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The Rev. Donald Perryman Comments “Small Minds and Big
Progress”
Donald Perryman, in the aftermath, are you ashamed of what
was written on November 5, 2014?
Anyone who read the column entitled: “Small Minds and Big
Progress” should know the comments made by Donald Perryman
against the named persons are unfounded and unwarranted.
The Honorable City Councilman, Larry Sykes, and
Councilwoman, Lindsay Webb and Theresa M. Gabriel were
fundamentally good in their judgment concerning the Toledo
Public Schools’ levy request.
The City Council members had a duty and responsibility to
know and understand why they should endorse a levy for
Toledo Public Schools. And tabling a levy endorsement a
couple weeks to get answers is more than a reasonable
action. Webb didn’t flip flop on the agenda, she acted
smartly to know what she was voting on and why. That’s
better than casting a vote at a beacon call. The Toledo
Council members should be applauded for invoking good common
sense to get answers that can be explained if questioned.
Initially I was in disbelief that Donald Perryman would say
such comments about our elected officials. Negative
comments about any person are wrong when undeserved. I have
heard and ignored negative comments about Donald Perryman.
Although Donald Perryman labeled me a “community
curmudgeon”, I am not offended. Donald Perryman just
wrongfully characterized me. I have assumed Donald
Perryman just made a mistake in judgment.
I would like to offer Donald Perryman some positive advice
on writing and quoting in his column. My positive advice
is try to use properly the prose of proper grammar, subject
verb content, writing organization, and the proper usage of
citations when quoting a person or source of material. The
manual from the American Psychological Association (APA) or
Modern Language Association (MLA) should be consulted.
Another concern to me and others is why did Donald Perryman
single out innocent Head Start workers formerly employed at
the Equal Opportunity Planning Association of Greater
Toledo, Inc. (EOPA)? Such former employees of EOPA/CDI had
nothing to do with the Toledo Board of Education levy vote
by Council members.
Head Start workers are not political pawns. Head Start
workers are outstanding caregivers for our children the best
commodities in life. Perryman said that nearly 80 percent
of the former Head Start employees didn’t possess the
credentials that the federal government requires. Those
remarks, in my opinion, are wholly unfounded and
unsubstantiated to be factual.
What’s important to understand is how did Donald Perryman
know that? The EOPA/CDI once employed, until July 1, 2014,
around 310 workers. Donald Perryman is saying that 240 such
employees he personally knows their names, he reviewed their
personnel file folders, and he reviewed their performance
evaluations?
Donald Perryman indicated he was quoting. If that is a
fact, when quoting someone else or another source the source
must be identified. That did not happen.
The former Head Start administrators, supervisors, teachers,
teacher aides, bus drivers, mechanics, and others were
outstanding employees with proper credentials mandated by
the federal government. These wonderful, former employees
lost their job and became unemployed because of EOPA board
members largely being the problem that could not be
reconciled satisfactorily or timely. Donald Perryman was a
Board Member and Board Chair of EOPA.
Allow me to explain more concisely and more aptly about EOPA
and Head Start before the loss of the federal grant. In
2013, Donald Perryman was EOPA Board Chairman. I was hired
in the same year as a paid consultant to help EOPA remain
the federal grantee. After I was hired, it was learned
firsthand from personal interviews conducted by me that
Donald Perryman was not well respected by the EOPA and Head
Start administration. Shortly within my working
relationship with Perryman, I did not respect Perryman’s
ability to chair the Board of Directors or work with the
administration because I became increasingly aware of his
attitude and behavior that was allegedly not in the best
interest of the EOPA Agency or employees.
To this end, I sent to Donald Perryman emails that
questioned why certain attitudinal and behavioral acts he
committed were done that clearly, in my opinion and
consultant capacity, was damaging to the survival of the
agency beyond the year 2013. The Toledo Public School
District was awarded the federal grant away from EOPA. That
action against EOPA losing the grant account was possibly
avoidable.
The Toledo Board of Education is now the federal grantee of
Head Start. Romules Durant, Ed.D, superintendent, is a
smart administrator of the school district and is expected
to do the right things administratively for all
concerned.
I resigned my contractual agreement early from the paid
consultant to EOPA administration and working with Donald
Perryman. I considered Donald Perryman’s leadership
ineffectual. Accordingly, the EOPA history between us was
not marginally good.
I am not friendly with Donald Perryman and possibly never
will be friendly with him. But I do want Donald Perryman to
be successful in life in whatever he endeavors to accomplish
so long as it is not detrimental to others who have a right
to survive in life. Therefore, I respectfully ask that
Donald Perryman try to articulate his writing and speaking
positively about individuals whose mission is to do good and
what is best for all concerned.
Earl Murry, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
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