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The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Board self-evaluation in U-46 triggers debate


By Seth Hancock
  The Board of Education in School District U-46 will hold a self-evaluation with the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), at taxpayer expense, in February despite two board members objecting to the meeting being done in closed session.
  Donna Smith, the board’s president, made the decision to hold the self-evaluation in closed session at the board meeting on Monday, Dec. 18 even though board member Jeanette Ward reiterated she would not attend unless it was open to the public which she also said at the previous meeting on Dec. 4. Board member Phil Costello also wants the meeting to be held in open session.
  Back in February, the previous board held a workshop with the IASB as its self-evaluation meeting and was the first time such a meeting was held in open session.
  “I have attended closed session board self-evaluations in the past and have found them to be unproductive and in some cases offensive, as I have been equated to the ‘21st century brand of the KKK’ and specific community members have been called things I will not repeat,” Ward said. “It’s nothing short of bullying.”
  Ward added that when it was done in open “these behaviors did not occur. That is why, unless the board self-evaluation is open to the public, I will not attend.”
  Board member Veronica Noland confirmed Ward’s concerns, which also confirmed Ward was correct in August 2016, but she supported the meeting being done in closed session.
  “I was at those same board self evaluations, I heard the comments that Mrs. Ward was talking about,” Noland said. “It wasn’t pleasant, it wasn’t easy but I also think that it is the only time we can have what I hope is constructive dialogue.”
  For Costello, he said everything the board does is meant for the taxpayers who fund it and told the public “you deserve to know where we’re coming from.” He said the board should put its personal preferences, which was the reason the majority wanted it in closed session, aside as it is for the public.
  “I value having the discourse in public because I think that’s who we’re all accountable to,” Costello said. “Every board member here is accountable to the public and they should know the dynamics.”
  Board member Traci Ellis was not in attendance at the Dec. 18 meeting but was part of a contentious discussion at the Dec. 4 meeting. Although the majority of the board had agreed to do it in open session, after Ellis said she wanted it done in closed, the majority changed course.
  As the board discussed dates to hold the meeting, as well as a meeting for CEO Tony Sanders’ evaluation, Ward requested the self-evaluation be done in open session and on a weeknight as it had been in February.
  Most of the board wanted the meeting to be held on a Saturday to do both the self-evaluation and CEO evaluation back-to-back to which Costello asked: “For the people saying Saturday, are we still keeping it open to the public though?”
  Board member Sue Kerr said “the superintendent part can’t be obviously” but said “yeah” on the self-evaluation being done in open, and Smith said “we can do it either way.” Noland indicated the self-evaluation being done in open was fine as “it’s all about the dates for me.”
  Board member Melissa Owens, who was elected earlier this year, did not take a position on the self-evaluation being open or closed.
  Although it appeared set that the meeting would be open as the discussion continued, Ellis later said: “I think that the board self evaluation is the opportunity for the board. It’s allowed to be in closed session, I think it’s allowed to be in closed session for good reason and my preference would be for it to be in closed session.”
  Ellis said: “Any evaluation that is done publicly changes the conversation.”
  After Ellis spoke, some board members changed their opinion as Kerr said “we would not discuss the same things in open probably” and Noland said she preferred it in closed. Smith declared it would be in closed session to which Ward stated: “I don’t see a lot of value in the self evaluation anyways, and if it’s in closed I will not be attending.”
  Ellis went on to call Ward “petty” and requested the board still hold a self-evaluation without her. Smith earlier said the IASB “would prefer if all of us were available if we do a self-evaluation.”
  “We still have the others of us who could benefit from a self-evaluation, and I think those of us who are committed to this work and want to evaluate ourselves and have a discussion about our performance we should have the opportunity to do that,” Ellis said.
  Costello responded: “I think there’s tremendous value in having an open discussion in front of the public who sees us twice a month, and I think that’s a very important tool of transparency for them to see it as opposed to having us walk in from a closed session and then wondering why we have these discussions that seem to have other agendas behind them.”
  Ward noted it “prevents inappropriate things from happening if it’s public,” a remark that “disappointed” Owens. Owens said “that’s really disappointing to hear that, and I don’t know why that’s necessary” which Ward responded “because I have firsthand experience.”
  At the Dec. 18 meeting, Kerr said “I think we can all certainly make sure we keep everything very civilized.” Smith said “it gives us an opportunity to just have general discussions on the way we govern” and “it never says we have to all agree or get along.”
  At the February workshop, Barbara Toney of the IASB said “you don’t have to like each other to be on a board, but you’ve got to be able to get along” and added board members should be respectful of everyone’s position whether they agree or not.

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