Crockett football team not allowed to practice, Coach Sensabaugh under fire

[WBNC83]

I live in Johnson City and am a SH alum. I have friends who went to Crockett but other than that I have no ties to the school. With that said, I'm embarrassed for Crockett and the Jonesborough community. This whole thing has become a soap opera. And what's become clear to me is that regardless of what GS or the WCSB says, the kids are not the priority here. They've been thrown in the middle and made to pick a side. These are 15-18 yr old kids that just want to play football. The adults who claim to have their best interest at heart clearly don't. And I'm not putting the blame on one side over the other. Both sides are to blame for this mess. These kids are being punished for problems they didn't create. They're the only ones who truly lose out. 

In re: technology in the schools. I don't know how it is in every Johnson City school but I've been in a couple of them and teachers use a flat screen tv to teach with. It's all projected on the tv. And each student has their own personal laptop. Again, I don't know if this is the case in all Johnson City Schools but it is for the ones I've been inside. 

[shiff53]

Seems like this guy likes the attention...and really it is at the expense of the kids. Unfortunate for sure. 

[osunut2]

2 hours ago, WBNC83 said:

In re: technology in the schools. I don't know how it is in every Johnson City school but I've been in a couple of them and teachers use a flat screen tv to teach with. It's all projected on the tv. And each student has their own personal laptop. Again, I don't know if this is the case in all Johnson City Schools but it is for the ones I've been inside. 

This is off-topic, and probably deserves a separate thread, but I'll ask a simple question - Do those TVs, laptops, and other wireless devices improve the quality of education being provided? Yes, they help facilitate the process, but the educators (and the state BoE) are still responsible for providing the educational material. The local school systems should be investing in quality educators and improved facilities, and the state BoE should be investing in a quality curriculum.

There are a lot of classrooms here in Knox County that utilize that same technology. I've audited the KCS budget in prior years, and I can tell you that a LOT of money is being spent on technology that 1) isn't going to suddenly boost the quality of education in the schools and 2) involves significant maintenance/repair/replacement costs. I'm not saying that we should suddenly go back to the abacus, stone tablets, or even carrier pigeons, but it feels like many of these BoEs are obsessed with outfitting their schools and students with technology without any regard to their aging buildings/facilities or the quality of the content being produced/presented.

Edited October 12, 2017 by osunut2

[formerblazer]

6 minutes ago, osunut2 said:

This is off-topic, and probably deserves a separate thread, but I'll ask a simple question - Do those TVs, laptops, and other wireless devices improve the quality of education being provided? Yes, they help facilitate the process, but the educators (and the state BoE) are still responsible for providing the educational material. The local school systems should be investing in quality educators and improved facilities, and the state BoE should be investing in a quality curriculum.

There are a lot of classrooms here in Knox County that utilize that same technology. I've audited the KCS budget in prior years, and I can tell you that a LOT of money is being spent on technology that 1) isn't going to suddenly boost the quality of education in the schools and 2) involves significant maintenance/repair/replacement costs. I'm not saying that we should suddenly go back to the abacus, stone tablets, or even carrier pigeons, but it feels like many of these BoEs are obsessed with outfitting their schools and students with technology without any regard to their aging buildings/facilities or the quality of the content being produced/presented.

It all depends on how it is used.  Just putting a laptop in someone’s hand just replaces writing.  Having them editing and making documents, presentations, projects that go beyond is really where you want to get them.  I think it all depends on the set up, but regardless you have to get students used to using technology in ways they will post high school.  Not every kid has access like we would like to assume, but it’s almost becoming a requirement.  There are districts that do it right and if you look at the results it is worth the money spent, but for places that buy for the sake of buying, not so much.

[osunut2]

4 minutes ago, formerblazer said:

It all depends on how it is used.  Just putting a laptop in someone’s hand just replaces writing.  Having them editing and making documents, presentations, projects that go beyond is really where you want to get them.  I think it all depends on the set up, but regardless you have to get students used to using technology in ways they will post high school.  Not every kid has access like we would like to assume, but it’s almost becoming a requirement.  There are districts that do it right and if you look at the results it is worth the money spent, but for places that buy for the sake of buying, not so much.

Yup, which is why the educators themselves are still the key to it all.

[WBNC83]

19 minutes ago, osunut2 said:

This is off-topic, and probably deserves a separate thread, but I'll ask a simple question - Do those TVs, laptops, and other wireless devices improve the quality of education being provided? Yes, they help facilitate the process, but the educators (and the state BoE) are still responsible for providing the educational material. The local school systems should be investing in quality educators and improved facilities, and the state BoE should be investing in a quality curriculum.

