You might think that the national reputation thingy that Superintendent Christina 3-2 Kishimoto keeps talking about would be a good thing. You might think again. Gilbert Public schools has a national reputation, all right, but it isn’t for excellence in educating students. No sirreee, that national reputation was earned over the controversial content in “Campbell Biology: Concepts and Connections,” the biology book used by GPS. At the November *official* board meeting, governing board clerk Jill Humpherys explained exactly what’s wrong with current situation.
Jill Humpherys loses her self-control and yells about how no child had read *those* pages of the biology textbook, the pages which were controversial as a violation of state law. Then Jill Humpherys sarcastically thanks board member Julie Smith after blaming her for educating all students “on the very materials that I would have just soon that they missed.” Somehow, this controversy just won’t go away. For some cheap laughs, click the closed caption button while you watch.
You will all be glad to know that three members of the governing board rescued Superintendent Christina 3-2 Kishimoto from exceeding her authority when she ordered stickers be appended to the Campbell Biology textbook. There was no question Kishimoto was ignoring that the direction of the board had been something else. Kishimoto just didn’t want to do what she was ordered to do, so she went about her business the way she wanted to, making up stickers and sucking up to educrats who slapped her on the back for standing up to board members she doesn’t like. This is how the official GPS minutes reported the decision on October 28, 2014:
Mrs. Smith moved that the Governing Board direct administration to redact all references of abortion in any furnished materials given to students as part of any instruction in Gilbert Public Schools that does not give preference, encouragement and support to childbirth and adoption in the same furnished material. Administration is to provide an update to the board at the November 18, 2014 Board meeting with details of plans of implementation. Seconded by Ms. Burk. Final Resolution: Aye: Staci Burk, Daryl Colvin, Julie Smith. Nay: Jill Humpherys, Lily N. Tram.
[Keyboard: Lookie! a 3-2 vote, a Kishimoto specialty!]
So then what happened? As reported by the media:
Gilbert board on biology textbook redaction: nevermind. Although it did not take a formal vote, the Gilbert Public Schools governing board on Tuesday decided school staff does not need to edit biology books that mention abortion after all… Kishimoto told the board in a Nov. 18 report that she thought redacting the books would just encourage students to seek the information elsewhere — without guidance from a teacher.
This was the agenda item on the November 24, 2015 board meeting agenda:
6.05 Discussion and possible action regarding direction to the Superintendent pertaining to curriculum found in the Campbell Biology textbook.
Westie would love to tell you what happened, but written minutes for the meeting are not available. Based on usual practice in GPS, written minutes won’t be available until GPS gets darn well ready to let the public know what happened in that public meeting. Don’t hold your breath, GPS has been known to dally for months before making meeting minutes available. Don’t bother pointing out that Arizona law requires otherwise, GPS under Christina 3-2 Kishimoto does things the way she wants them done. The Christina Corollary: “Suck on it, citizens and taxpayers!”
You know that Westie loves to share, so take a look at the letter from the Arizona Assistant Attorney General in charge of Complaints Against Unethical Errant Public Officers. The relevant part:
The issue of whether the superintendent exceeded her authority by taking action without a formal vote of the Board does not fall within the scope of the OML. Thus, I cannot substantiate a violation of the OML based on this allegation.
Talk about kicking the can down the road! Once again, Christina Kishimoto gets away with making things up as she goes along.BS The Terrible Trio laughs in the faces of the public and the two board members who don’t sit up and beg when they’re told to do so. Run along, nothing to see here… except there’s plenty more for Westie to share.
There was another meeting on November 24, 2015 … Open Meeting Law Training required by the Arizona Attorney General because GPS has been violating OML. Although Christina 3-2 Kishimoto moved the public meeting to a small conference room in yet another attempt to throw off public attention and evade public scrutiny [again], intrepid citizens and television cameras ran the gauntlet to bring forth information that Christina Kishimoto and the GPS Governing Board Terrible Trio would rather keep behind closed doors. We’ll have all that for you next time. Same place, same blog, same old stuff. See you then!
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*Big Fat Asterisk: Westie can’t resist replaying one of Jill Humpherys’ greatest hits of recent months. Enjoy “Let the Idiots Work at Walmart!”
Listen to Good Old Board Member Jill Humpherys when she fails to filter her mental dialogue as she compares the school district’s pay scale for classified staff to Walmart. Jill Humpherys seems to have discovered that some district employees work for less than Walmart’s recently raised minimum wage of $10.00 an hour. OMG – Walmart might start competing with GPS for the lowest-paid positions!
Jill Humpherys solves the problem by saying, “We want to keep the best. We don’t want some idiot being in our classified staff and doing the job; I mean, let them go to work for Walmart.” Watch Board Member Charlie Santa Cruz’s face as Jill Humpherys speaks – priceless!