Kilgore ISD Board of Trustees

To the Board of Trustees

Kilgore Independent School District

Members of the Board,

I am writing today as both a taxpayer and a concerned parent of a KISD student. Kilgore needs positive things happening to insure continued economic growth and development. Recent events regarding our school district and the actions of the school board do not reflect well on the community, and can only impact Kilgore in a negative manner.

To have smart, steady, sustainable growth we must move away from old ideas to embrace new ones, and it’s possible to do this without compromising who we are as a community. The old-fashioned, “good old boy” way of doing things must end unless we wish to be left behind while other communities in our area experience positive growth.

One example of embracing new ideas can be found right here in town. Not too many years ago, Merritt Tool’s business model was one of ninety percent oil field and ten percent other industries. However, Merritt Tool’s leadership saw change coming and embraced it. Their business model changed to one of ten percent oil field and ninety percent other industries. This change in business their model brought Triumph Industries and new opportunities to Kilgore.

Quality educators do not want to work at a district in turmoil, a district where the board micromanages things, especially when it is something that effects friends of a board member or when a board member has a personal axe to grind. Quality people do not want to live in a community where they are considered outsiders because they weren’t born and raised there. Quality industries will not create jobs in a city where the citizens are at each other’s throats over something as trivial as a student not making a team.

Many Kilgore citizens have lost faith in the board’s ability to make rational, impartial, intelligent decisions regarding what is best for ALL the school children in our district. They’re just afraid to say so because they are people you grew up with, went to school with, go to church with, and even work with. They are your friends, but as board members they, like I, believe you’ve lost your way, and that you have forgotten that you are all elected public servants, with an emphasis on servant. The teachers, parents, and children of the school district DO NOT work for the school board, it’s supposed to be the other way around. If you believe otherwise then you are wrong person for the job.

Effective and respected leaders think of those they serve first and themselves last, if at all. I am not impressed. Many of you are on the board for the wrong reasons, and it’s time for you to go. So know this: change is inevitable, and it is on the way.

Public servants running unopposed in elections is not good for any community. Moving forward, I am dedicating myself to getting our citizens involved in helping to remake our school board to insure our students are capable of meeting the challenges of the 21^st century. I’ve read, and will read again, every document related to the board and its procedures, and I will scrutinize every single future decision you make. Every. Single. One.

One of my concerns with the board in general has to do with Section IX of board procedures. As I understand this paragraph, the goals for the board are set by the board, and evaluation of completion of the board’s goals are determined in an assessment…completed by the board. The circular logic of this item is quite dizzying. The combination of a lack of independent oversight, and nowhere to go when one is unhappy with board decisions does not seem healthy, for either the citizens of the district or for the board itself. Are a list of the board’s goals and the results of the self-assessment ever made available to the public?

Below are some excerpts from the code of conduct you all signed when taking office, along with a couple other items I found in school board documents.

·        Always strive to put the needs of children above the wants of adults and make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of ALL children in the District regardless of ability, race, creed, ethnicity, social standings.

·        Accept criticism without getting defensive or angry.

·        Be open-minded and listen to the opinions of others.

·        Express personal views in a positive and constructive manner.

·        Disagree without being disagreeable.

·        Do not harbor grudges from past issues or events.

·        Do not let personal pride, ego, grudges, friendships, or other personal considerations influence decision making. (My personal favorite)

·        No Board member or officer has authority outside of a Board meeting.

·        No Board member can direct district employees in regard to performance of duties.

·        The Board sets district policies, and supports the superintendent in his/her job of managing the district and directing employees in district and campus matters.

Regarding the Hi-Stepper drill team last fall, you failed horribly when measured against several of the items on the list above. When questioned, the board stated at their April 2016 meeting that the Hi-Stepper parents did not hear the testimony the board heard regarding the case. What was that testimony? Did you receive testimony from everyone, or just the family who complained? Has the board turned into a modern day version of a Star Chamber, engaging in strict, arbitrary rulings and secretive proceedings that benefit only the limited few who are “in” with the board?

In my opinion and the opinion of many others, you did a great disservice to this young lady. You taught her that she doesn’t have to deal with disappointments in life, because there is always someone who can fix it. You taught her that rather than accept the decision of the judges and hold herself high with dignity and grace, she can simply run away.

There are times when the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many, but this was not one of those times. Some of you are good friends of the young lady's family, so you felt it was your place to “help.” Some of you simply don’t care for the current drill team director and took this opportunity to make life difficult for her. Either way, it was the wrong thing to do.

Regarding individual board member behavior in monthly meetings, it is childish and improper to try intimidating citizens by staring them down when they say something you don’t care for. Behavior like this is beneath you all. It is not proper for an elected public servant to behave in this manner, and it goes against your code of conduct.

School board members reaching out to parents in an honest attempt to solve a problem is a good thing, and these efforts should be applauded. However, it is inappropriate to speak with a parent privately on a heated topic once it becomes a public issue, unless there is a record of the meeting.

Lastly, it appears some board members don’t understand the fine art of detachment. By that I mean keeping the roles of parent and board member distinctly separate, because crossing that line is a conflict of interest. Parents have every right to be disappointed and want changes when circumstances at school don’t always work in their child’s favor. However, the code of conduct states that school board members DO NOT have that luxury.

I am planning to run for the school board next year in an attempt to affect positive change and stop the board from the day-to-day meddling it is known for. While it has done some good for the district, the present board has done far more than their fair share of damage, and I am tired of it dividing our community. To paraphrase words from someone far more intelligent and eloquent than I; “You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency gentlemen, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”

Our community is in my prayers daily, as are our community leaders, including all KISD board members. I will continue to pray, but until you all realize that you work for the district and the community rather than the other way around, we have a very, very long way to go.