Not only are children returning for another year at Hillsborough Elementary School, it is also time for the Orange County Board of Education to signal the course it will chart by choosing its leadership for the coming year.
In what has become a dominant message in the current Presidential campaign, the Board chose to embrace change and reject the failed "leadership" of Ted Triebel and Debbie Piscitelli.
In the new Board's first official act, it sent a positive message of change by wiping its slate clean of those responsible for the last two years of divisive failure and eroded public confidence. In a potential sign of rebirth on King Street, the Board chose two leaders with absolutely no connection to the Board's recent failures.
But, it apparently wasn't without drama.
Both Ted Triebel and Debbie Piscitelli sought to cling to the power they wielded with such a heavy hand over the past year. But, both of their efforts were doomed to failure as the majority of the Board unceremoniously turned them out of their leadership positions.
According to the News of Orange County, Ted Triebel's effort to remain the Board's Chairman failed on the first ballot as newly elected Board Member Steve Halkiotis was elected Chairman by a tally of 4 to 3.
Debbie Piscitelli fared somewhat better - or merely had her repudiation delayed - as she managed to tie newcomer Tony McKnight at three votes apiece (with one vote for Eddie Eubanks) on the first ballot. However, on the second ballot Debbie too was rejected as Tony garnered the required fourth vote.
With Liz Brown off doing whatever it is she does, Dennis Whitling pondering the possibility of spending his golden years behind bars, and both Ted and Debbie relegated to the sidelines, this Board is in a great position to begin re-building its trust within the community - last Monday night it took a huge first step.
I have high hopes for the coming year, but only time will tell if my hopes are well founded.
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22 comments:
Does anyone have an update concerning Dennis Whitling? It has been around five months since Dennis resigned from the School Board.
Why do you care? Can we not start this year off in peace? I just happened upon this link in my favorites and I have to wonder the relevance any more. Sure we need to stay vigilant and be aware of the planning and decisions being made for the children of Orange County. But is this forum useful and needed any more?
Umm, I was just wanting to know the status of Dennis Whitling's criminal case. No reason to get upset! The Whitling debacle is hovering over our School system and it needs to be resolved ASAP. Dennis, who is an attorney, knows better than anyone else that he's innocent until proven guilty. Any admission of guilt by Dennis, or any verdict of guilt needs to be reported to the general public.
anonymous July 20, 2008 wrote:
"Why do you care? Can we not start this year off in peace?"
If you want peace, you need a pretty big stick to carry around. The board will be more respectful of HES families this upcoming year. I'm all about peace and prosperity! We love our children, and we care about their well-being.
I have not heard a thing about Dennis Whitling. I heard he's representing himself in this matter.
Since Dennis Whitling is no longer a member of the BOE, discussing his status on this blog in inappropriate, to say the least.
Move on, folks!!
Actually, I am the only person who gets to decide what is "appropriate" discussion on this blog.
And, I too am curious about what is happening in the Dennis Whitling case.
"Since Dennis Whitling is no longer a member of the BOE, discussing his status on this blog in inappropriate, to say the least."
Dennis is innocent before proven guilty. However, he did swear to a code of ethics in his role as School Board member. He has an obligation to maintain the highest level of moral character. If proven guilty (or admission of guilt), all actions taken by the Board during his time should be scrutinized. For example, how do we know that certain contracts were awarded without a kickback to someone? Although I doubt that has happened, it makes me wonder what else may have happened under his tenure.
Interesting point...I wonder how the current Board will respond IF Dennis is convicted of a felony. These members are bound by a code of ethics, and as such, should make ammends as necessary. I remember during last year asking myself why certain actions were taken because they didn't make any sense.
If the Board doesn't respond to any conviction of Whitling, then the Code of Ethics means nothing and should be eliminated.
"Move on folks" is right anonymous 8:56 pm. Maybe someone can start a what's up with Dennis blog but what does it have to do with Save hes? Really...Proving yet again just how ridiculous we can be around here sometimes.
I totally disagree with people who think that Dennis's criminal case has nothing to do with Save HES. If proven guilty, the Board needs to examine the entire tenure of Whitling. What other problems happened under his watch that no one saw? Did he personally profit from choosing specific vendors for contracts? Was the reason for the CES-HES failed merger fiasco a slight of hands where everyone looked one way while something else illegal happened in another place? I am a TAXPAYER, and I know I'm entitled to knowing that our Board members are not corrupt.
Move on folks? Most of us have been trying to move on for 18 months, but the Board kept getting in our way! The Board will have a bigger credibility problem if Dennis Whitling is guilty of embezzlement. I also wonder what other events happened that profited Dennis Whitling. I never believed the merger was about education, and from the results of the test scores that were released, CES did fine on their own.
Do you not think there were no checks and balances in place to make sure Whitling could not have profited from any decisions such as contract awards? I think the outcome would make me wonder a lot more about the people we elect. For some reason, I hold these folks to a higher standard.
