Very simply, if the program was developed on County time - while Dr. Dezmon was working on the County's nickel, then it seems indeed reasonable that the tool, however, inept and unreasonable, is property of the school system.

I posted this in the original article, but also wanted to place it in the blog....

Why is it so difficult to provide documentation to prove ones allegations that Dr. Dezmon really does have a copyright? There is no record of a copyright at the US Copyright Office, www.copyright.gov. Obviously this doesn't mean there is not evidence to prove Dr. Dezmon created the idea, but why not provide the evidence to the media if Dr. Dezmon and the county say it exists.
Who made such an agreement that Baltimore County Public Schools should use their Office of Technology to write a computer program, as well as use county employees to fill out the program with objectives and indicators? Who also said Dr. Dezmon can maintain rights, to not only AIM, but the county written program as well?. How many millions of county dollars have been used to create this AIM computer program?

It is amazing the the Board in not interested in the ethics and conflict of interest issues.
Why have many of these decisions been made in secrecy? Where is the leadership? These are not national secrets! Since when do we live in a fascist state? Open and honest decision making goes a long way to improving relations. If the questions above are addressed in a honest and open manner, then maybe solutions can be found.

There are pedagogical and ethical problems with AIM that should result in its immediate abandonment by BCPS. In defending her copyright Dr. Dezmon has specifically stated that she did not use the "weak" BCPS curricula. But if AIM is not based on BCPS curricula, it is irrelevant to the education of students in Baltimore County Public Schools.

This artilce brings up many great points. I am disapointed that an official in BCPS was allowed to spend county time, money, and resources developing a program that a mojority of educators oppose. I beleive it is a conflict of interest when the person who deveolped and copywrited the program, and happens to be a top county official, is promoting the use county wide and she plans to make money on this after retirement? What about the other BCPS employees who helped her, at her direction as their leader/boss? Do they benefit too? It is pretty clear who stands to really benefit here...

AIM is not Dr. Dezmon's only contribution to the current state of unrest in Baltimore County. Although she is not the Academic Superintendent, she is very involved in rewriting/creating a new writing curriculum. Her influence seem to extend far beyond her job description. Why?

This article should alarm every parent of a child attending BCPS and every taxpayer. I find it incredible that a school system would say to a business entity...here, use all of our resources to develop the software/content/data to sell "your" product. As a taxpayer, I am in shock that this was allowed to happen on this board's watch and at the suggestion of the superintendent. As to AIM containing BCPS curricula, since BCPS technology/software analysts/technicians admittedly developed all the technology and curriculum offices developed all the curriculum, I cannot help but wonder why an outside business would hold the copyright... Clearly, BCPS had the ability and indeed did create all of the curriculum side of AIM. As to the reporting side...what a disaster and why would we use BCPS resources to do this? I am still at a loss to know what was copyrighted. Has anyone asked to see that paper/pencil AIM? I would love to compare to the "additions" made by BCPS at county expense. What a horrible waste of taxpayers' money, teachers' time and effort for a "tool" that will neither advance teacher-parent communication and only serve to pull teachers away from their important work to teach children. I cannot believe that we are still talking about this...end this disaster and major distraction to providing our children with the education they deserve...end AIM now. Begin new leadership in Baltimore County. We cannot afford the current direction we are headed.

Perhaps Ms. Murphy's casual reaction to this issue explains why the problem of AIM was allowed to come to pass. We have a superintendent who doesn't concern himself with details, a board president who seems not to be concerned with what is happening, and one individual who has been offered all of the resources paid for with taxpayers' money to work on her retirement plan. I kid you not...every example is from their own comments in the press. I am incredulous. Thank you, Liz , for your persistent efforts to hold those who serve the people of Baltimore County accountable for ethical and reasoned decisions and practice.

Is anyone else confused by the lack of concern on the part of the board president? I hope that The Governor and the County Executive consider what has happened and the frankly, unbelievable comments made by those who are supposed to be leading this county with vision. I am worried...my children attend schools in this system. Won't somebody get involved and end this mess? Elected officials it is time to use your influence to affect needed change in your school system. It might also be helpful if those who lead are mindful to serve as role models of civic, ethical, and respectful behavior.

