The goal of this site is to expose a recurring theme at The Ben Lipson Hillel Community High School in North Miami Beach, Florida. Every few years, the careers of quality educators and staff members are being continuously challenged with what appears to be premature employment dismissals. Teachers and guidance counselors, many of whom were extremely influential in the growth of students’ lives at Hillel, are being told that they are not entitled to renew their employment contracts for the succeeding academic year. While this would make sense for a relatively new teacher who may not have met minimum requirements, that is hardly the case for many of these victims, as the majority of the affected individuals have been employed by Hillel for over a decade.
This website is being started by a student who has long since graduated from Hillel. Still, having spent half of my life at Hillel and many with the affected individuals, this website is being established in support of these staff members and teachers. While the livelihoods of these teachers are at risk, we — and the future generations at Hillel — are all victims.
24 responses so far ↓
1 david // Apr 26, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Umm….actually you should strike all of your posts because Rule 11 is for federal suits not state court causes of action. Under Louisville v. Mottley 211 US 149 and its progeny, a first amendment defense will not give jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. 1331. Federal jurisdiction can be asserted by the complaint not the defense
2 Solomon // Apr 26, 2007 at 4:26 pm
David, can you pretty please translate your point into English for non-attys? Thank you.
3 Anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 4:31 pm
David, Is it Mr. Lichter?
Several attorneys have stated there is no case here. Everything on the site is factual.
4 Anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 4:34 pm
David, Start interviewing teachers on the ground if you wish to know the truth.
5 Golda Meir // Apr 26, 2007 at 4:43 pm
I hope that the people who have sent legal letters to the site admin. will think long and hard before escalating matters unnecessarily.
The media has expressed an interest in this story. The press will jump on this if given half a chance. It is not in Hillel’s best interest to receive more bad press at this time. People need to think long and hard as to whether they want to pursue a strategy that might backfire on them in the long run.
6 RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT // Apr 26, 2007 at 5:04 pm
“Having a Head of School with a fraudulent doctoral degree is the epitome of academic dishonesty. It is ethically[...] dishonest. ”
“Perhaps the Board can take the money [or the energy] they seem to be willing to spend to fight the first amendment, and use it instead it to bring in a team of evaluators from an NCATE certified university to truly evaluate the teaching methods of these certified educators. “
7 sara // Apr 26, 2007 at 5:29 pm
I have also heard that “the media has expressed an interest in this story.”
8 anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 5:47 pm
And these are the laws/standards
which you shall put before them
(Exodus 21:1)
_________________________________
The above qoute is found in Hillel’s statement to the SACS accreditation team.
This promise to uphold the SAC’s standards for accreditation appears to have been violated on so many different levels.
In the SAC’s self-study, Hillel vowed to reach out to parents and alumni in positive ways to include them in the Hillel family.
Hillel promised to conduct just and professional evaluations of their faculty and administration.
“As a Jewish day school, Hillel subscribes to a social and ethical code as a fundamental part of its mission and raison d’etre.
The formation of habits of character is an essential part of the program, as central as
academic learning and religious observance.”
What has happened to our beloved school?
9 anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Perhaps the Board should re-read the SACS Accreditation Self Study the faculty and administration prepared last year. This document speaks volumes of the wonderful academic goals and ethics of Hillel.
Unless this Board rights the wrong, and sets Hillel on an academcically honest, ethical and legal path, instituitional integrity can never be attained. The Board seems to forget it is directing a school, where academic integrity is and can never be a “non-issue”.
10 david // Apr 26, 2007 at 6:23 pm
I agree that there is no case here. I was simply responding to one of the posts about rule 11 to clarify one issue. I think all of the legal talk should be put to rest and instead discuss the primary issue of how best to improve the school.
11 anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 6:28 pm
MIT Dean Resigns
By Mark Navin
BOSTON – April 26, 2007 – The Dean of Admission at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has resigned. MIT says she had misrepresented her credentials.
Jones, who became Dean of Admissions in 1997, issued a statement of apology, admitting she’d misled MIT about her academic credentials when she first joined the institute, 28-years ago and did not have the courage to correct her resume.
12 Anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Channel 10 is definitely interested in doing a piece on this story. So David is right. Let’s get back to focusing on how to improve the school.
13 Anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. The Dean of MIT had to resign over phony credentials.
The timing of this news is uncanny.
14 Anon // Apr 26, 2007 at 6:33 pm
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4752689.html
Confirmed.
15 sara // Apr 26, 2007 at 6:48 pm
What timing!
Article from the Washington Times:
MIT dean resigns for resume padding
Published: April 26, 2007 at 5:43 PM
BOSTON, April 26 (UPI) — The dean of admissions at Massachusetts Institute of Technology resigned Thursday for misrepresenting her credentials, university officials said.
Dean of Admissions Marilee Jones, an outspoken critic of resume padding, listed degrees from Albany Medical College, Union College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute but the Boston Globe reported she had no such degrees.
MIT Chancellor Phillip Clay in a statement posted on the university’s Web site called the situation “unfortunate.”
“But the integrity of the institute is our highest priority and we cannot tolerate this kind of behavior,” said Daniel E. Hastings, dean for undergraduate education.
The discrepancies came to light following a query from someone who questioned Jones’s credentials.
Stuart Schmill will take over the admissions post while the university searches for a replacement, MIT said.
16 Shlomo Bolts // Apr 26, 2007 at 7:04 pm
David–agreed. Let’s work together to improve the school. To avoid this in the future, major decisions need more input from the wider Hillel community on a regular basis. The first step toward such an arrangement is a public meeting in which all questions are answered. If you want help in working toward that meeting, I would be glad to assist.
17 anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Board of Directors:
Take a lesson from MIT: Academic Integrity is never a “Non-Issue”.
It’s time to “cut – bait”.
18 anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 8:25 pm
The following is SACS’ position on:
.27 Institutional Integrity
If a school misrepresents itself, including accreditation status, to the public;
Has any condition that may be detrimental to the clientele of the school; or falsely reports its compliance with the policies and standards for accreditation; the school’s accreditation can be revoked at the next business session of the Board of Directors of CASI.
As MIT has demonstrated with the resignation of their Dean due to credential padding:
Academic Integrity is never a “Non-Issue”.
19 anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Yes, the timing is impeccable.
20 CHANAH SENESH // Apr 26, 2007 at 10:14 pm
there are no accidents in the universe
21 anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 10:16 pm
A case of divine intervention as I see it! Heed the signal.
22 Hadassah in Shushan Ha'Bira // Apr 26, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Hashgacha Pratit.
23 Anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 10:50 pm
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/27/us/27mit.html?hp
“There are some mistakes people can make for which ‘I’m sorry’ can be accepted, but this is one of those matters where the lack of integrity is sufficient all by itself,” Professor Clay said. “This is a very sad situation for her and for the institution. We have obviously placed a lot of trust in her.”
IF THE LACK OF INTEGRITY IS UNACCEPTABLE TO MIT, WHY IS IT OKAY FOR HILLEL??????????????
24 Anonymous // Apr 26, 2007 at 10:58 pm
The article states: DEAN AT M.I.T RESIGNS ENDING A 28-YEAR LIE
LET’S HOPE HILLEL DOESN’T HAVE TO WAIT 28 YEARS TO RETURN TO THE ACADEMIC INTEGRITY OF YESTERYEAR.