Another censure? Really?
Published 12:01 am Tuesday, September 13, 2011
In a remarkably futile exercise, four members of the Everett School Board plan to censure the fifth member, Jessica Olson, at today’s board meeting. It would be the second such reprimand of Olson this year, and follows a highly embarrassing scuffle between Olson, board member Kristie Dutton and boar
d President Ed Petersen during a closed session last month.
A censure carries no legal consequences; it’s simply an expression of board members’ dissatisfaction with Olson, whom they accuse of violating various board policies and even state law. But it does represent a disappointing failure by seasoned community leaders to lead by example, to listen, to learn, and to engage in creative problem solving.
As we wrote after the board’s first censure of Olson, in February, this sideshow is overshadowing good educational work that’s being done in the district. The decision to put a second censure resolution on today’s agenda — an agenda that includes several truly important items, including a report on student test scores and ratification of a tentative contract agreement with teachers — indicates it has become more than a sideshow. It’s undermining public faith in an important elected body.
As we’ve also written previously, Olson bears a share of the responsibility for the ongoing fiasco. In fighting for open government principles — the important, timely platform upon which she was elected two years ago — her methods have at times been unnecessarily provocative.
But this censure resolution is itself a provocation. It backs Olson into a corner, one against four, with just five minutes to respond to two pages of charges. If the board majority was looking for a way to escalate the conflict, they found it.
The school board’s mission statement speaks of inspiring students to high achievement — a value its current members would do well to contemplate. At this point, a little humility by all five board members would qualify as inspiration. Engaging in some personal introspection, each admitting transgressions and apologizing for them, would be an example of the kind of leadership that, combined with resolve to do better, might actually lead to improved working relationships.
Citizens expect their elected leaders to disagree without being disagreeable to the point of dysfunction. When relationships begin to spiral downward, they expect each member of an elected board to show maturity and take initiative to make things better. That’s what they should expect now from each member of the Everett School Board. Enough is enough.
This is a strong district with plenty going for it academically. Improving on that record requires the board’s full focus — something it clearly doesn’t have right now, and won’t until board members figure out how to co-exist despite their disagreements.
Censuring Olson, again, won’t get them there.
