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Board members urge mutual respect after curriculum debate; DNEA reports contract-deviation ballot
Summary
Board members used their reports to ask for respectful public discourse following recent heated curriculum discussions; Kathleen O'Brien of DNEA updated the board on a contract-deviation ballot and state union representation.
Board members used the "board reports" portion of the Jan. 27 meeting to address recent heated public discussion over curriculum and to call for respectful discourse among board members, staff and patrons.
Board member Michael said the board should respect differing concerns and not "attack" colleagues. He described his personal voting priorities as parents first, then students, then taxpayers. He asked members and patrons to keep remarks respectful in meetings and in emails.
Board member Kathy said personal attacks at the previous meeting were inappropriate and that students in the audience should not be subjected to that tone. Multiple board members reiterated that professional and polite exchanges, including pre-meeting outreach between members, would be preferable to public confrontation.
DNEA update
Kathleen O'Brien, Derby High School science teacher and DNEA president, reported that DNEA had sent a contract-deviation ballot to certified staff as part of the contract-day/repurposing process; the ballot would be open until Friday and results would be returned to the union. O'Brien also named the district delegates selected to attend the Kansas National Education Association representative assembly.
Ending
Board members thanked volunteers and staff for community engagement and reiterated the request that public comments be delivered respectfully to preserve productive discussion.
