The Fallacy of the Team of Eight

As a newly elected Board member in 2010, I was so very honored to have been elected by my community. It was my first term and I was so very eager to meet my new Board colleagues and get to work. My aspirations to serve as an elected official were being realized and it was truly time to roll up my sleeves and work for my community.

That first month my colleagues introduced me to a concept called the "Team of Eight." It meant that the seven elected Board members, along with the Superintendent, created a team of eight and that as a team, we needed to stand united in leading the district and while creating the district's vision. I was told that it was absolutely critical that "We" (the team of eight) be aligned and in agreement with administrative initiatives and policies by showing a united front and by voting 7 - 0 on those administrative recommendations. Even if I disagreed, it was more important to show unity rather than dissention.

Two months into my term, I realized that this ideology was marred in hypocrisy and void of transparency. As I bucked the 7 - 0 ideology and dissented on a few items, I was quickly labeled an outsider by many of my Board colleagues. My objections back then were not simply rebellious overtures, but objections immersed in the belief that there were fundamental flaws in Board oversight and accountability. One of the basic pillars of school Board governance is to provide budgetary oversight of district initiatives and operations, and there were times when it seemed we gave the Superintendent a blank check on all administrative recommendations. I wondered as a Board if we were doing our due diligence. (If you are interested to learn more details or specifics on those issues feel free to message me).

Through my time on the Board, I have always felt the need to dig deeper in understanding Administrative recommendations. Our resources are limited and as a result, I like to know that we have conducted a thorough assessment before moving forward. My community deserves to know the how, who, what, where, and when regarding their tax dollars and the anticipated return on investment of our efforts to move education forward in our community.

Let me get back to my concern regarding the appearance of a unified Board through a 7 - 0 vote. Let me ask you, Do you believe a Board member is more accountable to their colleagues or to their community? My belief has always been centered on serving the will of my community, rather than brokering political favors with colleagues. This approach has personally cost me a few friendships from former colleagues, but a large majority learned to appreciate and respect the nature of my board governance approach. I am NOT a rebel or an antagonist, rather I am someone who believes in constructive dialogue and discussion.

An effective Board should have vibrant discussion on issues. We may not always agree, but should seek clarity and common ground as we remain focused on our primary objective of creating academic success for our students. Boards are structured to hold our Superintendent and Administrative recommendations from the Superintendent accountable. We must ask the difficult questions, and work as a team to ensure we move our entire community forward. Until we rank number one in every academic metric and/or category, have the best employee retention rates in San Antonio, earn the highest average SAT scores in Bexar County, ensure our entire district is performing at grade level or above, our work....our oath of office, and our obligation to our community is not done.

The fallacy of team of eight, omits the broader team, which includes our parents, our community members, district employees, teachers, administrators, the Superintendent, and our Board of Trustees. Collectively, WE are ALL on the same team and as a team, we should be transparent and honest and have constructive dialogue on matters of education in our community. We should not present a false narrative of unity (think 7 - 0 votes).

Even as I embark on my 4th term with Judson ISD, there is division on our Board. One Board member has not uttered a single word to me during my first month back and two others openly campaigned for my opponent. However, this does not mean we cannot or will not work for the betterment of our children. I do believe we can still move Judson ISD forward. We do not all have to agree with one another, like each other, or pretend we are united by voting 7 - 0 on every issue.

I am not here to simply gain the acceptance of my peers, I am here to represent the needs and interests of my community and ensure our students succeed. That is what every Board member, here at Judson ISD and across the State should be working towards. Don't get lost in the hype or in the hypocrisy of the team of eight, it is a myth. Embrace thought and reason, vote your conscience, don't play Board politics, and always reflect the values of the community you serve. Adhering to those principles will truly help us achieve academic excellence in our communities.