Cranfills Gap Texas School Board Misconduct--Part TWO

This a continuation of an article that ran in the Bosque County News August 29th, 2007, issue, that was titled  "Cranfills Gap School Board Members Hear Complaints of Misconduct"           

 (NOTE: ------- First part of article is entered as the previous blog entry ...........................Speakers at August 20th, 2007 school board meeting were addressing Cranfills Gap school board members Kenneth Wiese, Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, Jackie Ray Sorrels, and Sue Lee)

Cont'd:      Michelle Dubay, the teacher whom Sigler had attempted to fire, also spoke, telling the board that the problem of uncertified teachers continues. Neither the school's current high school science teacher, nor the technology teacher are properly certified to teach the courses to which they are assigned, she said.

She was followed by Charles Head,  Kaitlan Head's father, who said he believes the board "failed miserably in their duties to uphold the laws of Texas and the Texas education agency" in the handling of his daughter's case.

Kaitlan Head, who was accused of misdemeanor assault for striking the salutatorian with a pen during a squabble, was sent to the county's Disciplinary Alternative Educaton Program and not allowed to attend graduation. At one point, Sigler had moved to remove her from the school, take her valedictorian title, and deny her diploma.

The criminal case against Kaitlan Head was dismissed recently when County Attorney David Christian recommended that it be dropped, and neither the salutatorian nor any school personnel appeared in court to testify.

Head, who had hired an attorney and appealed his daughter's case to the board, had contended that his daughter's punishment was not supported by state law or even the Cranfills Gap code of conduct, and had accused the board of illegal actions at the appeal hearing.

"The board, despite protest by my lawyer, had the gall to go into closed session, breaking the Open Meetings Act by discussing and receiving more evidence", said Head.

"You use children for your own  personal agenda. I expect to be reimbursed for my expenses and the pain and suffering you caused my family. You will be hearing from my attorney. I will not consider this matter closed until restitution is made."

Board member Sue Lee then read a statement to other board members, in which she cited a number of the points made by the previous speakers, and joined her brother in accusing the board of illegally going into closed session in May.

Lee, who was present at the closed session, said that the board had used that session to allow Sigler to persuade them that Kaitlan Head was guilty of assault.   "Why? Because the superintendent (Carla Sigler) was hell-bent to persecute Kaitlan to get at me", said Lee.

Lee also responded to a statement by board member Kathie Witte at the August 16th meeting, in which Witte had called for Lee's resignation.

"Maybe we all need to resign and get some people in here who have  morals and are honest and willing to fight for what's right," she said.

End of Article that ran in the August 29th, 2007, issue of the newspaper, Bosque County News.

 

 

 

Cranfills Gap Texas School Board Misconduct--Part ONE

The following newspaper article ran in the August 29th, 2007, issue of the Bosque County News:

Cranfills Gap School Board Hears Complaints of Misconduct

Cranfills Gap---Accusations and admonishments flew during the Cranfills Gap school board meeting on Monday, August 20th, as several speakers and one board member accused the other regents of misconduct in handling a series of  controversial events.

Among those who addressed the board, only one speaker was not critical. Cranfills Gap mayor David Witte told board members he felt that more student outings should be chaperoned by husband and wife teams.

The rest of the meeting was a baptism of fire for newly appointed Superintendent James Scott, who had been on the job for just over a week. Scott was left to sit patiently as board member Sue Lee and her brother accused the rest of the board of conducting an illegal, closed meeting in May and one speaker after another chided board members for their actions and those of former Superintendent Carla Sigler near the end of the 2006-2007 school year.

Among those events were: The use of teachers whose certificates did not qualify them to teach the courses they were teaching; the unsuccessful attempt by Sigler to fire science teacher Michelle Dubay; Sigler's subsequent resignation; a demonstration by students; and finally, a move by Sigler to expel and strip 2006-2007 Valedictorian Kaitlan Head of her title after Head was involved in an altercation with the salutatorian.

Those events had their effect. The district ended the year dropping from "exemplary" academic rating to "academically acceptable". In addition, a number of students have left or transferred to other districts, decreasing the student body from more than 120 at mid-year in 2006-2007 to 85 or fewer for the coming school year.

