Finally, someone other than Board of Education member Donna Crook has decided to break ranks and board "norms," and say what she truly thinks. Regardless of whether you think Bonnie Borsa blindsided Crook at the Oct. 26 meeting, or took too long to confront her, the incident highlights the need for more transparency and accountability.School board members were elected as individuals, not as one body with one voice. They shouldn't be stymied when they want to publicly challenge a decision, nor should they be discouraged from calling each other out. To date, only Crook has bucked the self-imposed "norms," which dictate how each member addresses the public on a school board issue and keep the discussion of dissenting opinions to a minimum.
Obviously there are advantages to the board and Frederick County Public Schools when the public believes that the board is united, but it's not a true reflection of the process, and is unfair to those members who regularly oppose the majority.
When left to fester, the end result is Borsa's recent confrontation with Crook. Borsa broke from convention when she took Crook to task during board comments. Though she wasn't rude, her simmering frustration was evident.
Borsa's angst over criticism is nothing new. The school system and the school board attempted to counter what they deemed misinformation by starting a TVtalk show, "Board Chat." Because the show hasn't addressed many controversial issues, it hasn't attracted much of an audience. Borsa has also written letters to the editor in this newspaper.
These anemic efforts are akin to putting a finger in the dike. The bad news has been gushing from FCPS and the school board during past year, some of it warranted, some of it just fodder for the rumor mill. Taking grievances to the board's public meetings is the best way to confront issues head-on. That way, people can debate the information in public and on the record.
As for the truth behind the accusations Borsa hurled at Crook, some are easily verifiable; others are open to interpretation. For example, the executive office floor of the central office building doesn't have any "personal poopers," whereas Jack Dale's purchase of alcohol on the FCPS procurement card in 2003 is subject to interpretation. Crook wasn't lying, and neither was Borsa. The county attorney said the procurement card shows no purchase of alcohol, while Commissioner Lennie Thompson said Dale paid his personal expenses after Thompson filed a Public Information Act request for the receipts in 2003.
As for Crook's statement that she initiated an alcohol policy, that's up for debate. Crook wanted to review a policy that's been on the books for decades. Did she exaggerate her position? Probably, but that doesn't amount to an outright lie.
As petty as much of this may sound, what really matters is that issues are brought into the light of public record, rather than kept behind the scenes. The public decides what's important and what's not, and can make a choice about the upcoming election based on what they see and hear, not what they are spoon-fed by the school board.
Here on Friday, read more about what really matters. The National Center for Education Statistics finds Maryland standards below basic proficiency in fourth grade and average in eighth grade. What's the validity of the report and what does it mean in terms of student achievement? If you want to weigh in, e-mail me.
kheerbrandt@yahoo.com
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