Dear Friends of the Foxborough Public Schools,

The School Committee will hold a regular meeting on December 6. The agenda has been published and follows:

Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan

The complexities that bullying presents in today’s world are continually being reviewed in the press.

• The community’s Task Force to Address Bullying and Harassment focused its bucket filling campaign on the holiday season.
• The Boston Globe recently published an article under the title "Specialists say bullies also need attention."
• A case from Essex County, Massachusetts, served to frame an article in The New York Times, "As Bullies Go Digital, Parents Play Catch-Up." The article presented some of the technology implications on the bullying issue.

Reading of Policies

First Reading - Policy ADF Wellness

The current Wellness Policy (ADF) is being revised, and a First Reading has been included in the agenda. The existing policy was adopted on June 19, 2006, and revised on March 24, 2008. Given the Committee is proposing to change the policy now in effect, the First Reading would represent the first time that this revision is being presented to the public.

Third Reading - IJNDB Educational Technologies-Employees

The current Policy Manual includes the following policies:

• IJNDB Internet Acceptable Use Policy (Aup) (Students)
• IJNDB-R Acceptable Use Policy - Technology
• IJNDBA Computer Usage - Employees

The agenda of the October 18 meeting listed IJNDD - Facebook and Social Networking Websites under the section First Reading of Policies. However, the policy that was handed out for discussion was IJNDBA - Computer Usage - Employees.

On November 1, the meeting agenda included Second Reading of Policies, including IJNDBA - Educational Technologies - Employees that was tabled so that "Ms. Kominsky [could] check with Mr. Jim Hardy of MASC on several points."

“Warned that overly restricting electronic communication between coaches and students could interfere with successful sports, arts or music programs, the school committee Monday decided to take a third look at its proposed policy for social networking websites and cell phone usage.

‘We have a music program that is built on the principle of great leadership,’ said superintendent Chris Martes, referring not only to adult leadership, but student peer training.

Martes agree with parent Deborah Navedo that school officials should take a closer look at part of the proposed policy, which was up for ’second reading’ approval by the committee.”
(Mortimer, F. Facebook policy to get a closer look. The Foxboro Reporter. November 4, 2010.)

The December 6 agenda includes the topic for discussion as Third Reading - IJNDB Educational Technologies-Employees. However policy IJNDB has not been discussed at least during this academic year. Also, rather than this being the third reading of the proposed policy in question, it is likely to be the first reading of the significantly changed policy that may have been presented in the past.

Moreover, policy IJNDB is currently listed as the policy covering students, not employees — IJNDB Internet Acceptable Use Policy (Aup) (Students).

Executive Session Purposes

We note with interest that the executive session purpose, as stated in the agenda, reads as follows:

“To conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel and to discuss strategies with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body.” [Emphasis added.]

According to the Attorney General’s Open Meeting Law Guide an executive session may be convened for ten purposes. Purposes number two and three are quoted below:

“2. To conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel;”

…
3. To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares;…” [Emphasis added.]

The text in the agenda stated some of the conditions in which the Committee could invoke a purpose to enter into executive session. However, the Committee has not declared that an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position.

The Attorney General’s Open Meeting Law Guide states what the chair of the public body must do:

• First convene in open session.
• State the reason for the executive session, stating all subjects that may be revealed without compromising the purpose for which the executive session was called.
• State whether the public body will reconvene at the end of the executive session.
• Take a roll call vote of the body to enter executive session.

The Committee and the community witnessed an exemplar of this requirement during the May 21, 2007, meeting. In the descriptive minutes of that meeting, we found:

“Mr. Harrington stated that executive session tonight is to discuss non-union negotiations. He explained his reasoning of merit vs. COLA raises and the need to talk with Dr. Martes about setting goals and objectives with administrators. He asked members of the Committee if they were comfortable discussing this issue in open session, because they will not be discussing any particular raise. Members felt that this was historically done in executive session, they would like to strategize in executive session, and would like to have a history of percentages received in the past, and when goals and objectives are ready, they could be discussed in open session.

Lord moved; Adair seconded:
Go into executive session to discuss strategies for non-union negotiations.
Vote: Lord-aye; Kominsky-aye; Slattery-aye; Adair-aye; Harrington-aye.”

A member of the community was moved to write a letter to the editor:

“After a very spirited discussion a vote was taken to proceed to executive session to discuss “strategy.” We, the public that were present, were more than pleased to see that our right to know was being respected. Kudos to Mr. Harrington.”
(Ballon, H. What a difference a year makes for School Committee. The Foxboro Reporter. May 24, 2007.)

It would benefit the community as a whole if the Committee would choose to follow some of the examples that Mr. Harrington left during his service in the School Committee.

Discussion:

What has changed in the Committee, in the Administration? What has changed that their processes have become more secretive?

We would prefer not to see these actions of the Committee as a pattern of carelessness. However, we must confront the record of the Committee’s actions.

We recognize that growth and improvement requires attention to detail and a desire to do better. Avoidance of criticism, while concentrating efforts on image and reputation, is no different from hiding reality behind a smoke screen or under the rug. We hope the Committee can control the members that threatened, "to harangue or harass" those with whom they disagree. Rather than using their positions as elected officials to give inappropriate examples of abuse of power, the elected leaders of our community are called to promote dialogue and inclusiveness.

We agree with Dr. Martes’ words that the Committee, the Administration, and we the community are called to model the values that we proclaim to hold dear. If we want our students to value excellence, from the Committee on down, we should all strive for excellence, pay attention to details, and work harder than anyone else. If we expect students to be accurate and precise in their work and test answers, the Committee and Administration must set the example in its work.

Respectfully,

Andres Navedo

Deborah Navedo

Foxboro Education Organization