ZAP! #62...July 19, 2011
Thank you Irving ISD board member Ronda Huffstetler. In one insightful quote, you have confirmed and demonstrated what many folks have believed for many years...the administration is running the Irving school district board of trustees...not the board members.
Of course, voters have always assumed that board members were elected to provide direction and ensure that the administration followed the path set and determined by the board. This did not even appear to be the case when discussing the possibility of an English immersion program sponsored by the two newest board members. Still stinging from the results of the last board election that witnessed voters seeking change in the board’s current direction, you sadly remarked:
“I will not vote for anything not coming from administration.”
Dallas Morning News: July 19, 2011
So much for playing nice and getting over the election! So much for independent reasoning and thinking.
Of course, Huffstetler is not alone in being part of an entrenched cabal of “rubber stamping” shunning the two newest board members. The other four members of her group have yet to demonstrate that they can be independent thinkers looking out for the interest of tax payers, or taking those strides necessary to improve the district’s State rankings.
Staff of the CCR assumes that the administrative-tail is still wagging the board-dog to the extent that several recent decisions/actions have reflected either poor judgement or a total lack of fiscal understanding on board member’s part.
- Consistently voting to increase the district’s tax rate.
- Extending (after less than a year’s service) the superintendent’s contract to 2015.
- Supporting and voting to deny the Kroger zoning case.
- Allowing the IISD to play a tangential role in Irving’s last mayoral election during graduation ceremonies.
- Ignoring and probably silently relishing the personal attacks on the two newest board members by vocal activist.
- Expensive renovation of the new superintendent’s office.
The really unfortunate part of all this is that the intransigent board cabal has their collective ears tuned to the wrong voices in the community. And if this wasn’t apparent after the last election, then it will certainly be evident in the next election...so we have been told.
…………...Mark Holbrook
A reader sez:
“Don't be so quick to get your heart rate up. In my view, Ronda was headed in the right direction…” Anonymous
We Say:
This would be difficult to do if her GPS batteries are dead....Mark Holbrook
A reader sez:
“This guy Mark Holbrook should have been a writer. He’s good.” Anonymous
We Say:
He does type well though....Mark Holbrook
A reader sez:
“I just received a copy of your email from (name withheld) and I completely agree.” Anonymous
We Say:
We promise not to alert the postal authorities….Mark Holbrook
A reader sez:
“A GOOD job, you said it all, when are they going to wake up?” Anonymous
We Say:
Probably when the administration stops spiking their coffee with No-Doz….Mark Holbrook
A reader sez:
“You've been increasingly bitter over the last several months. What's eating at you?” Anonymous
We Say:
The diagnosis was that we have low tolerance for incompetence by elected officials and bureaucrats….Mark Holbrook