The decrease was addressed by former school board president Jerry Jennings, the first to speak at the Aug. 20 meeting.

"I've stayed away (since leaving the board)", said Jennings, "because it was my hope that this board would come together. That apparently has not happened. There's nothing that can't be fixed, but you have to work together to fix it. You'll be lucky to start this year with 80 to 85 students, and, by 2008-2009, money will start to be withheld by the state. You need to get over your differences. If you don't, we'll be like Fairy (a former Hamilton County town whose school was consolidated with Hamilton in 1967).

Next was Dorothy Powell, sister of board member Sue Lee and aunt of valedictorian Kaitlan Head. Powell criticzed the board for abetting Sigler in "retaliating" against Lee, by enacting unwarranted disciplinary action against Kaitlan Head, Lee's niece and denying Head the chance to participate in her graduation.

Powell also told the board (several of whom have accused Lee of "contacting the news media") that, in fact, it has been Powell who brought problems at the school to the media's attention. "I want you to know that I have done all I could to tell the world about your negative actions," said Powell. "I personally contacted Channel 25 television about the valedictorian--and the Clifton Record, the Waco Tribune-Herald, the Bosque County News, the Readers Digest, the Associated Press, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Texas Education Agency, the State Commissioner of Education, and Region 12 Service Center."

"I am also responsible for two articles currently on two websites on the Worldwide Web. If you google Carla Sigler, Cranfills Gap school, or Kaitlan Head on the Internet, you will find a lot of negative publicity. So, please, don't give the credit--or the blame--to anyone but me. I worked really hard to get it all out there."

Note:   This newspaper article is continued in the next blog entry.

 

 

 

 

 

Letter to the Editor: No Gap Valedictorian

I wrote this Letter to the Editor that was published in The Bosque County News in the June 6th, 2007 issue. I had gone to Cranfills Gap, Texas, to attend an afternoon graduation ceremony and celebration for my niece, Kaitlan Head, the 2007 Cranfills Gap High School Valedictorian who was banned from her own graduation by Cranfills Gap Superintendent Carla Sigler and Cranfills Gap School Board members Kenny Wiese, Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, and Jackie Ray Sorrels.

After Kaitlan's afternoon celebration, my sister Sue Lee, also a Cranfills Gap school board member, and I attended the evening Cranfills Gap high school graduation ceremony from which Kaitlan had been banned from participating.

That night, as I drove the sixty miles back to Waco from the Gap, a letter was forming in my mind about the shameful affair. What I wrote and was published in the Bosque County News is as follows:

           NO VALEDICTORIAN AT GAP GRADUATION

Editor's Note:   The writer of the following letter is the aunt of Kaitlan Head, the Cranfills Gap 2007 valedictorian who was banished from her graduation ceremony.

I attended the Cranfills Gap 2007 High School Graduation. A pall was cast over the ceremony by the conspicuous absence of the valedictorian, a childhood friend of the classmates. Not long before graduation, the salutatorian and the valedictorian, both exemplary students, got into a fight--actually, a silly scuffle--in which each struck the other.

Fighting in school is never right and is never to be allowed, though apparently the girls were not considered a threat to each other or the other students, as Superintendent Carla Sigler allowed both of them, on the very next day after the altercation, to sit in the same small classroom for several hours while they took a test.

However, the punishment did not fit the crime. The valedictorian was first told that her punishment was one day of suspension. But in a few days, her punishment had escalated to DAEP ( a last resort for troublemakers at a campus in another town), no high school diploma (as in, "Go get your GED"), no senior trip, no honors field day, no baccalaureate, no graduation ceremony, no recognition or awards or scholarships earned as valedictorian, and she would not graduate and was to be banned from campus.

The salutatorian, equally part of the altercation, received no punishment at all. Her parents were never contacted by the school about the incident , her injury was slight and apparently did not require a doctor's care, and she was not even sent to the office. She was allowed to participate fully in all school activities and graduate with a high school diploma and full honors as salutatorian, but the valedictorian was not. It was the same crime, but very different punishments.