There are a lot of classrooms here in Knox County that utilize that same technology. I've audited the KCS budget in prior years, and I can tell you that a LOT of money is being spent on technology that 1) isn't going to suddenly boost the quality of education in the schools and 2) involves significant maintenance/repair/replacement costs. I'm not saying that we should suddenly go back to the abacus, stone tablets, or even carrier pigeons, but it feels like many of these BoEs are obsessed with outfitting their schools and students with technology without any regard to their aging buildings/facilities or the quality of the content being produced/presented.

I can agree with all that. And let me add that while I've observed these classrooms the kids only had limited access to the laptops from what I could tell. They were still doing math by hand, writing stories on paper and doing assignments in pencil/pen. And the flat screen tvs simply seemed to have taken over what the overhead projector was previously used for. The technology didn't seem to be there to replace actual teaching by the teacher but instead to boost the learning experience.

[WaCoJaCo]

You rednecks need to get back to slinging mud and stop trying to make believe you know something about education.

[WBNC83]

17 minutes ago, WaCoJaCo said:

You rednecks need to get back to slinging mud and stop trying to make believe you know something about education.

I'm over all the mud slinging. It's dominated the local news and my Facebook feed all week and I'm sick of it.

[Tribal]

Latest from WJHL:

Quote

WASHINGTON COUNTY, TN (WJHL) – Before Washington County, Tennessee school administrators suspended David Crockett High School Football Coach Gerald Sensabaugh, they warned him about unprofessional conduct, his reported use of profanity and his failure to alert his immediate supervisors about safety concerns, according to disciplinary records.

WEB EXTRAS: 

• Letter of Guidance (.PDF) 
• Letter of Reprimand (.PDF)

Administrators say Coach Sensabaugh only brought up concerns of his own after they raised questions about his conduct.

“He never brought any allegations directly to the principal until after he was called in on separate questions,” Director of Schools Kimber Halliburton said.

Coach Sensabaugh declined an on-camera interview to discuss the allegations, but by phone denied all of them.

“Yes, they’re lying about that,” he said. “This is all ‘He said, she said.'”

His first disciplinary letter, dated October 5, raised concerns about him using expletives on the sidelines to describe his players, which he said he’s never done.

“No, I have never said that,” he said. “I’ve never cussed at them.”

In addition, the letter accused him of practicing a student deemed too injured to play or practice, which he also denied. He said he only did about 10 minutes of what he considers rehab work with the boy.

The letter also raised questions about why he didn’t report safety concerns to his immediate supervisors, which is a concern that came up again when administrators say he accused his supervisor of trying to sell him pain pills and mentioned a gun on campus, but never alerted them or police.

A letter of reprimand, issued earlier this week, called his conduct toward students and staff unpredictable, unprofessional, accusatory and hostile. In the letter, the district said that claim is backed up by interviews with assistant coaches and a student, who reportedly told the principal many of the players are afraid of their coach. The coach said the player was likely upset because of a lack of playing time.

“(That’s a student) that doesn’t get to play much,” Coach Sensabaugh said.

In general terms, Coach Sensabaugh addressed many of the allegations throughout the week.

“They’re putting me on leave about some crazy concerns…,” he said earlier this week. “…It could be a couple kids that don’t play that want to stir the pot up…This is crazy though. This is a bunch of fabricated truths, extremely fabricated.”

Coach Sensabaugh, a former NFL player, said this is all the result of retaliation. He said the district’s trying to make an example out of him for speaking up about problems within the school system, which the district denies.

He remains suspended indefinitely pending a review by an independent law firm. That law firm is also reviewing allegations against DCHS Athletic Director Josh Kite, who is also suspended. However, Halliburton said there is no evidence Kite did anything wrong.

“It’s just an allegation,” she said.

Before these suspensions, administrators suspended another DCHS employee while they investigate roughly $2,000 in missing football fundraising dollars. Halliburton confirmed an unnamed school employee is on leave while the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury’s Office investigates the missing money. Halliburton said the discipline occurred a month ago and the employee in question has since retained an attorney.

Gotta watch out for those "fabricated truths."  

[formerblazer]

3 hours ago, WaCoJaCo said:

You rednecks need to get back to slinging mud and stop trying to make believe you know something about education.

We got the internet last week, DB wishes they had our donkey walk-in in a circle super fast internet.  I hope this message board thing really takes off

[formerblazer]

So GS just told the players to play and the fans to bring lawn chairs and cheer from the parking lot.

hope everyone realizes that the football gates and basketball gates are used to support the school running day to day operations..... hmmm

[WBNC83]

Anyone here going to the game tomorrow night? 

Edited October 13, 2017 by WBNC83