I would like to begin this letter by thanking Steve Zach for the countless volunteer hours he has donated to our community.
In no way do I wish to diminish his efforts. However, with that being said, I was at the June 5 School Board Human Assets Committee meeting and I feel morally obligated to step forward with my observations of that meeting.
It was not surprising to me that other school board members felt that Zach’s treatment of Rae Vogeler was normal, or appropriate, as this tenor has been common to our School Board meetings for several years. I have watched, in person and on cable access, as the meetings have become increasingly dysfunctional. Community members, teachers, staff and parents regularly leave feeling hurt, embarrassed, frustrated and angry.
The June 5 meeting was no different. I left with several people, all upset and angry for the way Rae was treated by Steve. We felt like we should have done something to rectify the situation, but secondary to the board’s meeting rules we could not intervene.
When I read the “Bullying Charge Plagues Board” article in the Observer, I felt obligated to speak. After reviewing the Board’s policy on bullying, I am quite certain that because so many people, including myself, have left the meetings feeling intimidated, victimized, frustrated and hurt, that whether we use the word bullying, or another word, the meaning is still the same.
I am even more certain that the manner in which the meetings are run causes an imbalance of power.
It is not simply the words spoken, but the eyes rolling, the head shaking and the lack of eye contact, which is harmful to good healthy communication. I believe the school board policy calls this type of behavior indirect gestures.
If we are going to expect our students to treat each other with respectful consideration, certainly we must lead by example.
We have witnessed new school board candidates step forward, and be elected, in hopes of helping lead the district in a healthier manner. It is important to keep some of the experienced board members, as a completely new board will not be optimally functional.
However, I feel very strongly that although Zach has shown extraordinary volunteerism, his personality on the board has played a key role in creating the toxic environment that currently plagues our school board.
Amy Hermus
Oregon