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JBizzle

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With the stuff going on in Pine Tree, one thing I've noticed is the school board doesn't have to tell the public anything about what happened. How can a public school not explain to the taxpayers what has taken place. Also they don't have to tell the conditions of the coach's reinstatement. I understand privacy, but these employees chose to work in public schools around KIDS! Not sure how I feel about this.

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With the stuff going on in Pine Tree, one thing I've noticed is the school board doesn't have to tell the public anything about what happened. How can a public school not explain to the taxpayers what has taken place. Also they don't have to tell the conditions of the coach's reinstatement. I understand privacy, but these employees chose to work in public schools around KIDS! Not sure how I feel about this.

Your thread deserves some thought and serious replies. The tort protection the schools enjoy may be having and adverse affect and this is being compounded by their ability to remain silent?

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With the stuff going on in Pine Tree, one thing I've noticed is the school board doesn't have to tell the public anything about what happened. How can a public school not explain to the taxpayers what has taken place. Also they don't have to tell the conditions of the coach's reinstatement. I understand privacy, but these employees chose to work in public schools around KIDS! Not sure how I feel about this.

 

 

I do understand your concern, but school teachers are not public servants and are not treated like a public servant. You elect a school board to represent you and are therefore entrusted to make the decision for you. They know the conditions and the circumstances and make a decision based upon it.

 

Teachers do work in a tax supported position but they are accorded privacy like any other non-public servant. The school board, who represent you, are privy to the info but not all tax-payers are. These teachers are also tax players, and have the right to be treated as such.

 

If a teacher is found responsible for breaking rules and is terminated, it is public record that they were terminated. If they are convicted of a criminal offense, then it is public record what offense they committed. If terminated for something other than criminal offense, it is not public record.

 

I know you say they should be held up to the standard because they work with kids, and I say that they are. Your elected public official knows and takes action.

 

You say that you have a right to know because you pay their salary, well a schools operating budget is in the Millions in many cases, and you pay what 2000 or so. That does not buy accountability to "you" persay, it buys accountability to the people who represent you.

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I do understand your concern, but school teachers are not public servants and are not treated like a public servant. You elect a school board to represent you and are therefore entrusted to make the decision for you. They know the conditions and the circumstances and make a decision based upon it.

 

Teachers do work in a tax supported position but they are accorded privacy like any other non-public servant. The school board, who represent you, are privy to the info but not all tax-payers are. These teachers are also tax players, and have the right to be treated as such.

 

If a teacher is found responsible for breaking rules and is terminated, it is public record that they were terminated. If they are convicted of a criminal offense, then it is public record what offense they committed. If terminated for something other than criminal offense, it is not public record.

 

I know you say they should be held up to the standard because they work with kids, and I say that they are. Your elected public official knows and takes action.

 

You say that you have a right to know because you pay their salary, well a schools operating budget is in the Millions in many cases, and you pay what 2000 or so. That does not buy accountability to "you" persay, it buys accountability to the people who represent you.

Well said

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When admin. & school boards remain silent, it seems to cause more problems than if they'd offered some type of explaination. I realize that full detail can't be given & understand why, but when people are left to speculate, 'he said, she said' & "Oh did you hear", can turn something simple into a major event, especially in really small towns & schools. And once that rumor mill gets fired up, stories can get completely out of control, & very ugly, quick. In some cases it gets so bad that it leads to the total ruination of a person, & their family, as well as destroying the crediblity of school officials, & the trust we've placed in them. And those are all very bad things. A release of information protocol should be developed, which would help protect everyone involved from the detrimental, & oftentimes false claims that get made, while accurately informing parents, students, & the community about the situation. Of course, this would have to be done without compromising any ongoing or future investigations, while preserving individual rights, & protecting the privacy of any minors involved. I realize that's a tall order to fill, & much easier said than done, but not impossible. And, the sooner it's done, the better.

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When admin. & school boards remain silent, it seems to cause more problems than if they'd offered some type of explaination. I realize that full detail can't be given & understand why, but when people are left to speculate, 'he said, she said' & "Oh did you hear", can turn something simple into a major event, especially in really small towns & schools. And once that rumor mill gets fired up, stories can get completely out of control, & very ugly, quick. In some cases it gets so bad that it leads to the total ruination of a person, & their family, as well as destroying the crediblity of school officials, & the trust we've placed in them. And those are all very bad things. A release of information protocol should be developed, which would help protect everyone involved from the detrimental, & oftentimes false claims that get made, while accurately informing parents, students, & the community about the situation. Of course, this would have to be done without compromising any ongoing or future investigations, while preserving individual rights, & protecting the privacy of any minors involved. I realize that's a tall order to fill, & much easier said than done, but not impossible. And, the sooner it's done, the better.

