JAY — Staff, community and board members raised concerns about bullying, ethics and more at the Regional School Unit 73 directors meeting on April 10 held at Spruce Mountain High School in Jay.
Before the comments began Chair Don Emery said, ” I expect you to keep it clean, civil.”
Board actions
Jenna Cote, district Section 504 and assistant director for special services said she has worked for the district since graduating college in 2009.
“I care deeply about our community, school staff and most of all our students,” she stated. “One of our district’s key priorities this year has been creating a safe environment for our students. We focused on teaching them to be upstanders, to recognize bullying, to support one another and to stand up for what is right, even when it’s hard. As adults and leaders, we are the role models for that behavior. We must demonstrate the courage, integrity and respect that we expect from our students. When those expectations are not upheld, especially by individuals elected to serve our schools, we have the responsibility to speak up.”
Cote spoke about deeply concerning and inappropriate behaviors by a school board member. “After the last board meeting, the school board member made a public post online, referring to the staff member who asked a question as a “dipshit,” “douche bag” and “liberal hack”,” she stated. Cote said the director posted a video of the board meeting, making it obvious who they were targeting.
This person directed these hateful comments towards a dedicated and respected member of the middle school team who works to break the cycle of bullying, Cote stressed. She said after the last board meeting she was approached by the same board member for a second time on school grounds.
“They were visibly agitated, raised their voice and used profanities,” Cote stated. “I was told that I may be perfect for the job, but they hate me and are coming for me and my job. Later on they made a public Facebook post stating, “Just wanted to say, if you thought this spanking was bad, wait until April 10. I’m going to go off! There will be no more gas lighting me or other non far-left liberals. “Time to spank them good.” They also continue to list staff names online, which is a clear violation of the school board’s policy and concerning given their access to confidential information.”
“Let me be absolutely clear, this is not civic discourse,” Cote continued. “This is targeted harassment. I respectfully urge this board to take meaningful action. Put clear and enforceable consequences in place for violation of board policy, ethical conduct and behavior that endangers the state’s safety and dignity of others. I implore the towns of Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls to consider a process for recall or removal from school board members abuse their power and target the very people they are meant to support. I believe that the school board has the ability to make a difference, and although it may not be easy, our staff and students deserve a community where people feel safe, supported and free to do their jobs without fear.”
A perceived divide
Tanya DeMillo of Jay said, “Even though as a district we teach conflict resolution to kids, we don’t practice it ourselves. There is a perceived divide between some members of the board and the staff and the public and the staff. I truly believe we all want the same things but we need to hear what the other side is saying. Just because some school board members voted against the budget doesn’t mean they are against education, or specifically teachers. They’re on the board because they care and they want to be involved.”
“There are places that can be reduced without affecting the students,” DeMillo stressed. “I want to see the reputation of the district get better. Empower parents to support and be involved in their kids’ education. I know teaching is harder than it has ever been. Let’s all work together to change things for the better, for the sake of the students and the staff.”
Importance of ethics
Chris Beaudoin, school counselor at Spruce Mountain High School has been with the district 21 years, is a resident of Livermore, a clinical social worker for 24 years and a mental health counselor for 13 years. “I take ethics very seriously,” he stated. “Ethics is a discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad, right and wrong, and the principles that have guided human behavior and decision making. In order to conduct business we must have disciplined ethics.”
Beaudoin said all directors take the district’s Code of Ethics when becoming a board member. Because of events over the last couple of weeks, he felt the voting public needed to know what the Code of Ethics states and began reading from it. “If we don’t have ethics, we have nothing,” he stated when stopped due to the time limitation for public comments.
Common themes
There seems to be a theme here, Ed Walsh of Jay noted. He raised two issues: first it was deemed a board member inappropriately attacked and demeaned teachers and students on social media causing people to be fearful. The second concerns a member of the board contacting school librarians requesting information about what books were being read, he stated. “This worries me,” he said. Members of the board represent the community, shouldn’t be allowed to intimidate teachers and children, he stressed.
Chair responds
Chair Don Emery of Livermore Falls noted board comments is not a time to address public comments. Directors later will take time to read the Code of Ethics line by line, he said. “This is a response to some recent exchanges at board meetings and a number of disturbing posts on social media,” he stated. “As we navigate these troubling times it’s important to remember that, while we are all individuals with our own perspectives the views expressed by individual board members on social media do not represent the stance of this board.
“I encourage all board members to pause before posting on social media, especially when emotions are running high. I would like you to ask yourself, “‘Is this post going to be encouraging, positive dialogue and with solutions, or is it negative and shaming, can cause harm to a school administrator, a teacher or any member of our community?’ Our words matter and the impact they can have on our school, this school district and the community as a whole, they are significant.”
Emery encouraged better communication among board members and among board members and staff. Issues with someone should try to be resoled with a face to face meeting, he noted. “I can guarantee that after a direct conversation, both sides will have better understanding of the issue involved and be in a stronger position to work towards a solution,” he stated.
Board comments
Director Roger Moulton of Livermore Falls said he was frustrated, that in the past his family had been intimidated by two employees’ spouses trying to cause problems after he spoke at a meeting where some were afraid of retaliation. While the situation was proven true, he was banned from the district for 90 days but there were no punishments for the parties involved, he noted.
“This district has a bullying problem and it is allowed to continue so it does,” Moulton said. “People come up and ask for kindness and respect when I feel they really mean don’t make waves, don’t make changes. They even say things I consider very harmful.”
Moulton didn’t think anyone on the board hates or doesn’t accept any child. “For adults to make those claims it is not only slanderous, but it’s not good for the mental health of children watching this,” he noted. “You don’t get to tell them how I feel about them or if I accept them.” He said the district has an extreme left liberal problem, anyone who is identified as not liberal is open to attacks like he has received.
Conservative students are hesitant to say they are, liberal students are supported, Moulton noted. Taking politics out is seemingly insurmountable, he stated.
“This district needs to take a long look in the mirror and ask how we can leave politics at the door,” Moulton said. “People come up here, insinuate that I’m some sort of bully for responding to these situations. I am not going anywhere. It’s time for the district to make the campus safe for all. I did not give up my First Amendment rights when I took this role. Buckle up, it’s going to get worse.”
Several in the audience audibly reacted to Moulton’s comments. He left the meeting before directors took turns reading the entire Code of Ethics.
