Really? So School Board are assuming that merely by dint of winning a School Board race, the winning candidate is automatically enrolled into following a Code of Ethics? Funny, I always thought such a document had to be signed by consent? This Policy give NO ability of a School Board Member to do either #9 or #10. And for those living in Gilford, all I have to say is “The Dormody Rule” (you can’t do anything to me as a Budget member, even though I lied through my teeth about not voting on anything about the Library where my wife is the Library Director, because there is no RSA that allows you (the Budget Committee) to do anything against me).
So, I decided to put this into their hopper: PROVE that a School Board has the Power to enforce such a Policy onto every member:
—— Original Message ——
From: “Skip” <Skip@granitegrok.com>
To: “Gandini, Gretchen” <ggandini@sau73.org>; “kthurston@sau73.org” <kthurston@sau73.org>; “jonos@sau73.org” <jonos@sau73.org>; “ksanborn@sau73.org” <ksanborn@sau73.org>; “AKelly@sau73.org” <AKelly@sau73.org>
Sent: 8/5/2021 6:41:04 PM
Subject: RSA 91:A demand – the Gilford School Board Policy BCA – SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ETHICSGood evening.
Your Policy BCA outlines a number of items that a School Board SHALL comply with. In its entirety, it is (emphasis mine): https://www.sau73.org/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=11706448
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ETHICS
Each board member shall comply with the following ethical provisions:
1. Attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings, insofar as possible, and become informed concerning issues to be considered at those meetings.
2. Make decisions only after full discussion at public Board meetings; render all decisions based on the available facts and my independent judgment, and refuse to surrender that judgment to individuals or special interest groups.
3. Seek systematic communications with students, staff, and members of the community.
4. Work respectfully with other Board members to achieve the educational goals of the school district by encouraging the free expression of opinions by all Board members.
5. Communicate to other Board members and the Superintendent expressions of public reaction to Board policies and school programs.
6. Be informed about current educational issues by individual study and through participation in programs providing needed information, such as those sponsored by my state and national school board associations.
7. Support the employment of those persons best qualified to serve as school staff, and insist on a regular and impartial evaluation of all staff.
8. Respect the confidentiality of information that is privileged under applicable law or is received in confidence or executive session.
9. Recognize that no individual member has authority to speak or act for the entire Board, except as specifically designated to do so by Board action.
10. Recognize that final Board actions will be supported by all members of the Board; take no private action that will compromise the Board or administration; and refrain from private actions which undermine or compromise official Board action.
11. Display and demonstrate courtesy and decorum toward fellow Board members at all public meetings and in all public statements.(Adopted: 4/4/2016)
As I stated this past Monday evening during the Gilford School Board meeting, the word “shall” has a special meaning in Legislation. It is clear that the School Board also holds it in particular regard as it appears in your Policy proscriptions like this one.
Thus, pursuant to the Right to Know Law (RSA. 91-A), I am requesting public access, within 5 business days, to the following governmental records:
- The discipline schedule for School Board members that decline to follow one or more of the above strictures over some amount of time.
In order to have the Power to discipline your members, I expect that the District will also supply the backup documentation in which the Legislature has granted to these Powers subdivision of the State in this matter. Threatening disciplinary actions requires that such objective actions are in place, otherwise such actions against a member would be capricious and arbitrary and may well violate existing State statutes which outline what a School Board is allowed to do.
- Signed copies of this Ethics document by each of the members of the Gilford School Board. After all, there is nothing in State statute that holds that merely winning an election automatically gives consent to such a document; consent must be willingly given.
Please let me know when these records are available for inspection or you may email the responsive records to me at Skip@GraniteGrok.com. If the volume is turns out to be substantial, I’ll be happy to supply a backup drive sufficient to hold all of your responsive records.
Thank you for your lawful attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Skip
Indeed – a Code of Ethics is a “contract” and adherence to it cannot be assumed. Again, Dormody Rule unless the Board shows otherwise.
Item #9 has been warped into “if you are a member, keep your yap shut.” Not this past meeting but the meeting before, there was a significant amount of speaking across the Board. This past Monday, they returned to normal EISfS behavior and nary a word was spoken. So, the Chair now has the ability to SILENCE! every other Board member?
Where’s THAT RSA, eh Gretchen?
Still waiting for those signed copies…..and that can’t be forced either.
So, what’s the next School Board Policy that I should comment on, Readers? Look at your own School Board Policies and figure out which one they are using to put up a wall between you (their voters) and themselves. Just send a URL along.
Remember, in this state, you CAN have an effect on your local politicians and Representatives. They have decided to foist THEIR agenda and THEIR morality onto your kids – they DON’T want you to care.
They’re your children (and my Grandson) – I AM going to run this as far as I can because I’M in charge of raising him and not them. You going to let them do all this stuff without your consent?
I’m still waiting for a lot of you to take a few minutes, go to your School Board website, and send me the names of those School Board members whose terms are up at the next Town election. Please help me assemble this list.
