http://melrose.wickedlocal.com/news/20160308/kourkoumelis-resigns-from-school-committee?platform=hootsuite
It is with deep sadness that I write this this brief missive over the loss of school committee member, Carrie Kourkourmelis, our one true voice of reason. The one member parents of students with and without disabilities could voice their concerns and dismay over the the services their children are (or are not) receiving. She spoke out for the residents of Melrose without any thought or hopes obtaining any personal gain. Over and over I would watch these meetings seeing other members of said committee gang up on her, refuse to 2ND her motions and out-right bully her. For all of the parents who CKK assisted and listened to with an open mind and kind heart, please come forward and openly speak up over this terrible, terrible loss.
At first I thought it was a joke. Something must be especially troubling in the schools that she resigned now. It's obvious she had the guts to battle against bad things all these years. She stuck it out all this time. With her inside knowledge, however, she must know something very bad they've done for her to leave the committee now. I expect the rest must be doing something unethical or illegal and she felt she had to leave so as not to be complicit.
Disagree with nearly every issue that CKK has pushed, including the reason for leaving; but thank her for her service. Jaime MacAllister-Grande, welcome to the SC. Time to move forward.
From what the free press wrote, looks like OCR's wrist-slap changed nothing in Melrose.
Are all the abuses of special ed families, non-english speakers and the administration's bullying against so many others finally coming to roost? Maybe Kourkoumelis suspects indictments are coming down soon and wants no part of it.
No shame for her and only thanks from me. I watched for years as she worked hard to improve the system against the sycophants on the school committee. The schools now are much better because of her work - even though the behavior of administrators is worse than ever now violating federal laws.
What a shame for Melrose, but it's good news for other towns, since it means that Melrose will continue to attract nothing but bottom of the barrel teacher and administrator candidates. The good ones will continue to go elsewhere.
I agree that there must be a giant rat hidden in the woodpile. The timing of this makes me wonder what else is about to become public.
Thank you, Melrose! Idiots.
Today, the capacity is there for better schools thanks to her.
Thank you, Ms. Kourkoumelis. School Committee meetings won't be worth watching anymore. I doubt the new member will make the change you have.
I agree. Melrose won't find another school committee member who understands the depth of the problems. Or if they do, they'll want to join the mayor's club and pretend it's all good.
This is truly a great loss for Melrose children and taxpayers. My dear friend...after 5 years of hell I can't say that I blame you one bit. I can only hope that the Taymore, Dolan and those that have condoned everything that you have tried to bring to the light of day see the inside of a courtroom.
And if you thought things could not possibly get worse, it appears that there is going to be a pi$$ing contest over who gets the seat.
Well, the officials can thank themselves and their stupid charter committee for writing such a bad and highly flawed city charter. CKK didn't run in the last election (her spot is open in 2 years), so Kraunelis would be the logical inheritor of the spot going by when her position and her election cycle was. Naturally they want Miss Kindergarten Mommy, the same one who has gotten so cozy with Paymore and had her bring in that disastrous "Improv" troupe (obvious conflict of interest notwithstanding, shame on them) to deal with CT's little "race" problem, so the district's crack legal team is trying to bulldoze the way clear for this "friendly amendment" to the School Committee, as it were. They certainly don't want a republican dad on the committee! (Anything, even a convicted felon, is more acceptable than that!) If Ms. Toddler Mommy is allowed to prevail, parents of older kids can just kiss goodbye any further pretense at caring about the high school because everything (that isn't already) will be 100% focused on Cyndy's "babies." What a cluster####!
How is it possible that no other SC member thinks there is a problem - a big problem with the way Taymore handled the situation? 100K in legal bills is OK? Covering up the findings when #2 was in a superintendent race for a different city? Then hire a PR firm to help smooth all the edges. I can't believe there would be a single person in the city of Melrose that does not appreciate the time and effort CK put into the schools. She always had the best interest of the students in mind - and the taxpayers. Today is a very sad day for the City.
