First, I was expecting to blog a lot as I entered this week because I’m so full of thoughts and it looked like it was going to rain all week. But then it turned sunny on Monday and I had to garden. Then I got an email invitation to meet with Chair Miernicki on Thursday so, I decided to keep my mouth shut for a while. I’ve got more sunshine today and more gardening to do so except for this update I’ll probably not put much more in the blog today. But the blackout due to my upcoming meeting with Mern is off. Mern told me last night that he’s golfing on Thursday. I simply have too much in my head to wait until a meeting with Mike is rescheduled.
You will want to read the story about last night’s meeting in the Duluth Tribune this morning. Betty Davis’s “bumpy ride” has begun. It was so awful that Superintendent Gronseth mentioned the possibility of a retreat or something like it to help we school board members get past our bitter divides. I’d welcome that.
The symbolic detail of our four hour slog that will stick with me was the vote on the nine points of civility.
Poor old Anita Stech (our kids attended Chester Park elementary together) had to endure a four hour long meeting until we considered a resolution to abide by the nine points. It followed half an hour of discussion on a motion by Art, seconded by me, to have a discussion about how one can get issues placed on our agenda for discussion. We were voted down 5-2 with lots of assurances that our administration followed all the policy rules. It also followed half an hour of abuse heaped on the Board by Art’s supporters. It followed three more hours of discussions that were often quite business-like.
Four hours later the Civility Pledge resolution was finally introduced despite never been listed in advance as an agenda item. I commented that it was interesting how mysteriously some items could appear on the agenda out of nowhere if the right combination of people in power chose to add even if contrary to our policy.
Art made a motion to add the word Honesty as a tenth point with a tail about being kind to each other. To his credit Chair Miernicki said he supported the addition. In the end that was a sufficient reason for a majority of the Board to sooth and placate their injured and accused colleague by voting for the addition to the Civility Pledge.
After Pandora’s curiosity got the better of her and she opened the box of horrors that polluted the word of man, one last critter flew out of the box. It was hope. Maybe that’s what that last vote was at last night’s meeting.
