Has Culver Left the Board Table?

The few people n the audience at the 10-26-09 school board meeting instantly recognized that something didn't feel right. Something was amiss. It took a few moments to realize what was out of place. It was the sight of Dr. Culver sitting off to the side table instead of his typical [yet inappropriate] place at the board President's left hand.

Could it be that the school board has finally decided that it's inappropriate for Culver--their employee-- to be seated at the board table? Is this a permanent change? Or was it merely that they didn't want to catch whatever virus Culver was infected with? [Culver's voice was noticeably affected by some respiratory infection, and he reached for the tissues several times as well. We only hope he used hand sanitizer before shaking hands with those that were given awards at the meeting.]

Guess we'll find out this coming Monday, when we see which seat Culver takes at the school board meeting.

The school board, for many years now, has opted for a "Team of Eight" approach, as we have written about previously .

We also offer this other website, which discusses the "Team of Eight concept"

" Who's in charge of our school boards & their. meetings when it's a 'Team of Eight' ... The "Team of Eight" is seven elected board members plus their employee ... "
www.peytonwolcott.com/TeamEight.html

School Board: 7 elected members, or a 'team of eight'?

Have you ever attended a Sun Prairie School Board meeting (or watched on TV) and asked, "Why is District Administrator Tim Culver seated at the left hand of the board president"?

If so, you're not alone. we've even asked former board president Mary Ellen Havel-Lang about it. Her response was that Dr. Culver is a critical part of the board team. Hmmm. Have you also noted that Dr. Culver gets the privilege of speaking out at the board table during meetings...a privilege that is not extended to residents? If so you may have also noted that Dr. Culver has the luxury of presenting the last word, and frequently rebuts the presentations of district residents....yet the residents do not have the right to re-but Dr. Culver's "spin" on any given issue.

It's simply not right for the District Administrator to sit at the board table or be treated as a board member. He certainly wasn't elected, and more importantly...he is an employee of the school board. We certainly believe that the board and the administrator need to have a good professional working relationship...but that does not include a seat at the "big table". He should be offered a seat at the side table, whether other members of the district's administration team sit, whether they can be available to respond to questions from the board.

We've since learned that Sun Prairie is not alone in this "team of 8" practice. Read more about this issue at: http://www.peytonwolcott.com/TeamEight.html