Three cheers for our three students reps who are doing a better job on the board then our three senior members.

Well, Pasco, I’ve gotta say I’m encouraged. I’ve been viewing the board meetings and study sessions via YouTube (because, restraining order) ...

I know you really love me even though we have to remain apart!

and some things have changed tremendously for the better. 

Others... not so much.

I want to call you attention to a board meeting that was recently held to decide the content of our upcoming bond. I feel this board meeting perfectly illustrates the fabulous new things that are happening in board meeting as well as that something that is so very troubling.

The first awesome thing is, anyone can now watch board meetings and study sessions in the comfort of their own home and on their own schedule. Thanks PSD and board! 

Now my family never has to miss a moment of riveting PSD action!

To see the board meeting I will be talking about in its entirety please click here. Hint: A setting on YouTube will let you change the speed of play. See that little gear button on the bottom? Check it out. It’s much less time consuming and enjoyable to listen to these meetings at a higher speed. You’re welcome. :-) 

But for those of you who do not want to invest a few hours of your life watching a board meeting, please stick with me as I give you the Reader’s Digest version. 

A second awesome thing about this board meeting is how much dialogue there was. Both among some of the board members and the members of the community attending. 

It used to be that board meetings were dull and empty. There was little to no conversation or input from board members or meeting attendees. Like zombies, the board would go through the motions, sitting there like warm bodies, mindlessly voting unanimously on anything and everything thrown at them on the agenda.

Yeah, I'm looking at you...

But things are kinda different now. There is 100 times more discussion. After the board discusses things, but before the vote, Board President, Scott Lehrman, opens the floor to members of the audience for discussion. For reals!!!

Community involvement is super fun!

You can’t believe how happy it makes my heart to see true community participation. I can only guess these changes are due to the strike and election of Aaron Richardson to the board. The board is finally listening to the community. So well done, Pasco. Well done!
 

But as I mentioned before, there is something troubling going on here too. If we go to the video, you'll see what I'm talking about.

In the video they are trying to decide what to put on the bond. I almost feel sorry for the board. They appear to be conflicted and beside themselves with worry about what to put on the bond. Perhaps that is why they revisited this matter after already voting for it last spring. They know many people feel it is time for a new middle school. They are just worried a bond that includes one won’t pass, since the last bond that included a middle school failed. (I know, I don't get that logic either. Too many factors defy it.)

So, the board reopened this business and, for a while, it looked hopeful.

The student board members had awesomelicous advice that really should have been given more weight by the board since they were just in middle school a few short years ago.

These kids are my heroes!

Aaron and Amy listened to what people were telling them and led the charge for including a new middle school.

And, ya know, besides the obvious strain being felt at Mac due to gross overcrowding, putting a new west/north middle school on the bond would be a really strategic idea. If you look at voting record demographics, the people asking for this are the same people that overwhelmingly vote for school bonds and levies. Giving those voters a carrot could push the results to a sure win, which benefits ALL of Pasco.

But in the end, the motion fell flat and poor Aaron was left hanging.

Which was really disappointing, since Ms. Phillips actually spoke the most in favor of a new middle school. She understood how overcrowding at the middle school level impacts students at a crucial time of their growing up years. She pointed out how many kids can’t participate in extracurricular activities (which is a district goal) because of how many students attend Mac. She was a voice representing the people saying, even though she is fiscally conservative, she believed the community would support a bigger bond because they agreed the benefit of a new middle school outweighed the cost of a slightly higher bond. Sadly, in the end it appears she voted against her conscience. You gotta feel for her when you watch her vote, angrily flicking her microphone up and turning her head away with an upset look on her face. What our board needs to realize is it is not their job to present a united front. It is their job to be a voice for the people they represent. I think we need to pause, reflect, and be thankful for a moment. Making a motion and sitting in silence cannot be an easy thing to do, but Mr. Richardson did that for people he represents. He had the courage to stand alone. 

Dr. Richardson, you've got our respect.

So, a lot of good things happening: meetings broadcast; student reps giving insightful, intelligent comments; community input; board members speaking for those they represent…

But then there's that one big downer....
The bulk, no virtually all, of this conversation with the public about a new middle school was carried out by only two board members: Amy Phillips and Aaron Richardson. Pretty much the only thing said by Steve Christensen was an explanation about how Stevens will be built to hold more students and that will relieve some of the overcrowding at Mac by moving students from north Pasco to Stevens. He claims that would have the additional benefit of resolving the transportation and friend issues parents have expressed concern for that are caused by our current high school boundaries. 

Why didn’t Steve, Scott, or Sheri, engage in the discussion? Why wouldn’t they unless they already knew how they were going to vote? Or worse, they knew how each other would vote and knew they already had the three required votes to pass their motion? If that is the case, they should be ashamed for putting on a facade and letting Amy, Aaron, the student reps, and the public believe their well thought out arguments mattered. 

Is this what's going on here? Are board members deciding outside of meetings how they will vote and then holding discussions just for show. If that is the case, it's despicable - and ILLEGAL. If it's not the case, then what is going on here? Why are these three sitting out of the discussion?

If I could give them some advice, it would be to put a little more effort into these meetings. Don’t remain silent. Don’t be afraid to go on record. At least pretend to be engaged. After all, that is what you were elected to do and not doing so leaves some serious questions about transparency.