Just yesterday people on the Vanguard were suggesting that the school board race was about as exciting as watching grass grow. Someone earlier this week told me somewhat flippantly, these candidates are too nice, we need a scandal. Looks like some may be attempting to generate some controversy.
In last night's newspaper, the Davis Enterprise ran an above-the-fold story based on a single source that suggested that Davis High School Teacher Don Winters had used classroom time in his capacity as Campaign Manager for Joe Spector to stuff envelopes for the campaign.
According to the Davis Enterprise:
The Vanguard has spoken with students off the record who claim that the incident never happened.
What did happen was that there was apparently supposed to be an envelope stuffing session occurring during lunch time. However, Principal Michael Cawley stopped that before it ever occurred. There was never according to my sources any type of envelope stuffing during classroom time.
The Enterprise quotes Interim Superintendent Richard Whitmore as saying:
"District policy is that student instructional time is to be focused on learning new material, and demonstrating subject matter expertise. This kind of alleged political activity doesn't have any part of a lesson plan that the district would approve."
On the other hand, the school sanctions groups, such as the DHS Young Democrats, which meets during lunch time in Don Winters room.
So it would appear that political activity during lunch time may be considered by the district to be different than political activity during actual class time.
In any case, this new discovery casts some doubts on the charges made by B.J. Kline that were reported in the Davis Enterprise.
---Doug Paul Davis reporting
In last night's newspaper, the Davis Enterprise ran an above-the-fold story based on a single source that suggested that Davis High School Teacher Don Winters had used classroom time in his capacity as Campaign Manager for Joe Spector to stuff envelopes for the campaign.
According to the Davis Enterprise:
B.J. Kline, a former board member, brought the alleged incident to the attention of Davis High Principal Mike Cawley, two current school board members and The Enterprise.B.J. Kline has endorsed at least one of the opponents to Joe Spector.
"This is campaigning at its worst," Kline said. "(It) should not be allowed to happen."
His allegation prompted plenty of discussion Thursday in Davis political circles. But when contacted by The Enterprise for comment, almost no one connected with the alleged incident, the school board campaign or the school district administration had much to say.
The Vanguard has spoken with students off the record who claim that the incident never happened.
What did happen was that there was apparently supposed to be an envelope stuffing session occurring during lunch time. However, Principal Michael Cawley stopped that before it ever occurred. There was never according to my sources any type of envelope stuffing during classroom time.
The Enterprise quotes Interim Superintendent Richard Whitmore as saying:
"District policy is that student instructional time is to be focused on learning new material, and demonstrating subject matter expertise. This kind of alleged political activity doesn't have any part of a lesson plan that the district would approve."
On the other hand, the school sanctions groups, such as the DHS Young Democrats, which meets during lunch time in Don Winters room.
So it would appear that political activity during lunch time may be considered by the district to be different than political activity during actual class time.
In any case, this new discovery casts some doubts on the charges made by B.J. Kline that were reported in the Davis Enterprise.
---Doug Paul Davis reporting
