7:44 AM Apr 30, 2009
Nancy Robbinson acknowledged that the April 15 rule development session committee on school closures was tough for everyone, but she did not agree with Kat Gordon's lecture to the community.She asked for a workshop to review the board's ethics and civility codes.
"It is tough and uncomfortable" to listen to some of the comments at high-profile meetings, Robbinson said. "I do not agree with responding in kind."
She said she was worried Gordon violated ethics or civility codes, and she wanted to be sure everyone reviewed them.
Gordon's opinion, she said, is not the board's opinion.
Gordon stood her ground.
"I am not going to shuffle my feet, bow my head... I am going to speak up," she said. Gordon added that her community feels she had a right to say what she said -- about the hurts of past racism and other issues, including the behavior of teachers who attended the meeting.
It was the audience, not Gordon, who was abusive, Gordon said.
"I am not up here to be stepped on. I refuse to be stepped on," she said.
And she placed the blame squarely on Chairwoman Joie Cadle's shoulders.
"I feel it should have been stopped," she said about the "abusive" comments coming from the public and teachers at the meeting.
Cadle agreed to hold a workshop. She also agreed with Gordon's request to read a conduct or civility code before any of those types of emotionally charged meetings are held.
This is what they're talking about:
