Controversy continues in a provisionally accredited Kansas City school district that has seen an exceptional degree of infighting among leadership this year.
The latest about a contested election back in April thanks to our blog community . . .
A JUDGE RECENTLY STRUCK DOWN A HICKMAN MILLS SCHOOL BOARD STRATEGY AGAINST VOTERS!!!
A word about the situation . . .
"The public needs to know about that dysfunctional district and their attempt to circumvent the democratic process."
Recently, we heard KCMO lawyer Clinton Adams was handling this case and it's an important move not only because he hasn't ever lost in his contests against Hickman Mills but also because it seems that he represents a broad coalition of residents worried about the state of the School Board.
Here's an e-mail circulating around the district.
Even better . . . CHECK THE LATEST LEGAL RULING AGAINST THE HICKMAN SCHOOL BOARD . . .
Take a look:
Judge Thwarts Hickman Mills School District Politics
The judge has ruled. The Hickman Mills School District was wrong when it refused to issue a certificate of election to Evelyn Hildebrand, the highest vote-getter in last April’s school board election; instead, opting to issue the certificate of election and administer the oath of office to the other two candidates, who came in second and third.
The third, and last, place finisher, Shawn Kirkwood, after being illegally sworn in, was once again elected President. When Hildebrand protested, Kirkwood used school district resources and tax payer dollars in an effort to circumvent the democratic process.
This effort to steal an election should not be happening at the school board level of all places. The education of our children is too important for this nonsense. This is the same school board that recently tried to keep Dan Osman as a member after he moved to Overland Park.
With governance of the district in such shambles, it’s no wonder it can’t educate the kids above the provisionally accredited rating. It’s time to stop playing politics; time for Kirkwood to move on; time to swear in the legally and rightfully elected person. This school board needs to get out of politics and start doing the job they were elected to do.
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You decide . . .
Hickman Mills is a mess and I'm glad they've started to push back against the Board.
ReplyDeleteRaytown and Grandview have all managed to put together a decent way to offer kids a good education but Hickman Mills is falling behind. Look no further than their school board to see who is responsible for the mess. A shame that it takes a court ruling to sort out the mess. You'd think the board would focus what is in the best interests of the students.
ReplyDeleteMight be of notice to all the Cerner employees who might soon be thinking about moving to a district outside of KCPS in the Southland. I bet that Hickman Mills might not be their first choice.
ReplyDeleteThe Cerner employees at the new taxpayer-funded campus will be living and sending their children to schools in Johnson County, Kansas and Lee's Summit.
ReplyDeleteThe notion that this "development" will have anything at all to do with the surrounding neighborhoods has been a hoax and fantasy from the start.
According to John Sharp, Scott Taylor and Kevin McManus the Cerner employees will be moving to the southland. You know what Scott Taylor doesn't even send his kid to public schools.
ReplyDeleteHickman Mills is screwed up, but on this issue, they were right in their intention but just got ahead of the court in action. Evelyn was notified by the MoDOR a month before the election that she was ineligible to run due to unpaid property tax, after failing to respond to a warning from the MoDOR a month earlier. She chose not to self-report this finding, and the MoDOR failed to forward report to the elections board to remove her name from the ballot. After she came in second, both the elections board and the school board became aware of her ineligibility and refused to issue her a certificate of election. The court DID NOT rule that Hickman Mills was trying to steal the election, they simply ruled that the elections board should not withhold a certificate of election UNTIL the courts rule such based upon MoDOR's find of ineligibility due to her unpaid taxes.
ReplyDeleteDamn Tony, a little bit of reading comprehension goes a long way...
I believe the prosecuting attorney's office said that because of various clerical errors all three candidates should be disqualified.
ReplyDeleteNone of the candidates knew enough to check on things themselves. They just filed to run and then left everything to someone else. That's exactly why the district is as dysfunctional as it is.
Hickman mills school board is acting horribly. A state takeover is needed here more than even the KCPS.
ReplyDeleteWhat a mess in Hickman Mills - and this is only ONE issue! I'm sure it will all be fixed when administrators and head honcho move in to all new office space (wasted money) and the board has an all new board room (more wasted money). The board and superintendent obviously have their priorities all screwed up.
ReplyDeleteHey 11:02, that head honcho needs to have his own private bathroom and what better way to get it than have the community pay for it? It doesn't really matter that the current central office building was fairly recently remodeled or that there were no plans for it's future use when the bonds were being discussed.
ReplyDeleteIs there any precedent for a total board of education recall? We need a community and student minded board. People who aren't afraid to stand up to the Superintendent and his devious scheming. Committed people who will fight for turning the district around - if that is any longer possible.
