The EUSD Boardroom was where the real action was last night. If you were anywhere near the intersection of Manchester and Rancho Sante Fe, you saw the sea of families in maroon TIP shirts and "Save Tip" signs signaling that TIP was on the agenda tonight. The priority item was whether the district would take the next step in revoking the Theory Into Practice Academy's Charter.
As with any TIP item on the docket, the room was packed, the air conditioning intermittent and minimal to no sound. (What are those microphones on the board members' desks for, anyway?) That made for all the more heated debate. First, Lean King gave a brief history about how the TIP Academy administration ended up in this mess. Next up was someone hired by the district to provide evidence to go forth with the intent to revoke. She gave a pretty alarming testimony with the most creepy being, in referring to attempting to interview TIP staff and families, that she had never seen "so much fear of appraisal" in cooperating with investigators, such as fear of appraisal from TIP administration and fear of ostracization by TIP parents, that ultimately ended up with non-cooperative interviewees. It sounded very Jim Jones. Her summation was that it is clear TIP has disregarded laws of the charter and that it would be within the boards right to revoke the charter.
The public forum opened with the TIP attorney, Paul Minney, giving evidence item by item that the TIP Academy has met all of EUSD's requests to demonstrate transparency and that there is "no factual evidence for notice of revocation" and that "If you revoke the charter tonight, you are not following charter law" This met with thunderous applause from TIP families in the audience.
TIP board members, TIP families and non-TIP families then spoke in support of TIP. A rowdy bunch, those TIP families, with hoots and hollers.
Now came time for the board to vote to continue with intent to revoke charter. Liken this to parents scolding a kid for being naughty (albeit, thousands of taxpayer dollars worth of naughty), then passing the kid to the neighbors so they can scold the kid, then to the next neighbor so they can scold the kid, ad finitum. The board is clearly not happy with the TIP administration's consistent lack of cooperation. Things don't look good for TIP. Lean King expressed his dismay at how much time and money the TIP fiasco has taken from EUSD business. Shannon Kuder seemed to want TIP shutdown on the spot and got nearly hysterical when TIP rowdies heckled her when she said "I have no confidence the Hazelton's are gone". The only glimmer of forgiveness seemed to come from Cathy Regan who applauded the teachers at Theory Into Practice, but made it clear she, too, wants the Hazelton's far, far away from TIP business. Bottom line, with two of the board members terms ending this year, (of note, none of the current board members have served less than 10 years? Some are going on 20! Do any of them even have kids in elementary school?) they don't want to be the ones looking soft with taxpayer dollars.
Now for the vote - unanimous decision to move forward with intent to revoke. Next step is a public forum tentatively scheduled for July 22 at 6PM. Tailgate party starts at 4. Bring a chair, one of those little mist fans, and a cooler.
6 comments:
What does TIP offer that is lacking in the rest of the EUSD?
Where did you hear that the public hearing is set for 7/22?
That was the last item the board agreed on before dismissal. It is tentative.
Dear CentralDad,
Thank you for the very good summary. I was in attendance at the meeting (not affiliated with TIP, just there as a concerned person) and to all others who are reading his post here, CentralDad has done a very good job of summarizing the goings on. It was a tense meeting to say the least.
I would only add/comment on three things from CentralDad's post, two of which are insignificant:
First, the district's lawyer said that people were afraid of "reprisal", not of "appraisal". The gist was that the TIP power structure was feared, possibly vindictive, and took a "with us or against us" stance toward parents and its own TIP board members who dissented.
Second, it's true that each EUSD board member spoke in-turn when scolding and recounting the facts, but I assumed at the time that it was because the issue was of such gravity that they all wanted to weigh in so as not to give a perception that one or the other was 'more in favor' of the revocation of the charter. So, while it took awhile for each one to give her/his account of why to revoke the charter, I wouldn't say it was 'ad infinitum' (I assume that when you said "...so they can scold the kid, ad finitum," you meant "ad infinitum" (meaning "to infinity" or "without end").