About a week later, right after a trip with her classmates, a school board member, and Superintendent Sigler, the salutatorian was taken to the Bosque County Sheriff's Office where she filed charges of disorderly conduct against the valedictorian, which led to the valedictorian getting a ticket for a Class C misdemeanor assault. The valedictorian did not file any charges against the salutatorian, although she could have.

Board members and the superintendent then attempted to evade setting a meeting to hear the valedictorian's appeal until after June 1st, a date that fell SIX DAYS AFTER graduation. The valedictorian's father and her attorney demanded a hearing before the graduation date, and a special meeting was held the evening before graduation. The valedictorian's attorney informed the school board members and the superintendent that under Texas state law the punishment for what the valedictorian had engaged in was three days suspension, not DAEP or banishment from campus and not being able to graduate.

The school board finally agreed to give the valedictorian her diploma, as well as the awards and scholarships she had earned. However, even though fully informed that such action was illegal, the school board upheld the decision by the superintendent to banish the valedictorian from campus and not allow her to participate in graduation.

And that is why there was no valedictorian at the 2007 Cranfills Gap high school graduation. The sad part is that a student was deprived, with malice, of a once-in-a-lifetime honor that she had worked hard for all her life; another child and student learned that it is acceptable to break the rules with no punishment at all, while punishing another who is guilty of the same offense that she is; and Superintendent Sigler will move on to other unsuspecting school districts, leaving behind her chaos, heartbreak, and neighbor against neighbor.

Carla Sigler, with her fake PhD, will  repeat her well-documented pattern of ignoring school policy, favoritism, falsehoods, controversy, division, and retaliation. As an educator and taxpayer, I am appalled at the shameful injustices that Cranfills Gap school board members Kenny Wiese, Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, and Jackie Ray Sorrels condoned and let stand.

As a Christian, I recall that Jesus said, "Whatsoever you do unto a child, you do unto Me."  I hope one day God can forgive those who had a hand in purposely harming a child. If this is the way children are treated in this school district, Cranfills Gap does not deserve a school.

 

 

DA Investigates Cranfills Gap Texas School Board

The following article appeared in the August 29th, 2007 edition of the Bosque County News:  

              DA INVESTIGATES GAP BOARD OVER 

                   OPEN MEETING COMPLAINTS       

Bosque County Distirct Attorney B. J. Shepherd has confirmed that he is investigating a complaint that members of the Cranfills Gap school board violated the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Board member Sue Lee, who brought the complaint, said board members Kathie Witte, Kenny Wiese, Jeff Rose, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, and Ray Sorrels and former Superintendent Carla Sigler violated the act during a hearing for valedictorian Kaitlan Head on May 25.

Head, who had been suspended after an altercation with salutatorian Sarah Sellers, had appealed the disciplinary hearing action by Sigler and requested an open hearing. The board, despite protests by Head's attorney, John Cullar, and the Bosque County News, attempted to close the hearing and went into closed session, ostensibly to consult with their attorney by phone.

During that session, said Lee, Sigler showed board members signed statements from several persons--allegedly witnesses to the altercation between Head and Sellers---in an attempt to convince the board that the incident was in fact a criminal assault by Head.

The hearing was eventually opened, but presenting and considering that information in closed session--with no consultation with the attorney--would be a violation.

Shepherd, on Friday, August 24, said he was reviewing material from Lee and could not speculate on the validity of the charge.

Violation of the act is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500 and the possibility of a jail sentence of up to six months.

                            End of newspaper article

                                        

A Dirty Little Trick

In today's mail a letter came for me from the hospital where I had worked seven years and just recently resigned. It detailed my COBRA benefits under federal law and the portability for 18 months of dental and health insurance if an individual had that coverage before termination of employment--- the premiums still being paid by me, just not deducted from my paycheck as when I was employed by the company.

I had been concerned about not having continuous dental insurance coverage, as I had missed the "window" available to sign up for the dental plan of the school I now work for. So, the paperwork that came today was a very welcome thing.

