Delmarva Parent Teacher Coalition
On April 24, 2025, the Worcester County Board of Education announced their new Superintendent. In a 6-1 vote, all board members voted for Dr. Annette Wallace except for board member Katie Addis, who saw Dr. Monique Wheatley-Phillip as the ideal solution provider to improve academic proficiency and school safety in Worcester County. As we pointed out in our article back in January when the current Superintendent of Worcester County Public Schools announced his retirement, we knew who his next successor would be as Wallace was all along being internally coached and groomed for this very day.
Board President Todd Ferrante and Superintendent Lou Taylor express smiles of conspiracy.
Here’s the last paragraph of our article dated January 26, 2025:
The replacement part is quite easy as they have already selected their new superintendent. Here’s what the Worcester County Board of Education will do just to go through the formalities for the record. They will:
- Hire an expensive recruiting firm at the expense of the taxpayers to find candidates.
- Interview some of the candidates.
- Narrow down to 3 candidates.
- Put out a community survey of the candidates to make you feel involved in the selection.
- Select their Chief Safety & Academic Officer, Dr. Annette Wallace as superintendent.
We were spot on, but wrong about one thing. They selected two finalists instead of the customary three. Why? Because the fix was in, and the majority of the board did not want to waste their time as their mind was already made up. But it’s perfectly alright to waste everyone else’s time and resources, without any consideration of those they used in the process of their political illusionary quest.
- The board wasted over $25,000 of taxpayer money to hire an agency (MABE) to recruit candidates and facilitate the review process, interviews, surveys, focus groups, district visits, serving meals, and utilizing salaried staff.
- The time of the stakeholder focus groups made up of select administrators, business leaders, parents, and community members was wasted.
- The time of the County Commissioners was wasted.
- The time of the community was wasted, submitting surveys, letters, and emails only to ignore their input.
- Applicant-candidates for the superintendent position were exploited.
Since our last article on article on April 21st titled: Is The Next Worcester County Superintendent Selection Being Rigged?, even more revelations came forth that further revealed that the fix was in:
1. The finalists were announced in alphabetical order when the board first notified the public. Each finalist had a “District Day,” which they visited the county for a final interview. Conveniently ignoring alphabetical order, the district setup Dr. Monique Wheatley-Phillip to be first on April 22nd and Dr. Annette Wallace second on April 23rd, so that Wallace would have the last impression.
2. The members of the stakeholder groups were scripted. They were each given questions to ask the finalists. They were told they are not allowed to deviate from those questions. Let this sink in: The members of the focus group were used as pawns and their government scripted them.
3. Some of the focus group members were interviewed. Based on their perspective on Wallace’s district day, the group interview meeting didn’t go so well. She stumbled on the questions, didn’t have answers, was defensive, dismissive, and arrogant. Focus group members were instructed not to submit any negative feedback. Three community members were frustrated to the point that they actually got up and left the meeting. One faculty member shared that Wallace’s plans as would-be superintendent were already being put into motion prior to the interviews, indicating a predetermined outcome.
It was all a scandalous sham from the beginning. At the hands of Todd Ferrante, William Buchanan, Donald C. Smack, Sr., Jon M. Andes, William L. Gordy, and Elena J. McComas, Worcester County is now stuck with a superintendent for the next four years that will further tank the county with a continual campaign to sugarcoat the performance and school safety of the district without addressing the real issues. Teachers will not receive the support that they need in order to be successful in the classroom. Lastly, the elected board will enter into a one-sided unethical employment contract that will only benefit the superintendent, while hogtying and exploiting the citizens of the county.
What can be done? Teachers can exit the teachers’ union who used their member dues to help accomplish this. Citizens can run for the board of education and vote the them out.
Fellows & EditorsApril 24, 2025 – Copyright DelmarvaPTC.org
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