The news that Ronald Holmes had been hired to lead FAMU’s Development Research School in late 2007 led many FAMU supporters to shake their heads and ask: “Are they kidding?”Individuals all across Rattler Country suspected shenanigans on the part of Holmes’ brother, Trustee R.B. Holmes, Jr. There was no doubt that as one of the seven critical votes that Dr. James Ammons needed to become FAMU’s president, Holmes had the power to twist Ammons’ arm and make personal demands during the selection process.
Such a situation would have left Ammons with the choice of either doing what he needed to do to save FAMU or alienating one of the voters he needed and then watching his alma mater die under the control of individuals loyal to then-interim President Castell Bryant.
Most FAMUans understood that. But, it didn’t remove the unbearable stench from Holmes’ hiring. Holmes had no experience as a chief administrator of any K-12 school. He had served as an assistant principal at Banneker High School in College Park, Ga. for ten years. That résumé didn’t seem to warrant a three-year contract and $110,000 annual salary.
Michael Wallace, then-chair of the DRS advisory council and father of four children enrolled at the school, voiced the thoughts of many FAMUans when he said the signs of favoritism in Holmes’ hiring were “blatant.”
Six months after the FAMU Board of Trustees approved Holmes’ contract, DRS received the good news that it had improved from an “F” to a “C” performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
Holmes talked about his big plans to raise the grade even higher: innovative tutorial sessions, Pay-for-Performance incentives, and Student Recruitment Days.
But, Holmes’ “big plans” for academics didn’t get the job done in 2008-2009. DRS dropped from a “C” to “D” in its school grade that year. His “big plans” for student recruitment haven’t gotten the job done during the first half of 2009, either. Enrollment only reached 544 after Holmes projected 600. DRS must now lay off nine teachers.
FAMU DRS doesn’t need someone who just talks about “big plans.” It needs a person with the skills to get results. Holmes is losing the battle to convince FAMUans that he shouldn’t be packing his bags right along with other subpar administrators such as AD Bill Hayes.
Yep, it's time to separate.
ReplyDeleteSEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CHEAT
ReplyDeleteIt's not that it's time to separate; it's just time to finally do the right thing. It is clear he and his "administrative team" are over their heads. Instead of "playing politics" why not simply hire experienced, qualified, intelligent people (like Dr. Jennings) to run the place, bring about POSITIVE change, and get DRS back on track. Besides, the "C" grade was the work of all of the teachers Holmes got rid of and Dr. Campbell and Mr. Richardson. He was only at DRS for a couple of months when the students took the FCAT for that "C" grade. He WAS, however, at the helm when the school went from a "C" to a "D" - if we are giving him his due. The simple truth, however, is that missing the "projection" by 56 students does NOT justify firing 9 teachers, nor does the University's financial woes. Mismanagement, inexperience, and incompetence may explain it all.
ReplyDeleteIt's just time for that man to hit the road. Period. End of Story. Ammons should get a backbone and the BOT should get the ball rolling. Forget RB Holmes. He doesn't have any children at the school, neither does his wayward brother. I don't know why it's so danggone hard for folks at the university to simply do the right thing.
ReplyDeleteOn my comment above, I meant to clarify that neither of the Holmes men have children at the school, so they don't give two flips about the students there. Ronald Holmes is getting the big $$ for doing absolutely ZERO. It's simply incomprehensible that he is still there screwing up the academic lives of those people's children.
ReplyDeleteIt may be time to close FAMU DRS. The school is failing, their top athletes don't even look at FAMU, and it's a financial drain on the university.
ReplyDeleteI hate to tell you this--you will eventually find out--but if you look beneath the surface, FAMU itself is really not doing very well. Hang onto your seats--we are in for a wild ride.
ReplyDelete2/07/2009 7:33 PM
ReplyDeleteI recall the other day reading that FAMU we would see some rough times until 2015. I wonder if this correlates to what you are referring too.
It's not time to "close FAMU DRS," as was suggested may be the case by a previous poster. It's not even time to ask or answer questions such as why was Holmes hired when the interview team did not recommend him or when he was clearly and blatantly so unqualified or why would FAMU DRS be in such dire financial straits if enrollment is up or any of the other valid, pertinent questions for which the University and DRS administration SHOULD be accountable. It IS, however, time for action. IF there is political "dirt" or “blackmail” or “favors” at the root of this mess, just get a backbone (as was suggested by a previous poster), buck the system and do the right thing, get rid of Holmes (there HAS to be some type of incompetence clause in his contract), and get someone in the position that won’t embarrass the school or University and who won’t destroy the faculty or school climate or student moral and achievement. The school’s reputation and status has already taken its beating. Stop punishing the DRS community and making those poor teachers and students pay for someone else’s political and/or personal favors. If everyone there is being “Punked!,” it’s way past time for Ashton to jump out of the bushes and call and end to this farce. (But if everyone involved feels above reproach, accountability, and question, there’s a much longer, rougher, and salacious road ahead for DRS, the University, and the entire DRS community!)
ReplyDelete7:03, go sit. You know very little on this one. Sounds like you're just an a bystanding hater. Solutions please? Dr. Jennings is a great start. We have people who CAN DO this.
ReplyDeleteMan, y'all don't have enough money to get Cheryl back even if y'all begged. Here is a woman who had the best interest of the school at heart and way beyond qualified to run the school. It will take more than a new building to fix the mess and besides if Holmes was the problem, he ain't goin nowhere.
ReplyDeleteIf I am reading correctly, you would be making an inference that the good Rev Holmes would have allowed FAMU to suffer and withdrew his support for Dr Ammons if he chose anyone else besides Dr Ronald Holmes for the job. That doesnt sound like someone who has clearly the best interest of FAMU in mind
ReplyDeleteDang