By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, August 31, 2006 at 5:32 PM
BREAKING NEWS Labels: Breaking_News, Courts, Exclusive, Schools
READ IT HERE FIRST
A Circuit Court judge has upheld School Board member Bill Purdy's right to sit on the board. Purdy was being sued by two fellow board members, Flint Fowler and Ron Jackson, and 47 other citizens, including fired Vashon basketball coach Floyd Irons. The lawsuit claimed Purdy was serving on the board illegally and should be removed.
The issue was whether a person can run for the school board if he or she has relatives who work in the district. Two of Purdy's daughters and a grandson are teachers in the district. A recent change in state law allows school board members to serve even if they have family working in the system. But the school board bylaws still say that is illegal.
Those bylaws have not been amended to reflect the state law. But today's ruling by Judge Steven R. Ohmer affirms Purdy's assertion that state law trumps board bylaws.
Had Purdy lost the suit and was forced to give up his seat, Mayor Francis Slay would have appointed his replacement, shifting the balance of power on the school board for the second time in six months.
12 Comments:
Yahoo!
Byron Clemens
8/31/2006 7:20 PM
To NIA,
Yes!!!!
from Peter Downs Buddy
8/31/2006 7:21 PM
Inspecteur Clouseau ici: Bravo! Bravo! This news is très bon for the children, staff, and everyone.
8/31/2006 8:11 PM
Alas, he hath dragooned the Slays! Methinks there be hope for the future after all.
8/31/2006 9:07 PM
No Slay is not holding his breath he has Rodney Hubbard working to move in his Charter Schools. Also, I over heard Kent King's comments to the media and they didn't sound good. It sounded like he had been to Slay's office before the meeting. Stay focused folks and we are in for a tough ride ahead. Purdys ruling will only make Slay go run and tell his "big brother" Rainford that little bro needs help finding more ways to make our lives hell.
8/31/2006 9:12 PM
This is horrible.
One school board member filing a lawsuit against another...
How is this administration?
Stop the madness and get the schools running.
8/31/2006 11:44 PM
Doug is right, we need to get about the business of educating our children to improve our city.
9/01/2006 12:33 PM
Gee, Veronica, I was standing in the room with Kent King too and it didn't sound to me like he is any big hurry to take over the schools. It more or less sounded like he wants the current administration to succeed.
As for the idea that we need to get on with educating students, it seems this new administration is doing just that, in spite of Veronica O'Brien and Peter Downs continuing to take every potshot they can at the board minority.
--Cletus
9/01/2006 3:11 PM
Cletus, who was standing in the room with Kent King didn't read the Post today. Sounds like they may have heard the same thing that I heard when King was interviewing. Peter and Veronica taking pot shots? How about Ron and Flint suing? Oh well wishing you well.
9/01/2006 11:04 PM
None of the people involved are acting like professionals. This lawsuit is a complete and utter waste of time and money. I am as disgusted as I am angry. Floyd Irons and Demetrious Johnson should be ashamed. I wish that the spotlight that they were grabbing became a searchlight. Veronica O'Brien sounds like a first grader involved in a fight at recess on the radio (I did not hear the Archibald interview) But, it does not sound any more grown up.
ENOUGH! Get up and go to work. EVERYONE!
TimR
9/02/2006 10:43 PM
I read the Post article. It was a complete distortion of the tone of that meeting. If, Veronica, you are THE Veronica, who was also at the meeting, maybe you're starting to see phantom threats that just aren't there. My impression was that King's harsh tone about consequences was more a less a statement that the state is watching and it's tired of shenanigans by the board. A statement of "don't think the state can't step in IF things don't improve."
--Cletus
9/03/2006 12:52 PM
Thanks Tim R. for your comments. Good luck with work. Cletus thank you also. This was my point...The tone of the meeting was fine. I was speaking of what I heard when Kent King was interviewed and my conversations with the media regarding some of his quotes to the media. Just voicing my views like others so don't be so quick to come after me. Board members sueing to have others removed is not good.
9/03/2006 10:54 PM
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