We’ve all heard of indicator species. Dying crayfish indicate fresh water pollution and fading corals indicate that saltwater habitat is silting up. Three police cars indicate that a school board is broken.
Last week the Everett, Washington School Board was meeting in executive session when a fight broke out. The grabbing, pushing and shoving over a paper copy of the superintendent’s evaluation were severe enough that two calls were made to 911. The police who arrived took statements, the newspaper has written it up, and you can see the video of the whole thing on YouTube.
Knowledgeable readers may wonder how a video of an executive session (a closed or secret session) is available to the public. Well, it’s a long story, but the essence seems to be that one director doesn’t accept the standard way of doing business. In her 2009 election campaign she set herself against the then-current members of the school board, and she’s kept it up ever since. She’s a rebel regarding both the substance of many decisions and the way that they are arrived at. Waving the flag of transparency, she brings her fight to the public.
Jurassic Parliament suggests that groups facing similar situations call Robert, before they are driven to call the police. Robert’s Rules of Order create a structure in which orderly disagreement is possible. They establish rules for minority points of view while allowing the majority to govern, which is fundamental to our society and our values. A presider who understands the fundamental principles of Robert’s Rules and group members who agree to abide by them can handle dissent and prevent the collapse of discourse and civility. Obviously a situation like the Everett School Board's presents special challenges, but it can be done.
Ann G. Macfarlane, PRP
(c) Jurassic Parliament 2011. All rights reserved.
