Incidents lead to questions

Has anyone taken a look at Layne Hunt's previous performance record? He has been asked to leave ALL of his previous administrative positions, whether through a buyout, demotion designed to make him quit, or out-and-out firing. I worked for him for two years, and it was a nightmare. He is like a kid himself, and acts like the kids' friend, not an administrator. Discipline didn't exist when he was "in charge." This does not surprise me at all. We all just keep Google-ing to see the next place that fires him. Beware!

It never ceases to amaze me the number of cowardice allegations made by nameless, faceless people without any foundation to try and create the type of image they want to create of Layne Hunt. I know this for a fact he has done more to help the young people under his charge than any administrator I know of and he will always be welcome to assist my family members. Public education is broken and it does not take agreement with Layne Hunt to see that fact. Maybe if more people would get involved helping Dr. Hunt help our kids develop into the productive citizens as he has help to create our dropout rate would be much lower. Just a few questions for anyone who reads this. What is the success rate for the one who made the above posting?, What is the motive of the negative posting? Finally, if he is so bad, why do so many parents, students and dedicated educators support him so strongly? Be careful of those who come baring a bone they usually have nothing better to do.

So here we are...it is June and we are two months with out Dr. Hunt. I have been very silent until now....Dr. Hunt will ruin any district he is involved in. Don't believe me? Spend a couple hours searching his name on the internet...I'm sure the Ann Arbor news and Ypsilanti Courier will turn up something for you. If not, go to the Ypsilanti District Library. You will certainly be able to find periodicals on this man who has tarnished the past two districts he has worked for.
I had a conversation with a parent today. I had to relate to them the excellent job the "new" principal is doing.(I say new because he is new to the district, though he has more experience in education as an administrator than I have of age...and I am over 30 years old...) The parent is still moving her student to another district...which I think is a mistake. Ypsilanti is about to make a turnaround with Mr. John Brown. Those who stay will be champions.

Former Hunt Employee wrote:

Has anyone taken a look at Layne Hunt's previous performance record? He has been asked to leave ALL of his previous administrative positions, whether through a buyout, demotion designed to make him quit, or out-and-out firing. I worked for him for two years, and it was a nightmare. He is like a kid himself, and acts like the kids' friend, not an administrator. Discipline didn't exist when he was "in charge." This does not surprise me at all. We all just keep Google-ing to see the next place that fires him. Beware!

If he's so tarnished why did they hire him in the first place?

Ironic that 'someone' is also nameless and faceless. If he's so great, stand by him publicly not anonymously.

Let's start with some facts...
1) Dr. Hunt was recruited from Benton Harbor (where they loved him) by James Hawkins to come and save YPS from embarrassment of not implementing the 9th grade academy (in which they had received grants monies for). If the academy was not implemented in the 2006-07 school year, YPS would have had to return this money!
2) YHS has been known for teaching only select students, someone please explain to me how in a school that is 70% African American and 30% Caucasian, in all of the advanced placement/honor/college prep courses the overwhelming majority is Caucasian. And you have teachers saying they are not going to teach "those other kids,” and the teachers making this statement only teach the advanced placement/honor/college prep courses.
3) Maybe this fact will get your attention – in those advance placement classes, the students (majority Caucasian) are overwhelmingly failing the advance placement test. The AP Courses that YHS offered were not curriculum certified and Dr. Hunt was very involved in transforming ALL of the AP courses to ensure that ALL students were going to be taught the proper “certified” curriculum to help facilitate the students to pass the AP tests.
3) Dr. Hunt was making positive changes in the high school for ALL of the students. He was requiring the senior teachers, the ones with the most experience, to teach the general ed courses to ensure that ALL of the students of YHS were obtaining a solid education.
4) Dr. Hunt was requiring ALL of the teachers to contact parents if a student was failing in their class long before the grading period ended. He required the teachers to establish relationships with the parents and students.
5) Dr. Hunt has many teachers and staff within YHS that support him. Why they are not speaking out, well one teacher did speak out at a board meeting. What happened to her, she was immediately taken off of her assignment and steady attempts are being made to get her out of the high school. When you have an “old school network” it does intimidate people to be silent.
Let me not forget the safety issue at the high school. Dr. Hunt followed all of the procedures at YHS and James Hawkins knew about every incident at that high school. Why haven’t any headlines been written regarding the fire that was started in the high school by a student and the gun that a student had in their possession. Yes, this happened at YHS in the later part of the 06-07 school year. The gun incident was after Dr. Hunt was gone and the fire incident was on the later end of his time at YHS. Both incidence were reported to James Hawkins, I know for a fact the fire student was not expelled and I believe neither was the gun student. Now I ask – which incident could have hurt/effect more students, which is more dangerous – a knife, a fire, or a gun.