In thinking about COBRA and what it means to have that all-important health insurance, I was reminded of what happened to Carol Nelson, a former custodian for Cranfills Gap Texas Independent School District. Carol and Benny Nelson are long-time residents of Cranfills Gap, Texas--- salt of the earth and plain country folk who raised their children there and were proud to be from the small town of Cranfillls Gap.

 Benny worked many years with my sister, Sue Wooten Lee, and her husband, Wade Lee, now deceased. Wade and Sue ran cattle on several Cranfills Gap places and did custom farming or whatever needed doing around the Gap, Meridian, Hamilton or any part of Bosque County. Wade also was foreman for some of the big cattle ranches in that country. Wade could do just about anything. Benny was one of Wade's friends, a great co-worker, and someone honest, reliable, and a good citizen of the town, as are most of the folks in and around Cranfills Gap, especially the older bunch.  

 Carol was a custodian at Cranfills Gap Independent School District. As I understand it, Carol was told--- just before Christmas, December,  2006-- by Superintendent Carla Sigler that Sigler was cutting Carol's hours, that she was now considered a part-time employee and would not be eligible for health insurance benefits through the school. In January, 2007, Superintendent Carla Sigler fired Carol Nelson and had her fill out all her COBRA paperwork, so under federal law, Carol and her family could still receive their previous health benefits.

Carol's automatic payment for her health insurance was deducted as usual from her last paycheck in 2007 from Cranfills Gap ISD. Carol was not concerned about not having health insurance for her family, as she had filled out all the proper forms and paperwork and submitted them within the proper time time frame required by law to still have coverage under COBRA for the next eighteen months.

 Carol took her daughter to the doctor not long after. The nurse told a disbelieving Carol that she no longer had health insurance coverage for her and her family.

Carol was astounded to discover that Superintendent Carla Sigler had BACKDATED Carol's insurance paperwork --I believe the COBRA paperwork--and falsified it to show a cancellation date of the insurance in November, 2006, rather than the actual termination date of January, 2007. Remember, now, the insurance premiums had been regularly deducted from Carol's paychecks, even from her very last one in 2007...but Carol had no insurance coverage!

Without filing a lawsuit to correct the situation, Carol, Benny, and their children had no health insurance, even though they had paid for it and, to thier knowledge, complied with the law under COBRA.  I'm not aware that the Nelsons ever did file a lawsuit. I believe they joined the ranks of the many other uninsured human beings in America.

I know you are wondering what in the world would make someone do something as lowdown and dirty as what was done to Carol and her family. Apparently, Carol was perceived as an enemy by Carla Sigler, and that meant you were fair game for whatever punishment and retaliation Carla Sigler felt like dreaming up for you.

What was maliciously done to Carol Nelson, her husband, and her children was nothing out of the ordinary for Carla Sigler if she wanted payback for any perceived slight. The retaliatation against Carol Nelson was was just one of a long line of vindictive injustices by Carla Sigler and her friends and supporters on the Cranfills Gap school board.

Carla Sigler did not just want to hurt you, she wanted to destroy you, if you did anything that seemed to not support her.  Woe to anyone who purposely or unintentionally got on Carla Sigler's bad side. You could become an enemy by association, just by speaking to someone you had known and been friends with for years, but-- perhaps unknown to you--- was considered an enemy by Carla Sigler. Malicious retaliation and despicable dirty tricks were the name of Carla Sigler's game---- the lower-down and the dirtier, the better Carla liked it.  

Carla Sigler missed her calling--she would have made a great politician---- perhaps Karl Rove's assistant.....or did Carla Sigler write the book Karl Rove plays by???? That's a question to which we will probably never know the answer.

 

 

 

Kevin and Sandy

Kevin McMahan's wife, Sandy McMahan, was the Cranfills Gap, Texas, ISD school secretary, when, out of the blue, Cranfills Gap ISD 2006/2007 School Superintendent Carla Sigler told Sandy that she, Carla Sigler, had accepted Sandy's resignation as secretary. There was just one problem----Sandy had not resigned or even thought about resigning. Superintendent Carla Sigler forced Sandy out and gave Sandy's job to the aunt of Kathie Witte, Carla's best friend and also a school board member. Janet Cox, Kathie Witte's aunt,  took the place of Sandy McMahan as school secretary.