ReplyDeleteKS or MO, here's the real issues:
ReplyDeleteTax payers wake up
USD 229 Superintendent pay $634,454
USD 512 Asst. Superintendent $422,198
US 233 Superintendent $287,456
Public School Teacher $50,596
Voters shouldve been notified about the near decade tax delinquency of this Evelyn character. Freedom Inc has taken over hickman
ReplyDeleteThere is NO process for recalling school board members, singly or otherwise, at least not in MO.
ReplyDeleteThe delinquent tax was a one time thing a decade ago. It's not like she makes a habit of not paying her taxes. Rumor has it, that it wasn't even hers. It was actually her husband's.
ReplyDeleteTaxes or no, it will be a welcome change to have someone on the board who can stand up to the superintendent.
Re: 9:43, Taylor was recently at a meeting talking about Cerner employees and mentioned Center schools. He probably doesn't even know where Hickman Mills is. Besides, he's not the only one who doesn't send his kid to public schools. The Hickman Mills superintendent pulled his kid out of Hickman Mills and put him in a private school.
ReplyDeleteTax fraud candidates. Are these the best South KC has to offer?
ReplyDeleteWorked on the Cerner campus down there. Every employee sees their immediate surroundings as a demilitarized zone. Not one, not a single one, is going to move into Hickman Mills/Grandview.
ReplyDeleteThe superintendent got who he wanted on the board. Since when does the superintendent have "veto power" of the voters? Not sure he even lives in Hickman Mills and can cast one legitimate vote.
ReplyDeleteBest comment = 12:37.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's sad to see that the Star is now getting its education news from TKC.
KC = Screwed.
Remember when black folks DIDN'T run the schools in Kansas City?
ReplyDeleteYes, there was a time when a public school education received in KC was a thing to be proud of.
Since blacks were somehow put in charge, the system's been totally fucked up. It's beyond repair now......
Cerner will have to BUILD THEIR OWN SCHOOLS and create a razor-wire thirty feet high fenced perimeter to protect innocent white children from the black criminals that are absolutely destroying this once-great city.
Need to make a fresh pot of coffee on this one.
ReplyDeleteThis area pushes out those who fight for them and accepts those who do them harm. Remember Clinton Adams ushered in the KCMO pillage. Any of his approved henchmen or women should be kept at arms length.
ReplyDeleteThe superintendent isn't doing the minority students any favors when he's constantly telling them they can achieve because of discrimination. See http://kcur.org/post/hickman-mills-school-officials-say-state-testing-discriminated-against-students
ReplyDeleteOr they can't win a robotics competition because of discrimination. You have to go into this with the idea that all students can achieve and not immediately give an out.
Correction 2:52 "constantly telling them they can't achieve"
ReplyDeleteEducate yourself on the criminal ways they operate to gain control.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDc8PVCvfKs&feature=player_embedded
Where'd he learn that technique....hmmmm?
ReplyDeleteFirst it's the students' fault because they weren't able to take the state tests using computers, even though Center, Grandview, and Raytown kids had no trouble.
ReplyDeleteThen it was the State's fault because it keeps messing with the test.
The fact that the majority of kids in Hickman Mills aren't even learning on grade level has nothing to do with the Superintendent himself.
Now we're pursuing some alternate certification even though everyone knows on state certification counts.
Unbelievable.
28 comments.....20 of them supplied by resident racist south Kansas City resident Teresa Edens. Laughable
ReplyDeleteWow. Just got home and checked this out. Looks like John Sharp has been at it again. Once upon a time Hickman Mills had a decent apolitical school board. Then John Sharp got himself elected. Now he still just can't help himself. Too bad it isn't constructive.
ReplyDeleteUSD 229 Superintendent pay $634,454
ReplyDeleteUSD 512 Asst. Superintendent $422,198
US 233 Superintendent $287,456
including golden parachutes, healthcare, phones, car allowances, luxury travel, pension, yada and more yada. Because, after all, it's for the children.
Brought to you by scamartistsofamerica.org
this isn't the only illegal thing they have done in the last year
ReplyDeleteHickman Mills thinks that they are above the law
ReplyDeleteTo 9:17 - I agree, much has to do with the politics being played by board members and former board members like Sharp. Sharp has an uncontrollable urge to make everything about him (if there's a camera he's there) and is brand of politics. It also stems from a superintendent that believes the State of Mo is wrong and he knows better than DESE. The superintendent claims the Missouri accreditation doesn't mean anything, and like one comment said is looking at an alternative accreditation. When you have your top official in the district setting that kind of tone, and political pot-stirrers constantly meddling it makes it difficult for the district to stay within the law. There has been a lot of comments on this one - by what sounds like a variety of people (contrary to one comment) - we can only hope that there can be some open discussion and residents will start taking notice of what a mess the current board is in and what a mess the superintendent is creating for those of us who pay taxes and own homes in the area. But, on that note don't expect your opinion to matter with the superintendent - he thinks he has ALL the answers and definitely thinks he's above the law (all law).
ReplyDelete