Thank you, Liz Bowie. It is about time that someone asks the important questions. Baltimore County parents, teachers, and taxpayers deserve honest answers.

I am a BCPS teacher who has written content for AIM. I was paid by BCPS for my work, NOT by Dr. Dezmon. How can she consider the work that I and other BCPS teachers have done to be her intellectual property?

What was the cost to BCPS in person-hours when the resource teachers had to stop working with teachers in school so they could "fill" this useless container with objectives and indicators? How much more money will BCPS waste on this project?
ESS has been turned into AIM mill with one purpose and it not aimed at improving student achievement or classroom instruction.
How long will this be allowed to continue before the Board of Education steps up and takes action to regain the control of BCPS that they never should have given over to the current system administration?
Why do my property taxes continue to rise? Is it to pay for this waste in education spending? I want a refund, Mr. Jim Smith!

I noticed in the article that Dezmon states that county principals and administrators "agreed" to try the program on a trial basis. How exactly, and in what kind of organizations, do employees ever "agree" to do something when asked to do so by a superior? She seems to have rammed this decision down the system's throat while Hairston was away and now, won't back down. The other "top administrators" that supposedly made the decision are all LOWER in the chain of command than is she.

Further, the entire premise of AIM is antiquated and flawed. The program is based on teacher subjectivity. The last thing I want as a parent, is teachers guessing and hypothesizing about what my children know or don't know. I want concrete, data-based, information.

We are in the age of objectivity. Data and results matter-not guesses. My kids bring home test result sheets from benchmark and short cycle tests that explain their progress by skill in detail. The elementary report card breaks down skills. In middle and high school, I just want to know if my kids earned an A, B or C.

So why do we even NEED AIM? Answer: We don't. 5 pages of detail per content that no one but Dezmon cares about is wasted resources all around in staff time, effort and trees. I certainly plan to tell all my kids' teachers to skip sending the progress report home to me, because I won't be reading it.

Supposedly, AIM has 20 years in the making? Too much, too little, too late. In these tight economic times, certainly we can have better, more focused priorities than outdated systems like these that in no way inform teaching and learning.

I was there at a meeting where Dr. Dezmond brought up AIM and said it was completely optional. Never, did the Principal that I work for ever "agree" to do it, never did the Principal at my childs’ school ever "agree" to do it. They were DIRECTED to do it from their superior. Dr. Dezmond made a poor choice when she decided to copyright a program that was developed on BCPS time. She continued to make bad choices when she decided to use BCPS as test subjects so that she could reap the financial benefits of a program. I personally think if AIM does become mandatory all teachers should mark everyone with A's so that her data is skewed. If she is wasting out time we should waste hers.

Someone said what I was thinking --- Mr. Jim Smith and other elected officials - you need to get involved and support your teachers and schools. You let them down in the past with salaries - the least you can do is end this madness. The people have spoken (parents, teachers, taxpayers, etc...). You are supposed to be working for us! Now, get in there and WORK! And, don't worry - we won't tie you to the bad decisions that the board and the superintendent are making - IF YOU FIX THIS!

I was so disappointed and appalled to read this article. I am a taxpayer. I am a parent. I am a teacher. I am a citizen of Baltimore County. I cannot believe that the superintendent of my school system sold the labor and resources of the system (paid for by taxpayers) to the business, Dezmon Instructional Strategies, LLC. He signed a contract to use a program "for free" that would be developed using BCPS resources? Do people realize the cost to BCPS in labor and capital resources? She had an "idea" (whatever that was) and BCPS created, maintained, professionally developed the use of the software/tech. Content experts completed the lists and wrote the curriculum. Teachers will complete the checklists so that she can say a large school district used it and students will give up quality instruction and parents will give up quality communication ...what exactly is free? Sounds like the worst contract ever...BCPS gets nothing of worth. I simply cannot believe that this has not ended the AIM debacle. BCPS has been shamed and the board president doesn't even have it high on her radar? The taxpayers, citizens, parents, and children deserve more from this board and this superintendent. Elected officials...do something. This can not go on! It is wrong. Stop it.

