I just read the article about the technology bidding process. I knew something was up with the technology process back in October of 2009. Why?
I was invited, so I went to the Superintendent’s Roundtable Discussion on 21st Century Technology. I asked some questions about the presentation and had some comments about the software that was used for the presentation.
I wondered why they were still using PowerPoint when software had been developed that would fully interface with interactive whiteboard software.
My questions and comments frustrated [Purchasing Director] Robyn Miller and [Technology Coordinator] Curt Cearley.
If Curt and Robyn can get that angry with me because I don’t think they selected the best product, then wonder who I am, then accuse me of being a teacher, then have Robyn’s husband find out who my boss at Mercer is and then call her to complain about my “disagreeable behavior,” you know something is up.
It is also a good thing that I am a full professor with tenure.
What do I have to gain from expressing my opinion? Nothing personal really, but I have something to suffer for if I don’t agree with the technology coordinator Curt Cearley or Robyn Miller, or in this case, Robyn Miller’s husband, who took it upon himself to report me to my boss.
The worst thing about it is that I felt their rage when they accused me of being a teacher.
If that is how they feel about teachers, I can see why they threw out the survey results from the teachers. Wow!
All this because I was invited to the Superintendent’s Roundtable Discussion on 21st Century Technology, I was one of the few people who showed up, and I actually had something to say about it.
Dr. Mary Kay Bacallao, professor
Tift College of Education
Mercer University
McDonough, Ga.
