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CLOUDY Temp: 45 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Wednesday, February 19, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 24, 2003 Medford School Watch grills board members, superintendent Most questions were prompted by 800 pages of information the watchdog group requested and received from the board By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune For the first time since the Medford School Watch purchased a newspaper advertisement bashing the district’s administration, the group on Thursday met with school board members to hash out the issues. During a heated study session with school board members and the district superintendent, members of the local watchdog group fired off one question after another. The majority were prompted by 800 pages of information the group had requested from the board in November and received last week. Among other allegations, Watch chairwoman Loretta Francis asked officials why the district allowed one administrator to spend $2,300 on office furniture in 2001. She also asked why Superintendent Steve Wisely brought his secretary to the National School Board Association Convention in Florida last year, and Francis alleged that certain district administrators have no purpose. "I want to know, is the board going to show more maturity and fiscal responsibility?" she asked. "Was it really the decent and moral and ethical thing to do? "Your performance has been shoddy at best." At one point, board member Jack Day asked Francis to tone down her emotion. "I think the idea of the meeting is not to be so aggressive but tell us what the problems are," said Day. School Board Chairman Mike Moran defended the furniture purchase, saying the items were necessary. He added that Wisely’s secretary attended specific workshops at the conference. Moran said district spending, along with travel, has been frozen in anticipation of severe budget cuts. Francis refused to identify anonymous sources of alleged district wrongdoing cited during the meeting and would not name members of the Medford School Watch. She said she feared her sources would be harassed by school officials. "I’m a mother bear," she added. "As a result, I protect them with a vengeance." Five people attended the meeting with Francis and her husband, Bill. All gave their names, but only John Glaser said he was a School Watch member. For nearly 20 minutes on Thursday, the board was berated and criticized for the deficit facing the district because of PERS, or Public Employee Retirement System, funding problems. Day was blasted when he attempted to explain that PERS is a state issue that the district cannot control. Board member Peggy Penland added that she has worked in the past to lobby legislators on the issue. Francis criticized the board for approving a travel request recently submitted by South Medford High School Principal Cynda Rickert. But board member Joe Frodsham pointed out that the travel request was for students to attend a band competition. Parents and students raised the money to attend and no district funding was used, he added. District rules require the board to OK all out-of-state travel. The watch group on Thursday made 17 new requests for detailed information on travel expenses, projects funded through bonds, employment history and insurance billings. The group has eight additional requests pending. Wisely said he doesn’t know when the district can provide the organization with the newly requested information. He added that school employees must take time off their regular duties to do the research required. Nearly 100 man-hours went into granting the Medford School Watch’s first request for information. The group was charged $29.75 for copies and nothing for the work. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Jack Day apologizes for racist comment, says it was used as a metaphor Medford School Board member Jack Day apologized Thursday for using a racist phrase during a private conversation with Medford School Watch members inside the district office Wednesday night. "It wasn’t meant to be derogatory comment in any sense of the word," Day said. "It wasn’t meant to be racist. I want to apologize to everyone." Day made the comment while talking with School Watch members Loretta and Bill Francis following a board study session. Day told the couple he had feared, "a n - - - - - would jump out of the woodpile" when Medford School Watch first leveled allegations against the school district. Day said he used the phrase as a metaphor to express his earlier concern that Medford School Watch had proof of wrong-doings, and added that he realizes it was inappropriate. Loretta Francis contacted the Mail Tribune Thursday morning to report the incident. Francis said she was too stunned by Day’s remarks to comment on the phrase at the time. "To me, it’s the most hateful word in the English language ... and this guy controls our kids," said Francis. "Sometimes things are said that are indicative of a person’s true nature." Day — a 20-year school board veteran and lifelong Rogue Valley resident — never denied making the comments when contacted Thursday regarding Francis’ allegation. School Board Chairman Mike Moran said although Day had done an enormous amount of good for the district, he doesn’t approve of Day’s language. "I know Jack Day, and I know he’s a good guy," Moran said. "But the use of that term is always inappropriate. It’s offensive." Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S