You have made some very good points. Let me give you a partial solution. In some other locals the school districts have on staff and/or available professional investigators for everything from background checks to misconduct and fraud. Totally independent investigators are utilized for high level internal affair questions. The problem locally is the small Texas ISDs and to do this would require, GASP, cooperation among the small districts. This eliminates a lot of the unbridled control the KING and the PALACE GUARD exercise when unwarranted.

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The Pine Tree Story

by: The Pine Tree Mama

 

 

 

As Smoaky said earlier, this is far from over. Coach Fitzhenry was allowed to return on conditions that were not released to the general public; therefore, only him and the administration at PT ISD know what those conditions are. I do know that something big was left out of this entire discussion.

 

(Friday, August 31)--The big issue was NOT that he pushed a student trainer. The issue was the fact that a football player slipped and hit is head in the locker room on a slab of cement after the game. When the school employed trainer attempted to assist the kid, Coach Fitzhenry used some selective language towards him and pretty much told him to stay away. The trainer was attempting to provide treatment to the player because he was knocked in a dazed-state and the trainer thought that he might have suffered a concussion with the fall. Fitzhenry denied the trainer access to the student and stated "I am going to show you who's the boss." A student had already been diagnosed with a concussion earlier that night, and the coach did not want to lose another player to a concussion considering the fact that he might miss a couple of games.

 

(Wednesday, September 4)--The Superintendent of Schools at Pine Tree ISD was made aware of the incident from the previous weekend. She sent the trainer to the high school to get that student out of class to get him tested for a concussion. Turns out the student DID IN FACT suffer a concussion and had been in that state for 5 days without the coaching staff or trainers being aware of it. Again, this was after the Athletic Director and Head football coach at Pine Tree High School had denied him the proper medical attention that would've detected this concussion on August 31, 2013. The student had also participated in 2 days of football practice that week before being officially diagnosed with the concussion...YES he was getting banged up while he was in a concussion state.

 

The sport of football is important to us Texans; however, it is not important enough to knowingly put a child at risk of losing his life. Football does not turn these boys into men. Positive male figures that exemplify integrity, discipline, compassion, and character are what ultimately will have the biggest impact on these kid's lives. There are great men in this world that have never played football a day in their life.

 

The president of the board of trustees for the Pine Tree ISD is best friends with Derrick Fitzhenry and this relationship IS THE MAIN REASON why Fitzhenry was allowed to return to the sidelines this week. The board president was also on the selection committee that brought this coach to Pine Tree. Coincidence?

 

Coach Fitzhenry can fake all he wants, but if he really loves these kids the way he boasts about it, he would've allowed this offensive lineman to receive the medical attention that he needed in that locker room at Pirate Stadium on August 31, 2013. The PT School board showed their integrity by allowing this man to return to the sidelines and continue to coach for their district. This was AGAINST the will of the PT Superintendent and I assume that she was not very happy at the end of that 6 hour board meeting.

 

Pine Tree community, please stop this while you can. Your sons are out here being subjected to some of the biggest negligence by a school district in the United States. This is the true story and it really needs to be heard. The school board might have put him back on the sidelines, but the people of this community need to step up and get him back off of the sidelines. You can make a man act right for a little while by "giving him conditions", however, he is who he is and this is not the 1st time nor the last time that he will show his true colors.

 

I am not here to slander anyone. I just feel that Pine Tree and east Texas needs to know what really happened on the night of August 31.

My son will finish the season for Pine Tree, however, we will be moving him to a new school district after he takes his STAAR tests next spring. I am, and always have been a die hard PT supporter, but my support for this school ended on Monday night.

 

God bless you all

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Like i said...BOO HOO!!!

You should have your own show or maybe a sports column! You are a gold mine of information. I wasn't crying and don't have anything to do with the situation, so I'm not really sure where you get boo hoo from. I just made a few statements. But you are really hurting my feelings to the point that I may cancel my smoaky account and give up on life. I'm truly devistated here!

