Charles Sellers Shows His True Colors

I attended Mondays School Board Meeting of the Poway Unified School District's Board of Education. What I witnessed was unbelievable. But, not as unbelievable as what I read in the Voice of San Diego. I need to put some context to the events of the past few weeks.

I have been watching the goings on with the Board of Education in Poway for many years. I have family and friends who are teachers and administrators in the district. I have even more friends and people who I know who have children in the district as well as those whose children have graduated from the schools in Poway. Last year, there was a huge firestorm related to a prior Bond and its cost. The resulting fall out was the election of three new members to the Board of Education. One member retired after serving twenty years and two members were unseated. T. J. Zane, Ms. O'Connor-Ratcliff and Charles Sellers were elected as Trustees.

But, I need to go back a bit more. In 2012, Kimberly Beatty was elected to the Board, unseating Linda Vanderveen. Beatty brought with her a personal agenda that put her at odds with her colleagues on the Board of Education almost immediately. She began to act as one, over stepping her authority and doing things like going to the City of San Diego and using her position, attempting to get things from the City. When this was discovered by the Board, as well as District administrators, Beatty was counseled and advised of the limitations of her position and the authority she actually possesses as a Board member. Over the course of two years, Beatty has managed to alienate a large portion of teachers, administrators, as well as those outside the district. Her propensity for half truths and out right lies is well known.

The boiling point blew the lid off of things these last few months. Sellers and Beatty stalled labor negotiations with teachers who thought they had reached a tentative agreement with the District. Then Beatty penned an op ed piece in the local new paper (Battle over who controls PUSD budget process) attacking the president of the teachers union as well as the Superintendent and members of his staff. The spin provided by Beatty was one that would give Whirlpool a run for its money.

The Board meeting and aftermath brought out the true colors of Charles Sellers. The proof is in the words and actions of Sellers. Take a look at the video of the Board meeting that lasted over five hours. In the first two plus hours you will clearly see Sellers true colors and agenda. If you don't see it in the video, take a look at the comments he wrote, related to an article in the Voice of San Diego (How Poway Unified went from Big Happy Family to Family Feud, by Ashly McGlone). The tone and tenor of Sellers comments are so out of line and unprofessional I feel consequences should follow his actions. His name calling and accusations are clearly made in an attempt to bully and intimidate. He makes accusations toward fellow board members O'Connor-Ratcliff and Zane. Sellers intimates there was some agreement for O'Connor-Ratcliff to join hands with he and Beatty to fulfill their agenda. Sellers repeatedly attempted to bate Zane into agreeing with his views, mocking him for refusing to bite. He mocks and calls Dr. Collins, King John and does the same to Candy Smiley, calling her Queen Candy or Madam Smiley. He mocks Dr. Collins further by advising Ms. Smiley to "ditch the albatross that Dr. Collins has become to her cause". 

Ashly McGlone and Randy Dotinga, writers for the Voice of San Diego (VOSD) have written various pieces related to the fire storm raging in PUSD. Neither have taken the time to actually investigate and understand the processes they are writing about nor to find out the truth of what actually occurs in IBPS and the decisions that follow by the Trustees. They (McGlone and Dotinga) have become pawns by Sellers, Beatty and their eight supporters.

If you care about the education of children in Poway, you will start paying attention to what is going on and make your voice heard. Do not allow this small vocal minority group with an axe to grind, dictate what occurs in this award winning school district.