Heather Raymond, El President of the Nashua Board of Education, is convinced she’s done no wrong. A damning self-indictment that in my opinion suggests that she is no longer capable of leading that body.
Nashua School Board El Presidente Heather Raymond released a public document using district letterhead. In it, she itemized outrages and demanded the resignation of a fellow board member. No formal meeting was announced or ever took place. No public comment was requested or received. The accused had no opportunity to explain or rebut accusations. No defense. No one could come forward to speak in her defense.
No warning either. Here’s a public statement on District letterhead from El Presidente and the Superincomadant. Quit. Now.
I can’t speak for anyone else nor do I mean to, but my initial reaction would be you first!
Nashua resident Beth Scaer was a good deal kinder. She sent an email to El Presidente Heather Raymond on the matter of how “the board” conducted business to arrive at this official statement?
-
- What was the roll call for the board members who approved this press release?
- When will a record of the communications between board members during the drafting of this press release, including phone calls, texts, and emails be available for the public to review?
- Was Attorney Bolton involved in drafting this press release or approving it?
- Why are you charging Doris with a violation of FERPA when she didn’t have access to the student’s confidential records such as social security number, grades, or academic standing and did not release any such information?
As I have stated previously, the allegations about an imaginary illegal meeting are a calculated distraction from Ms. Hohensee’s reprehensible behavior. There was no meeting, no quorum. Several members independently contacted me to complain about her behavior. Members who feel that calling for the bullying of a student is acceptable from a school Board Member are welcome to say so.
So, some members of the board arrived at a decision without ever meeting. You looped in the Superintendent. Together you issued a demand on official District letterhead that Ms. Hohensee resign and released it to the press in an official capacity.
It is featured on the district website, and references to it appear on the screen crawl on Nashua Cable access television. (screenshot one, two, and three.)
I understand that you are highly educated, but as the head of the Board, you cannot issue an official statement as El Presidente of that board sans a meeting with a quorum, a roll call, or minutes.
You admit there was no meeting. Therefore, the press release is as illegal as the non-meeting that produced public action only possible if you’d had a meeting.
This admitted deceit colors any action moving forward regardless of the object.
You have as much obligation to the process as you do to the business of the board or that business is illegitimate. That responsibility lies with you and you alone. You either subverted that process deliberately or were encouraged to do so by other board members.
Neither circumstance qualifies you to lead.
If anyone should resign El Presidente Heather Raymond, it should be you. If not from the board, at the very least from your position as its president.
Update: fixed formatting issue. The first paragraph was not a quote.
