Exceptional Delaware

Education News in The First State

  • Naveed Baqir Invoking MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” With Delaware Law

    For years, Delaware’s Dr. Naveed Baqir has been flaunting the law and evaded any accountability for his actions. Delaware has let him do this. The system is just as guilty as he is. No one wants to touch it. It could be because the Feds have jurisdiction over him right now but someone could make… Read more

  • Smyrna School District Makes Bad Call Reopening Schools Today

    Many Kent and Sussex County schools made the wise decision to keep school buildings closed in the aftermath of Monday’s snowstorm. Whether they were completely closed or had asynchronous learning, they did not want to put students lives in danger due to snow still on roads. Smyrna School District, on the other hand, felt it… Read more

  • Delaware Secretary of Education Watch: Cindy Marten

    We have a name for a potential new Delaware Secretary of Education: Cindy Marten! Word on the street is that she interviewed for the position. For those who may not know, Marten currently holds the role of Deputy Secretary of Education for the United States Department of Education. Previously, she was the Superintendent of the… Read more

  • Time For Brandywine Board President Ackerman To Step Down

    The latest actions from Brandywine Board of Education President Ralph Ackerman has resulted in a formal complaint against Ackerman and the rest of the board due to the actions of Ackerman while teachers were picketing outside of schools last month. According to The News Journal, Ackerman crossed the picket lines and suggested he would give… Read more

  • Delaware Education Round-Up: Meyer, Secretary of Education, Brandywine, Aspira, Cruce, Christina & More!

    Most Delaware schools in Kent and Sussex County do not have in-person school today due to the snow. Some are going to do the online learning. I say let the kids play in the snow!!!!! Most schools in New Castle County will have a two-hour delay which means a shorter day. Teachers love that! In… Read more

  • The Yellowstoning Of America

    I’ve been very quiet since the general election almost two months ago. The shock and awe of a second Trump presidency went away pretty quick. Am I frightened of his second term? It depends. Largely on the response of the Democrats over the next four years. As of this writing, it appears Trump has a… Read more

  • After Two Lackluster Board Meetings, Christina Is About To Heat Up Again

    In the shot heard round the district yesterday, the very quiet Christina School District is back in the critical spotlight. The past few months, since Robert Andrzejewski took over as Acting Superintendent, the district and board meetings have been very quiet. That’s the way Bob A wanted it due to the upcoming referendum. And then… Read more

  • Dan Shelton Suing Christina 4 For 2.7 Million Dollars + Damages

    The Newark Post just broke the story we all knew was coming. It was just a question of when. But it is official now. Dr. Dan Shelton, the “on-leave” Superintendent of the Christina School District, through his attorney Thomas Neuberger, has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Christina Board of Education, Donald Patton,… Read more

  • Aspira’s Lopez Waite Takes Aim At Social Media & Throws Educators Under The Bus

    The CEO of the ASPIRA charter school corporation in Delaware, Margie Lopez Waite, decided to use a report from the Charter School Accountability Committee to address “social media” posts about events happening at the Aspira charter school this school year. Exceptional Delaware, which is NOT a social media but is in fact a public blog… Read more

  • Delaware Dept. Of Education Rushing New Aspira Application With No Transparency

    The initial Charter School Accountability Committee report for the new Las Americas Aspira school in Georgetown, Delaware was due a week ago. It has not appeared on their website at all. Tonight there is a public hearing at 5pm for the school. How can people possibly know what to say at the public hearing if… Read more

  • As Aspira Applies For A New Charter School In Georgetown, DOE Is Oblivious To Issues At Their Newark School

    It has to be a busy time for the folks at Aspira! Not only is their original school in Newark, Delaware up for renewal but they are applying for a new Aspira charter school in Sussex County to open in 2026. But the Delaware Department of Education didn’t seem to bring up any of the… Read more

  • Capital School District Board Member John “Marty” Martin Passed Away

    Man, this one hit me like a ton of bricks. I just saw a Facebook post about this. I’ve known John for over ten years, when I first started blogging. We talked many times about education. I knew him as a board member but we would talk about non-education matters at times too. He was… Read more

  • Nepotism At Aspira Causing Educators To Leave Delaware Charter School Up For Renewal

    Las Americas Aspira Academy is experiencing sudden resignations of teachers as instances of nepotism are becoming apparent. In recent weeks, several teachers left Aspira and most of those were in protest of the current administration. Their biggest beef? The glaring nepotism going on at the Delaware charter school. At least five teachers have left the… Read more

  • Could Tony Allen Be The Next US Secretary of Education?

    While all Delaware eyes are on the Gubernatorial race between Matt Meyer and Mike Ramone, eyes around the education world in America are wondering who might be the next United States Secretary of Education for the U.S. Department of Education. Education Week, in an article with theories about who could serve in that role under… Read more

  • Will We See A New Donald Patton? Next Christina Board Meeting Should Be Interesting With A New Power Dynamic

    Hello faithful readers! Been on a bit of a sabbatical the past couple of weeks. So, what’s been happening? Not much at all. But one big thing is Bob A is now officially the Acting Superintendent in the Christina School District as of October 1st. His presence is immediately felt in the agenda for the… Read more

  • The Jea Street Article

    I would be hard pressed to find anyone who has fought for the students of Wilmington schools more than Jea Street. I first heard of him when he led the charge for the ACLU complaint against three Delaware charter schools in 2014. I learned he has been fighting the fight for a lot longer than… Read more

  • Christina’s Charter School Bill Jumps Up $3 Million From $38 Million To $41 Million

    At the Citizens Budget Oversight Committee meeting for the Christina School District last night, it was revealed they received the charter schools bill. It jumped from $38 million last year to $41 million this year. Every year, the charter schools that have students that choice out of Christina send a bill to Christina. In Delaware… Read more

  • Red Clay Wants To Renew Lease With Charter School Of Wilmington Before They Renew Their Charter

    In the latest episode of putting the horse before the cart, the Red Clay Consolidated Board of Education will vote on a 5-year lease between the district and the Charter School of Wilmington. This vote will occur tonight at their board meeting. Wouldn’t it kind of, you know, be important to actually vote on their… Read more

  • Season Two: Naveed Baqir’s Excellent Adventures In Pakistan!

    Last week, Dr. Naveed Baqir gave an impassioned speech to the Christina Board of Education about his very busy schedule while attending medical school in Pakistan. We presumably know, based on the email I received from one of his relatives, he is attending Dow University of Health Sciences. He claims to be in school 6… Read more

  • DelawareCAN & 50CAN Want Education Reform But They Need To Learn How To Spell First

    For a non-profit backed by another non-profit that gets tons of funding from another non-profit, DelawareCAN is the last “company” that should be begging parents to attend their next “education reform” workshop. In an email sent to their subscribers, DelawareCAN announced the Families Invested in Education Reform with the unique code name of FIRE. But… Read more