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July 31, 2013
By Mike Weland
It pains me to write this,
but I feel it must be said.
I’m a new member on this
school board of trustees, and proud. I
understand my obligations and will do my best to
carry them out to the best of my limited skill
and ability.
I confess I am not a
trained educator. I am, however, a well
experienced skeptic. I am not limited in what I
hear in private, and I have good reason to
believe that there are those within the district
who haven’t yet come to understand that.
I buy pixels by the barrel.
I know my limits.
It’s time we all wake up.
I would use this
opportunity to throw a shot across the bow, a
wake up call. I pray I’m wrong but the more I
learn, the less I’m assured. I know this missive
will result in much chagrin.
Too bad, we do the public's
business, and we ask to be responsible for our
dearest treasure. You have an absolute right to
know.
When I was elected to this
position, I attended a class in which I was
taught that the main role of a school board is
to hire executives in whom you have confidence
and let them carry the weight. I agree, but I
also believe firmly in trust.
That’s a thing that flows
downhill.
This debacle with hiring a
football coach opened my eyes a bit.
I expected and will accept
everything the students and parents throw my
way, but I expected honest, fair and unbiased
answers from the people I depend on to give me
advice.
I am learning that I did
not receive that but was perhaps made pawn of an
agenda.
I pray I’m wrong, but I
confess, I worry this district is paying its
best for advice and getting obvious bias.
I can accept and understand
a biased parent’s point of view, or a student’s.
I cannot and will not
accept from any administrator's less than
unbiased honesty.
My trust has to be earned,
and I’m only a trustee. I rely and depend on
honest participation from paid professionals; I
will settle for nothing less.
When I suspect I'm being
subject to BS, the question I first ask is ""is
this honest and fair?"
If I believe not, I
ask, "why are we paying them?"
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