For schools in which their own children don't attend?

Ever since I saw Matt Walsh's video of him destroying a school board over mask mandates I've wanted to go (he often preaches about not sending your kids to public school so I assume his didn't go to this school).

I don't have any kids yet but would 100% like to see what my tax dollar is paying for and also back up those furious (rightfully so) parents who's kids do go there and are subject to this left wing mask mandate and CRT bull crap.

Imagine if all conservatives in the area; regardless of whether their kids attend that school, showed up to the school in which they pay taxes school board meeting to just crap all over the leftest ideologies being pushed.

Also it's worth noting that you could basically say whatever you wanted and not fear repercussions for your kid if you don't even have a kid who attends there. So in a way you're helping those who have kids in the school out by saying what they can't without consequences.

No one generally attends meetings period.

If you want to here's what you do. The meetings are open, and usually kickoff with opportunity for public comment. During this time speakers are limited to 2 or 3 minutes. Board members will usually not interact with you, though you might get a question two. You're not an agenda item, so no official action will result.

If you want to really make a detailed argument, get multiple speakers and you each have a portion of the whole presentation. So rather than 5 people hitting the same high level points, each of you takes a few minutes to get into more detail on separate but complimentary points.

In our district, board members are not allowed to respond during the public comments section, because "rules". Not sure if that is district rules or what. I have spoken several times and it is frustrating.

The district where I live has (or did have) a "work session" during the day where all the essential work of the board got done. These were open meetings that anyone could attend but they didn't take public comments. Later that day or the next, they had the official board meeting where, like stated, public comments are limited and most often ignored. I understand the limitations but it gets to where it becomes, what's the point? In this district, the school board became essentially a country club that left all decisions to the superintendent and had very little actual oversight. That changed a few years ago when a fairly aggressive board member who I know got elected, but he was chastised and ridiculed by many for his actions -- which was simply standing up for his constituents and asking his fellow board members to actually do the job they got elected to do. Imagine that?

Later, an incident occurred where an assistant band director at a high school got caught in an inappropriate relationship with a student. The head director was pressured heavily to resign even though he knew nothing about it and when he investigated, the assistant denied everything. So, in a haste, he did resign. There wasn't any evidence of it at the time (I don't recall specifics). Anyway, after the resignation and arrest of the assistant, the entire band program -- kids, parents, community, etc. -- tried to get the district to give him his job back. At a meeting, the board member above made a motion to do so, but no board member would second it, so it failed.

Ridiculous cowards.

The head director hasn't worked as a band director since and probably never will again, which is a shame. He was a great director and a terrific musician (I played with him several times). The assistant can go to hell for all the trouble he caused.

So yeah, boards are often set up to serve the people on the board and the administration rather than the people they represent. You have to change THAT to get real change.

showing up and regularly attending with a large number of people makes all public officials nervous. Do your best to make them nervous

This is why you should be involved with what happens in your community and schools...



Debunking the racism claim:

https://docs.bryantx.gov/police/annual_reports/2019%20BPD%20Annual%20Report.pdf

https://docs.bryantx.gov/police/annual_reports/BryanPD-traffic-Report2018.pdf

https://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Bryan-Police-reviewing-racial-profiling-in-department-474514103.html

I never cared about school board meetings but in the last 3 weeks I've attended two and spoken at one and attended a town hall meeting today. 18 months of this Covid nonsense and I've had my breaking point. Time to stand and fight.

Always remember that a school board member is really a civic volunteer despite it being an elected position. There is zero pay for them and there are hours and hours of time required. There are a lot of bad board members out there. You can have a much better impact if you step into the arena and put your name on a ballot than you can grandstanding to try to make a volunteer nervous.

I am in my third term on a school board. I feel like I represent the general mindset of our community well. That said, I don't really worry about what people think at all. If someone doesn't like the votes I cast, I would probably welcome someone putting their name on the ballot and taking all the time commitment off my hands.

Look it up said:

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This is why you should be involved with what happens in your community and schools...



Debunking the racism claim:

https://docs.bryantx.gov/police/annual_reports/2019%20BPD%20Annual%20Report.pdf

https://docs.bryantx.gov/police/annual_reports/BryanPD-traffic-Report2018.pdf

https://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Bryan-Police-reviewing-racial-profiling-in-department-474514103.html

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AP style demands "Black" be capitalized but no capitalization of "white." Therefore the report is racist.

And then you have the times when they let them retire with dignity instead of firing them.

June 2
Football coach to retire

August 27
Wait, why did he retire?

Voice of Reason. said:

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And then you have the times when they let them retire with dignity instead of firing them.

June 2
Football coach to retire

August 27
Wait, why did he retire?

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That guy has no game whatsoever

I'm on a board.

Sometimes it's difficult to know what we can do as board members because the system is set up for superintendents. TASB - Texas Association of School Boards - does our training type exercises. Good and bad. Can't say that it's all bad but I have found that the underlying assumption is that board members are all just trying to get an advantage for their kids and to get rid of the superintendent if said superintendent was not "your" hire.

In my opinion the system is set up for school board compliance and to go along with whatever the superintendent wants as the CEO of the district. If you have a good superintendent then fine. If you have one that wants to hire a bunch of cronies you are encouraged to stay out of it. I don't know what kind of training most superintendents get but some of these guys need mandatory ethics training.

If you have a full time job, as most parents/Board members do, you can find yourself playing chess with someone who is being well compensated (against your volunteer efforts) supported by staff that they, and they alone, have the ability to hire/fire/reassign/determine pay. No wonder they can get away with a lot with little accountability.

Needless to say i have not been particularly impressed with our state's superintendent brotherhood overall. But there are some damn good ones out there and the key is to find them and keep them.

ReloadAg said:

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I never cared about school board meetings but in the last 3 weeks I've attended two and spoken at one and attended a town hall meeting today. 18 months of this Covid nonsense and I've had my breaking point. Time to stand and fight.

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Indeed.....speak up. Better yet run for the board if you are able.

As a general rule, 3 types of people who run for school boards:

1. People who are somebody.
2. People who want to be somebody.
3. People who are out to get somebody.

In 27 years of direct contact with school boards, I've found this to be true 95% of the time.

I get that Matt Walsh is frustrated, but that tactic of "grandstanding" is not going to sway any minds. If you are inclined to go to a school board meeting, don't try the tactics seen in the video if you want to change things. If you want a semi healthy avenue to vent that is fine.

Instead:

• Remain calm
• Don't "attack" the people you want to change. Walsh is "attacking" the school board. When you attack someone they will 99% of the time go on the defensive and will not have an open mind.
• Phrase things so that the people you want to persuade agree with you. "No matter how bad of a day I'm having, walking home and seeing my son smile at me makes it all the better. That smile is just a glimpse of humanity. Do we really want to take away humanity by forcing masks?" -little cliche but the goal is to get people to agree to innocuous things.
• Continue above a few times. You are now creating a habit for the other side to agree with you. This makes them more receptive of what you have to say.
• DO NOT give an ultimatum. All your hard work can be lost if you say choose my way. Let them get to your side by their own choice on their own time, not on yours.