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The Pine Tree Story

by: The Pine Tree Mama

 

 

 

As Smoaky said earlier, this is far from over. Coach Fitzhenry was allowed to return on conditions that were not released to the general public; therefore, only him and the administration at PT ISD know what those conditions are. I do know that something big was left out of this entire discussion.

 

(Friday, August 31)--The big issue was NOT that he pushed a student trainer. The issue was the fact that a football player slipped and hit is head in the locker room on a slab of cement after the game. When the school employed trainer attempted to assist the kid, Coach Fitzhenry used some selective language towards him and pretty much told him to stay away. The trainer was attempting to provide treatment to the player because he was knocked in a dazed-state and the trainer thought that he might have suffered a concussion with the fall. Fitzhenry denied the trainer access to the student and stated "I am going to show you who's the boss." A student had already been diagnosed with a concussion earlier that night, and the coach did not want to lose another player to a concussion considering the fact that he might miss a couple of games.

 

(Wednesday, September 4)--The Superintendent of Schools at Pine Tree ISD was made aware of the incident from the previous weekend. She sent the trainer to the high school to get that student out of class to get him tested for a concussion. Turns out the student DID IN FACT suffer a concussion and had been in that state for 5 days without the coaching staff or trainers being aware of it. Again, this was after the Athletic Director and Head football coach at Pine Tree High School had denied him the proper medical attention that would've detected this concussion on August 31, 2013. The student had also participated in 2 days of football practice that week before being officially diagnosed with the concussion...YES he was getting banged up while he was in a concussion state.

 

The sport of football is important to us Texans; however, it is not important enough to knowingly put a child at risk of losing his life. Football does not turn these boys into men. Positive male figures that exemplify integrity, discipline, compassion, and character are what ultimately will have the biggest impact on these kid's lives. There are great men in this world that have never played football a day in their life.

 

The president of the board of trustees for the Pine Tree ISD is best friends with Derrick Fitzhenry and this relationship IS THE MAIN REASON why Fitzhenry was allowed to return to the sidelines this week. The board president was also on the selection committee that brought this coach to Pine Tree. Coincidence?

 

Coach Fitzhenry can fake all he wants, but if he really loves these kids the way he boasts about it, he would've allowed this offensive lineman to receive the medical attention that he needed in that locker room at Pirate Stadium on August 31, 2013. The PT School board showed their integrity by allowing this man to return to the sidelines and continue to coach for their district. This was AGAINST the will of the PT Superintendent and I assume that she was not very happy at the end of that 6 hour board meeting.

 

Pine Tree community, please stop this while you can. Your sons are out here being subjected to some of the biggest negligence by a school district in the United States. This is the true story and it really needs to be heard. The school board might have put him back on the sidelines, but the people of this community need to step up and get him back off of the sidelines. You can make a man act right for a little while by "giving him conditions", however, he is who he is and this is not the 1st time nor the last time that he will show his true colors.

 

I am not here to slander anyone. I just feel that Pine Tree and east Texas needs to know what really happened on the night of August 31.

My son will finish the season for Pine Tree, however, we will be moving him to a new school district after he takes his STAAR tests next spring. I am, and always have been a die hard PT supporter, but my support for this school ended on Monday night.

 

God bless you all

 

 

 

If you know...did the PTISD school board " investigators" talk to this young man; take a statement from him and his parents; corroborate this with other witnesses? If your answer is "no" they did not do an investigtion but instead a coverup.

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I suspect the UIL would be very interested to know that a coach had not only denied medical treatment to one of his athletes who sustained a head injury, but had the boy practicing without being examined by a physician, & cleared to do so.

Would that be TEC 38.158?

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If you know...did the PTISD school board " investigators" talk to this young man; take a statement from him and his parents; corroborate this with other witnesses? If your answer is "no" they did not do an investigtion but instead a coverup.

How do we even know this parent is telling the truth? It sounds juicy so that means we believe it? And just for future reference PT parent, you can close your eyes shut really hard for 20 seconds and then be diagnosed for a concussion. It's literally that easy to fail a concussion test. So I don't blame Fitz for not wanting a kid tested, especially if he saw him fall. How do you slip and fall on concrete in the lockerroom and hit your head anyway? Furthermore, if the kid were in a truly dazed state during 2 days of practice, he wouldn't have been able to focus. He would have more than likely passed out from the heat mixed with concussed symptoms. Stop being a drama queen and trying to ruin this guys career...

