A CLOSED SESSION MONDAY AFTERNOON OF THE SIOUX CITY SCHOOL BOARD ENDED QUICKLY WHEN BOARD MEMBERS PUBLICLY ARGUED ABOUT THE REASON FOR THE MEETING.
AFTER THE AGENDA FOR THE CLOSED SESSION WAS APPROVED TO DISCUSS THE PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY OF AN UNNAMED INDIVIDUAL. BOARD MEMBER LANCE EHMCKE STATED IN THE PUBLIC MEETING THAT HE WAS CONCERNED THE CLOSED SESSION WOULD BE ABOUT NEW SUPERINTENDENT DR. JUAN CORDOVA:
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UNCLOSED1 OC…NO FOR THE CLOSED SESSION. :23
THAT DREW A QUICK REBUKE FROM BOARD CHAIR JAN GEORGE, WHO SAID EHMCKE HAD JUST VIOLATED THE INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS.
BOARD MEMBER DAN GREENWELL STATED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAD REQUESTED THE CLOSED SESSION.
THE BOARD THEN VOTED 4-3 FOR THE CLOSED SESSION, BUT THE MOTION FAILED BECAUSE A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY IS REQUIRED FOR A CLOSED SESSION:
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UNCLOSED2 OC…I VOTE NO. :10
CHAIRMAN GEORGE THEN WAS ASKED FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE TO ADJOURN THE PUBLIC MEETING, WHICH LED TO AN EXCHANGE BETWEEN EHMCKE AND GREENWELL:
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UNCLOSED 3 OC……AREN’T WE. :18
CHAIRMAN GEORGE AGAIN STATED THAT EHMCKE HAD VIOLATED CORDOVA’S RIGHTS BY NAMING HIM, BUT EHMCKE SAYS PUBLIC TALK ABOUT CORDOVA, WHO WAS PLACED ON A LEAVE OF ABSENCE ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR, HAD ALREADY CAUSED DAMAGE:
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UNCLOSED4 OC……. WANTS TO DO. :25
THE SCHOOL BOARD ENDED UP ADJOURNING THEIR MEETING WITHOUT A CLOSED SESSION OR RESOLUTION TO THE ISSUE.
DR. CORDOVA RETURNED TO WORK AFTER MISSING THE FIRST WEEK OF THE SCHOOL YEAR ON THE UNPAID LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ISSUED AN INITIAL IOWA ADMINISTRATOR LICENSE TO HIM ON THAT DAY.
DR. CORDOVA WAS WORKING WITH A TEMPORARY LICENSE AS HE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN EMPLOYED IN OTHER STATES, BUT HAD NOT WORKED IN IOWA BEFORE SIOUX CITY HIRED HIM AS THEIR NEW SUPERINTENDENT IN FEBRUARY.
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