Don't worry--a Whitling conviction will cause a media blitz and force the Board to review their actions during Whitling's reign. The media has a way that will cause the Board immense embarrassment if they decide not to act proactively. The veterans of the Board know all too well about embarrassment, having to put up with the shenanigans of Whitling and Brown.
Sometimes I wonder if there is not a double standard in society. For example:
Keith Cook is crucified because he inadvertently plagiarized from a speech. No one at all was hurt from this incident except for Keith. Mr. Cook took responsiblity for it and was chastened by his peers on the Board.
Dennis Whitling is a different case. Some people want to give him a free pass. You hear these comments like "Move on" or "Why do you care"? I wonder what the underlying motive of these comments are.
Could it be that Keith is black and Dennis is white? Go ahead and yell that I'm throwing out the race card, but there appears to be a double standard. Keith didn't harm anyone and was punished. Dennis has been accused of a felony and some people want to pretend it didn't happen.
to anonymous 5:44pm:
You have to be kidding, right? I almost understand what you're saying but have you ever heard of innocent until proven guilty? Well Keith Cook was not innocent in his plaigarism-though not a crime in this case. Inadvertent or not, he plaigarized and it was discovered. (forget the spelling right now) Don't you think it would be premature for the board to say anything about Dennis Whitling before he is found innocent or guilty? I mean what can they say? Now let play the game of hypotheticals for a moment: if Dennis is guilty and the board does not respond, then you might have a point. If he is found not guilty and they step out on a limb before the fact and make statements, then they look like a bunch of idiots. (Though it won't be the first time)
I think annoymous 5:44 has asked a very valid question. The School Board appears to have "overreacted" in the case of Keith Cook, and an "underreacted" in the case of Dennis Whitling. Dennis's alleged actions caused much more grief and burden than Keith's. When Dennis resigned from the Board, a void was created. The Board was scared to take any action or to say anything unkind. Thank the heavens they listened to the lawyer this time.
Also, white-collar crimes in general are hard for the business community to handle. These white-collared criminals hang out at the same country clubs and are the members of the same civic organizations. They run in the same circles. Businesses in general do not want their clients to know that they had serious deficiencies in preventing embezzlements, so they make side deals with the criminal to make it all go away. Very seldom does the criminal ever make full restitution.
Dennis is innocent before proven guilty, which is the only mitigating circumstance between Keith's case and Dennis's case. Dennis has not been convicted of any crime---at this time. The Board needs to examine everything that has happened under Dennis's watch to reassure the public that there were no irregularities. Just like what someone else wrote, the Code of Ethics means nothing if they don't properly react to a conviction.
Bill B
Recently on "The View" Whoopi corrected Elizabeth Hasselbeck by stating that we don't live in 1 America. In fact, there is definitely a white America and a black America (Latino America too). Unless you belong to the black race, it's impossible to understand the feelings and the elements of discrimination encountered.
There is a double standard involving the treatment of past Board members. Keith screwed up, no doubt about it. But Keith also became involved in the NOETF, which is not accepted by mainstream Orange County Board Members of last year. Dennis, however, LOOKS like he should be their friends. So of course, they state that they will let the courts run their course. When the day in court is done, and Mr. Whitling is convicted, the Board members will conveniently use TIME as an excuse. So you see, Keith was punished for a mistake, and Dennis's behavior is ignored, eventhough he swore to a Code of Ethics.
Don't hold your breath folks. The Board will never investigate any potential impropriety involving Dennis Whitling. End of story!
As the "move on" person, I am not trying to give Whitling a "free pass". I just don't think talking about him has any validity on this site anymore because he is no longer on the board and from now on has nothing to do with HES or OCS. Keith Cook did not resign from the board when he plagerized and therefore felt the rath of the OCS citizens until he was removed.
To "move on":
As Allan has already stated, he is the person who will determine whether a comment is appropriate for this blog. This blog has created a certain amount of accountability with our School Board. The simple fact that Dennis is no longer on the Board doesn't mean that his criminal case is of no consequence to us. How do you (or anyone) know for sure that Dennis did not perform illegal acts while sitting on the school board? The answer is that no one knows, except Dennis.
We should demand that our Board abides by its Code of Ethics. Accountability is needed: condoning illegal behavior is not needed.
"I just don't think talking about him has any validity on this site anymore because he is no longer on the board and from now on has nothing to do with HES or OCS."
So, we have the ex-chair of the School Board that has been arrested for embezzlement, and that has nothing to do with HES or OCS? I disagree. Mr. Whitling's tenure on the Board must be investigated by an impartial body. The taxpayers of Orange County deserve to have honest elected officials with integrity. Signing off on a Code of Ethics should mean something. A slight of hand may have happened with the CES-HES merger. While everyone was concentrating on the failed merger, other issues were happening that may not have been legit.
I think we all know why the "move on" people wanted us to drop the issue about Whitling....he's been disbarred!
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