Behind Closed Doors
Barbara Wagner has been the Head of School at the Marlborough School since 1990. Marlborough, an exclusive and expensive school for girls has been around since the late 1800s. What makes Ms Wagner different from most of the other heads of school at the elite Southern California schools is the length of her tenure. Compare the length of her service to Marlborough with that of the heads of other elite private schools:
Archer – Elizabeth English - 2008
Brentwood – Michael Riera – 2010
Buckley – James Busby – 2013
Campbell Hall – Rev Canon Julian Bull – 2003
Crossroads – Bob Riddle – 2009
Harvard-Westlake – Richard Commons – 2013
Marlborough – Barbara Wagner – 1990
New Roads – Walter Landberg – 2013
Wildwood - Landis Green - 2007
Windward – Tom Gilder – 1987
But last June, scandal hit Marlborough. An essay was published on the web from a Marlborough graduate regarding inappropriate touching by a male teacher during the time she was one of his students. Little was done.
Other past incidents involving this teacher came to light as other Marlborough students heard about and read that essay. Eventually the teacher was let go, although he got a job at the Polytechnic School. Days ago, he was arrested and according to multiple sources, charged with four felonies.
The question is, was the investigation into what happened as transparent as those who carried it out claim it was? No. The initial reaction to the first incident that was reported to Ms Wagner by the then President of the school's Board of Trustees was not mentioned in the report of the investigation. John Emerson, someone with serious political connections, said it wasn't necessary to share news of the first allegation with the rest of the Board. The teacher got counseling and the student and her family got short shrift.
When the new allegations against the teacher arose, the new Board President launched the aforementioned investigation. It made Ms Wagner the scapegoat. In fact, the complete and utter lack of communication with the rest of the Board by Mr. Emerson about what was going on was unconscionable. Yet in some of the elite private schools, that's how things get done. There is a Board of Trustees, but the Head of School and the Board President make the big decisions; usually just the two of them in the Head's office.
There's more to the story than what the media has reported to this point. Ms Wagner is one of the best compensated private school heads in the area, but her income skyrocketed in the year that the essay author made her complaint against the teacher. It more than doubled from the previous year, with total compensation of more than $1.5 million. Why did she get so much more money that year? There may be a logical explanation, but given the intense shroud of secrecy that how much heads of school get paid, we will never know what it might be. I'm sure she will be well-compensated by the school as she heads off into the next phase of her life.
I spent 17 years working at one of those schools. I saw and heard plenty. While I did not have first hand knowledge of any of the facts, there were three incidents where employees departed while the rumor mill churned with speculation that they'd been involved in sexual relationships with students. I was told in one case that the parents actually did not object to their son being involved with his attractive female teacher, and that the two of them moved in together during his first year of college. Again, I have no personal knowledge regarding these events, but heard about them from people "in the know."
Everything that happens at this type of school goes on behind those closed office doors. There is never transparency. No one outside of the administration will ever know that one trustee once "wigged out" when the school's bank mistakenly credited the school's account with $1,000 instead of $1,000,000 as he had given. When I heard about that, I made mental note to never bank at an institution that could misplace $999,000 for more than 48 hours.
I think Marlborough is making a mistake. They should have cleaned up the Board of Trustees and kept Ms Wagner on. She's done an amazing job.
* * *
Without the aerospace industry, the South Bay of Los Angeles would not have grown like it has since airplanes began to be built on production lines. Later this year, the last of those lines will shut down and no more planes will be built in Los Angeles. Probably forever.
Where do the people who built those planes go? The job market is bleak for people who've spent 20 years doing this vital work, even with the supposed brighter unemployment picture. They aren't going to head off to other Boeing facilities around the country.
I think it's sad.
* * *
Santa Monica and West Hollywood have some pretty strict laws regarding rent control. There is an argument to be made that forcing building owners to rent units to long-term tenants at less than 50% of the current market rate should be considered unconstitutional under the U. S. Constitution's Takings Clause. Since these landlords are forced to rent at these rates, and often lose money, they aren't receiving the Just Compensation called for in the Fifth Amendment.
But that's not why rent control is on my mind. We can debate the need to ensure no one is homeless unless they choose to be and are mentally competent to do so, another time. I'm interested in this today because I like the fact that a tenant in a Santa Monica apartment won the case against his landlord.
