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According to the Texas Education Agency, a school board is
not doing its job if board members do not actively oversee
the finances and management of the district. School boards
are also responsible for assuring that school districts
follow the law. At stake in GCISD are over $80 million
taxpayer dollars in our annual budget and the education of
13,000 children. Being on the school board is a job I take
very seriously. In doing my job, I strongly support our
wonderful administrators, staff and teachers, who perform
miracles every day in the classroom.
Some GCISD trustees believe that the superintendent and
administrators, all of whom are public employees, should
be protected from questions or comments that might upset
them. I believe that trustees, before voting on
policies that affect our children's education and
stakeholders' wallets, should actively seek all relevant
documents and ask intelligent, informed questions.
Trustees cannot make good decisions with incomplete
information. I'll admit to you that it is frustrating when
the superintendent refuses to provide the information that
I request-information that the Texas Education Agency and
the Texas attorney general's office both say that I (or
anyone) should have access to.
Why are the superintendent and some board members upset by
my questions and requests for documents? Because I have
uncovered some serious problems in our district that would
have otherwise gone unnoticed. Some of those issues are:
. The
possible illegality of classroom and pay-for-participation
fees. (So far, the administration has not been able to
account for how the money will be spent. To be legal, the
fees can only be used to purchase certain items outside
the required curriculum and, in most instances, must be
optional.)
. The
superintendent's apparently close business relationship
with the company that produced the curriculum audit, a
company that has since contracted with the district for
other services without board knowledge or approval.
. The questionable
background of the company GCISD chose to provide
investment services for teachers' retirement funds. The
company selected was a paid consultant to the district
when the request for proposal was issued and was selected
by GCISD after the district received only one bid. (A
large, well-respected firm that would have bid later told
me that it did not know of the proposal to bid.)
Decide for yourself: Videos
of school board meetings are available from the district.
Some can be downloaded from the district's web site at:
http://www.gcisd.tv/board.htm
I strongly encourage you to watch the Sept. 8,
2003, board meeting, particularly the portion where the
board discusses the fee revenue report that has to do with
the money collected from pay-for-participation and class
fees. This part of the board meeting was referenced in
Dave Lieber's column because Kevin Singer became upset and
Hank Johnson "got mad." This discussion clearly
displays the difference of opinion among trustees
regarding the level of oversight that is appropriate for
the board.
In trying to discredit me, the superintendent has spent a
great deal of time and effort that could have been better
spent on solving budget problems and strengthening
academics. But while the superintendent and some board
members dislike the fact that I ask questions, do research
and insist on accountability, many Grapevine-Colleyville
moms, dads, empty-nesters, retired people and teachers
have encouraged me to keep doing what is right. For their
continued support and good wishes, I am sincerely
grateful.
Thank you for your interest in
the Grapevine-Colleyville school district. The active
involvement of our community helps our district be the
best it can be. If you have questions, please contact me
at fsigalla@comcast.net. |
