And the new THS AD is ???

Mickey - it would seem you missed the boat on this one.

I think Mickey has it right...... I said the same thing several days ago in a post on here... Sorry "Howaboutdemapples" but unless some crazy thing happens Mensing will be the AD.

Mickey the only thing I would disagree with you on is the fact you said Mills was "promoted" this was again a very understandable thing, he was going to get the position without thought about anything else.Sure it was no surprise to you.... This is how they do things Mickey you know that!

Mickey- they will not consider anyone who does not "fit" their requirements for the AD position or any other position. These requirements are as you know are being a teacher and being a buddy to someone. people may believe I just have a grudge or have a problem with them because I was not hired as a coach. But this is about what I feel is discrimination in hiring and hiring practices that are unfair.

It's someone else...

I will be surprised for one.... Not saying they can not do something that would surprise me but it would.... What would surprise me even more if it was someone that is NOT a teacher or someone who is a buddy of someone!

Their history of hiring Coaches and or now a AD is what it is, and often does not bring results..... as I say that I will also say I have a great deal of respect for the coaches as people. I have respect for Mills, but I do not respect the decisions he has made of hiring only teachers. This is discrimination in my mind, the only people qualified to coach is not just teachers.

Perhaps Mills was told to only hire teachers from someone above him? If this is the case then that person to me is unethical for doing do. Either way they should have to respond to why this is the case and I can see not better way to do that then have Mickey do a full report on the issue.

Really, show me a school that isn't predominently run by administrators that are former teachers or coached by coaches who aren't also teachers.  Tecumseh is no different than any of other school systems out there.  It has been this way for ever and will probably continue to be this way well into the future.  Most folks with regular jobs don't have the hours to permit them to devote the time it takes to be a head coach at a public school.

BTW - Has Mickey found anyone who will share with him the new AD's name yet?  Maybe it is the one person that was indeed interviewed for the job that isn't a school teacher???

I just wanted to point out to you, Mickey, that even though everyone would love to run to you with every bit of news that concerns TPS or TPS athletics, the fact is that Mr. Mills' hiring would necessarily have to be kept "hush-hush" until the governing body of the TPS, the school board, decided that his hiring could be official. To my memory, there were stories in the paper the next day after this happened. Information before that would have been premature, though nobody could see a good reason why the board wouldn't approve his hiring. The same goes for the hiring of the AD, which incidentally was done with a great deal of care and an arguably excessive interview schedule. You may or may not find out who will be recommended, but we don't announce it until the board approves it.

TPS' human resources department just told me the new AD was Casey Randolph. Last I knew he was a PE teacher for Patterson and Herrick Park Elementary Schools in Tecumseh and the varsity wrestling coach.

Your statement that you "provide as much leadership as anyone or more" apparently didn't ring true when you were given a chance to Coach at Tecumseh.

First I was never "given a chance to coach in Tecumseh" I served under a person who never wanted to be in the position in the first place and I was not allowed to "coach" outside of ONE game.

How nice of you to point this out as this is the normal way people go with a discussion on this topic. I have to point out several things here!

First I was NEVER in charge, Outside of one game in the middle of the season when players were as frustrated with things as they could be, sure it was not going to go right... I coached one game under the structure of others. But it was not MY LEADERSHIP that drove that season to not be what it could have.

Second IF you look at any game where I did take a more leadership role.. IE working with the kids, putting in to place a game plan, Strategy exc! They played much better and were MORE Successful then when I did not. Look at the Chelsea game for instance... MY leadership and instruction enabled the team to push the game in to overtime with a set play for a three point basket. Yes we lost but by one point if my memory serves me well!

Third That year MR. Mills was the head coach of the Varsity team.... HE has NO coaching experience at that level at all, and it showed. He used an offense that NO ONE understood, could play and drove the team apart, scrapping the the offense half way through the season and went to a Mover and Blocker offense that is so basic that a 3rd grade should use!

Forth  I do not believe you know me that well to make a statement of my qualifications. If you were to know me you would know that my AAU Varsity team place 4th in the Districts of the Michigan AAU Basketball OR That in my 10 years of coaching only once did I  have a  year where we did not have a winning record. Every year after that we had only one to two losses.

SO UNLESS given the opportunity to coach and not have restrictions that were in place at Tecumseh you do not know! So perhaps you need to get a clearer understanding of the circumstances I was under at Tecumseh! Because it is unfair to judge, when I was never given the opportunity to lead the team in anyway that I could give them a solid system, solid fundamentals, Leadership, ethics, morals ....EXC

And to be clear, when I did provide more leadership and coaching MILLS told the JV coach to do things differently even though MILLS way was not working at all. ASK the person who was the JV coach at the time and IF he would be truthful will give you the same answer as I have.