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How do we even know this parent is telling the truth? It sounds juicy so that means we believe it? And just for future reference PT parent, you can close your eyes shut really hard for 20 seconds and then be diagnosed for a concussion. It's literally that easy to fail a concussion test. So I don't blame Fitz for not wanting a kid tested, especially if he saw him fall. How do you slip and fall on concrete in the lockerroom and hit your head anyway? Furthermore, if the kid were in a truly dazed state during 2 days of practice, he wouldn't have been able to focus. He would have more than likely passed out from the heat mixed with concussed symptoms. Stop being a drama queen and trying to ruin this guys career...

You missed the point of the post which is the lack of an investigation by an independent investigator leaves a question as to whether or not the correct decision was made. Coaches should welcome this inquiry UNLESS they are willing to kill a kid to win a ballgame...understand now?

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The point of the post was to slander the coach's name. It is based on hearsay and inuendo. If she wasn't in the room when it happened or in the room when the school board met, she has no idea what REALLY happened. Just what she was told.

 

I am not saying that it did or didn't happen, but where are the facts. I have a problem believing that 7 members of a school board and a highly respected Superintendent would blatantly disregard the safety of children. But, The anonymous Mom said it happened so it must've happened!!!

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The point of the post was to slander the coach's name. It is based on hearsay and inuendo. If she wasn't in the room when it happened or in the room when the school board met, she has no idea what REALLY happened. Just what she was told.

 

I am not saying that it did or didn't happen, but where are the facts. I have a problem believing that 7 members of a school board and a highly respected Superintendent would blatantly disregard the safety of children. But, The anonymous Mom said it happened so it must've happened!!!

How do you eliminate "hearsay"? With statements or affidavits from from creditable witnesses.Their testimony is not hearsay...they really know what happened. Who has said all 7 of the board members agreed...I don't believe they conducted the required public or open session vote which indicates to me they were split? Finally, who says the Supt. agreed with the Boards decision? Do we agree for the need for an independent investigation? And as the subject ot this thread asks...is there too many " secrets" within schools?

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http://www.uiltexas.org/files/health/UIL-CMP-FAQ-Resources.pdf

 

13. When is the student athlete removed from activity if a concussion is
suspected?
A student athlete shall be removed from a practice or competition immediately if a
coach, a physician, a licensed health care professional, or the student’s parent or
guardian or another person who has authority to make legal decision for the student
believes the student athlete might have sustained a concussion. Coach means the
coach of the student’s team.
Coaches are encouraged to use the utmost caution regarding a suspected concussion,
including calling the student athlete over to the sideline so that the coach can form a
belief that the student may have suffered a concussion. The act of calling a player over
to the sideline does not by itself constitute a belief that the student athlete might have
sustained a concussion. (See attached legislative intent letter from the author and the
sponsor of the new law).
20. Can a coach authorize the return to play of the student athlete?
No, under no circumstance can a coach authorize a student athlete's return to play.
Education Code, Section 38.158(b)
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Lets all just wait patiently until the great, never doubt me, never question me, pompous and arrogant David Smoak chimes in with the truth, then we can delete this topic. Until then we are all just bantering about nothing. Dont forget people, never question or judge anything he says! It is fact!

Which brings up yhis question...what criteria is used to delete or edit a thread, especially if it is :HOT" ?

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How do you eliminate "hearsay"? With statements or affidavits from from creditable witnesses.Their testimony is not hearsay...they really know what happened. Who has said all 7 of the board members agreed...I don't believe they conducted the required public or open session vote which indicates to me they were split? Finally, who says the Supt. agreed with the Boards decision? Do we agree for the need for an independent investigation? And as the subject ot this thread asks...is there too many " secrets" within schools?

It is "hearsay" because the person who wrote the post was neither in the locker room when the "alleged" event happened. The person was also not in the "closed" session meeting of the school board. If neither occured then how do we know its true?

 

No I am not in agreement that an independent investigation needs to be done. I, just like everyone else not in the meeting, has absolutely no idea what happened. Without that knowledge I can not form an opinion. If I were a Tax Payer in PTISD I would trust the people I elected to oversee those things to do what is right. If I did not trust them, I would elect people I do trust or run myself.

 

I don't know anyone, or have a dog in this hunt. But I sure don't like witch hunts. And this sure smells like one.

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