Washington Rose Elementary

Nepotism and Cronyism

There are two words to summarize the goings on at Washington Rose and those words are NEPOTISM and CRONYISM.

Let’s start with the point made on the Roosevelt District page about opportunities for advancement within the district.

Look at the case involving James Taylor from Washington Rose Elementary, recommended by the principal and his fellow fraternity brother, Clyde Braswell, who always helps his own whether they are the best qualified or not. James, a mediocre teacher, was given an interim Assistant Principal position, then returned to the classroom at Washington Rose and given his tenure after the interim position terminated in June 2021. It really is who you know at Washington Rose, but specifically if you know Braswell. If you are part of the same Fraternity, went to the same school, or even just know someone who did, you will have a job and you will get the opportunities.

Let’s take the case of Paulette Fuller-Taylor. Taylor was the ELA Academic Intervention Services (AIS) Teacher also known as the ELA Specialist at Washington Rose until Tayana Thadal interviewed and got the position. Taylor was forced to go back to teaching in a classroom. Taylor was not about to give up her cushy job of doing slim to nothing so she contested the job being given to Thadal. Braswell sat alongside Taylor at board meetings to show his support knowing that Taylor was not the better person for the job. This is because Taylor is a long time friend of Braswell having the same Alma Mater in common. There is no disputing that Thadal was the better person for the position given her qualifications so no one was going to replace her for Taylor. Guess what Braswell did then…he conjured up reasons for why a second ELA Curriculum Specialist was necessary and the Board approved it giving the second position to (drum roll please), Paulette Fuller-Taylor…no surprise there.

Let’s turn to the case of Rickita Jennings. On 8/28/2015 Rickita Jennings got hired as an Elementary Teacher certified to teach grades 1 to 6. In 2019, after just having been granted her tenure, she interviewed for the position of Math AIS Teacher also known as Math Specialist and she got the job despite her lack of experience when compared to the other candidates including Christine Hatalski who held the position last. The reason Jennings got the job is BECAUSE RICKITA JENNINGS IS RELATED TO PAULETTE TAYLOR WHO WENT TO THE SAME ALMA MATER AS THE PRINCIPAL, CLYDE BRASWELL. What did Braswell do when Hatalski contested the decision? He did the same thing he did for Taylor and conjured up the need for an additional Math AIS Teacher. This is so if the person contesting gets back their position, his friend can be given the additional spot. You would think the principal would want to hire someone who speaks Spanish to fill the additional role; that would be in the best interest of the students. However, Braswell does what is in his friends’ or his own best interest. Ms. Jennings was so unfit for this position that she did not even know to order the Math State Assessments in Spanish for the bilingual classes who were teaching Math exclusively in Spanish at the time. The principal, Clyde Braswell, had to call the other elementary schools in the district to inquire as to whether they had additional copies of the test in Spanish that could be brought to Washington Rose.

Now, let us turn our attention to the most recent Board approvals of November 30, 2021 for those that received the Math AIS positions that were posted this school year (2021). Rickita Jennings again was given the position of Math AIS Teacher despite her huge blunder involving the Math State Exam and her lack of experience despite having done the job for one year. This one year was a Covid year where she provided NO intervention services to students in need. The additional Math position was given to Jaquetta Lawson, a teacher at Washington Rose and another Black/African American and crony of Braswell. This is despite the fact that Christine Hatalski applied for the position. Recall that Hatalski held the Math AIS position prior to it being given to the unqualified, Rickita Jennings. Now the additional position is being given to Jaquetta Lawson who has been with the district a short time, especially when compared to Hatalski, and who is also unqualified.

The November 30, 2021 Board approvals included a new position for Science Academic Facilitator at Washington Rose and the position was given to Sabrina Johnson-Watford. Sabrina Watford is currently a second grade teacher at Washington Rose. She was given the position of Science Academic Facilitator despite having no prior experience or specialty in the area of Science. However, she does fulfill the most important criteria and that is that she is Black/African American.

Braswell has now compiled his ALL Black/African American Leadership Team (as he refers to them), having only two members who are actually qualified, those being Tayana Thadal for ELA and Catherine Beasley for Science. What is most appalling is Clyde Braswell’s hypocrisy when he speaks of doing what is best for the students when he himself does not hire the most qualified. For Clyde Braswell to not have given a Math AIS/Academic Facilitator position to the more qualified Hatalski despite the grievance filed by Hatalski when the position was first given to Jennings, tells you that the Superintendent and the Board of Directors is on board (all puns intended) with Braswell’s ALL BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN TEAM. Not even grievances filed will deter giving these positions to less qualified applicants simply because they are Black/African American. or a friend of Braswell.  If Hatalski did not get the job, then rest assured that these positions will NEVER go to a deserving Hispanic despite better qualifications and the fact that they would be able to better liaise with the English language learners and their families. The Roosevelt School District does not care about its Hispanic community and they do not care about hiring the most qualified for these positions. If filed grievances do nothing then PERHAPS SOME LAWSUITS WILL WAKE THIS DISTRICT UP. Susan McCarthy was not able to prove racial discrimination in her lawsuit of March 2015 but things would be very different now.