Comments on: Eanes school board takes no formal action on requests for investigation http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/07/10/eanes-school-board-takes-no-formal-action-on-requests-for-investigation/ Westlake Picayune is a publication of Austin Community Newspapers Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:09:44 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Susan Bushart http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/07/10/eanes-school-board-takes-no-formal-action-on-requests-for-investigation/comment-page-1/#comment-5439 Susan Bushart Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:02:21 +0000 http://www.westlakepicayune.com/?p=2710#comment-5439 Eanes public records show that Clint Sayers sent an email to EISD Trustees Paul Stone and Jim Strickland on April 30, 2009 and wrote, "What plans do you have in responding? These accusations cast a shadow over our district and not responding makes things worse. Why not have this investigated by a third party?" This article quoted Mr. Sayers as saying, “No action taken kind of speaks for itself,” board member Clint Sayers noted when asked for detail on the board’s discussion of the issue. The board's apparent intentional indifference to this matter should speak volumes for this community. Thank you Mr. Sayers for expressing your concern and having the integrity to suggest this matter be investigated. Eanes public records show that Clint Sayers sent an email to EISD Trustees Paul Stone and Jim Strickland on April 30, 2009 and wrote,

“What plans do you have in responding? These accusations cast a shadow over our district and not responding makes things worse. Why not have this investigated by a third party?”

This article quoted Mr. Sayers as saying,

“No action taken kind of speaks for itself,” board member Clint Sayers noted when asked for detail on the board’s discussion of the issue.

The board’s apparent intentional indifference to this matter should speak volumes for this community.

Thank you Mr. Sayers for expressing your concern and having the integrity to suggest this matter be investigated.

]]> By: Anonymous http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/07/10/eanes-school-board-takes-no-formal-action-on-requests-for-investigation/comment-page-1/#comment-5385 Anonymous Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:36:08 +0000 http://www.westlakepicayune.com/?p=2710#comment-5385 Outrageous, and even worse, completely predictable. Those in our community who learn about this latest incident and know the details are outraged and yet, FAR worse has happened in the past — and yes, with children as the targets. Outrageous, and even worse, completely predictable. Those in our community who learn about this latest incident and know the details are outraged and yet, FAR worse has happened in the past — and yes, with children as the targets.

]]> By: Anonymous http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/07/10/eanes-school-board-takes-no-formal-action-on-requests-for-investigation/comment-page-1/#comment-5384 Anonymous Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:32:56 +0000 http://www.westlakepicayune.com/?p=2710#comment-5384 What Dr. Wellman does not understand or realize is that if there is nothing to hide and there was no wrongdoing then it should all be out in the open. The closed door policy makes it appear as if there is something to hide. All they had to do was ask all Board members in the open board meeting a simple question- Did you or anyone in your home send this email?? A simple answer of NO would stop all discussion and speculation. If a board member answered yes- they would be able to explain if it was he or she or someone in their home and apologize. The School Board and Dr. Wellman fail to realize that they teach by example. They are teaching our children that they answer to a different set of standards- is this right if we are to teach equality, fairness and mutual respect? What Dr. Wellman does not understand or realize is that if there is nothing to hide and there was no wrongdoing then it should all be out in the open. The closed door policy makes it appear as if there is something to hide.
All they had to do was ask all Board members in the open board meeting a simple question- Did you or anyone in your home send this email?? A simple answer of NO would stop all discussion and speculation. If a board member answered yes- they would be able to explain if it was he or she or someone in their home and apologize.
The School Board and Dr. Wellman fail to realize that they teach by example. They are teaching our children that they answer to a different set of standards- is this right if we are to teach equality, fairness and mutual respect?

