The Poway Unified School District's Board of Education had a Special Board meeting last night (May, 14, 2015) to hear the district's
2015-16 Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) priorities.
Mel Robinson and Malliga Tholandi presented last year's LCAP goals and progress made towards
those goals. They also presented stakeholders' input around this
year's LCAP priorities. Kimberley Beatty asked board
members to share their top five priorities. Beatty had asked board members to bring their list to the board meeting. TJ Zane, Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff, and Andy Patapow brought
their list, but didn't
want to share because they felt they wanted to think about
the new information they were just given. Beatty
demanded they share. Beatty had staff list the board
members' top five priorities on poster paper so they could come to
"consensus" on the board's priorities.
Sellers' top five priorities are written above: (typed as written below)
- Equalize out of pocket costs for classified and teacher/mgmt dental vision. These benefits should not differ per bargaining unit. One set of costs should pervade.
- Restore/upgrade classified staff positions/hours to pre-recession levels.
- Equalize vacation accrual methodology b/t classified staff & mgmt.
- Restore books/and supplies budget to pre-recession levels.
- Bring classified staff salaries up to market levels per new salary data.
So, is there a "Conflict of Interest" here? Sellers said he sleeps with a library tech so he "knows all
about the priorities." Sellers is a hypocrite. He cries out "conflict" at every turn when discussing negotiations. Sellers believes everyone but him has a conflict of interest when involved in negotiations. Does anyone believe for a second that Sellers is not meeting on a regular basis with leaders of the classified unions (PSEA) and "negotiating" with them and making promises?
The debate over priorities went on
for almost two hours. The video of last night's board
meeting will be excellent data to share! Andy did his best
to explain the appropriate process but Beatty said, "This is
a new process…and as board members we are only
accountable to students and tax payers."
Adding to this "new" process is Sellers' public
disrespect to teachers for wanting higher salaries, when in his opinion, "they
are already paid too much using this "fair share" agreement
they have, rather than reducing class size". Sellers said
something like, "Teachers got what they wanted so as far as
I'm concerned, we're done with them." Sellers also
disparaged all LSS staff and their work around the LCAP.
Noreen Walton was so angry she got out of her chair and
said, "That's enough!"
Sellers priorities have NOTHING to do with children and education. He is simply concerned with PSEA and his wife's compensation and benefits. He is the "Ultimate Hypocrite" and violating board policy and ethics with his actions and comments.
ARTICLE 4.0 PERSONNEL SUPPORT SERVICES
4.1 GENERAL PERSONNEL PRACTICES
SECTION 4.111 MEETING AND NEGOTIATING
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL NOT NEGOTIATE INDIVIDUALLY OR COLLECTIVELY WITH MEMBERS OF AN ORGANIZATION ELECTED AS AN EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE. ALL NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH THE CHIEF NEGOTIATOR FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
Sellers is clearly violating this portion of board policy. Conflict of interest? Hypocrite? You be the judge.
Related article can be found in the Pomerado News / Poway Chieftan
Related article can be found in the Pomerado News / Poway Chieftan
Almost all the posted priorities are focused on "equalizing" pay and benefits, but there must be more to the story. Did the classified union negotiate higher benefit expenses in exchange for that money to be spent in some other way? Sure seems like we don't really have all the info., but it's an easy way to pit employees against each other when it could be that different bargaining groups just had different priorities.
ReplyDeleteThis just draws the focus away from doing what's best for kids.
Mr Sellers was bought and paid for by Lynette Turner and the Psea which also in biased and only wants what's best for SpEd aides and Library techs. She bullies people and only accepts volunteers that agree with her. She gave Sellers the endorsement of the PSEA before all candidates had declared. Talk about back door deals. His priority is only for classified as it benfits him. I guess that's how he keeps his wife happy. #poor excuse#sad day with him around
DeleteYour one-sided critique of Mr Sellers has at least one merit. None of the items presented here as his priorities has anything to do with the students. He needs to work on this. I believe every board member is elected to serve the parents, taxpayers and above all work with parents to ensure students receive the best public education possible within a budget. Focus on some of the items represented here as Mr Sellers' priorities do not fit into these categories. I believe you have an opportunity here to have a useful blog provided you stick with facts and not misrepresent things as you did in one post mentioning me.
ReplyDeleteI only use fact Steve. I am not a Maytag man and have no spin cycle. I deplore those who spin numbers, events and words to suit their agenda. I will expose and speak my mind. I have not horse in this race. I simply care about a district that served my children so well and the relationships built over the past 25 years. I know the people you disparage and know that while there is a sliver of truth to every lie.... a lie is anything not TOTALLY true.... that includes anything spun to make a point or serve an agenda. My critique of Sellers is not "one-sided" but an accurate reflection of his words and actions.
DeleteYou do not "only use fact". Your inaccurate mention of the things I have said are false on their face. Your saying it is fact does not make it so. I replied to your statements and presented you with an opportunity to retract them. You did not. Everything I have said in public is out there for the public to find and determine what I say is true. Your statements on the other hand, contradict the truth. Any readers will see this. It's too bad as I encourage truthful dialog about education and believe there needs to be more of it. It would appear you will not be contributing to this based on what little you have put forth on your blog so far. Perhaps you can let fact overcome emotion and morph the blog into something useful. You aren't off to a good start.
DeleteLets try... and I know it is difficult as you have an agenda... but stick to the issue in each posing.... This post is about Sellers and his being a hypocrite....
Delete