BY RAY PARKER
\nTHE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
\nPUBLISHED: JANUARY 21, 2013<\/p>\n
Two members of the Salt Lake City Board of Education want to change how the board operates, including better tracking of issues and more accountability .
\nThe newly elected Michael Clara, a well-known community activist, and Rosemary Emery , a two-y ear veteran, said they will voice their concerns during Tuesday \u2019s
\npublic meeting. The seven-member group oversees the education of about 24,000 students.<\/p>\n
At issue is whether the seven board members should have more leeway in bringing up issues. Currently , the agenda is set by the board president and a member
\nneeds the backing of two others before a topic can be discussed, Clara and Emery said. During his campaign, Clara also claimed there\u2019s a public perception that the
\nboard doesn\u2019t question the superintendent\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, in public education, as an elected official, with seven of us, we should be able go into there and have influence, but the bureaucracy runs every thing and
\nthey have every expectation that we\u2019re going to rubber stamp every thing they \u2019re doing,\u201d Clara said Monday .<\/p>\n
Clara and Emery further believe there is no district follow-up to public comments at board meetings.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody does any thing or responds when you address the board,\u201d Clara said. \u201cThere needs to be greater transparency .\u201d<\/p>\n
Emery said she has tried more than once to discuss the topic of high school schedules during her time on the board.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been try ing to get things on the agenda for two y ears,\u201d said Emery , a retired Salt Lake City teacher. \u201cAll the education articles say you have to have the
\nteachers and parents involved in the decision-making. I personally feel in the past 1 1 y ears it has deteriorated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Board President Kristi Swett could not be reached Monday for comment. But in a Dec. 31 email to Clara, before he had been sworn in, Swett responded to his
\nconcerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not believe we have ever acted to \u2018stifle the free flow of ideas.\u2019 Moving forward, we would ask that you help us be inclusive without allowing our board
\nmeetings to run out of control and off the published agenda,\u201d the email said. \u201cWe appreciate your attendance at some of our recent board meetings and your
\nobvious diligence in researching issues central to your role as a member of the board. Please keep an open mind about the motives and conduct of board
\nmembers, recognizing that you may not, at this point, have all the information you might later acquire though experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
As far as discussing high school schedules, Swett wrote in the email: \u201cAt no time was Ms. Emery \u2019s request \u2018denied.\u2019 The challenge has been how to frame the
\ndiscussion in a productive way that encompasses the perspectives of all board members.\u201d<\/p>\n
Clara also wants the entire board meeting, not just certain portions, as is done now, to be available to the public on audio. According to the district website,
\ncitizens must bring a flash drive to the business office if they want to hear \u201caudio recordings of other segments of board business meetings and study sessions, such
\nas introductions and recognitions, public comments, consent agendas, and superintendent\u2019s reports.\u201d<\/p>\n
In an effort to improve transparency , Clara said he will launch an education blog next week on his website, www.michaelclara.com, that will deal with board
\nbusiness.<\/p>\n
Emery said she welcomes Clara\u2019s more open approach to board meetings.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve been try ing to say for two y ears that parents and teachers should be making the decision of the schedules, not the seven members of the board,\u201d Emery said.
\n\u201cI want the teachers to make the decision because they \u2019re in the trenches.\u201d<\/p>\n
rparker@sltrib.com<\/p>\n
Twitter@rayutah<\/p>\n
Click Here For Link To Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" SLC \u00bb \u201cBureaucracy runs everything,\u201d board member says. BY RAY PARKER THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE PUBLISHED: JANUARY 21, 2013 Two members of the Salt Lake City Board of Education want to change how the board operates, including better tracking of issues and more accountability . The newly elected Michael Clara, a well-known community activist, and Rosemary Emery , a two-y ear veteran, said they will voice their concerns during Tuesday \u2019s public meeting. The seven-member … Continue reading