( Rep. Barney Frank wielding the gavel.)
Do you read the letters to the editor in local papers? This letter from former Simi Valley School Board Member Greg Stratton was in The Acorn and in The Star.
What goes around comes around. So Janice DiFatta and Debbie Sandland are shocked that Debbie was passed over for president of the Simi Valley Unified School District board. Obviously, their definition of "recent memory" does not go all the way back to 2004, when they broke protocol and denied me and Carla Kurachi our turns as board president and clerk. They taught Rob Collins well that the leadership decision is purely political. I'm sure he remembers back that far.
By the protocol, Eric Lundstrom should have been clerk last year. Apparently, they forgot that part of it then, but now they conveniently remember the rules. I don't know how they each can make the statements they made without being afraid of being struck by lightning for twisting the truth.
It gives me some hope to see the board escape from the path those two have chartered. We have a good district, but it needs leadership to make it what it can be -- a great district. That means change, and the two of them have been there so long they don't even understand the need for change. They have become so embedded in the status quo that they take any suggestion for change as a personal affront. Well, times have changed, and the district needs to as well.
So, congratulations to President Lundstrom, and keep up the good work. You can now chart a new course for the district that will improve it for years to come. Good luck.
-- Greg Stratton, Simi Valley
(The writer was a board member from 2002 to 2006. -- Editor)
As a matter of disclosure I am a teacher in Simi Valley. That being said I really don't know how who is the president or clerk of the School Board influences local schools. I haven't paid attention to this issue jut as I don't normally pay attention to who the Mayor Pro Tem of a city is currently. I guess it helps people when they run for office and want a title to put by their names, but what else is there to the title?
Mayor Stratton, ( I assume, like president you get to keep the title) can you fill us in? In your letter you said : "So, congratulations to President Lundstrom, and keep up the good work. You can now chart a new course for the district that will improve it for years to come. Good luck." How does a board president chart a course for the district? Is there something in the bylaws, special committees they are assigned to, or do they become the go to person for staff?
Anyone else know the powers of a school board president and clerk? If they are running a meeting it seems they would work with the other board members on schedules and the like anyway. If the position was truly powerful, why would it be rotated anyways?
None of this should be construed to say I have a strong opinion on who the board president should be.
Click here for Mike Chandler's opinion on the issue. Mike writes the blog votesimivalley.com. He blogs often about Simi Valley. If you know something that needs to be covered send him a message.
That video might just be the most entertaining clip from C-SPAN I've ever seen.
and I thought Parliamentary Procedure was supposed to make the legislature run efficiently...
I saw this letter on Friday also. My understanding is the president is responsible for maintaining order during meetings and approving agenda items, beyond that I'm not sure how he can "chart a new course."
I also wrote about Stratton's letter on VoteSimiValley.com and took its meaning as more of a "ha, take that" message from someone who struggled with the personalities on the board.
The school board president controls what even gets on the agenda, and works the closest with the Superintendent.
The role has often been overused by Difatta as a way to make school visits, comment on policy and the like. Sandland simply follows her lead.
TexasTract,
All the board members are able to visit schools, aren't they?
When you say comment on policy do you mean to the media or to staff members?
The Board President has two sources of power. The first is control of the agenda. There are lots of items that should be on the agenda to be discussed openly that never make it. There are many items that never see the light of day because it would be hard to support what the district is doing if the public actually knew. I saw issues simply get stalled and not return even when scheduled. If you like the status quo, don't have any agenda items for discussion.
Second, is the power to give direction to the staff. Never really defined, the President has three votes to get the job, and so has some very implicit authority. All superintendants learn to count to three very quickly, or they don't survive very long. So the President has some real clout.
It is interesting to note that this means that the board is now divisive. I found that is the word used when you don't agree with them. There are five board members so that you can have discussions from different perspectives and try to find the best solution. Those discussions happen all the time on the City Council, and they are expected and encouraged. Not all votes are 5-0.
Not so on the Board, where everyone has to march in lock step or be considered mean spitited. Interesting that the majority is now the divisive group. How can that be?
The Board President has two sources of power. The first is control of the agenda. There are lots of items that should be on the agenda to be discussed openly that never make it. There are many items that never see the light of day because it would be hard to support what the district is doing if the public actually knew. I saw issues simply get stalled and not return even when scheduled. If you like the status quo, don't have any agenda items for discussion.