No surprise here, tafka VuVu: Carrie was for ethics, transparency, disclosure, civil rights, and observance of the law, including public records laws. She was also the only SC member who did her homework during the last Superintendent selection process and wisely voted against the mayor's handpicked insider, CT. The taxpayers, children and the community as a whole have been paying the price since 2012. The school administration and city hall are an embarrassment within the educational community in Massachusetts; even used as an example of what NOT to do in case studies.
We welcome Jason Kraunelis to bring some sense to the school committee members who have clearly lost their way and have forgotten that they represent the citizen's of Melrose; not the power base assembled by Rob Dolan by hook or crook over the last several years. The citizens of Melrose have spoken loud and clear during the last election via their 2 to 1 decimation of Mr Dolan's proposed unfocused override bid and by 30% of voters electing NOT to vote for him in the ballot box despite the being uncontested. Wake up Robbie, MEFers and the small cadre of coffee clutchers who believe they own the city. Times they are a changin.
I agree with one thing in your post...that is that the seat should belong to Jason Kraunelis. He ran with integrity and was HONEST with the voters but he came up a little short. I wish him luck in his new role and look forward to his contributions.
Tafka Vuvu: As a mouthpiece for Robbie and gang, no surprise to us that you don't agree with Carrie's concerns for ethical conduct within the school committee city hall, city solicitor's office and school administration.
She was truly for the teachers and the improvement of our schools. It is sad to see her resign. It is a shame that the school committee cannot work in unison. I hope she does not give up for what is right and continues to pursue those who are lying and are hiding something. "Darkness cannot hide from light". May the truth prevail.
Who is cooking the books here?
Just got the Free Press in the mail. I'm shocked and saddened to see Mrs. Kourkoumelis resigned. For years, I've known her to be a principled person, dedicated to improving our world and community. We need more like her in public office, not less. She has worked tirelessly for the students for many years against the herd of sycophants (great word) on the school committee.
In Mayor Dolan's quote he wants people to believe she resigned because it was hard work and she didn't want to do it any longer. It's clear she was never afraid to do hard work. You could see it each week on TV in the statements she made at meetings. She was always prepared when the others didn't know what the issue was about. It's obvious she could have done that hard work forever. She also did the hard work standing up to the sycophants (my new best word)on the school committee. She could have done that hard work forever, too.
For her to resign like this must mean that there is something really rotten occurring in the Melrose School administration and School Committee. Here's how it probably went.
They must of discussed something confidential at one of the secret meeting sessions that the superintendent did something that was really bad. Just as at the open public meetings, Mrs. Kourkoumelis would have taken a stand against the bad thing and wanted consequences.
They probably all voted 6-1 to allow the superintendent to continue to violate students' civil rights, with Mrs. Kourkoumelis being the only one against violating students' rights. Mrs. Kourkoumelis also probably didn't want the school to spend legal fees defending the superintendent so she could continue doing illegal things.
It seems the superintendent did something very wrong. The school committee found out and didn't hold her accountable. They probably helped in some of the coverup. Then they all lied and said the superintendent did great things (instead of that she violated the law).
No one on earth could work with an organization that corrupt and get good things done. Not even Mrs. Kourkoumelis. It's amazing she got so many things done she did. She made the Melrose Schools change over the last six years despite the majority voting against every good thing.
There is no joy in Mudville today folks. Another Melrose Messages hero quits. First JLB quits the BOA and now CKK quits the school committee. What's a whiner to do? Don't kid yourself, CKK never got anything done on the SC. She is in lock step with the whiner board...your opinion doesn't matter if you can't get people to agree with you. The small list of clowns on this board have very strong opinions, as does MFD, GM and CKK, the problem is the entire voting community has heard the platform and rejected it. MM is your island, enjoy it. In the real world you are a bunch of crack pots that can't accomplish anything.
