MAJ 2 – Rosie

This post and the next will reference small interactions that too place in the closed session but which, in my estimation, do not give away anything related to data privacy.

Member Rosie Loeffler-Kemp spoke earnestly about the need to keep the meetings discussion confidential. She has done this in other closed sessions almost always with a furtive nod in my direction which I have taken as accusatory and very particularly directed at me. Not tonight. It came out pro forma like something an official is always expected to say much like accountants always quote that paragraph in their audits about its being in compliance with official accounting standards.

Just before the meeting as I was heading in the parking lot Rosie passed me in her car going the opposite direction. She saw me and smiled pleasantly and gave me a wave which I reciprocated. Readers will note that this was quite different than the last time we had eye contact and Rosie was still smarting over my comments about the young African American who attended the conference on citizen involvement. If the School Board wasn’t about to dive full fledged into a courtroom again I’d take these as an excellent sign that we could go back to square one. Alas this is not to be.

Since Art Johnston’s character has come under so much scrutiny I feel compelled to honor the sage old adage what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. For a long time I’ve thought that the only Board member that would escape terribly hard scrutiny in my evaluations would be the youngest member Annie Harala. But no. Even Annie will be subject to my more rigorous scrutiny. I left a phone message with Annie asking that she call me back in the hopes that we could still find one more way to escape the coming legal assault. She did not return my call. Neither, of course, did the Superintendent.

Rosie’s demeanor yesterday suggested to me what might have been an opening to resolve our differences. We have not made that step. Once again I say Damn us, Damn me.

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