CASE CLOSED ON AIM...there is no more to be said...AIM must go! The superintendent signed a contract with his assistant and employee of BCPS in which BCPS resources would be at her disposal? This speaks volumes about the way this pair operates; however, the primary issue remains that this is not good for kids, teachers, parents, taxpayers...only the two who entered into the contract stand to benefit. This is outrageous...Jim Smith and county council, you should be angry. Look over that budget carefully...you never know what other "contracts" have been signed that obligates the county resources and consequently millions of dollars to the superintendent and his friends. How many other friends of the superintendent have benefitted personally at the taxpayers' expense? BUT...nothing is as egregious as the disservice this will do to our students.

"It is the opinion of the panel that it would constitute a violation of the Ethics
Code for an employee to obtain ownership of a copyright on materials developed or created using BCPS’ personnel, resources, and/or time. The ethics board of BCPS issued this decision with regard to AIM and copyright.
Liz's article says... "The county agreed to develop the program further by creating a computer program for it." BCPS personnel using BCPS resources to create a BCPS software/technology program for AIM...Hmmmm
Sure sounds like direct defiance of the ethics code..Sounds like a conflict to me...What more is there to discuss?

Sadly, it would seem that the "streamlining" committe to address AIM is another example of operating in secrecy and backroom deals. I am afraid that the lack of transparency regarding this committee only demonstrates a lack of sincerity on the part of the superintendent. I certainly would be hard-pressed to accept that any attempt to be collaborative is sincere. Someone who can....please help put a stop to this way of doing business in BCPS.

I am a veteran teacher with 23 years experience. I have now attended 3 Board of Education meetings. I applaud all of the teachers and parents who have spoken so eloquently against AIM. We have yet to hear anyone stand up and defend it. There's no need for me to repeat again all that has been said because it has been said so well. The facts and figures speak for themselves. I am so disappointed by the Board and by the arrogance they display at each meeting by not even making eye contact with any of the speakers. I am infuriated by the way our TABCO leader has been treated and not allowed to represent us at this week's meeting. I am insulted by having been called misinformed and in the minority. Where is Dr. Dezmon? Why has she not appeared to defend her product? I cannot believe there is any way that the Board can insist that AIM be implemented after hearing from so many well-informed parties. I am discouraged about the future of teaching in our County. Over the course of my career I have trained many student teachers who have gone on to be very successful in their careers. I cannot do this any more because I can't find words of encouragement for them. If I were younger I'd be looking for another field where my experience, expertise and opinion were more valued and respected.

Does Barbara Dezmon really think we believe her when she said it was the area assistant superintendents who made the decision to either use AIM correctly or not at all? Does Joe Hairston really think that we believe that he did not know what was happening when he was out of the office? Do Hairston and Dezmon really believe checklists will improve the achievement of minority students? Can we believe that the Board of Education has the best interests of the children of Baltimore County in mind when they do not read, research or ask questions about educational programs that are presented to them? Ms. Murphy and Mr. Parker often boast about how they were teachers and administrators in Baltimore County. How would they feel as teachers about with a Board of Education that enables secret meetings and less than ethical behavior to take place? This situation is an embarrassment to the Board of Education, the superintendent and everyone involved in the development of AIM. Thank goodness there are people out there who are not afraid to speak up and out. They are the true advocates of the children in Baltimore County Public Schools.

As a teacher, I would like to know that the "teacher" representatives to the streamlining committte truly are TEACHERS who will use AIM. The secrecy surronding these teachers and the rejection of Cheryl Bost as a representative seems suspicious. Cheryl speaks for me!

The Drs Hairston and Dezmon don't realize it and never will, but this tsunami uproar they have created by their self-serving ridiculousness known as AIM is saving them from future embarrassment. If other school districts ever look closely at this cumbersome monstrosity, they will sensibly back off and invest their limited funds in proven modes toward student success: small classes, teacher-student mentoring, instruction in courses that motivate students (practical job training skills.), research based curriculum, improving teacher morale, etc.