You must not have kids who were in the schools before 2010. If you did, you would know how bad things were then and that Carrie K. was the one always chiding the schools to do better. Everyone on the school committee always votes against her, but the things she brought attention to were the things they finally addressed. Every good thing done for the schools the last five years that the schools publicize, she made it happen.
Look at it this way. During all the years Thorp, Dolan, Driscoll, Constantine, Casatelli, Lehman were on the school committee the schools went further and further downhill. It went downhill while they all claimed how wonderful everything always was.
After Carrie got on there and brought the problems into view of the public - along with Larock for a while, they couldn't just ignore them. Every vote of 6-1 against Carrie highlighted that problem and the superintendent was forced to address it.
There is not one thing today that people say is good about the schools that she didn't bring attention to first. Textbooks, technology, building issues, AP scores, curriculum, staff issues. That's just a few of the big ones that come to mind.
More evidence the MM crowd is completely delusional. By its very nature when an individuals proposal goes down 6 to 1 the idea is soundly rejected and the measure not implemented. I forgot about LaRock...another quitter.
She actually made nothing happen, she was on the wrong side of every vote. Her 6 year career has not a single victory...and then she betrayed the voters trust by quitting and blaming everyone else for her ineffective and combative style.
I voted for her every election and would continue to do so for every year she would have chosen to run again. Those people were vile to her and represent everything wrong with this city, but she continued to fight on for the people who elected her and the children of Melrose that couldn't. You must be Martha, one of the other SC members or the delusional people they represent. Thanks is totally inadequate for what Carrie has done for my children and this community. Melrose should be beyond ashamed.
Should be, but doesn't have the common decency.
Why would "Melrose be beyond ashamed" because an official they elected couldn't get along with the rest of the school committee? CKK couldn't get a single thing done in six years, she had her OCD mentally ill crony show up at every school committee meeting for years to rant and rave during public participation, and she the rest of her time on this website with her husband sh*tting all over the school committee. She made the right move for her family and her own mental health when she resigned. Elected government was clearly not her thing.
Do you really intend to defend people who abused children in the schools of this City? Do you feel proud to attack those who work to make the schools and Community better? Were you one of the sick people who claimed the YMCA sexual-abuse scandal was no big deal, either?
The Community of Melrose SHOULD feel ashamed. Even when many of our 14 year old children's civil rights were violated, the Community didn't come together and demand corrective action for them and accountability from those responsible for protecting them, but who chose not to.
This Community talks the talk of civil rights and anti-violence, motherhood and apple pie (complete with walks and feel-good events, too). Those same talkers and walkers demonstrate cowardice when it comes to taking direct and honorable action. How many politicians, civil rights commission members, clergy, PTO members, MEF members or MAAV members have gone public to condemn the racially hostile environment and its attempted coverup by those in power? Only one person - Carrie Kourkoumelis.
The people directly responsible for not doing the right things by trying to bury the whole matter are Tom Brow, Cyndy Taymore, Patti White-Lambright, Mayor Dolan, Attorney Robert Van Campen, and the School Committee. Now they've hired a PR firm to bury and spin it some more.
With all the great 'communication' claims of this school system, nearly two years later, no one has contacted my daughter or any of her classmates to discuss the racist comments she witnessed that day and reported. All they've been told is that, they, the children, are the racist ones and now they need an education about race in the high school. It's disgusting that the ones behind this farce the ones who refused to respond for two years.
The children have already gotten quite a lesson, however. That is about abuse of power, and the dual system of justice which allows those in power to remain there despite being guilty of abusing basic federal civil rights protections. That's a sad lesson, but probably a valuable one.
I hope the children learn to stand up in the face of that reality and do what's right instead of cozying up to power as their older community members have.
Shame on Melrose, indeed.
What she said.
What she said.