Third, when board president Cathy Regan gave kudos to the TIP teachers and expressed regret about the effects that a revocation will have on students and teachers alike, I saw all of the board members nodding in agreement. I'm no particular cheerleader on this issue one way or the other, but I was very impressed by the way the EUSD board discussed the issues and laid out the facts. Still, I feel very sad for the teachers and students at TIP, who were evidently led so astray by the deceitful and underhanded dealings of the school's leadership. If there is a way to allow it to stay afloat with some kind of reprieve I think it would be ideal, but I can understand the board's reluctance to do so, given the TWO YEARS of attempts they've made to get TIP on track and its leadership performing in a legal and above-board manner.
EUSD has many many problems. Their Board is happy with the status quo. 4 of the 5 board members are so old they are grandmothers. They have been on the board for over 20 years. The lone male board member has been on for about 16 years. Board members who are on this long have a difficult time with change since changing the way they do things would indicate that what they have been doing for the last 20 years did not work. These members have been on longer that Jim Bond has been on the City Council. That's a long time.
This board is also horrible at embracing new ideas to help our children. I have talked to many friends and a few parents involved with the TIP Charter School. I have 2 children on the waiting list to get in. I was lucky and have a good chance of making it in this year or next. This school is way ahead of its time from what I have researched. Unfortunately, the EUSD school district board has been trying to shut it down since day 1 as it has stolen their thunder since it has been so well received. This school is a public school and has a waiting list like the Green Bay Packers. I just read in the paper that the EUSD board has voted to close it down. Tragic. Since I cannot afford private school I may have to consider home school as an option. I hear they will have a chance to appeal the EUSD boards decision to the County School Board. Hopefully they embrace new ideas.
One more thing since I am ranting and have stirred myself up. None of the board members have any children in the district. They have all grown up and are long gone. EUSD is also run by a superintendent who just received a $205,000/year contract with an escalation clause that does not even require any public board action. A four year contract that is worth close to $1 million dollars plus if the board disagrees with the Superintendent, there is an 18 month severance package worth over $300,000. I wonder who wrote that contract? They board loves him because he is good at making the board look good at any cost including telling lies. I guess I am just bitter that I will probably have to keep my kids in EUSD while others are providing a better education for their children.
Dear Anon 9:53 -
Wow - I would agree... you do sound bitter.
I've been an observer of the EUSD board for many years, while also watching the other boards around the county. While EUSD's board is relatively low-drama most of the time, some of the others have had very, very destructive periods during which the board members were vengeful, shortsighted, one-issue, or vendetta-driven. Look at the histories of the Grossmont and Vista districts. Both have endured punishing in-fights among board members, as well as between superintendents and the boards, etc.
Nobody wins in those situations.
If the EUSD schools were performing poorly overall, or if corruption was ongoing, or personal agendas being pursued at the cost of the public good, I would say that there would be room to criticize. But my impression has always been that the folks on the EUSD board are thoughtful, well-educated people who are very dedicated to the students they serve. I attend their meetings only occasionally, but I read the minutes online, and the newspaper religiously (online), and I can't say that I've found them to be anything but straightforward and well-intentioned.
I am sad for the teachers and students at TIP, because they're the ones who will really be hurt by the school's closing, but given the egregious nature of the mismanagement of TIP (through no fault of the teachers or students), I also understand the board's precarious position. If they DON'T close it, and next year some taxpayer group sues them for poor oversight and allowing tax dollars to be misappropriated on an ongoing basis, then they're in trouble. If they DO close it, thereby putting teachers out of work, students back into regular public schools, and parents in a bad mood, they're still in trouble. So, as far as I can see, it's a "no-win" for the board members. Also, I believe two of them are teachers, so while their kids may have grown past elementary age, I assume that they know more than most what it means to close a school.
I'm not weighing in on one side or the other of closing TIP, I'm just saying that the EUSD board seems to be one of the better ones in the county, and I think that's affirmed by the fact that this TIP situation is the biggest scuffle in recent memory. Contrast that with the regular flare-ups in other districts and you'll see that we live in a very placid, well-run district. I think what you're seeing is group that's usually tranquil and misperceiving them as saturnine.
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