Lancaster ISD publicly reprimanded two school board members and even banned one from the building. NBC 5 education reporter Wayne Carter reports on the unusual move that the district says was necessary to keep order in the meetings.
Whether congress or a council meeting, disagreements happen, things can get personal; but rarely do you see what we saw Thursday night in Lancaster ISD.
Lancaster ISD voted to reprimand and censure two of its sitting school board members.
Gregory Stephenson and Temika Whitfield were accused of having hostility toward other board members, making inflammatory comments, and asking protracted questions that delay meetings.
Whitfield was banned from attending board meetings in person until February; Stephenson was asked to undergo training.
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" Arrangements will be made for you to attend and participate in all LISD board and committee meetings by remote telecommunications in a matter consistent with the Texas Opens Meetings Act," said Marion Hamilton, Board President, to Whitfield in the meeting.
Both trustees denied the allegations publicly at the meeting and spoke one-on-one to NBC 5.
“My goal is to do my job, and I was elected to do a job, and that is what I am being kept from doing,“ said Whitfield.
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“There are huge irregularities in this district, and nobody wants to acknowledge any of them. And one of the things that both Whitfield and I do is ask for documents and information," said Stephenson. "They want to discredit and get rid of Whitfield. I have never seen the outright hatred for someone, as I've seen with them."
Stephenson and Whitfield say they are simply doing their job, some questioning board contracts, and how public dollars are being spent.
Whitfield and another board member Carolyn Morris are in the middle of an assault case. Three board members tell NBC 5 the disagreement happened behind closed doors during a school board meeting closed session over where Board Member Carolyn Morris was sitting at a table and a chair was grabbed.
Lancaster ISD is operating under a conservator, appointed earlier this year, after an investigation involving an employment contract. Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees approved a new contract for the superintendent of schools, Dr. Elijah Granger, and 11 days later approved a separation agreement with the superintendent, which could have cost the district nearly $2million.
Friday, Board President Hamilton said the decision to censure employees came with the blessing of a TEA conservator who is monitoring the district for how it governs. Hamilton said, proving to TEA that the board functions orderly is her priority.
"We don't want the TEA in our district, we have a very positive district that is performing financially as well as academically. And that's what we plan to continue to do. So in order for us to meet our goal, we can't let two individuals hinder us," she said.
Hamilton said that Stephenson was disrespectful to her, something he denies, and she says she has an email where he apologized.
"Our board is committed to steering the district in a positive direction, and we will not let the actions of two members disrupt our district's business or hinder our progress. We remain focused on the necessary work to move our district forward and apologize as a collective board to our community members who have entrusted us to serve in this capacity," said Hamilton.
Whitfield apologized to the community for what she said are adults acting childish and not working together for the betterment of the district. She is still reviewing the boards decision and contemplating her next steps.
