Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Complaints against officer keep coming
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Region makes way for latest batch of snow; cancellations rise
Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
President offers advice on staying objective, maintaining a united front
By John Higgins
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Nov 24, 2009
The three newest Akron school board members spent half of Friday and all day Monday immersing themselves in school board policy, tradition and goals.
Board President James Hardy, who did not seek re-election this year, said he wanted them to get more of an orientation to their new responsibilities than he got when he joined the board in 2006.
The one message they heard repeatedly is that while they may have honest disagreements and are encouraged to offer dissenting views and perspectives, the board speaks with one voice after the vote.
Lisa Mansfield, Bruce Alexander and Ginger Baylor — all among the top four vote-getters in the Nov. 3 election, along with incumbent Jason Haas — won't be sworn in until January.
But they've already witnessed an angry emotional exchange between board members at the Nov. 12 board meeting about building plans for the new combined Buchtel High School and Perkins Middle School.
During the argument, board member Sheila Smith appeared to dredge up a vote the board had taken in August, appointing an interim principal at Buchtel, a move she opposed.
''We're not talking about the building; we're talking about decisions that are made where you put the wrong people in that building,'' said Smith, who did not seek re-election this year.
Haas objected, saying: ''That's not what we're talking about tonight. We're talking about buildings now. We're not talking about something we did three months ago.''
Hardy told the new members that once the vote is taken, the board should stand behind the decision and speak publicly only through the superintendent or the board president.
He also warned them not to charge onto the board with a personal agenda.
''If you come saying I want this person gone, or I want this policy gone, or I want this policy enacted, oftentimes the person stays, the policy never gets thrown out and you never get your point across,'' Hardy said. ''Because at the end of the day, you need three other people to agree with you to do anything. That's a heck of a motivator to be collegial, to be working together.''
The board hires and fires the superintendent and treasurer and oversees policy, but board members should not try to be mini-superintendents or treasurers, Hardy said.
''There's nothing that can erode their ability to do their job faster than people thinking they can go to a board member or the board and supersede that person,'' Hardy said. ''I guarantee that it will happen to you. I guarantee it right now. It will be a parent, a friend, a relative, a person you go to church with, your neighbor who will say, 'I have an issue.' ''
He also discussed the potentially dicey problem of taking a parent's side in a dispute without knowing all the facts.
''I can tell you specific instances where it wasn't that the parent lied, but the information the parent had was completely erroneous,'' Hardy said.
Sam Salem, a long-serving former board member, also attended to give new members historical perspective.
''To back up what Jim said, every time I committed myself on a citizen's complaint without researching it, I regretted it and I stopped doing it,'' Salem said. ''Listen carefully, be respectful, but don't commit yourself until you check it out. In some cases, the parent is right, but not in most cases.''
The Rev. Curtis T. Walker Sr., the current vice president and likely president next year, said that the job may be thankless, but it is respected.
''So when they see that you are putting some interest in whatever their concerns are, that really helps them and it helps us in the long run when we have to make some crucial decisions down the road,'' Walker said.
The new members met with senior administrators Monday afternoon and attended the meeting Monday night. The board concluded its public business within half an hour with no drama.
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com.
The three newest Akron school board members spent half of Friday and all day Monday immersing themselves in school board policy, tradition and goals.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Akron, OH
Posted 08:43 AM, 11/24/2009
Hmmm...
Does anyone else find it a bit curious for James Hardy, the Regional Liaison for the Ohio Secretary of State (the state's chief elections official) to be telling the newly ELECTED school board members that "There is nothing that can erode their ability to do their job faster than people thinking they can go to a board member" when a citizen disagrees with a member of the UNELECTED staff of Akron Public Schools???
Copley, OH
Posted 09:13 AM, 11/24/2009
Overtaxed Voter: Keep up with the times. James left a few months ago to work for Kent State University. The person who filled that position is Jason Huff. So I don't really find it curious at all.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 09:14 AM, 11/24/2009
Hardy just reiterated what most elected officials think. We know better than you.
Are the parents at North High School wrong that there are not enough seats or desks in spanish class? Are they wrong that kids are sitting on the heater units to learn?
So Hardy told people he wanted to represent them but really wanted to block their efforts to advocate for their children. Nice guy. News flash. The super and treasurer are not Gods. They need guidance from board members. Guess where board members should get guidance from James.
Akron, OH
Posted 10:39 AM, 11/24/2009
Verite...
Ohio.com didn't post the story about Hardy's move from Brunner's lackey to Kent State 'board of trustees administrative assistant' until 10:40 last night.
http://www.ohio.com/news/72077312.html
Does this explain Hardy's move the last two school board meetings to 'hold the hands' of the incoming board members who will vote on who takes Kirt Conrad's spot that comes vacant on January 1?
James Hardy's quote in the other story of "While I'm not actively lobbying for the appointment, I'm certainly ready and willing to serve if asked" seems a bit self serving if he is going to have such close relations (giving newly elected, but not yet sworn in or serving, individuals a seat at the table for the past 2 meeting and access to information that is not given to any other members of the general public) with the folks who will make the decision of who gets Conrad's seat.
Isn't this a bit akin to 'jury tampering'?
