Politics. Period.

The final decision to not renew Dr. Bilal is the most embarrassing and blatant act of politics that I have seen. The principal has shown that he is more than capable of running the high school and moving it forward. He presented numerous data points that showed his progress and over 100 supporters came out last week to publicly state their support for him at his Donaldson Hearing in which he agreed to be held in public.

As Dr. Bilal shared data, the Interim Superintendent Belin-Pyles showed once again why she is not qualified to hold the highest position in the district or select or  evaluate district administrators. Her attempted responses in light of Bilal's well prepared and delivered presentation proved her totally incompetent and inept and made her look like the "fish out water" that she is. I don't know her personally, but so far her record over the past year, especially following Gallon who I have yet to hear anyone challenged his leadership or educational skills, is an utter failure ridden with fumbles and snafus.

The Cook relocation debacle, public statement from principals that they had not been evaluated, promotion of a principal that did not meet the minimum qualifications, pattern of hiding from the media and offering no comments or responses to direct questions, and non renewal of Dr. Bilal show that Ms. Belin Pyles is not fit to be Superintendent of Schools. Add to the fact that according to numerous comments that she has no experience as a principal or teacher for that matter, the district is on a track to failure, cronyism, and rampant politics under her leadership.

It is common knowledge that persons that are unqualified, incompetent, or unfit to do their jobs usually survive and sometimes thrive due to politics. They make no decisions on their own, take no position on matters, and are beholding to the people that put them in place and not the organization that they should be serving. The Plainfield district and children are ill-served by this type of leadership.

And before I get any nasty comments, this post is not about how nice, kind, or sweet a person is. It is about how politics continue to run this district and city in the ground. It is the politics that votes out Lenny Cathcart but that still keeps in place a convicted felon in Abdull Haqq on the Board despite the law stating that it is illegal to do so. It is also the politics that would have the same convicted felon that is a Board member publicly state who Bilal's successor will be. The fix is already in. Such is politics.

Dr. Bilal will not be back at the high school next year. Based on his proven track record before he even arrived to Plainfield, I am sure he will land on his feet and probably be on the prevailing end of a lawsuit against the district.

If one questions whether or not there are conspiracies that play out in the back rooms of City Hall or in the Executive Sessions of Board Meetings, read the released minutes on Maria's Blog. They are very telling in the Gallon matter and I suspect he too should be licking his legal chops after reading some of the statements made by Board members and even the Board attorney.

I suspect that Dr. Bilal too would be wise to start looking into the discussions that involved his nonrewenal, the Board members that supported him, and the superintendent's take on the matter as presented to the Board.

The elections are the most obvious of the political process. They allow citizens to participate in democracy and determine who is going to represent them and their interests. Over a year ago, the process was underway to rid  the district of "wayward" reforms that were brought in by a young energetic, idealistic superintendent. These same innovative reforms were celebrated by the local and State media and are still place to this day in the district. He seemed to have had a vision and was able to use data to show and measure the progress of the district and reforms that he instituted. His numbers and initiatives showed  that he was doing right by the district. He was well educated and held an earned doctorate.

Plainfield was not ready for such reform from outsider, from one who was not one of their own.

Yes. I am talking about Dr. Steve Gallon. I am also talking about Dr. Brian Bilal. One is from Florida. One is from Plainfield. In an effort to move a reform agenda is doesnt matter where you are from when people are stuck on politics and maintaining the status quo. It is well known that the status quo in Plainfield is failing schools, incompetence, cronyism, nepotism, and politics.

In the midst of the gang violence and deaths of young people right here in Plainfield over the past six months who are usually black or hispanic, these two gentleman defied the odds and could have served as positive role models for the youth, especially black male youth in Plainfield.

But it won't be.  The reason that it won't be has nothing to do with their ability, qualifications, credentials, work ethic, or knowledge. Those are matters that seem to apply to the current Board and district leadership. They won't win or succeed because of their ability, qualifications, credentials, work ethic, or knowledge. They win and succeeed because of their politics. They so do even at the expense of the students and downward spiral of the district.

It has everything to do with politics in Plainfield, New Jersey. Period.