Because Sandy McMahan and her husband Kevin were understandably upset about her being forced out as school secretary, Superintendent Sigler kept them away by a standing order that they would be arrested if they came on school property. They could not attend any school functions---such as football or basketball games -- not even community gatherings at the school.

 Luckily Kevin and Sandy had no children in Cranfills Gap school, but they had been big supporters in many areas of the small community of Cranfills Gap. Kevin and Sandy were heavily involved in the community,  attending most school events, volunteering their time and money, working concession booths,  donating pies, cakes, etc. for fundraisers for the town---the usual things that good citizens do in every  small town---the things that keep the small town afloat and able to survive, as there are few jobs in and about Cranfills Gap, other than the school and farming or agricultural jobs. Cranfills Gap could not survive without all the volunteering of free labor, time, donation of goods and money by citizens and area residents.

Cranfills Gap has annual events like Septemberfest and the Lutefisk celebration that are Norwegian or long-standing traditions as well as important fundraisers for the little town. So, this banning by Carla Sigler not only hurt Kevin and Sandy McMahan, but hurt the town of Cranfills Gap as well. And besides that, Kevin and Sandy were well-liked, respectable citizens of Cranfills Gap who had always given their all, like many others, to do whatever they could for the good of the little town.

Kevin and Sandy's banning from school property or any school function was upheld by supporters of Carla Sigler who were on  the Cranfills Gap school board, even after Carla Sigler compromised herself with several actions and resigned in April of 2007. That same spring, Kevin McMahan had run as a candidate for a seat on the Cranfills Gap school board, but was not elected to the board.

Kevin and Sandy McMahan attended their first school board meeting in over a year on August 20th, 2007, but neither one addressed the board. Kevin had intended to speak at the next board meeting in September. However, as I understand it, the new Cranfills Gap school superintendent, James Scott, had called Kevin and asked him not to attend the school board meeting, as Cranfills Gap ISD did not need any more negative stuff thrown its way, and if he spoke,  Kevin's statement would most likely be of a negative tone...and that there had to be some way to work it out where Kevin and Sandy could be allowed to go to football games, etc. and once again participate in school and community functions--as they had before Superintendent Carla Sigler forced Sandy out as school secretary. Superintendent Scott wanted to try to fix it where Kevin and Sandy could once again be a part of activities and functions of both the school and the community. 

 Superintendent Scott asked Kevin to be patient and not attend the September board meeting, but to work with him, Superintendent Scott, about fixing the problem. Kevin  gave Superintendent Scott his word that he would not attend the school board meeting and said he was pleased be able to try to work it out with Superintendent Scott to restore his and Sandy's standing in the community.

Shortly after speaking to Superintendent Scott, Kevin got a call from the Bosque County Sheriff's Department telling him that--- at the request of Superintendent Scott and some board members--- the sheriff's office would have to arrest him and Sandy if they went on school property. Kevin had just gotten off the phone with Superintendent Scott, who had said nothing about the Sheriff's Office being called and being told to talk to Kevin about coming on school property.   

As I understand it, what had happened was that some of the school board members had asked Superintendent Scott to not allow Kevin to address the school board, that supposedly there was a standing order to keep Kevin and Sandy away from school and school events. However, apparently Superintendent Scott thought he could ask Kevin to not attend and Kevin would not, and that the sheriff's order was not necessary if Kevin gave his word.

However, the sheriff's department called  Kevin before Superintendent Scott could call them back and tell them not to call Kevin after all. Superintendent Scott had failed to tell Kevin that the sheriff's office had been called, so it was a surprise to Kevin when he did receive their call telling him to not attend the school board meeting or go on school property. 

As I understand it, Kevin spoke again to Superintendent Scott , who apologized for the mix-up and again said  Let's try to work it out. Kevin agreed and did not attend that meeting as he had promised he would not.