I think before anyone makes a judgment on a person you should have all of the facts. I could go on, but I think you have enough for now.

Lynne Marshall wrote:

Let's start with some facts...
1) Dr. Hunt was recruited from Benton Harbor (where they loved him) by James Hawkins to come and save YPS from embarrassment of not implementing the 9th grade academy (in which they had received grants monies for). If the academy was not implemented in the 2006-07 school year, YPS would have had to return this money!
2) YHS has been known for teaching only select students, someone please explain to me how in a school that is 70% African American and 30% Caucasian, in all of the advanced placement/honor/college prep courses the overwhelming majority is Caucasian. And you have teachers saying they are not going to teach "those other kids,” and the teachers making this statement only teach the advanced placement/honor/college prep courses.
3) Maybe this fact will get your attention – in those advance placement classes, the students (majority Caucasian) are overwhelmingly failing the advance placement test. The AP Courses that YHS offered were not curriculum certified and Dr. Hunt was very involved in transforming ALL of the AP courses to ensure that ALL students were going to be taught the proper “certified” curriculum to help facilitate the students to pass the AP tests.
3) Dr. Hunt was making positive changes in the high school for ALL of the students. He was requiring the senior teachers, the ones with the most experience, to teach the general ed courses to ensure that ALL of the students of YHS were obtaining a solid education.
4) Dr. Hunt was requiring ALL of the teachers to contact parents if a student was failing in their class long before the grading period ended. He required the teachers to establish relationships with the parents and students.
5) Dr. Hunt has many teachers and staff within YHS that support him. Why they are not speaking out, well one teacher did speak out at a board meeting. What happened to her, she was immediately taken off of her assignment and steady attempts are being made to get her out of the high school. When you have an “old school network” it does intimidate people to be silent.
Let me not forget the safety issue at the high school. Dr. Hunt followed all of the procedures at YHS and James Hawkins knew about every incident at that high school. Why haven’t any headlines been written regarding the fire that was started in the high school by a student and the gun that a student had in their possession. Yes, this happened at YHS in the later part of the 06-07 school year. The gun incident was after Dr. Hunt was gone and the fire incident was on the later end of his time at YHS. Both incidence were reported to James Hawkins, I know for a fact the fire student was not expelled and I believe neither was the gun student. Now I ask – which incident could have hurt/effect more students, which is more dangerous – a knife, a fire, or a gun.
I think before anyone makes a judgment on a person you should have all of the facts. I could go on, but I think you have enough for now.

Thank you for the info

so...where will he show up next?

formeremployee wrote:

so...where will he show up next?

I pray he shows up in our District! We need someone that truly cares about ALL students and their education. Dr. Hunt is the type of person that puts students first!!!

No you don't!

Ypsilanti Parent wrote:

No you don't!

I'm speaking from first hand witnessing of Dr. Hunt's interaction with students and staff. Teachers that are set in their ways and only wanting to teach "certain" students should retire and/or find a new career! Educators should be color-blind!

Again, I state -- I hope he shows up in the Ypsilanti Public School District!

"I'm speaking from first hand witnessing of Dr. Hunt's interaction with students and staff. Teachers that are set in their ways and only wanting to teach "certain" students should retire and/or find a new career! Educators should be color-blind!

Again, I state -- I hope he shows up in the Ypsilanti Public School District! "
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I cosign this statement 100% as I was a student at a school Hunt was at back in the mid 90's , I saw this in action with my own eyes back then. There is no doubt there is an ESTABLISHMENT against the type of educator in which Layne Hunt is. Any school he's at is all the better for it.

Well time has passed and the high school is still receiving a D from the state. The test scores have not improved. We still have fights and there may be more than there were back then. At least the principal dealt with the issues that were being brought up. I also know that he met with families and the community members monthly and I attended the meetings, everyone of them and they were informative and enjoyable. I know that it is easy to criticize, but I understand what value Dr Hunt brought to our school community and I know that wherever he is the students and parents are benefiting. We Miss You Dr Hunt!