But it is easy to make such a statement when trying to take the discussion away from what is right and wrong! The hiring of only teachers is wrong and unethical, their is no proof that says that they are the best for the position, often they have no formal training in coaching at all.

I am sorry, but I and so many others have formal training in Management of Sports, Leadership, Ethics, coaching training, educational training and more  and to say we are not qualified, nor will we be hired because we are not teachers is unethical and discriminatory. Just because the system of hiring only teachers is and was the way things are done, does not make it right!

Let me say first that I do believe Casey Randolph is a wonderful man, the same can be said for Mr. Mensing and Mr. Mills. I have never said they  are not, in fact I have said these men are good people, good husbands,and good fathers many times over the years. I have never questioned these people personally, rather I have questioned some of the decisions they have made as administrators.

If you would take the time to also read and acknowledge, I have said many very good things about Tecumseh as well. One being that you and the entire staff of teachers at Tecumseh do a wonderful job of teaching the kids; this has never been in question. You have never seen me bashing, or questioning the teaching ability, nor have you seen me questioning the results of your
efforts.

However, you like so many others continue to take my heart felt feelings on this subject out of context, such as your statement of “I've read many of your comments and it seems that you are asking the district to hire a friendless stranger with no experience working with children.” I have never made such a statement, the fact is no one would hire a person with “no experience” I have never asked to be hired as a coach without having the qualifications to obtain the positions. I would never ask the school to hire a teacher without qualifications. The “friendless stranger” comment is crazy, because hundred of new people are hired every year to schools that would be deemed as a “stranger” to them.

You go on to say: “You have repeatedly commented that the successful candidate should not be a "buddy," should not be someone who is friends with the people here, and should not be a teacher or coach.

This statement is again is not what I have said, what I have said that there should be equal opportunity for coaching positions. What I have said is the “successful candidate” for the positions should not automatically be given to a teacher because you apply, and not be given to me because I am not a teacher, where you get all the other stuff I do not know, but to have a
hiring practice that says that only teachers will be given coaching positions is unethical and wrong. This would be like people telling you Tracy that sorry you are from the south and there for we only hire people who were from the north.

I know, as a Sport Manager that we make connection, a network of friends, but this should never be abused to the level that you get a position only on the qualifications of being a teacher, or being a buddy. It is one thing to get a position because of a contact and another to only hire certain applications This hiring practice only applies to coaching or coaching related
positions, you were not hired at Tecumseh based on the same policy, rather you were hired because you demonstrated the ability to carry out your position, so why should a non teacher looking to coach not have the same applied to them?

There have been many sports research studies that say, hiring a teacher who is most often unqualified to coach and is only looking to break up some free time and snatch the modest salary bump for coaching is a mistake. For a long time, schools have done this with the lesser sports such as swimming, golf and cross country. It’s not right. The schools that do this type
of hiring almost always have horrible results in the competitive arena no matter how talented the athletes are. You just can’t be successful without a qualified coach, and in turn, you are shortchanging the students who deserve some notice for that talent.

You should also remember our History, there once was a time where Women, African Americans and more did not have equal right and people fought for them, thus is the same for me as I am fighting for equal rights in hiring. Tracy to just dogmatically accept the policy of hiring only teachers as a policy is not questioning if  it is ethical to have such a policy. Instead why not apply this policy to some ethical questions and come up with our own answer instead of going along with what the policy is. Just because the policy has been used for several years by Tecumseh and other schools does not make the policy right.

I also would never say, nor believe that a teacher should never be hired, this is unethical as well, however like in most employment positions around the world, people are interviewed and hired based on the best qualifications for the position, If this is the case and I was not hired then I have nothing more to say, but to say “I am not a teacher” as the reason for not
being qualified is wrong and so is the hiring or only teachers.

Tracy,the end result here is you would rather attack my “grammar errors” (This is kind of arrogant of you seeing this posting area is not a place where most people take the time and care to make sure everything is correct for you) or make the discussion about the overall quality of the school. This was not what I was talking about, so if you wish please try and defend the hiring policy and tell me why teaches are better qualified for the position as coach, because research does not agree nor do I.

The process seems simple enough, but maybe some need it explained to them. Coaching positions are not run-of-the-mill teaching jobs. Teaching jobs should be filled from within whenever possible. God knows there is already a shortage of teachers in this country, and whenever one is needed, a job should be made available to them. However, when a coaching job becomes available, you can’t just hire the first Joe Blow who is interested in the position.

I know coach Mensing wanted the job as A.D. and I hear he isnt happy knowing Randolph got it . Mr. Randolph is a ill tempered man when provoked (like myself) and he is the perfect choice for keeping Mensing on a short leash ! Considering Mensing cant control his coache Id say he needs a firm hand !

Why is Jason Mensing the varsity football coach? The last good football coaches at the Tecumseh were the two junior varsity cats who had winning seasons every time years and years ago. Osborn and somebody????