At the October, 2007, school board meeting of Cranfills Gap Independent School District, Kevin McMahan DID indeed speak to school board members Kenny Wiese, Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Sue Lee, Virgil Tindall, and Jackie Ray Sorrels as well as Superintendent James Scott. At this school board meeting,  Kevin McMahan made the following remarks:

"Relax; I haven't come here to call for any resignations. It's been exactly twelve months since the last time I was allowed to address this public body, even though I have requested the opportunity about a half-dozen times. I want you each to know--it's been quite an ordeal for us just to get this accomplished, so forgive us if we just soak in this small victory. Thank you, Mr. Scott.

This man, Superintendent James Scott, came out to my place last week to ask about my concerns for this district. We sat on my back porch and talked for over an hour. Imagine this level of concern and communication from a public servant, right here in Cranfills Gap!

As each of you know, I have been very concerned about how this district has been operated over the past year.

Mr. Scott wants me to believe that things have already changed for the better here in the Gap. But you don't have to look any farther back than our August meeting minutes to see thisdistrict once again punishing the Head family, Kaitlan Head most of all, by politicizing your report of Charles Head's appearance with words that you carefully phrased as an outright rejection of all of the Head family's concerns.      ( Note:  Cranfills Gap ISD meeting minutes are recorded by school board secretary Shelly Stuart who appears to put her own opinion or "spin" on happenings---- usually an incorrect"spin" that is nothing like what really occurred!)

Friends, there is a level of professional self-restraint that you folks are expected to uphold, and this falls embarrassingly short. We get it, guys! The message is---Don't mess with this school board---you'll get hurt! You other board members need to tell Shelly (the school board secretary) to knock it off. Speak out, Ray, Virgil, Kenny! If she won't stop politicizing your meeting minutes, take them away from her! Someone on this board needs to show some positive leadership!

Regarding events last year, and my claim that there were serious ethics violations by board members----Well, Mr. Scott didn't succeed in convincing me that ethical violations had not occurred. Instead he played his trump card by asking what I was going to do for the 96 kids that he's trying to educate right now. Mr. Scott correctly pointed out that my actions now can't fix any of the stuff you guys screwed up last year, and that my efforts could instead harm the turn-around process he has underway.

So rather than call for resignations, I'm here to give my support for the turn-around of this district. This school has taken a step in the right direction by hiring a legitimate, qualified, honest superintendent. If things have improved, he's the reason.

1.   Finances are coming under control----Because, Friends, you can't spend money you don't have on Ag barns you don't need!

2.   Student discipline is once again under control---Both the lack of discipline last year and the unethical use of such discipline as a weapon.

3.   Academics are once again the focus of our classrooms.

My impression is that we've got ourselves a rock-solid superintendent with all the integrity you will ever ask for in a chief executive. Furthermore, he thinks he can convince you board members to act in the best interests of this district, just like the rest of us. If he's got that kind of sway around this place, he's got my support.

Now hopefully, these next words will be the last words you will hear from me about last year:      If it is true that the healthiest thing I can do for this district right now is to put aside my very serious ethical complaints, then the healthiest thing you trustees can do is acknowledge the truth about last year, and to get on the same page with what everyone else in this community already knows:

1.  Carla Sigler was a fraud--she claimed a phony doctorate--that's inexcusable.

2.  Carla Sigler was incompetent and derelict in her role as chief executive.

3.  Carla Sigler's dishonest and corrupt methods were poisonous to this previously healthy little town.

How she ever kept your support will forever be a mystery to us. Perhaps we can at least agree that another year spent in the clutches of Carla Sigler would have been the ruin of this school.

As for my own actions during the past year,  I have already served this district in an important capacity, despite the limitations placed on me, by playing a sentinel role in freeing this school from Carla Sigler's clutches. I'll proudly be hanging my hat on that accomplishment around this town for a long time!

I was right about this school throughout last year, and I'm right again this year. Mr. Scott, you have my support. I like the direction you're taking this school.

Please, someone try again to reach out to the Head family. They deserve justice, but they should at least receive respect.

See you next month!"

