During the Hartford Schools Board of Education November Regular Meeting, which as far as good television goes, does not beat a really good GEICO commercial (but they try), board members were flying through the agenda with rhetorical precision, not caring who’s been naughty or nice, just giving everyone what they asked for.

However, the board’s little collegiate group hug was interrupted when the time came to discuss the renewal contract for Frontline Education, a subsidiary of Frontline Technologies Group, LLC.  The folks from Frontline currently run the special education data system for HPS (which is in transition to the CT-SEDS system), but they also provide the data platform for employee time and attendance tracking, which is the focus of this contract.

Board Member Johnson started the snowball rolling down the hill by unintentionally underscoring the BOE’s need for a teacher advisory council and asking if there was a staff member (which he qualified first as “staff, teachers, professionals”) present who could give “their perspective” about Frontline, do they like it?

A “Ms. Cunningham,” given the title Executive Director of HR at HPS by Superintendent Torres-Rodriguez, was present at the meeting to replace the Office of Talent and Management Chief, Tiffany Curtis, who was out at FedEx-Kinkos picking up new office posters printed with the district’s motto, “We don’t have that data with us, but we’ll get it to you” (which Ms. Cunningham would utter minutes later).  Ms. Cunnigham was tasked with answering board members’ questions regarding Frontline.

To Mr. Johnson’s request for a “staff” perspective, Ms. Cunningham stated, “I’m an employee, I like it,” and “people like the app,” and they have received “great feedback.”

Board Member Browdy did not think the view from a member of central office was the “staff” perspective which Johnson was referring to.  Ms. Browdy stated, “I find that humorous,” stating that of course they were not going to hear about the platform “not working” from somebody charged with putting lipstick on it for the BOE.

As Ms. Browdy paused in her comments, Board Chair Rigueur snapped, “Do you have a question, Board Member Browdy?”  No meeting of this board has taken place where the person having the floor is not allowed to offer comment about the issue before them.  Whether it be a board member taking time to thank a contracted vendor for doing an outstanding job at HPS, or a board member taking time to comment on the great work being done in board committees, or even a board member talking about his MIT experience and the consequences of elections, never has a board member been required to have a question to be given the floor to speak, yet suddenly, Mr. Rigueur does not want, at a public meeting, a board member to offer comments; he wants questions.

Conveying a “screw you” to Rigueur without actually speaking those words, Ms. Browdy stated that she actually did have a question but she “led with a comment.”  The answer to her question causes the snowball to grow larger.

Ms. Browdy asked Ms. Cunningham if the Frontline platform could be configured for the use of substitute teachers.  Ms. Cunningham stated, “I don’t believe so.”  It was her sense that the platform was for full-time employees and could not be used by per diem substitute teachers.  Ms. Browdy asked if the substitute option had even been “explored.”  “I don’t think so, but I can get you that information,” stated Ms. Cunningham, obviously making OTM Chief Davis proud with her memorization of the district motto during moments of utter cluelessness.

Ms. Cunningham does not know Frontline.  A simple visit to the company’s web page and connecting to their customer testimonials, one does not get through half the page before finding at least seven different testimonials from users talking about the advantages Frontline offers substitute teachers in different areas including payroll!  It appears that Frontline is as flexible as a district may need it to be.  At HPS it’s a matter of will, not need. 

This GEICO commercial puts all this into perspective.