory toward children with special needs, English learners and education in general.  Her reaction is shared by each Board member I've spoken to; we each found it to be distasteful.  If you're not getting the reaction you anticipated, perhaps the message is being distorted and a cup of coffee might help clarify your intent.  I sincerely would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to gain a better understanding of your concerns.  My experience has been that conversations are much more effective in helping someone understand your point of view rather than name-calling and leaking documents and emails and that we are at our best when we seek common ground.  Consider it.  We both may learn something.

Best regards,

Josephine Posti
President
Mt. Lebanon School Board
412.667.1479

http://jposti.blogspot.com/

Mission: To provide the best education possible for each and every student

---

From: egillen476@aol.com [egillen476@aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2011 12:08 AM
To: commission@mtlebanon.org; School Board Email list
Subject: What is Mt. Lebanon turning into?

Dear Commissioners and School Board Directors,

I have emailed you at various times about situations that were embarrassing moments for the community.  We have a commissioner that lied about paying his taxes and yet voted on issues that affected all of us. We have a school board president who apologizes for not citing all her sources and the school board does nothing about it, yet all vote on policies that affect our students.  We have a candidate for Ward 1 who thinks nothing of running for commissioner and has a criminal record.  And now we have a swimming coach who is charged with leaving his five and seven year old children alone in a car.  Yet, when I bring up these situations, I become the issue.  Why is that? 

Must you create new policies or update our comprehensive plan for our leaders, or at some point, should our leaders take responsibility for their actions?

Elaine Gillen

Update 9:25 a.m. Bill Matthews submitted an excellent letter to the boys over on Blog-Lebo. School Board should learn from mistakes, reflect upon role Here is the link to Policy GBEE, which is up for discussion at tonight's meeting. Policy GBEE Student Communications Now, the School Board wants the teachers to do as they say, not as they do.