The revelations of this article should stop the AIM debate once and for all...send it packing along with the duo who made the contract.

On Thursday in Annapolis the Baltimore County Senators and Delegates held a hearing on AIM. They were outraged that Hairston did not show up, and that he sent a "representative" who did not know anything about the AIM controversy. This representative answered "I don't know" to most of the questions addressed to him. In particular, he did not know why Cheryl Bost was refused entry to the AIM "streamlining" committee meeting. I am appalled at the utter arrogance of those in power in the BCPS. They seem to feel that they are not accountable to anyone. Why all of the secrecy? At this point they are only making themselves look bad...continually. The board seems uninterested and allows Hairston and his cronies to do whatever they want. All stakeholder groups think the AIM progress reports are a terrible idea on a number of levels. It is now clear that political is going to be brought to bear. Why persist in a course of action that is doomed to fail? Arrogance and illogical behavior: the two main ingredients in Joe Hairston's recipe for leadership.

Clearly, BCPS needs new leadership. The current superintendent has broken trust with his employees and apparently bartered BCPS resources for the personal gain of another employee. The owner of the business takes part in the decision making to enforce the use of the product? AIM is over. It is not about helping children. It should end immediately. It is not needed nor wanted.

So I took a good look at BCPS proposed budget and it only adds to the embarrassment of AIM. Dr. Hairston is proposing to decrease school-based mentors by 40 and redirect those positions to central office specialist and supervisory roles. Does BCPS really need 40 additional specialists and supervisors? Who is going to fill those positions? For many BCPS employees, the $70,000 for 12 months of work and longer work days is not an increase in pay. In may cases it is a decrease. The most important and upsetting part of this proposal is that Dr. Hairston believe taking people out of the schools is a good thing. By redirecting 40 school-based positions to the central offices, he is creating a "top heavy" organization. I am embarrassed for Joe Hairston and his most recent proposal. I pray that the County Council will NOT approve the 2010-2011 BCPS budget.

Why is AIM even a consideration at this point? I cannot believe this board has not put a distance between themselves and this cloud of questionable behavior. Where is this contract? Did the board approve it? Is it ethical to commit the employees of a public school system, paid for with tax dollars, to the work of a business which happens also to be owned by a person in a supervisory position in the school system? Is this not classic conflict of interest?

Isn't it strange that ethics concerns are not even on the school board's radar? Honestly, they should be hanging their heads in shame. I am struggling to understand why AIM is even a blip on anyone's radar at this point. I am hoping that Rodger Janssen forces the issue with fellow board members. He seems to be the only one with courage to do the right thing. Doesn't it seem that the superintendent signing away the work of BCPS employees paid for with taxpayers' money is very questionable? How can one man enter into a contract for hire, obligating public employees/public funds to work for a private business? How much would a company pay a business to create the software and content for their product as well as assert themselves over BCPS employees to do the product to the business's specifications...as well as use thousands of the public's employees to input data which may then be used to promote the product of the business? Public officials...pay attention. This misuse of public funds and resources is all of our concern. Put a stop to this. Certainly the budget is lean and spending should be done with great care. How can this possibly be justified? Make the contract public...check the date...as all other contracts are made public through board reports. This is a multi-million dollar contract under the guise of "being free." If something is worthless, there is no benefit to it being "free."

I hope that Joe Hairston's decision to discontinue AIM for now will not lull citizens into inaction regarding the way that this man apparently does business in the name of Baltimore County. Please demand to see the contract for which he signed over Baltimore County resources paid for with Baltimore County taxes to benefit his friend and employee of Baltimore County Public Schools. It is time for new leadership in Baltimore County. We cannot trust the current leadership. He has demonstrated a profound lack of respect for the community he was hired to serve. It's time for new leadership that can be trusted to do what is in the best interest of our children. BCPS school board should be humiliated and immediately seek to correct the way in which their selected superintendent does business. As for the creator of AIM , she should be placed far, far away from any decisions about BCPS and AIM. AIM is not the only issue of questionable dealings in BCPS. This is a dark chapter in Baltimore County's public school system. Let's get out from under the cloud and get back to business. Settle the ethics issues now.

