This weeks's school board work-study meeting was interesting, in a depressing sort of way.  The contentious atmosphere is turning into a circus, and no student is being educated nor any district property being maintained nor any goal-setting being done because of the circus.  Sad.  


Last week's meeting was capped off by School Board President Joe Adams attempting to offer a report to the other board members that he had tasked Mr. Frailey to produce.  Dr. Proctor interrupted with a Point of Order and demanded a Legal Opinion interpreting the Open Meetings Act.  Basically, he wanted to shut down any conversation about the report.  Since Mr. Adams wasn't offering it for discussion but just to hand out the report in written form, there was no conversation to shut down, but here is a big picture question:  Why is Dr. Proctor opposed to the discussion of things?  I thought he was all about transparency and fiscal responsibility?  Instead, he is demanding a lawyer be paid to offer an opinion to shut down discussion?  Hmm.  


An aside:  Sometimes I feel I've fallen through the Looking Glass:  Several months ago, the Board took up 2 questions: should bond "savings" be used to build an additional elementary school ($22 million-ish) and should the tax office be outsourced to the counties (about a $60,000 question).  The "fiscal conservatives" on the board were all over the small potatoes question, and it was Joe Adams and Rebecca Fox who put the kibosh on building a new school that we don't really need right now.  Thank you to them for continuing to steward my tax dollars...Did the other "news" blog report that?  No....  


Here is my main point:  All this spitting and spewing is not good for kids.  Frailey & Board: please, please, please:  Find the BIG PICTURE (student success) and keep your eye on the ball.  The report that was prepared by Mr. Frailey (it's on the KISD website) is over 60 pages long and must represent HOURS and HOURS of staff time, to defend a situation that two errant and big-mouthed board members have created.  The contentiousness in the Board Room is like pouring molasses on the Administration and that WILL impact students.  If I may mix my metaphors:  Stirring the pot is good for entertainment, but if everyone is rowing in a different direction, don't be surprised if the boat capsizes.  Do NOT be contentious just for political gain.  


Furthermore, that molasses isn't sweet:  Everyone from our highest performing administrators to the janitors will be looking for a more hospitable work-place.  Once they leave, who will replace them?  Or do the work?  And that molasses will continue to run-- right onto campuses, and then it will REALLY impact student success.  I know Dr. Proctor is very anxious that another "reformer" get elected in May, so that he can have "the power".  But to what END???  Yikes!  Have a goal, for heaven's sake!  And please let it be about students, and not power for power's sake...