I knew what happened was wrong but didn't know what I could do. Now I feel bad I didn't get all the other parents together and make a big deal about it two years ago. You always think there is someone in power who will make sure the right thing gets done so you don't have to get involved. You think it's not your place. You don't want to go against the grain. I was wrong. I'm sorry I didn't stand up for the children.
Do you really intend to defend people who abused children in the schools of this City? Do you feel proud to attack those who work to make the schools and Community better? Were you one of the sick people who claimed the YMCA sexual-abuse scandal was no big deal, either?
The Community of Melrose SHOULD feel ashamed. Even when many of our 14 year old children's civil rights were violated, the Community didn't come together and demand corrective action for them and accountability from those responsible for protecting them, but who chose not to.
This Community talks the talk of civil rights and anti-violence, motherhood and apple pie (complete with walks and feel-good events, too). Those same talkers and walkers demonstrate cowardice when it comes to taking direct and honorable action. How many politicians, civil rights commission members, clergy, PTO members, MEF members or MAAV members have gone public to condemn the racially hostile environment and its attempted coverup by those in power? Only one person - Carrie Kourkoumelis.
The people directly responsible for not doing the right things by trying to bury the whole matter are Tom Brow, Cyndy Taymore, Patti White-Lambright, Mayor Dolan, Attorney Robert Van Campen, and the School Committee. Now they've hired a PR firm to bury and spin it some more.
With all the great 'communication' claims of this school system, nearly two years later, no one has contacted my daughter or any of her classmates to discuss the racist comments she witnessed that day and reported. All they've been told is that, they, the children, are the racist ones and now they need an education about race in the high school. It's disgusting that the ones behind this farce the ones who refused to respond for two years.
The children have already gotten quite a lesson, however. That is about abuse of power, and the dual system of justice which allows those in power to remain there despite being guilty of abusing basic federal civil rights protections. That's a sad lesson, but probably a valuable one.
I hope the children learn to stand up in the face of that reality and do what's right instead of cozying up to power as their older community members have.
Shame on Melrose, indeed.
Thank you, "Truth Be Told" and "Sobering". "Delusional" (aka "Clown Patrol") has to be one of the ugliest individuals epitomizing the administration's contemptuous and ugly behavior. The Melrose Y Rapist scandal is entirely appropriate as an analogy. This community surrounded and protected those who allowed a monster to rape many children (only 2 have yet been identified by this shameful community) over 14 years (14 years!). The realtors, the Chamber, the school administration, the clubs, for the most part cared only about protecting themselves and those who allowed these monstrous acts to take place. It was only when courageous individuals like Patricia Wright stepped up that the cleansing light of sunshine started to be directed the whole dangerous mess. The analogy to what is happening now is true and sadly altogether correct. This is a bad time to brag about being a Melrosian, but a perfect time to step up out of the shadows and help the community seek some redemption.
All excellent insights about the depths to which Carrie dug with the open and full intent to improve a flailing and failing public school system. Over the past 40 years in public education across three school systems, three more in major consulting opps, and four NEASC accreditation appointments,not to mention three terms on the Melrose School Committee, I've seen just about every type of school committee member from the criminals who take money for jobs at one end to the Carrie's at the polar opposite. Yes, most reside somewhere between, but very few are in the category of Carrie Kourkoumelis for one major reason. They can't mobilize a majority to bring accountabilty when confronted with the depth of patronage and insider dealings within the committee. The other problem is most serve with a modicum at best of the necessary intellect to understand the magnitude of their responsibilities, thus relying on and trusting the powers that are to guide them. Look at our track history and revolving door of administrators and superintendents. Then add Rob Dolan as our overall leader. Seriously, folks, what leadership/management role would you give Dolan and/or Taymore if you owned a company? The city is a 45-million-dollar business; the school system 30 million. Now you know why a third of our parents send their kids to parochial, private and charter schools. At best, our best teachers labor under a lack of organization and leadership, while too many others steal a check or FT health benefits. It's a mess, and now we have lost one of the very few who got it and had the guts to put herself out there for the kids. They lose; Dolan and Taymore don't win a thing with her resignation. They get another block of time to sell ice to the buying Eskimos. The override vote showed they can only do that for so much longer. Thanks, Carrie. Your service is truly appreciated by all the kids, most of the parents, and some of the school personnel. Get some well-deserved rest.