These ethical questions are still of great concern because they represent the way this county does business...no transparency or collaboration, focused on friendships and personal interests. I hope the delay in AIM does not stop the investigation into the "contract" and how Joe Hairston operates the school system. The public deserves to see the contract and know what their hard earned monies are being used for. In light, of this lack of ethics on the part of BCPS, don't you wonder how the stimulus funds were spent? I wonder how many jobs were saved or did this money, too, go to the financial advancement of q few adults? Please keep digging. There is much to find.

Having attended school board meetings in different parts of the country, I found the meeting of January 26th to be sadly adversarial. Clearly, some members of the Board, as well as the Superintendent, have little respect for the employees of the school district. It was rather like watching the court and the serfs. Too sad.
The explanations provided about AIM made it clear that this is an instrument based on subjective assessments. As such, it carries little validity. It also seems to prescribe activities for many of the objectives. This would only continue to narrow the scope of the education of our children. NCLB has already stripped this generation of most of its originality and creativity. AIM would only exacerbate this condition.

Dezmon has stated that AIM was developed to help minority students, especially males, achieve success in school. Yet, BCPS and public media have proudly reported that our system has been shown to be successful in graduating and assisting these same minority students achieve at a level above many other systems. If Dezmon and Hairston respected teachers and school administrators and if they really cared for children, they could easily have asked these professionals what they already recognized as effective efforts within our schools. Since we are already on the right track, we do not need to take a laborious, circuitous off-road AIM detour. But that approach is not as exciting or lucrative as pushing a personally copyrighted project.

P.S. The school board should consider seeking reimbursement from Dezmon for every single manhour, paper ream, computer usage, paperclip, etc., already spent on AIM.

In response to the comment regarding stimulus funds- Thank Goodness building administrators were allowed to determine where the funds given to their Title One Schools would be allocated, within federal guidelines. Technology has been put in place, as well as supplemental programs to aid the students and increase achievement and parental involvement. But the commentor was also correct in that there are many more layers. There are other programs , such as the American Reading Company (Reading Research Lab and 100 Book Challenge ) that have been purchased for schools, along with training provided by the company. Once again, there is some connection between a for profit entity and the same BCPS official who is under scrutiny for the ethics/copyright issue. Keep looking, Ms. Bowie. You have just hit the tip of the iceberg.

The above post is correct about AIM being the tip of the iceberg. The way BCPS does business between friends is beyond the pale. The biggest problem is the only people who could make a difference-the board- will not stand up with courage. I really don't know how they can stand by and let this happen in the county they asked to serve. Honestly, I don't know how they look any student, parent, taxpayer, or teacher in the eyes when they know that they have willfully ignored the pleas of help to address the serious concerns that are "not even on their radar." I used to look upon the members of the board with respect because I thought they were adults who wanted to give back to the community...Their inaction tells a different story. Board of Education: WAKE UP! You are letting this county school system implode. Ten years of the influence of this superintendent is more than enough...it is time to move on and God help the next system that takes him. Boy, did Virginia get lucky a couple of years ago! A superintendent who doesn't care about the details should surround himself with smart, ethical people who will. His assistant is not that person. My vote for the next governor, county executive, councilman, senator, delegate goes to those who stood up and were counted. I only hope they realize it is time for a new superintendent and board!

Response to Not Wearing Blinders: When are teachers going to stand up for themselves and demand the respect they deserve? Highly qualified status along with voting power make a strong combination. I was greatly insulted when one school board member stated that teachers are not providing equal education across the county. How dare someone who has no classroom experience blame teachers for our county's social problems. Perhaps the board would serve us well if they volunteered their time at one of these schools instead of hiding behind statistics. Education is about children, not about numbers. Why is the board so willing to throw teachers under the bus? If they create a climate of perceived discrimination, does BCPS get more federal funding?