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On
a 4 to 1 vote on September 22nd, the GCISD Board of
Trustees passed a Resolution (Click
Here to Read the Resolution) that was described by
the Star-Telegram as "....that (the
Resolution) amounted to a vote of confidence in the
administration. The resolution also criticized board
members but did not name any.
 |
Columnist
Dave Lieber described the GCISD Board as "incredibly
foolish", wrote that the Board,
"destroyed itself", and
concluded that, "they do not understand
the important responsibilities of their public
office". |
The
shocking revelation that the GCISD Board had "destroyed
itself", came as a surprise to many LNO
readers. In a column only three days before,
the same columnist dedicated a great deal of ink extolling the
apparent virtues required to be an outstanding school
board member...don't eat dinner at vendor sponsored events
after school board conventions. In
responses to LNO, the GCISD Board of Trustees seem far
from a group that has "destroyed" itself.
In fact, there are substantial disagreements concerning
the style of various school board members. However,
the tone and inference by Lieber, that some additional
sinister bias is just below the surface, was dispelled by the measured and respectful manner
that trustees responded to the resolution rhubarb in
emails to LNO.
One advantage of this Internet news site is the opportunity LNO
provides to the newsmaker to have their say and do so
without an editor determining what is important and what
is not. In that regard, LNO contacted all the
current members of the GCISD Board and asked for their
response to the allegations of Lieber. The
vote on the resolution was 4 to 1 with Vicki Thomas
abstaining, although she later signed the
resolution. Ms. Thomas was the only Board member
that failed to respond despite repeated emails and a
deadline extension. Since Ms. Thomas made no
response, LNO can not determine if she simply ignored the
request or continues to vacillate like her "abstain"
vote on the resolution, (while signing the document
regardless), or is out of the country.
Please click on the Board Member's Name to see
their entire
statement, the
following are excerpts only:
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Vicki
Thomas |
This
board member has consistently refused to respond
to LNO dating back to her initial election.
LNO continues to respectfully request input for
our large public audience, however to no avail. |
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Nancy
Coplen
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Board Member Nancy
Coplen basically took the position that
"the statement was made," and elected not to
elaborate. |
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Fiona Sigalla
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Board Member Fiona
Sigalla, potentially the targeted board member of
the resolution, responded in a firm manner defending her right to ask the
tough questions. In addition, Trustee Sigalla poised
the question of, "The
possible illegality of classroom and pay-for-participation
fees." Sigalla continued, "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."
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Freda Ward
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Board Member Freda
Ward included a note to LNO stating, "
I would ask that you print
my response in total. I do not want only excerpts
printed to my response". Readers
should click on this member's name and read her
entire response. Trustee Ward felt strongly
that the type of approach by some in the community
seem to be that of embarrassing school
administrators and it was nonproductive. |
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Jesse Rodriquez
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Board
Member Jesse
Rodriguez pointed out that, "I am
strongly in support of GCISD’s administration
and staff and commend their ongoing efforts on
behalf of our school district." Rodriquez
continued
"It is my opinion that signing this
document (resolution) restricts ALL members
of this board from upholding the responsibilities
to which we swore allegiance when we were
elected.
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Charlie Warner
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Board
Member and Vice President Charlie
Warner took the view that "......
at least five of the board members felt it was
important to acknowledge that some Board members
have repeatedly harassed the Administration with
requests for information that is neither “necessary
nor useful...”
Concerning the questioning of administration
personnel, Warner went on to say, "Well
thought out, incisive and respectful questioning
is always encouraged. Brow
beating and rudeness is not.
" |
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John
Eubanks
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Board
Member and President John
Eubanks, as is his style, was very
matter of fact in his response
stating, "Our stand was simply
to speak out against those who feel a necessity to
continuously call into question, without fact or
basis, the competence and integrity of our
superintendent and his staff under the noble
heading of just doing what a trustee should do." |
LNO readers will come to their own conclusions, after
reading the responses, or lack of response, if somehow a majority of this group "destroyed
itself". I seriously doubt if most will find
themselves in agreement with Lieber.
The GCISD School Board of Trustees consists of a diverse
group of individuals elected by a frequently polarized
community of voters. Based on comments to this
author, the fact that there are disagreements, even
adamant disagreements, does not seem to surprise
anyone. The only person that seems to find
revelation in this fact is a certain self-appointed
columnist watch dog. The general public appears to
understand that strong differences of opinion will surface
in open discourse from time to time.
The Board is far from destroying itself. Irresponsible,
inflammatory remarks such as Lieber writing, "they
do not understand the important responsibilities of their
public office", based
on the vote of one resolution seems absurd to most casual
observers.
Every Trustee that took the time to respond clearly
demonstrated their personal understanding of
responsibilities in public office. The simple fact that a
group of seven does not agree, may not like each other's
style, even think that a member is out of line, does not
justify some public damnation of these members.
Finally, if the majority of the board felt the need to go
on record by voting for a resolution, so be it. If
the resolution is aimed at one member and that member
strongly disagrees, so what? There is no evidence of
malfeasance by any board member. Of course voters
can make decisions based on style as well as substance.
Some times exemplary success of a public official can be
outweighed by their perceived style with voters,
especially when getting a steady diet of columnist
mischaracterizations of the players.
So may be the case with the GCISD Board next
election.
In the meantime, can the melodramatics, ignore
self-appointed media priests that solely determine what
conduct is acceptable by public officials and get down to
good old fashion knock down drag outs over substantive
issues.
That Lieber fellow can be awful funny, but some of us here
at LNO ( or "Local Nelson Only" as Lieber likes
to refer to this site when amusing a captive audience), just don't
get the humor in insulting a group of individuals that
volunteer hours every week in public service, without
compensation, to benefit our children. |