Look at it this way. During all the years Thorp, Dolan, Driscoll, Constantine, Casatelli, Lehman were on the school committee the schools went further and further downhill. It went downhill while they all claimed how wonderful everything always was.
After Carrie got on there and brought the problems into view of the public - along with Larock for a while, they couldn't just ignore them. Every vote of 6-1 against Carrie highlighted that problem and the superintendent was forced to address it.
There is not one thing today that people say is good about the schools that she didn't bring attention to first. Textbooks, technology, building issues, AP scores, curriculum, staff issues. That's just a few of the big ones that come to mind.
There are so many things that would not be improved had it not been for this one School Committee member. She fought so hard for all the kids, and especially targeted the high school, where she was the only one insisting that there be an improvement in Advanced Placement classes, for example, and finally there is. But of course this superintendent stubbornly persisted in mistreating the veteran staff who actually knew (know) how to teach, and hence, we lost the great Dr. Peterson, among many others. So all that bragging about AP will end with the results from this year without Dr. P teaching AP and teaching the Saturday sessions, results we won't hear about until next year (oh wait, without Carrie we won't hear at all, because it was only due to her that we ever heard about these things).
The committee will go back to making sure nothing of import will be in the meeting packets because everything will have been determined behind closed doors without any paper trail. Maybe they'll even go back to scanning the documents so that they purposely can't be searchable (something that didn't change until Carrie reminded them of the Americans for Disability Act, and then miraculously Jay Picoon finally figured out either how to get the "missing modules" or learned from a 5th grader how to print to .pdf!
Maybe they will go back to just throwing around loose sheets of paper in the half shell just as the meeting is going, and forget all that nuisance stupidly named IQM2 that their ignorant secretary never figured out how to use properly and their brilliant IT director and "Tech Council" never fixed either.
Forget having appropriate instructional materials now that Carrie is gone. It took her 3 years to get them to finally come up with a textbook inventory because up until then they actually didn't care enough even to keep track. Then she hounded them to keep it current, and grilled them relentlessly at budget time about why they weren't advocating each year for appropriate amounts to keep the district current. Same thing with technology. She railed at them for being so irresponsible, at one point asking Pajos what percentage his proposed technology budget of necessary replacements would address, to which he answered 1% and everyone laughed when she retorted, "So that means in 100 years we'll be current for this year?" It really is that ridiculous, and she is the only person who did the numbers and asked the tough questions, year after year. There would be no new textbooks at all if she hadn't hounded them. If you paid attention to that fraud of a meeting last Saturday, Dugan asked a bunch of leading questions of her best-bud Cyndy about when next year the district would be found in non-compliance of the laws and regulations by the Dept. of Ed for not teaching the science curriculum and ESL, all posturing that this will be due to a lack of funds (fraudulent and negligent, since they're obviously planning NOT to do what is required). Well, without Carrie there, you can be sure they will continue to try and perpetrate this and many other frauds.
You can forget any improvement in the caliber of individuals the district plans to hire now that the one person hammering them when they hire duds is gone. There won't be any concern about having enough support individuals either--school psychologists, qualified paras, etc. It'll all be the bottom of the barrel candidates who can't hope to get a job anywhere else, new hires with zero actual content knowledge and who actually failed many core subject areas themselves.
