8 Administrators Axed In Reading City Schools Purge

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Public School Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  The drama continues!

The Reading School Board without warning Wednesday night fired eight top administrators, including the district’s acting superintendent.

The board voted 6-2 – with James Washington and Frank Denbowski voting no – to fire Dr. J. Drue Miles, acting superintendent.

The board then voted 5-3 – with Denbowski, Washington and Rebecca Acosta voting no – to fire Miles’ two assistant superintendents, the director of elementary education, the director of secondary education, the director of student services, and both the director and assistant director of special education.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=382193

Simon Cowell Cleans House At X Factor

It would seem all the rumors swirling around for months have come true.  X Factor‘s host, Steve Jones got fired.  That rumor was the first one I heard.

Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger have been let go as well.  The two women spent most of the season crying or telling us they couldn’t vote to send people home.  Paula was also the first judge to have all her contestants eliminated, rather early in the competition.

Simon evidently has another project for Paula.  I don’t think Simon ever cared for Nicole.  Steve grew on me as the season went along but he certainly doesn’t have the appeal of a Ryan Seacrest.  Even though Simon and LA Reid fought a lot, LA Reid was a fierce competitor to the end and has probably gained Simon’s respect because of it.

Names circulating around are Mariah Carey, Nicki Manaj and Katy Perry for judges.  Cheryl Cole is also allowed to return if she wants to.  Perez Hylton also threw his “hat in the ring’. (Please ignore that train wreck!)

So we wait and see who Simon ultimately chooses.  It would seem that things can only get better.

Penn State Child Abuse Scandal Fallout Continues

The fallout at Penn State continues.

In addition to Jerry Sandusky, JoePa, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Mike McQueary and Graham Spanier, you can add Second Mile charity CEO Jack Raykovitz to the growing cast of characters.  Mr. Raykovitz resigned Sunday after 28 years at the helm.  So far all the victims were boys in the Second Mile program.  Second Mile has retained Philadelphia law firm Archer & Greiner as its counsel.

Mike McQueary, on paid administrative leave, is apparently consulting with the Harrisburg law firm of Strokoff and Cowden, who specialize in employment law.  McQueary received death threats and is reportedly in hiding.  

McQueary is being handled differently than the others because he is a witness in the case and he also may fall under Pennsylvania’s whistleblower law.  The law includes protection for the whistleblower against firing, demotion or punishment.  McQueary’s status under this law is still being determined.