FOIA complaint filed against the State Board of Education

My email to AG Denn regarding the State Board of Education, January 21, 2016 meeting.

AG Denn, I am writing to you today to file a complaint with regards to the State Board of Education most recent board meeting held on Thursday, January  21, 2016 in the Townsend Building, Dover. If you listen to the State Board meeting audio from Thursday, you can hear that Dr. Gray instructed someone to have a side bar conversation during the State Board meeting, this was a public meeting she should not have instructed someone to go off the record, I have provided the audio below. Later on during the meeting after the WEIC Commission left, I witnessed along with Mike Matthews, RCEA president, Dr. Gray coming over to the attorney’s table and asked the attorney questions about WEIC and what had taken place with the vote and the amendment, again she should not be asking questions off the record. The State Board violated open meeting laws.

Also, the vote they took, in my opinion violated Senate Bill 122. The board was suppose to vote yes or no –if it was no, they were to write to the commission their reasons why. They voted yes with an amendment  I have provide Senate Bill 122 below.

Please let me know if your office will be looking into my complaint.

http://www.doe.k12.de.us/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=6317&ViewID=E324842B-E4A3-44C3-991A-1E716D4A99E3&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=16089&PageID=1770

http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis148.nsf/vwLegislation/SB+122/$file/legis.html?open

Representative Kim Williams

19th District

302-577-8476 Wilmington Office

302-744-4351 Dover Office

Kimberly.Williams@state.de.us

Facebook.com/KimWilliamsforStateRepresentative

Twitter: @kimwilliamsde

State Board Audio of WEIC Discussion

The State Board of Education did not follow the law with regards to WEIC as stated in Senate Bill 122. The State Board was suppose to vote no or yes –if they voted no they needed to send a response back to the commission as to why they voted no. The State Board President, Dr. Gray, instructed someone (possibly Donna Johnson) to have a side bar off the record, which in my opinion, should not have happened, again I think they broke the law with regards to open meeting laws. The president of the State Board would not allow for Dr. Allen or Dr. Rich to give a public comment even though it was promised. The attorney for the State Board stated that the law allowed for public comment if the President agreed to it.

After the WEIC Commission left and the meeting was still taking place, the State Board President Dr. Gray, came over to the attorney’s table and had another side bar conversation, off the record, asking the attorney about WEIC.  These are public meetings and there should be no conversations off the record.

Audio of State Board Meeting

 

Redistricting Meeting Today at Baltz starting at 4:00

There is a redistricting meeting today starting at 4:00. Below is the agenda for today’s meeting.

View this document on Scribd

Redistricting Town Hall Meeting November 16

You are invited to learn about the proposed redistricting plan in New Castle County, that would include the Christina and Colonial School Districts and the Red Clay District.

 THE SCHOOL REDISTRICTING PLAN

Speaker:  Dan Rich, Policy Director, Wilmington Education Improvement Commission, and Professor of Public Policy, University of Delaware

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015, 6:30 P.M

PRESENTATION FOLLOWED BY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Kirkwood Library, 6000 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19808

SPONSORS:   American Association of University Women, Newark and League of Women Voters of New Castle County

THIS FORUM IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

The Wilmington Education Improvement Commission is responsible for implementing recommendations to strengthen Wilmington public education and to provide greater support for all Delaware schools with high concentrations of low-income students and English language learners.

The work of the Commission includes the development of a plan for redistricting in New Castle County, with the Christina and Colonial School Districts no longer serving Wilmington students  and the Red Clay District taking on these students.  The redistricting plan also will address the resources needed for redistricting  to be successful in better  supporting student learning. 

The forum will, provide an understanding of issues being addressed by the Wilmington  Education Improvement Commission. 

Redistricting Town Hall Meeting November 16

You are invited to learn about the proposed redistricting plan in New Castle County, that would include the Christina and Colonial School Districts and the Red Clay District.

 THE SCHOOL REDISTRICTING PLAN

Speaker:  Dan Rich, Policy Director, Wilmington Education Improvement Commission, and Professor of Public Policy, University of Delaware

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015, 6:30 P.M

PRESENTATION FOLLOWED BY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Kirkwood Library, 6000 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19808

SPONSORS:   American Association of University Women, Newark and League of Women Voters of New Castle County

THIS FORUM IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

The Wilmington Education Improvement Commission is responsible for implementing recommendations to strengthen Wilmington public education and to provide greater support for all Delaware schools with high concentrations of low-income students and English language learners.

The work of the Commission includes the development of a plan for redistricting in New Castle County, with the Christina and Colonial School Districts no longer serving Wilmington students  and the Red Clay District taking on these students.  The redistricting plan also will address the resources needed for redistricting  to be successful in better  supporting student learning. 

The forum will, provide an understanding of issues being addressed by the Wilmington  Education Improvement Commission.