Arts people, you should be ashamed of yourselves for not stepping up when you had the one strong advocate the district has had. Now you can content yourself with that disaster of a dept. head and her "liaison," Jessica, who is just fine with all of the many actions (like removing prerequisites for the high school band and orchestra) that are quickly destroying what was always our city's jewel in the crown, its music program. Farrell the mystery principal ("Who's Farrell"?) will try to convince you that those really swell Piano 101 classes added last year (cuz Driscoll was too cheap to buy her kid real music lessons) have made a real Arts Path at MHS now (laughable). Chris will try to tell you she's a big advocate of music and drama, but don't be fooled. It's just more of the charlatanism 101 that passes for "Good to Great" in Melrose now. Cyndy knows about as much when it comes to music as she does about Civil Rights! Melrose, you had the opportunity to come forward and support the one individual who was talking the talk AND walking the walk, but you chose cowardice instead.
Now the real bottom-dwellers are sliming to the surface not only to try and harm a real hero but to make vile remarks about her family, too. These slimes have long enjoyed taking their cheap shots at her, her family, and Mr. M, while the community sits back and allows it.
As one of the hundreds of people Mrs. K helped personally (and not just once either), I can tell you the void will be huge. The next time one of you cowardly parents finds that you are desperate because one of your children is being harmed by the system and you need to take your problems to someone, you can thank your own cowardice for not having Mrs. K there fiercely advocating for your family, as she did for so many.
Naturally it is not politically cool in 2016 Melrose to worry about a "misconstrued" remark between a teacher and a student, as the locals have characterized the whole OCR thing. Read the Findings document and then dare to make that statement!
http://melroseschools.com/administration/presentations/ocr/#sthash.I3uXnqBI.dpbs
Mrs. K was correct to step away from a committee that was content with its one employee violating the basic laws of this country and the civil rights of our students (and do not be mistaken, this was not about just one teacher and one student, this was about all of the students who had to witness the event--about 60--and a whole community of students who now are being forced to pay the price for the series of purposely wrong actions of the school administration, including the school committee, mayor, and city solicitor).
All of you who would dare trivialize or marginalize the work of Mrs. K the last six years, fighting for our kids and our city, demonstrate your own lack of caring, your own colossal ignorance, your own lack of any kind of actual moral compass.
And for the rest of you who might be feeling twinges of conscience, step up. It's now or never. You can either let these monsters continue to railroad the district or you can step up and demand that the problems be addressed.
This isn't about just the fiasco of which former candidate fills a vacancy. That's just a convenient diversion, which the city solicitor and committee are determined to shut down when they ramrod their chosen one into the slot Monday, as if that will do the job and trust will somehow magically happen afterwards, as if anyone on the school committee or in administration even cares about being trustworthy! This is about redeeming the soul of the community, which is in serious disrepair.
Just got back from vacation tonight and I see that CKK has resigned her position on the school committee! What a shame - well - Ms. Driscoll - you certainly did what Ms.Thorp could not do before you! Silence the only member who really cares about the future of education in Melrose! Now - the SC can pass all those useless norms without a dissenting vote. You can now hide all those lawyer costs due to the incompetence of our school admin staff. Also, go by to transparency - since the rest of the SC members are only lemmings of the chairperson. What an absolute disgrace!
Makes me wonder what the executive session on February 28th was all about:
"To discuss the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual". Logic would have presumed they were finally going after the superintendent, but THIS is Melrose.
Were they actually going after Carrie for not signing the McCarthyist Norms? You know, those quirky little Norms that completely contradict good governance, transparency and SC member's oath of office? The Norms that illegally strip the independence and fiduciary responsibility of the SC members given to them by the voters and instead consolidates those powers.... with the lunatic SC chair?
Haven't seen this kind of insanity since the Trump Pledge!
Or were they after the Assistant super for the OCR debacle?
Any objective person can see that the dishonesty and lack of transparency on this issue involved the superintendent, her subordinates, and yes that means the assistant super, as well as the committee of enablers, our school committee! As the saying goes, "it takes a village" to hide crimes and misdemeanors - the proof of it is - they got caught!
