Saline school board approves $6,690 for state group membership after freezing individual spending
Previous coverage:
The Saline Board of Education voted in favor of extending its membership to the Michigan Association of School Boards Tuesday night, despite having denied funding for classes to individual trustees earlier this year.
David Zimmer
Patti Waltz, executive assistant to the superintendent, said Saline has been a member of the MASB for at least 10 years.
Zimmer was the center of an April 10 discussion and took fire from several trustees for spending $1,015 since January on online training courses to become a MASB-certified board member.
David Holden
Holden requested more information on trustees’ MASB-related spending, but the information could not be gathered in time. Later, once a five-year analysis of spending was completed, Holden chastised Slawson for presenting partial data to the board that left the impression Zimmer had “excessive expenses, acted in a fiscally irresponsible manner and was setting a precedent,” Holden said in an April 25 email to AnnArbor.com.
Lisa Slawson
“That was for individual board members. This is for the district,” she said prior to the vote. Holden and Zimmer, who were elected in November and took office in January, disagreed with her assessment.
Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
snoopdog
Sat, Jul 14, 2012 : 3:24 a.m.
The MASB appears ( obviously) to be a branch of the MEA and therefore it is no wonder the only two individual's that did not support this vote were Dave and Dave. Holden requested more info on how this group spends their money but of course they could not provide it in time for them to make an "informed and educated" vote. Slawson needs to go, and she needs to go yesterday folks ! My prediction is she will be voted out just as the last union loyalist was last fall, we will do are level best to make sure this happens. Good Day
gild
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 7:28 p.m.
Ending your organization's membership in the industry association that represents it would be an extremely shortsighted step. Governance is something that DOES take skill and knowledge, and when your organization drops out of all of the associations that exist to provide you with resources and support, you're left flailing. Renewing the membership was the right thing to do, and the board members who voted to continue membership should be commended for taking the long view, not pandering.
Basic Bob
Fri, Jul 13, 2012 : 3:13 a.m.
Except they aren't taking advantage of opportunities to get that skill and knowledge through online classes. Maybe they get a catered dinner someplace for their money. Otherwise, what's the point? School board member's can't shop themselves around unless they want to sell their house, all that to work for free anyway. Slawson could drop the MASB completely and she would still be fiscally irresponsible.
PaperReader
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 3:14 p.m.
The Board members should each chip in and pay the membership fee if they want to belong. Teachers are chipping in to buy some of their own supplies to share with students, the students pay-to-play fees have been raised to be higher than some of the neighboring communities, staff has made concessions, but the Board wastes money on a membership that benefits only them. This needs to be in the forefront of our minds when it comes time for the next School Board election.
nickcarraweigh
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 2:11 a.m.
Certainly there's a difference buried somewhere in the distinction Ms. Slawson draws, and I'll let you know what it is the very instant I'm done counting these angels dancing on the pinhead here.
J R
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 12:41 a.m.
From the MASB web site...."To enhance the image of public education and school boards, MASB actively supports public understanding of the role of the board and the challenges facing public schools. Your dues help fund advocacy programs like School Board Recognition Month, the Education Excellence Award Program and MASB's Members Assisting Peers, all designed to strengthen public confidence in public education." In other words....the Saline School Board ( and Ms. Slawson) just wasted $6,690 that could have been spent in the classroom. I mean, why can't we live without a " School Board Recognition Month"? How does a " School Board Recognition Month" help the kids?
gild
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 7:31 p.m.
If you look at the rest of the website instead of just selectively quoting one thing that will sound ridiculous in isolation, you'll see that the organization provides many more services than that.
Goober
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 11:10 p.m.
Interesting! An online course how to be a certified school board member. Based on the failure of our school systems country wide, I would question this online training as being worthless.
Common Sense
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 11:10 p.m.
It is too bad that the Board of Education voted in favor of extending its membership to the Michigan Association of School Boards while asking teachers, staff, and students to take cuts in order to help balance the budget. I believe it is time for the Board itself to take additional spending cuts. I think we could do without a membership while we are in fiscal trouble. Perhaps it is time to look seriously at voting out of office those Board members who voted for this non-essential item. The $6,690 could have been better spent on curriculum needs. I would like to encourage anyone who is now thinking of running for the school board to throw their hat into the ring!