Avoiding complicity by silence

The Cheney School Board will decide at a July 29 special meeting how it will respond to controversial comments made by Airway Heights Mayor Patrick Rushing on his personal Facebook page that became public almost two weeks ago.

Rushing’s comments regarding President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama made national news, generating claims of racism and demands by Airway Heights City Council members for his resignation. Rushing has apologized for the remarks, but has refused to resign and has had sanctions imposed on him by the council.

School Director Rick Mount called for the discussion, saying the comments not only have an impact on the students, parents and staff at Airway Heights’ Sunset Elementary School, but also on the district as a whole since Rushing is running for a position on the board.

Rushing is campaigning against current board member Henry C. Browne for school Director Position 3, which covers part of Airway Heights. Browne, who emigrated from the West African nation of Liberia in 1999 and moved with his family to Airway Heights in 2005, was appointed to the board in January 2013 and was elected to fill the remaining term of former director Larry Haskell.

Mount asked the board to consider the method with which they should respond to Rushing’s comments, either by a press release, letter to the editor, letter to parents or by other means. He also asked the board to consider asking for Rushing to withdraw his name from the Position 3 ballot.

“It’s very damaging and I don’t think we want to be associated with that kind of behavior, those kind of words,” Mount said.

Director Marcia Estrellado noted it’s up to the public whether or not Rushing remains on the ballot, but added she didn’t want the board to remain silent on the issue either. Director Suzanne Dolle, who’s Position 2 also covers a portion of Airway Heights, said remaining silent gives license for that type of behavior to continue.

“I don’t think it’s wise, if we feel strongly, to sit back and do nothing,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion at times.

The board called for the special session earlier in the meeting in order to continue a public hearing on the school district’s 2015-16 operating budget. Several members, as well as citizens in attendance to testify, felt they couldn’t make informed comments since their first look at the $49,772,263 in expenses and $49,861,109 in revenues included in the over 1-inch thick document came upon sitting down at last Wednesday’s meeting.

“I would want more time as a citizen,” district resident Bill Johns said. “I would hope the board would want more time to look at it.”

Johns challenged figures the district presented regarding student enrollment and staffing levels. He noted a June 24 work session document used a full-time enrollment of 4,307 students, but the actual figures presented showed a 2015-16 projected enrollment of 4,367.

FTE staffing levels for the coming year totaled 537.823 certificated and classified employees. By contrast, total FTE staffing in 2014-15 was 470.586 while enrollment was 4,191 students.

“Why the increase of almost 68 employees for 176 more students?” Johns asked.

Johns also questioned a $500,000 appropriation to buy land for a new elementary school, asking the board if they knew where they intended to site the future school. Mount said disclosing the location would put the district in a “bad bargaining” position since prospective real estate agents could then drive up the price of the land.

School district Superintendent Dr. Debra Clemens said a lot of assumptions district staff made in preparation for the budget work session made it into the final document. Clemens said they were comfortable with those assumptions and numbers from the state Office of Superintendent for Public Instruction, but will “go wherever the board is ready to go.”

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.