I am sooooooo glad that my children are no longer in the Melrose School system. The last one graduated a few years ago. I have watched for years as the School Committee turned a blind eye to the issues that really matter to the parents of Melrose students. Well, all i can say is good luck to them. They have no real voice anymore on their side.
This is a shameful post from someone (Delusional/Vuvu/ClownPatrol) who is clearly a Dolan/SC/Taymore shill and who is actually the one with psychological problems.
I call your attention to an earlier post regarding Mrs. K's eloquent husband, who spoke before the SC last fall. Melrose is lucky to have such fine individuals as the Kourkoumelis/Kaynor family and Mr. Mroz, people who care deeply about the welfare of the whole community and its children and are willing to put themselves on the line for their principles. They also speak their views directly and publicly, and with dignity, which is more than one can say about any of the others on that committee, the superintendent who gossips viciously, indiscretely, and continuously with her SC and MEF cronies (have been in the room to witness it directly), as does the hate-mongering mayor (who wouldn't understand what discretion is even as a concept), who routinely takes pleasure in his vicious potshots at any whom he has decided are "haters." For "Delusional" to make such comments indicates a level of contempt and a disconnect to reality that makes the moniker altogether fitting as one who has projected onto the perceived enemy the very qualities that "Delusional" in fact embodies.
By the way, it is no surprise that the SC did not apologize, either to the public or to Mrs. K last fall for its disgusting conduct.
For your edification and as a reminder of the facts:
a friend
Sep 17, 2015 - 5:40AM
Re: SC Chair Thorpe back to bullying again:
This is the brilliant thing Mr. Kaynor said and then sent to SC:
From GCK:
FYI: I am attaching the draft that I read from at public comment on 9/15/2015. It addresses:
1) the mischaracterization of a press interview with a "school committee member" - since the topic was an action she was required to take as a "member of the public" due to your Norms,
2) the purpose of the Norms (to hinder rather than facilitate),
3) the application of the Norms in discriminatory fashion that targets a certain individual,
4) the proper definition of libel,
5) a call for suspension and revision of the Norms, an apology for discriminatory behaviors, and a plea for literacy if you wish to intimidate one of your members so they don't ask uncomfortable questions.
I am not hopeful that we will see an apology for these actions since I have failed even to get you to ask your exemplary employee to apologize for swearing at someone in a public meeting, but I can try. I assure you that a degree of contrition, when your behavior seems abusive, would go a long way towards improving public relations and perceptions, and restoring any sense of dignity to the important work you do.
Campbell Kaynor
Dear Members of the Melrose School Committee,
I noticed that the committee was concerned, last week, that one member was interviewed by the press, and you cited the norms that say that only the chair may speak for the School Committee. Aside from the obvious issues of whether individuals have rights of free speech and whether this one member would ever presume to speak FOR the school committee (I’m sure she is aware that her opinions are not those of the majority), and aside from the fact the OCR is being openly discussed on another School Committee member's blog, I think the real irony is that you can look to your own norms for the reason this happened. The press called this individual because she had filed a public records request; a CITIZEN'S Public Records request for documentation on district matters. Why were they talking to a “citizen” rather than a “school committee member?” Because you tried to prevent the member from accessing information she felt she needed to properly evaluate budget issues, by insisting via Norms, that her only recourse would be to file a CITIZEN's Public Records. If you wish to prevent a member from acting like a citizen I suggest you start treating her like a School Committee member, and not restrict her ability to access documents within her purview. Contrary to the legal counsel you employed for the meeting last week, the MA public records office has on numerous occasions stated that public officials, bound by laws regarding privacy and confidentiality, are entitled to documents far beyond the scope of documents available to public citizens, but your norms apparently do not recognize the authority of the Attorney General and Secretary of State’s Office in this matter.
