Emails from Wendi Cheatham, president of the Bentonville School Board, to Superintendent Michael Poore reflect such a level of disrespect and strained relations, it's no wonder the last few months have been tense.
The board appeared united Feb. 20 when, after four hours of discussions outside public view, its members voted 7-0 to negotiate a new three-year contract with Poore.
What's The Point?
The president of the Bentonville School Board needs to rein in her overbearing ways in her handling of the superintendent.
The board did not vote to extend Poore's contract by simply adding a year, a practice often done in an effort to reinforce continuity of leadership. Rather, they set about to renegotiate his contract in its entirety. The board has shared few details of what kind of new language they expect to hash out, but Cheatham has said a major focus will be on accountability.
Evidence of mistrust and tense relations are aplenty. Two former board members spoke out about what they viewed as bad intentions. Board member Rebecca Powers has said Cheatham planned to oust Moore from the moment she took office, and had repeatedly told her so. Powers also tearfully described how she felt "manipulated" by Cheatham throughout Poore's evaluation process. Another board member, Willie Cowgur, said some board members should resign if they served on the board for the wrong reasons.
A 7-0 cannot erase the trust issues going on at least between Cheatham and Poore. Emails recently reviewed by this newspaper's reporting staff show a board president overstepping bounds of propriety and authority through demanding messages to Poore.
"When is the date of your next staff meeting? I feel it is appropriate and even necessary that I attend a portion of this meeting to see for myself how you communicate with your staff," Cheatham wrote on Dec. 3. Can you say power trip?
Last week Cheatham acknowledged she's trying to find her way as president "without a clear road map," but here's some advice for the journey: She was not elected to be Michael Poore's supervisor. Her only supervisory function comes jointly with other board members. The title of president allows her to run board meetings, but doesn't anoint her with authority over the day-to-day management of operations or with command over the superintendent, no matter who it is.
Fellow board member Willie Cowgur got it right in an email a few days later. "I think he deserves more respect than that. Also, I disagree that you want to go to the staff meeting to see how Mike communicates with his staff. Micromanagement is not one of the responsibilities as a board member. I'm not sure you understand your role and responsibility as president."
Separately, Cheatham requested a meeting with Poore to discuss an upcoming board session. Poore replied he would have two members of his team of administrators sit in to provide answers Cheatham wanted. Her response, rejecting the involvement of two knowledgeable administrators, indicates she wants Poore to run the school district like she's trying to run the school board -- single-handedly in charge of it all. Poore is smart enough to know no one person can be in charge of everything in a school district.
Cheatham's response was unreasonable if her goal was gathering information. Was that her goal?
Bentonville needs leadership from the board's president, and that's different from day-to-day oversight of management. If Cheatham is so single-mindedly focused on crushing Poore, her approach on the board will rob the district of healthy, beneficial discussion of how to best educate the children of the community, if it hasn't already.
Commentary on 03/11/2014