What follows is the text I prepared for Tuesday, 28 February 2023 7PM Board Meeting for the allowed 3 minute public comment time. I was unable to complete my introduction although an audience member gave me her time.
Here is my full statement:
Good evening. I am Dr. Misty M. Kirby. … I have been a resident of the South Side since November 2021. My partner and I have a son, 11, whom we homeschool.
I earned my PhD in Education Policy, Planning & Leadership from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. I am an expert on school improvement through authentic community engagement and improving school culture and climate in order to keep students engaged and in school.
In fact, since 2015, every new school administrator across the United States has been assessed on my research as part of their Professional Standards for Education Leaders. Standard 8: Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community, which amongst others, uses my research of all 35 elementary schools in Norfolk, Virginia, to underscore the importance of genuine parent and community engagement.
I began teaching English in 1999 in NYS, in Dutchess Co, 8th and 9th grade students from NYC in a juvenile detention center, a Special Act school, in Rhinecliff, NY. This was a long way from South Mississippi, where I was raised. I’ve taught in the South Bronx, a prison and Westchester County in a grant funded Magnet school where I was invited to join the Edith Winthrop Policy Board.
After a few years, I began my PhD journey full time at William & Mary, not to become an administrator so I could make more money, but to deeply study education broadly and study the United States’ public education roots, specifically. We have issues in our schools that we are not addressing. We cannot authentically address issues of importance where there is not transparency and where compliance is THE motivator.
School Board meeting attendance ebbs and flows with what is going on in our community. Meetings like last month’s happen because parents, students, and teachers, do not have regular occasions on which to discuss important matters.
I keep hearing from leaders in this district to ‘meet people where they are’. Yet, I do not see this in practice from many of them, very likely because they do not live here in our community.
Why aren’t we holding coffee chats in the community? Why aren’t we doing Saturday morning walks across the city, providing time and informal space for parents, students, community members, to engage with our district education leaders? There are so many possibilities!
I have personally met and presented to the Superintendent and the Assistant Superintendent. I have offered a range of possibilities, but they have not followed up.
How many education experts typically come and work as a teacher here in Binghamton?
I have been discouraged by the lack of authentic action in this District. Maintaining the status quo – doing things the ‘way we’ve always done it’ isn’t working. It’s time to stop blaming and start doing. If you’re not up for the challenge, get off the bus and let someone else drive.
I introduce myself to you, the board, this evening, to offer my expertise and services to you, my neighbors, so that we can improve our community. Our community must thrive before our schools, not the other way around as the Superintendent’s Message last evening stated. Our schools are a microcosm of our community.
We have no more time to waste.
We must improve our city and our schools. I am ready. Let’s get to the meaningful work!
Find me at West Middle and drmistymkirby.com
#BetterTogether
Later Addendum: Because I identified myself as a teacher, I received a “Counselling Memo from HR” on how to be professional because my conduct was unacceptable. (Imagine, after 25 yrs in ed caring if this is in your file from some very biased and based NYers. PERB law allows them to not actually have to prove their case, but video evidence of the event demonstrates the facts.