Norms are a good thing when they are used to facilitate the meeting process and clarify the roles of the School Committee. They are punitive and often discriminatory when they are designed to encumber the activities of a particular member or members who are trying to do their job with a thoroughness the others lack. This is especially true when the norms are applied in a discriminatory fashion to one individual and not equally to all individuals. One stark example presented itself last week, where a member of this committee went on a tangent stating that he viewed "implications of impropriety" as a libelous, and was allowed full reign to expound upon that topic with what sounded to me like threats and insinuations. This was not a topic that was not on the agenda nor is it pertinent to the concerns of taxpayers and educational outcomes for students. The next comment was made by an individual who properly asked “as a point of personal privilege” what were the fees being charged to the taxpayers by the experts brought in for the first hour. Although this is a topic of direct concern to taxpayers and much more relevance to the education of students, she was shut down with an admonition by the subcommittee chair, not to stray from the agenda as this is “one of our Norms that we voted on and the majority approved” so she MUST abide by them. This use of the Norms to persecute one individual and show leniency to the others is discriminatory and not constructive to the process of district management. It harms rather than facilitates communication, it is humiliating and embarrassing to witness, and it reveals the true manipulative rather than constructive purpose behind those Norms.
This School Committee has a lengthy history of ignoring its policies, bylaws, procedures and Norms when it suited the individuals in charge. I have spoken to you about it before and although I complained about it, actually I am fine with the notion that Norms be used as guidelines and not rules. They need to be flexible in instances where they are impractical, contradictory to statute, or undermine the objectives of the body. No matter how carefully they are crafted, you will need to make exceptions on occasion just as it is necessary sometimes to suspend Robert’s Rules of Order. However, when you play favorites in your leniency or strictness or regulate the discussion based on how much you like or dislike the question, that is bullying and treading close to violation of the rights of individuals. I feel this committee owes the public and Ms Kourkoumelis a public apology for its abusive behavior and until there is any demonstration that you can use Norms responsibly rather than punitively, I suggest you suspend them and revise them to be constructive rather than obstructive and while you are at it, make them compatible with Federal and state laws and regulations.
Sincerely, Campbell Kaynor
P.S. Mayor Dolan,
For something to be “libelous” it must be a written statement that is deliberately false and intended to cause harm to the reputation of another individual. Your use of that term in relation to supposed “implications of impropriety” came across as an effort to bully and intimidate, and demonstrates a level of illiteracy that is embarrassing to the Melrose School community. Is this really what you are trying to model for our students?
Thank you, Ms. Dillon. Yes, Mrs. K has reached out and helped so many, and still is. Her "open mind and kind heart" are what the media has failed to portray. Sure, she's fought hard (and still is) and been labeled all kinds of things, but the truth is that she has fought for everyone's children for no personal gain, only having the best interests of the students and community at heart. Some have wanted to find an easy characterization and make this about her "needing to rest," or "have less stress," all of which is bunk. That woman will always be a powerhouse, working harder than most of us could imagine, around the clock and 7 days a week, as is the case with everyone in her family, for those who are even vaguely familiar.
Those who have shown her contempt have only disgraced themselves because she always managed to take the high road, remembering that she was fighting for us and bypassing the personal toll the cruelty and damaging community apathy have taken and continuing to try to make things better for our community.
Mr. Mroz is another to whom is owed our community gratitude. He gets only abuse for his passionate advocacy here in Melrose, where his immense knowledge and expertise are respected by Senators and Congressman in Washington, DC by contrast. Time for Melrose to show a little maturity and start demonstrating some respect for this man's tireless advocacy for our community's children.
I saw that there is a woman, Alexa Majors, trying to inspire some local dialogue and positive community action in response to Ms. K's resignation. Hopefully there will be sustained efforts in the greater community to make something meaningful out of the huge first step forward Mrs. K's leadership has provided.
"I saw that there is a woman, Alexa Majors, trying to inspire some local dialogue and positive community action in response to Ms. K's resignation. Hopefully there will be sustained efforts in the greater community to make something meaningful out of the huge first step forward Mrs. K's leadership has provided."
This needs to happen! Desperately!
