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School Board Votes to Censure Member

School Board Votes to Censure Member

 

By Marvin Pirila

 

The school board met in a special session on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, to discuss the possible public censure of member David Rohde.

 

Amy Starzecki, Superintendent/ Principal, penned a letter to School Board members on March 11, 2015, regarding the special meeting to discuss the “Resolution of Censure.”

 

“There have been many community members who have approached the school district and individual board members with concerns regarding the incident between Dave Rohde and the student back in January that involved law enforcement. In consulting with our district attorney, it was advised to address this matter as a formal resolution of censure. The censure resolution also captures additional concerns raised by individual board members in recent months. This resolution will be addressed in a special session at 6:00PM on March 18th, which is also the date of the working session.”

 

The issue centered on Mr. Rohde’s behavior at a basketball game.  Mr. Rohde claims his daughter has been harassed by a high school boy continuously for the past two weeks causing his daughter to come home from school each day with tears and also causing his daughter to lose focus in school because of the constant bullying. Mr Rohde saw the student at a basketball game and put his hand on his forearm and yelled at the student for his harassing behavior toward his daughter.  The school was advised of the incident and contacted the police because it involved an adult and a student.  Both the police and the school advised Mr. Rohde from having any contact with the family until this issue was resolved.

 

Mr. Rohde, having reviewed items on the agenda, said he was okay with the first item.  “I acted as a parent that night.”  He explained that his response was affected by the several cases of suicide he had counseled others on and from knowing some of the victims firsthand.  He became acquainted with the victims as a result of the verbal abuse they had received in their lives.

 

Item 1:  “WHEREAS, Dave Rhode [sic] has acted in an aggressive and hostile manner toward a student of school district at a school event contrary to his fiduciary responsibility to the school district and its students and in violation of the school board's Code of Ethics;”

 

Further making his argument, Mr. Rohde stated that he was not part of the community [having not grown up here or with any relatives living here] and that, as well as him being a pastor has made his kids more susceptible to verbal abuse from students as well as adults.  “I reacted as a father.”

 

Member Rohde, however, didn’t agree with the other items attached to the resolution for censure.  He said he felt the board had already passed judgment without the benefit of fact gathering first.  “The nice thing about America is that you are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.”  I don’t feel that is the case here.

 

Item 2:  “WHEREAS, Dave Rhode [sic] has acted in an aggressive and hostile manner toward other members of the Board of Education at public events and at school district meetings contrary to the school board members' Code of Ethics;”

 

Mr. Rohde added that the act of censuring was public shaming with the intent of making sure the person is not re-elected.

 

When Mr. Rohde requested the board members share examples of his aggressive and hostile actions, the following were given:

 

1. Superintendent/Principal Amy Starzecki said an email from him was hostile

 

2. Board chair Kandi Johnson said, “You’ve hit the table” and “I’m afraid of you.”

 

3. Member Tim Myles said “There are times when don’t listen,” and “…when it went over to Kandis [Johnson] and Amy [Starzecki] you would talk over them.”  “You wouldn’t listen to me when I first joined the school board.”  “I felt you were bullying…”

 

Mr. Rohde countered these claims by saying he was “not the only one who has been aggressive.”   “…past board members have acted aggressively and some on this board.”  “I get rolled eyes, looking the other way.  I’m just giving you my opinion.”

 

In regard to the email he sent Ms. Starzecki, he said I wanted to talk to you personally but you requested I do it by email.  Ms. Starzecki said counsel advised her to keep it to email.

 

Ms. Starzecki said that the censure is to say publicly that we are not okay with this.

 

Mr. Rohde said he took it [censure] as “publicly guilty, period, based on your opinions.”  “It is to publicly disgrace and shame me.”  Mr. Rohde added, “Former board member Dave Denoyer said he loved my passion and standing up for what you believe.”  “Have other members gotten argumentative with me.  Yes.”  I’m just “sharing what other people have told me.”

 

Mr. Myles argued his points for censuring Mr. Rohde.  “You have to take ownership for your part.  I’m tied to my wife, she doesn’t have a large family.  I’m not from here.”

 

Mr Rohde did say that he is willing to take ownership for his part, but he was defensive because he felt he is the only one being accused of something that others are also doing.

 

Item 3:  “WHEREAS, Dave Rhode [sic] registered for the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA) conference in January of this year along with the hotel registration, but failed to show or attend without notifying the Superintendent or Board Chair causing the school district to unnecessarily incur the expense of the registration fees and the hotel bill;”

 

Mr. Rohde says he left a message with Lois Persons about his inability to make the conference because of personal issues that came up and would not allow him to attend. He said he contacted Lois Persons because she is the one who registered everyone for the conference and hotel. He also said that from the beginning he told Lois Persons that he would not be able to come to the conference until Thursday evening and would only be able to attend the conference that followed.  During his talking, one person sighed and two kept their heads down.

 

Chair Kandi Johnson interjected to say, “It’s not right that you willfully did not come to a meeting that cost the school.”

 

Item 4:  “WHEREAS, Dave Rhode [sic] has manifested little or no interest in developing a collegial relationship with fellow board members in working toward the mission and goal of the school district: To provide the best educational opportunity for the students of the school district;”

 

“We shouldn’t be a board that has to agree on everything.”  “What makes us a better board to drive forward?” Mr. Rohde asked.  “My goal is to have our students get the best education.”

 

Chair Johnson moved for a motion to censure.  Voting to censure were Steve Hall, Kandi Johnson, Cori Suonvieri, and Tim Myles.  Voting against were Dave Rohde and Justin Ruzynski.  Motion passed.

 

Minnesota Statutes Applicable to Boards of Independent School Districts

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