HOWELL - Just when you thought her 15 minutes of “fame” were up she pops up again.
I am talking about Vicki Fyke, the leader of the anti-gay hate group known as the LOVE PAC - (Livingston Organization for Values in Education). Apparently, after doing what she could to embarrass and drive former Howell Public Schools Superintendent Chuck Breiner out of the district after 13 years here, nine as superintendent, he left in March 2008 with a very generous severance package.
Last June the district hired Ted Gardella as Superintendent.He has made some heavy-handed personal moves, and the board has shared in some questionable decisions. The one that I am most aware of is the decision to turn over operation of the Howell Area Aquatic Center (HAAC) to the Howell Recreation Authority last month with no plan in place.
They fired the director who has been there for more than 16 years, even before the pool opened, and the assistant manager and administrative assistant, who have been there for the past nine years. The approved it without even approval from the Rec. authority board or any kind of plan.
I know about this story because I haven swimming there since 2000, and I have worked there as a lifeguard since 2003 and I am currently a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor (WSI). The school board will discuss a plan for the pool tonight, and to my knowledge no one from the recreation authority has even so much as visited the pool or talked to anyone there, yet they have an alleged plan. No one had seen this plan before the school board dumped both a school and community asset.
But the big story is Gardella’s evaluation will be discussed by the board in closed session tonight, and Fyke, according to the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, is claiming Gardella’s termination is “imminent” and will come at tonight’s meeting. It also reported that “Fyke wrote a mass e-mail to board members and was sent to the Daily Press & Argus. In that note, Fyke says she knows that there is a 4-3 vote coming most likely at Monday’s meeting to terminate Gardella. However, she doesn’t say how she knows that information. She did not return a message seeking comment Friday.”
If that is correct, there is a clear violation of the Open Meetings Act because they can not debate unless they are in open session.
First, who cares what Fyke has to say? I don’t even think “LOVE” is still around anymore. They went underground after their misguided attempt to ban books at the school failed.
The “LOVE” member on the school board, Wendy Day, is too busy organizing misnamed and misguided tea parties and blogging her anti-public school rhetoric on the official unofficial GOP blog to pass info to her leader.
It’s a little disturbing that a public school board member says she is “not a big fan of public education.” Then why are you making decision for a public school? The majority of Americans have a public school education, and it was that education system that helped America build one of the highest standard of living in the world.
7 comments:
Nice post until the part showing your preoccupation with Wendy Day.
She and a small number of others on that board who have some backbone are all that separate Howell's school finances from those in Brighton.
But your main point is dead on- if the board has already deliberated and decided to fire Gardella they'd be in violation of the Open Meetings Act.
I again have to disagree. If you read Fake’s rantings you will see she singles out other board members for some very vicious criticism, but not Day. She also says “it has come to her attention that the board will fire the Super by a 4-3 vote.” Where do you think she is getting that info?
It amazes me that a member of the school board can say she is not a fan of public education. She is apparently too busy with rightwing anti-government activities to do her job properly. The only good news is she only has one year left of her term.
From my perspective, you don't have to be a fan of something to want it to be run right. And someone who actually takes care of the education of their own kids shows a hell of a commitment to education. I don't know Wendy personally, and have only been to 2 meetings, but she, Drick and Parker strike me as the ones who are showing up for duty.
Bottom line, we really have to hope that we maintain a sane board, because we can't afford to get into the same financial boat as many other districts in the state. From Detroit to the ORS they're all in awful shape. I can't name an exemplary one - can you ?
Just real quick - I hear you talking about the "anti-gay" agenda, hating, book burning - but could you possibly post some stuff that Vicki Fyke/& Wendy Day have actually said to support that or else accounts of real actions they have taken......I don't know, so look forward to seeing it....
Sure, just click on their names at the bottom or on “LOVE” and it will bring up some of the stuff on them.
Read the references I could find. Probably on the ball with Fykes - who at best has displayed questionable judgement.
Nothing here on Day that is remotely troubling.
Last word on the aquatic center is that it appears to be working out - looks like the deal is real with Parks and Rec. Terres and co look like they're executing.
Seriously? Day is a co-founder of “LOVE” with Fyke, and she is a Fyke ally. She also supported the anti-gay attack on the diversity clubs and the book banning. Plus, Day is organizing anti-government rallies. That alone is troubling.
As for this “deal” between the pool and the Rec. Department, how can something be “working out” when few people have seen any details – certainly not the people who have to carry it out - and nothing has been implemented?
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