Moving Forward
State High Vision
State High Vision Update
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tonight’s The Night! Barney Grimes will officially submit his resignation at tonight’s meeting of the SCASD at 7:30 at 131 W. Nittany Ave. After the resignation is received, the board will determine how they intend to go about selecting a new member and nominations will be put forward. We urge all concerned citizens to attend and participate in this important decision. For those of you unable to make the meeting, it can be seen on CNET (Channel 98) at 7:30 PM.
What You Might Hear. In today’s Centre Daily Times, former board member and unsuccessful candidate for re-election, Bob Henrickson, announced that he will step aside as a potential replacement for Grimes “in the interest of allowing the board to move forward”. Being closely identified with the ill-conceived high school renovation project and other unpopular initiatives of the former board, Hendrickon correctly concluded that his re-appointment would “divide the board and the community further”.
In the article, Dr. Hendrickson also states that “The board’s options are to select the next highest vote-getting candidate on the November ballot or use an application process to select the person to fill the vacant seat” and that “It is logical for the board to choose the democratic November election process, the most open, transparent and fair way to select the new board member”. In saying this, Hendrickson seems to be suggesting that the board select the candidate with the next highest vote total in the November election. Since he is stepping aside, this implies he is making way for the Board to appoint his former running mate, Jim Leous.
While SHV is a non-political organization, and as such, cannot support any individual candidates, we feel it is necessary to point out the fallacies of this suggestion in this appointment process. Leous received only 10.1% of the vote in the November election. In other words, nine of out ten voters rejected him as being a suitable or desirable candidate for our school board. We feel the board must therefore select an individual who has both the necessary skills and experience for the position, and whose views reflect those of the majority of our community.
Historical Precedence. This is not the first time in recent memory that a board member has resigned and a replacement appointed. In 2001-2002, board member Eric Barron was forced to give up his position due to job commitments. The board accepted nominations from the community for his replacement. Current board member Dorothea Stahl, who had received the next highest total votes in the previous election, submitted her name for consideration. Despite the relative success of her campaign, the sitting board eliminated Ms. Stahl during the first round of that selection process. Current members Dr. Queeney and Lou Ann Evans were on the board at the time. Ironically, it was Dr. Hendrickson – a long time colleague of Dr. Queeney - who was appointed to the board to complete the remainder of Dr. Barron’s term. Past boards and former board members have been open, if not proud, that the process of identifying potential school board candidates in both appointment and election has meant interviewing potential candidates to determine if they were “like minded.” Only those people with personal or professional links to past boards were welcomed into the club – a club that consistently raised our taxes, ignored the views of the community on issues too numerous to mention here and who eventually threw away $4 million of our tax dollars.
Mr. Leous entered the debate on the SCASD school board in time for the November election. His willingness to align himself with the recently ousted board and their dismissal of the public voice is troubling. In conversations during the election, he was open that his involvement in the school board election came at the request of his friend Bob Hendrickson. He admitted that he knew little about the debate prior to the election, wasn’t familiar with the process of Plan CON or the District Wide Master Plan and hadn’t followed the high school controversy. His attempt to appear neutral shows an alarming lack of information and history; how does one step forward for a job without researching the background, history and current issues of the position? Let’s not forget those disrespectful and childish television ads (the ads that looked like they were made with a home video camera and a 100-count bed sheet) that ran during the write-in campaign. Why did Jim Leous attach his name to ads that disrespectfully portrayed our community and featured parents/actors from the Altoona area making references to “our schools?”
Our community voted for change – change in the way our board conducts business and change in the way the public is included in the process. The replacement for the open seat on the school board must be filled with a person who reflects the community views.
Fortunately for our community, the new board members are committed to open government and transparent decision making, so dubious practices, closed door meetings and behind the scenes negotiations are hopefully a thing of the past. Nonetheless, please attend tonight’s meeting and participate in these important deliberations.