Second, is the power to give direction to the staff. Never really defined, the President has three votes to get the job, and so has some very implicit authority. All superintendants learn to count to three very quickly, or they don't survive very long. So the President has some real clout.
It is interesting to note that this means that the board is now divisive. I found that is the word used when you don't agree with them. There are five board members so that you can have discussions from different perspectives and try to find the best solution. Those discussions happen all the time on the City Council, and they are expected and encouraged. Not all votes are 5-0.
Not so on the Board, where everyone has to march in lock step or be considered mean spitited. Interesting that the majority is now the divisive group. How can that be?
My spouse read the letter to the Editor and said geez wasn't this guy our Mayor, what a whiner. Our school's have more important issues to spend your time on.
Greg,
Does the board president frequently choose not to put issues on the agenda that more than 1 other member is interested in discussing?
Stratton sounds like a little crybaby. I thought he was a crappy Mayor anyway.
I don't know all of the issues he faced as mayor but your criticism would be more forceful if you used your real name.
I got to know Board President Lundstrom during one of the neighborhood council's arroyo cleanups before he was elected in 2006. I look forward to seeing the agendas as we move forward during some rough budgetary times.
Scott,
I don't know about how school boards function to give a more detailed opinion on this specific subject.
Have you seen a board president setting the direction and agenda much or is it usually done by consensus? I guess I always assumed it was mostly the board parliamentarian and a ceremonial post.
If being board president is truly influential then I don't know if I want the position to rotate. At the end of his time as board president if Eric Lundstrom does a great job, especially in these challenging times as you referenced, I don't see why it should automatically rotate to someone else unless that person has better ideas that the community supports.
From Simi Unified's by-laws:
"The Governing Board shall elect a president from among its members to provide leadership on behalf of the Board and the educational community it serves.
(cf. 9000 - Role of the Board)
(cf. 9005 - Governance Standards)
(cf. 9100 - Organization)
The president shall preside at all Board meetings. S/he shall:
1. Call the meeting to order at the appointed time
2. Announce the business to come before the Board in its proper order
3. Enforce the Board's policies relating to the conduct of meetings and help ensure compliance with applicable requirements of the Brown Act
4. Recognize persons who desire to speak, and protect the speaker who has the floor from disturbance or interference
5. Explain what the effect of a motion would be if it is not clear to every member
6. Restrict discussion to the question when a motion is before the Board
7. Rule on issue of parliamentary procedure
8. Put motions to a vote, and state clearly the results of the vote
9. Be responsible for the orderly conduct of all Board meetings
(cf. 9323 - Meeting Conduct)
The president shall perform other duties in accordance with law and Board policy including, but not limited to:
1. Signing all instruments, acts, and orders necessary to carry out state requirements and the will of the Board
2. Consulting with the Superintendent or designee on the preparation of the Board's agendas
(cf. 9322 - Agenda/Meeting Materials)
3. Working with the Superintendent to ensure that Board members have necessary materials and information
4. Subject to Board approval, appointing and dissolving all committees
(cf. 9130 - Board Committees)
5. Calling such meetings of the Board as s/he may deem necessary, giving notice as prescribed by law
(cf. 9320 - Meetings and Notices)
(cf. 9321 - Closed Session Purposes and Agendas)
6. Representing the district as governance spokesperson, in conjunction with the Superintendent
(cf. 1112 - Media Relations)
The president shall have the same rights as other members of the Board, including the right to move, second, discuss and vote on all questions before the Board.
When the president resigns or is absent or disabled, the clerk shall perform the president's duties. When both the president and clerk are absent or disabled, the Board shall choose a president pro tempore to perform the president's duties."
I can see that a board president has a higher profile and works with the staff more directly but many of the duties are running meetings.
I guess I don't get why the position has been contentious. I could see if there was a CVUSD type board but ours through the years has seemed much better at working together, even when there are clashes.
Its a pride thing for some I suppose. I think its great they rotate it.
Greg, Scott,
Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.
Brian. I will use my real name when you ban the use of fake names completely. If I and others used our real names we would open ourselves to attack from dangerous lunatics like Bubba K and Mongo and from the thugs at the VCRCC.