After
the resignation of Mrs. Sue Braun, we would
be pleased to share the duties of regular rotating
Board officership as we continue our productive
work on behalf of improving public education for
143,000 students.
At present we are the only elected body in San Diego County whose public meetings are not televised. This is a perfect time to express our commitment to civility and public information by televising our twice-monthly meetings. In this 21st century, it seems secretive to do less.
We look forward to immediate reform of the Board Consent Agenda, which has been such a bone of contention. For some time, matters of more than routine monetary importance have appeared on Consent, which is why we have pulled, discussed and voted them separately. In future, such items might appear separately on the regular agenda, or the Board might agree to accept without complaint our entirely legitimate practice of pulling, discussing and voting individually each item of concern.
As a courtesy to the community, we wish to move Public Comment at our meetings to a time certain of 5 p.m., rather than maintain the indefinite end-of-meeting status it now occupies. As elected trustees of the public schools, we need to hear from citizens at an hour that is predictable and convenient for them.
We are confident that after Mrs. Braun responsibly steps down from this Board, divisive personal politics will be abandoned. We can then refocus on sound policy that assures an excellent public education for every child in this school district. We are smart and caring people; we can appreciate one another as colleagues in a great endeavor; and we can respect our differences when they arise. This is work worth doing. We share common ground and we can move forward.
[signed]
John de Beck
Frances O'Neill Zimmerman
