School Board Violating the Open And Public Meetings Act (Video)

At the March 5th, 2013, School Board Meeting about an 1 hour and 42 minutes into the meeting the board president brought up the minutes for our January 8, 2013 meeting. I had initially asked for a minor change and to have my “Point of Order” letter included as part of the minutes. Instead of doing so in our February 5th meeting the board president pulled them from the agenda and we did not act on them. I had made the request a total of six times via email, letter or in person.

Above is a picture of B-2 School Board Meetings Administrative Procedures. It states the following:

5. Recordings and Minutes for Board Meetings:

a. Written minutes and recording will include:

• he date, time and place of the meeting;

• the names of the members present and absent;

• the substance of all actions taken;

• the names of all citizens who appeared and a brief summary of their testimony; and

• any other information that any member requests be entered in the recording and minutes.

The underlined part is what I quote in the meeting. This language comes right out of the Utah Code 52-4-203.   Written minutes of open meetings — Public records — Recording of meetings.

Yet this stumps the School Board President and other members of the school board and now we are going to expend our neighbor’s tax dollars and have an attorney come in and explain it to us.

What am I missing?? I have been on the Board for two months, serving with people who have been on the board for a decade and this is the first time this has come up?

They did not invite the attorney at the next meeting as was agreed. The following month they did however, concede that they were not following the open meetings act: Link to Blog Posting

Red Meat Radio 860 AM

  Had a great time this morning with Representative Greg Hughes                                            and Senator Howard Stephenson. I was a guest on the conservative RED MEAT RADIO  this morning, discussing how the dysfunction on the school district level is negatively impacting west side schools. I’ll post the podcast later this week. It airs every Saturday morning from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 … Continue reading

Denied GRAMA Request

PDF GRAMA Request P#1                 PDF GRAMA Request P#2   On February 25, 2013 -I submitted a ‘Government Records Access And Management Act  (GRAMA) request to the superintendent.  I know that he received because I sent it certified mail and received the return-receipt. Superintendent Whithers also acknowledged receiving it in an email to the school board. It’s a shame that as a sitting school board member, I have to submit a GRAMA request in order to receive information. The is yet another … Continue reading

English-Learners’ Lot Improves With Federal Pressure (Education Week)

At the March 5th, 2013 -School Board Meeting, Ms. Becky Bissegger  said “…We must teach an hour of ELD, English Language Development every day due to a previous OCR Mandate initiated by Mr. Clara” This story is from Education Week 2009 -It gives the history of what happen. At the end of this story is a link to a Salt Lake Tribune article about the same issue. The Tribune says: “Michael Clára, the west-side community advocate whose complaint … Continue reading

School Board Meeting: Michael Clara Responds to Verbal Attacks (video)

Salt Lake City School Board Meeting-March 5, 2013 -Michael Clara responds to the verbal attacks leveled at him in the public meeting by a school teacher and the UEA President. They displayed their public anger against Michael because he filed a complaint on behalf of the students in his community. … Continue reading