]]> By: Anonymous http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/07/10/eanes-school-board-takes-no-formal-action-on-requests-for-investigation/comment-page-1/#comment-5383 Anonymous Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:32:13 +0000 http://www.westlakepicayune.com/?p=2710#comment-5383 There is one reason that is clear to any interested observer to explain why EISD chose not to investigate how and where this email originated: trequest came from Susan Bushart. Say no more–that explains it totally. The extent of EISD’s vendetta against the Busharts and the Pharr’s is almost laughingly predictable. If this had happened to someone else–say a board member of EEF or a parent of a star athelet–then it would have outraged the Board; but because it happened to Susan’s family, well, let’s just say that their outrage is selective. When EISD gets crossways with a parent, it too often responds by villifying the person. It happens all the time. They must think that no one will notice. And in fact, they are right. So at least they’re consistent. Once a parent objects loudly–to discrimination, to the continued choice to ignore ADA laws, to math programs, to class sizes, it doesn’t really matter, it’s anything that challenges the board perception that they’re pr! esiding over the perfect school district–the preferred path of EISD is to make the person objecting the topic of discussion. Then they don’t have to address the problem. As Dave Barry would say, you can’t make this stuff up. There is one reason that is clear to any interested observer to explain why EISD chose not to investigate how and where this email originated: trequest came from Susan Bushart. Say no more–that explains it totally. The extent of EISD’s vendetta against the Busharts and the Pharr’s is almost laughingly predictable. If this had happened to someone else–say a board member of EEF or a parent of a star athelet–then it would have outraged the Board; but because it happened to Susan’s family, well, let’s just say that their outrage is selective. When EISD gets crossways with a parent, it too often responds by villifying the person. It happens all the time. They must think that no one will notice. And in fact, they are right. So at least they’re consistent. Once a parent objects loudly–to discrimination, to the continued choice to ignore ADA laws, to math programs, to class sizes, it doesn’t really matter, it’s anything that challenges the board perception that they’re pr!
esiding over the perfect school district–the preferred path of EISD is to make the person objecting the topic of discussion. Then they don’t have to address the problem. As Dave Barry would say, you can’t make this stuff up.

]]> By: Anonymous http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/07/10/eanes-school-board-takes-no-formal-action-on-requests-for-investigation/comment-page-1/#comment-5382 Anonymous Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:31:34 +0000 http://www.westlakepicayune.com/?p=2710#comment-5382 More information on this issue here: http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/not_the_first_time_or_even_the_second____.htm More information on this issue here:
http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/not_the_first_time_or_even_the_second____.htm

]]> By: Anonymous http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/07/10/eanes-school-board-takes-no-formal-action-on-requests-for-investigation/comment-page-1/#comment-5381 Anonymous Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:30:49 +0000 http://www.westlakepicayune.com/?p=2710#comment-5381 Our Westlake community should be, first and foremost, a safe and nurturing place to raise children. I do not know the details of the case above, but it is morally imperative that we do not allow any of our teenagers or children to be cyber-bullied. Texas lawmakers just passed a bill making certain types of “online harrassment” felonies (http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=107518). This is a potentially serious matter, especially considering the suicides of teenagers that have occurred in response to online attacks (such as the well-publicized cases of Megan Meier and Ryan Patrick Halligan). We, as a community, need to send a firm message that anonymous online slurs are NOT acceptable, especially when it comes to our children. Thank you. Our Westlake community should be, first and foremost, a safe and nurturing place to raise children. I do not know the details of the case above, but it is morally imperative that we do not allow any of our teenagers or children to be cyber-bullied. Texas lawmakers just passed a bill making certain types of “online harrassment” felonies (http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=107518). This is a potentially serious matter, especially considering the suicides of teenagers that have occurred in response to online attacks (such as the well-publicized cases of Megan Meier and Ryan Patrick Halligan). We, as a community, need to send a firm message that anonymous online slurs are NOT acceptable, especially when it comes to our children. Thank you.

]]> By: Anonymous http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/07/10/eanes-school-board-takes-no-formal-action-on-requests-for-investigation/comment-page-1/#comment-5380 Anonymous Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:27:52 +0000 http://www.westlakepicayune.com/?p=2710#comment-5380 This is outrageous. This is outrageous.

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