The New London school system has been placed in receivership by the State of Connecticut. The receiver has hired a school superintendent, and, not surprisingly, there are some questions about the credentials of the choice. Not surprising, given the Malloy administrations record of pushing unqualified people to the front of the line in the educational system.
In this case, it seems the individual chosen to lead the New London Public Schools (probably into charter school heaven) has been arguably lying about his academic credentials for years
The state-appointed special master who is overseeing New London’s troubled school system said Saturday that newly hired Superintendent Terrence P. Carter was “absolutely clear” during the interview process that he has not yet received a doctorate degree in education.
The Hartford Courant reports that Carter is listed as “PhD” or “Dr. Terrence P. Carter” on numerous documents, including book jackets, programs for symposiums and Chicago Board of Education publications.
“He was absolutely clear that he had finished the doctorate work at Lesley (University, in Massachusetts) in May and he would be conferred in August,” said Steven J. Adamowski, who was appointed two years ago to improve the school district’s educational and financial performance.
Three days before the New London Board of Education is expected to vote on Carter’s contract, the Courant on Friday reported that Carter called himself “doctor” or identified himself as a Ph.D. for more than five years prior to completing the degree.
I said he was “arguably” lying because he claims that he has a doctorate in theology from an unaccredited online institution in England. Well, that's okay then. He has a fake doctorate in a field founded, as Randy Newman observed, by “some fools in the desert. With nothing else to do. So scared of the dark. They didn't know if they were coming or going.” There are no wrong answers in a field based entirely on fantasy.
It is truly amazing how often people in the educational field inflate their credentials. Even more amazing is the fact that in a few months Carter will be able to legitimately call himself a Ph.D after he gets his degree in, get this: “leadership and adult learning”. (By the way, probably also an on-line (at least it's accredited), or mostly on-line degree.) Personally, if I'd worked my ass off to get a Ph.D in a field in which you actually have to learn and teach things, I'd feel like there ought to be some distinctions made. Maybe instead of calling himself a “Doctor”, he should have to call himself a “Nurse”. Okay, I know, that's unfair to nurses. How about “paramedic”?
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