He's lived in his apartment for over 24 years. He made improvements at his own expense when the building owner refused to maintain the property. Nothing outside the box, just some nice upgrades. Then the owner sued him for violating the terms of his original lease.
I like the fact that a jury ruled that the owner gave up her right to evict this guy long ago. Even better is the fact the city is suing this property owner for harassing her tenants. Most property owners I've encountered are fair people trying to make a reasonable return on an investment. Then there are some, like this woman, who want to ignore the law. Even if you disagree with a law, you can't ignore it. Well you can, but you'll pay a price.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
I hate websites that promise to give you information about something you might be interested in, and then all they want is your phone number or email, to try to sell you a product. Same with these so-called "you just won..." offers.
I don't see any scenario where Brian Williams will be able to return to NBC as managing editor and anchor of the Nightly News. His credibility is shot.
Can't wait until tomorrow morning when I can get these stupid Unna's boots off, even if only for a few minutes. Imagine wearing socks that reach to just below your knee nonstop for a week. Now imagine they are a tad small and squeezing your legs.
Bruce Jenner is trying to keep a low profile for now, which means giving up the ostentatious cars. Wonder if he hates riding around in a Ford Fiesta as I suspect he does.
Who the hell within the Grammy organization omitted the name Little Jimmy Scott from the "In Memoriam" segment? Not to mention leaving out the name Joan Rivers on a show where she received a posthumous award. Just awful!
Looks like this implosion didn't quite go as planned. Watch the part of the hotel to the far right of the screen:
This is how it is done:
This isn't a building implosion. It speaks for itself:
Bill Clinton might go on a late-night talk show and play the sax (quite well, btw) but asking a Cabinet member to quack on television???
Sending good thoughts to Jerry Tarkanian, who isn't nearly as gruff in private as he is in public. He's in the ICU unit, where the charge nurse better order extra towels for chewing. Since he's in the news, perhaps it is time to play this again:
Uma Thurman may look different, but she's still gorgeous.
Will someone who has his ear tell Speaker of the House Boehner that he's dead wrong with this invite to Netanyahu? Please!!
I understood the creation of Virginia Slims...market to women. But a $100 million yacht, just for women?
About time the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau began to crack down on payday lenders.
Archer – Elizabeth English - 2008
Brentwood – Michael Riera – 2010
Buckley – James Busby – 2013
Campbell Hall – Rev Canon Julian Bull – 2003
Crossroads – Bob Riddle – 2009
Harvard-Westlake – Richard Commons – 2013
Marlborough – Barbara Wagner – 1990
New Roads – Walter Landberg – 2013
Wildwood - Landis Green - 2007
Windward – Tom Gilder – 1987
But last June, scandal hit Marlborough. An essay was published on the web from a Marlborough graduate regarding inappropriate touching by a male teacher during the time she was one of his students. Little was done.
Other past incidents involving this teacher came to light as other Marlborough students heard about and read that essay. Eventually the teacher was let go, although he got a job at the Polytechnic School. Days ago, he was arrested and according to multiple sources, charged with four felonies.
The question is, was the investigation into what happened as transparent as those who carried it out claim it was? No. The initial reaction to the first incident that was reported to Ms Wagner by the then President of the school's Board of Trustees was not mentioned in the report of the investigation. John Emerson, someone with serious political connections, said it wasn't necessary to share news of the first allegation with the rest of the Board. The teacher got counseling and the student and her family got short shrift.
When the new allegations against the teacher arose, the new Board President launched the aforementioned investigation. It made Ms Wagner the scapegoat. In fact, the complete and utter lack of communication with the rest of the Board by Mr. Emerson about what was going on was unconscionable. Yet in some of the elite private schools, that's how things get done. There is a Board of Trustees, but the Head of School and the Board President make the big decisions; usually just the two of them in the Head's office.
There's more to the story than what the media has reported to this point. Ms Wagner is one of the best compensated private school heads in the area, but her income skyrocketed in the year that the essay author made her complaint against the teacher. It more than doubled from the previous year, with total compensation of more than $1.5 million. Why did she get so much more money that year? There may be a logical explanation, but given the intense shroud of secrecy that how much heads of school get paid, we will never know what it might be. I'm sure she will be well-compensated by the school as she heads off into the next phase of her life.
