Beloit School Board Report Card

Stateline News

3

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Beloit Education Association

School Board Report Card for 2008-2009 Overall Performance Grade for the Board of Education of the School District of Beloit

F

Out of concern for the public matter of the quality of education in Beloit, the Beloit Education Association (BEA) Executive Board submits the following Report Card to the public. This Report Card is for the Board of Education (‘the Board’) of the School District of Beloit. It is based on documents received under Wisconsin’s Open Records law, a review of School District of Beloit Policy and Procedures, the minutes of open School Board meetings, interviews with current and former Board members, staff, administrators, and teachers. The following summary and conclusions represent the opinion of the BEA based on an extensive review of relevant facts.

In our opinion, the Board of Education of the School District of Beloit is dysfunctional. We believe that the Board does not operate with a sense of unity or a common sense of purpose and direction, and that some individuals on the Board act in their own interest at the expense of others. As a result, the Board operates in a state of confusion and conflict. There are clear examples of disrespectful, unethical, and unprofessional behaviors exhibited by some Board members toward other Board members and District staff at all levels. VISION AND PURPOSE: We believe the Board has failed to identify and support system-wide goals and measures to advance the School District of Beloit vision.

F

In the opinion of the BEA, the Board has failed to act in a collaborative manner with fellow members, administrative staff, school faculty, parents and students. In both public and private forums, some Board members have verbally abused and otherwise shown utter disregard for District employees at all levels. Some Board members routinely act in a manner designed to advance their own personal interest. • Board members Mrs. Pam Charles and Mrs. Shannon Scharmer have on several occasions shouted at and made negative personal remarks to other Board members and to District staff at all levels. There are no reports of other Board members verbally abusing staff. • Unprofessional and bullying behavior on the part of Pam Charles and Shannon Scharmer have caused more than one top administrator or central office manager to resign and seek employment in a less toxic workplace. LEADERSHIP: We believe that the Board has repeatedly failed to recognize and preserve the executive, administrative, and leadership authority of the District and to provide for the effective operation of the District.

F

• Mrs. Charles has repeatedly refused to follow standard building procedures while in schools, and on more than one occasion, has interrupted classroom instructional time to pursue a personal agenda not authorized by the Board. During those times she claimed to be acting as a parent, she injected her status as a Board member into the conversation. She has repeatedly exceeded the scope of her authority as a Board member. • On one occasion, Mrs. Charles attempted to bully a group of teachers into replacing a cast member in a school play so that her own child could have the part. She referred to herself as a Board member during this conversation. GOVERNANCE: We believe the Board has failed to ensure compliance with local, state and federal laws, standards, and regulations and/or their own Board policies.

F

• Mrs. Scharmer applied for the position of Wellness Coordinator for the District while serving on the Board, a violation of Wis. Stat. ß946.13(1), the statutory prohibition of a private interest in a public contract. Her application was later withdrawn, but she, as Chair of the Policy and Personnel Committee, along with Board members John Winkelmann and Michael Ramsdail, rejected approval of the candidate recommended by the interview committee. This has resulted in a lawsuit, which the Board refuses to settle. Legal fees for the District continue to skyrocket. • Mrs. Charles used her position as a Board member to ensure that one of her own children would be allowed to play with the BMHS jazz band even though her child was not of high school age and was enrolled in a private school. This resulted in sanctions against the entire Jazz band by the Wisconsin State Music Association, which prohibited the Jazz band from competing in state contests for one year. Mrs. Charles ignored administrative advice that might have avoided these sanctions. • Mrs. Charles and Mrs. Scharmer used their positions on the Board as individuals to harass and intimidate two top level administrators into changing the criteria for the use of Gifted and Talented (GT) monies in order to benefit their own children, at least two of whom were not identified as Gifted and Talented under the criteria in place. GT scholarship money has always been earmarked for use by families qualifying for free and reduced lunch, but because of their tactics, this requirement was dropped. The change was never officially communicated to District families. Mrs. Scharmer received $2,400.00 to pay for a residential enrichment camp for her children, one of whom was not a student in the District and who had not been identified as Gifted and Talented. Mrs. Charles applied for and was approved for money to send one of her children to a summer band camp, but later withdrew the application when other Board members expressed concern. • Mrs. Charles and Mrs. Scharmer repeatedly violate the Open Meetings law, Board Policy 161.1(2), and the Attorney General’s recommendations concerning Board communications, by communicating via email to a quorum of Board members concerning Board business and actions to be taken. Such discussions must take place in open meetings. Mr. Winkelmann, Mr. Ramsdail, and Mr. Erikson appear to have avoided involvement. • Mrs. Scharmer appears to have a conflict of interest concerning the hiring of a Crystal Report Writer for the District at a cost of $81,000.00. After Mrs. Scharmer’s husband applied for the position, that position was recommended to be cut. But, Mrs. Scharmer, Mrs. Charles and Mr. Acomb voted to remove it from the cut list. After Mrs. Scharmer’s husband was interviewed, but not recommended for the position, Mrs. Scharmer acted to reject the candidate that was chosen, causing the job to be reposted. • Mrs. Charles and Mrs. Scharmer failed to follow Board policy for turning in receipts following a trip to Orlando to attend a Board conference. Mrs. Scharmer requested reimbursement for lost wages as well, even though this was not approved as part of the original request. Family members accompanied them on this trip. When told they had not followed policy and could not be reimbursed, they used their Board positions to change the policy. They were eventually given the money. TEACHING AND LEARNING: We believe the Board has failed to ensure that District-wide curricular and instructional decisions are based on data and research for all students.

D-

• In Fall 2008, the Board voted to spend approximately $500,000 on staff and services for Gifted and Talented students despite the fact that only 33 students in the District had been identified as Level II GT. Mrs. Charles, Mrs. Scharmer, Mr. Acomb and Mrs. Oselio have refused to allow significant cuts in this area even though it will mean larger class sizes and fewer programs for the majority of the District’s students. RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS: We believe the actions of the Board have severely hurt its ability to recruit, retain, and mentor qualified administration, teachers, and support staff.

D-

• The School District of Beloit is suffering from severe recruitment issues affecting all levels of the District. We believe that the constant public and private mistreatment of staff and the actions of the Board undermine the ability of the District to retain qualified and professional staff. IN CONCLUSION The BEA Executive Board commends the District staff and administration for their leadership and professionalism in persevering, despite the existing Board misconduct, and in continuing to do what is good for students and the image of our School District. We hope the community of Beloit exerts its influence by supporting strong candidates for the Board of Education who have the desire to make a difference for ALL of Beloit’s children, who have the interpersonal skills to be an effective member of the Board, and who recognize their role as policy maker rather than micromanager of daily operations. We hope to give the new Board better grades on next year’s Report Card. Authorized and paid for by the Beloit Education Association 96022