I spent 17 years working at one of those schools. I saw and heard plenty. While I did not have first hand knowledge of any of the facts, there were three incidents where employees departed while the rumor mill churned with speculation that they'd been involved in sexual relationships with students. I was told in one case that the parents actually did not object to their son being involved with his attractive female teacher, and that the two of them moved in together during his first year of college. Again, I have no personal knowledge regarding these events, but heard about them from people "in the know."
Everything that happens at this type of school goes on behind those closed office doors. There is never transparency. No one outside of the administration will ever know that one trustee once "wigged out" when the school's bank mistakenly credited the school's account with $1,000 instead of $1,000,000 as he had given. When I heard about that, I made mental note to never bank at an institution that could misplace $999,000 for more than 48 hours.
I think Marlborough is making a mistake. They should have cleaned up the Board of Trustees and kept Ms Wagner on. She's done an amazing job.
* * *
Without the aerospace industry, the South Bay of Los Angeles would not have grown like it has since airplanes began to be built on production lines. Later this year, the last of those lines will shut down and no more planes will be built in Los Angeles. Probably forever.
Where do the people who built those planes go? The job market is bleak for people who've spent 20 years doing this vital work, even with the supposed brighter unemployment picture. They aren't going to head off to other Boeing facilities around the country.
I think it's sad.
* * *
Santa Monica and West Hollywood have some pretty strict laws regarding rent control. There is an argument to be made that forcing building owners to rent units to long-term tenants at less than 50% of the current market rate should be considered unconstitutional under the U. S. Constitution's Takings Clause. Since these landlords are forced to rent at these rates, and often lose money, they aren't receiving the Just Compensation called for in the Fifth Amendment.
But that's not why rent control is on my mind. We can debate the need to ensure no one is homeless unless they choose to be and are mentally competent to do so, another time. I'm interested in this today because I like the fact that a tenant in a Santa Monica apartment won the case against his landlord.
He's lived in his apartment for over 24 years. He made improvements at his own expense when the building owner refused to maintain the property. Nothing outside the box, just some nice upgrades. Then the owner sued him for violating the terms of his original lease.
I like the fact that a jury ruled that the owner gave up her right to evict this guy long ago. Even better is the fact the city is suing this property owner for harassing her tenants. Most property owners I've encountered are fair people trying to make a reasonable return on an investment. Then there are some, like this woman, who want to ignore the law. Even if you disagree with a law, you can't ignore it. Well you can, but you'll pay a price.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
I hate websites that promise to give you information about something you might be interested in, and then all they want is your phone number or email, to try to sell you a product. Same with these so-called "you just won..." offers.
I don't see any scenario where Brian Williams will be able to return to NBC as managing editor and anchor of the Nightly News. His credibility is shot.
Can't wait until tomorrow morning when I can get these stupid Unna's boots off, even if only for a few minutes. Imagine wearing socks that reach to just below your knee nonstop for a week. Now imagine they are a tad small and squeezing your legs.
Bruce Jenner is trying to keep a low profile for now, which means giving up the ostentatious cars. Wonder if he hates riding around in a Ford Fiesta as I suspect he does.
Who the hell within the Grammy organization omitted the name Little Jimmy Scott from the "In Memoriam" segment? Not to mention leaving out the name Joan Rivers on a show where she received a posthumous award. Just awful!
Looks like this implosion didn't quite go as planned. Watch the part of the hotel to the far right of the screen:
This is how it is done:
This isn't a building implosion. It speaks for itself:
Bill Clinton might go on a late-night talk show and play the sax (quite well, btw) but asking a Cabinet member to quack on television???
Sending good thoughts to Jerry Tarkanian, who isn't nearly as gruff in private as he is in public. He's in the ICU unit, where the charge nurse better order extra towels for chewing. Since he's in the news, perhaps it is time to play this again:
Uma Thurman may look different, but she's still gorgeous.
Will someone who has his ear tell Speaker of the House Boehner that he's dead wrong with this invite to Netanyahu? Please!!
I understood the creation of Virginia Slims...market to women. But a $100 million yacht, just for women?
About time the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau began to crack down on payday lenders.
posted by me at 8:33 PM
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