 

 

 

 

Modern-Day Hypocrites: Laura Rose, Jeff Rose, and Others

Throughout history, the world has been full of hypocrites---kings, queens, emperors, dictators, and plain old common folks who said one thing and did another. I just love it when the ones who talk the talk are exposed for not walking the walk. The truth always comes out and usually bites the liar in the butt. What's that old saying--"God will get you for that!"?

 In the past, for example, there's been Jimmy Swaggart, the popular preacher who made a wonderful living off the church by telling everyone how to live their lives, collecting huge "spiritual" donations --my own cousin gave Jimmy's ministry many thousands of dollars, thinking it was for a good cause---and all the while, good ole Jimmy was hornswoggling his flock and cavorting with prostitutes.

And then there was Jim Baker, who, with his family, lived a lavish, magnificent lifestyle until he was exposed and sent to prison for defrauding his church family and other crimes. Jim Baker ruined his own reputation and life, as well as the life of his loving wife, Tammy Faye Baker, who just recently passed away, and the lives of his innocent children.

More recently, there has been a big batch of local and national folks who have been regarded as leaders--some from religious venues, some not--who claimed high morals and values, but, in reality, were not at all what they claimed. The political world is full of these fallen heroes. Along with many religious figures, Senator Larry Craig, of Idaho, a long-time Republican who publicly took an especially  strong stand for conservative morals and values, is one of the most recent to be exposed as espousing what he was most against--another example of not practicing what you preach. 

The best example of a hypocrite was good ole Newt Gingrich, the politician--another upright Republican protector of family values in public---who led the controversial impeachment of President Bill Clinton for having a little side-fling while in office... while he, Newt, also in high public office--had been carrying on a three-year affair with his sexy little aide while wife number two --or was it wife number three?--waited patiently at home. Reminds me of my mother's saying that he who protests the most and the loudest is usually the most guilty.

 Long ago, these types of hypocrites--in reality, nothing more than old-fashioned con artists --- were typified by the man selling snake oil as a cure-all from his horse-drawn wagon, with his fingers crossed behind his back.

As a substitute teacher for almost seven years, I was asked many times why did I not become a regular teacher--- that I would be a great full-time regular-not-substitute teacher, and that it paid much, much more money than being a substitute teacher.  My answer was always that, by law, a "regular" teacher had to be "certified" by the state of Texas to teach the subjects they were teaching, that one had to attend college for additional training to achieve the status of "certified teacher" of those subjects, and that it took a lot of money as well as a lot of time to achieve the goal of being a regular "real" teacher--all of which is true. Teacher certification is not given to you; rather, teacher certification is earned.  

So, imagine my amazement and dismay when I found out that, if I had been in the right spot at the right time --namely, at the Cranfills Gap, Texas, Independent School District for the last few years--- I could have been that full-time "regular" real teacher, drawing the big bucks, even if I did not have certification to teach! To prove my point, let me tell you about Cranfills Gap teacher Laura Rose, a teacher for many years of Home Economics and recently a teacher of Special Education at Cranfills Gap ISD. Apparently, Laura Rose had been teaching Special Education for at least the last three years without ever being certified to teach Special Education! 

You might say that Special Education is my "specialty", as I have spent a great amount of time as a substitute teacher working with Special Education classes-- which, by the way, many substitute teachers refuse to do, as there are sometimes special problems in those classes, and it can sometimes be very depressing, boring, and unchallenging to work in that environment--thus many substitute teachers choose not to.

However, if I had been employed by the Cranfills Gap School District, I could have been the "regular" full-time teacher making the big bucks. And when I say big bucks, I mean big bucks as compared to the measly forty or so dollars a day that a substitute teacher would have been paid.  I would guess the salary for a teacher of Special Education would be at least forty or forty-five thousand dollars a year.  If you taught for several years, you would be making hundreds of thousands of dollars. That humongous amount of money would definitely beat what you are paid for substitute teaching.

 As long as the school superintendent knows about you not having a teaching certificate and is okay with it, are you really breaking the law? What harm are you doing, besides not notifying parents that their child's class does not have a certified teacher?  Is teaching a class without being a cerified teacher really in the best interests of the children, your students? The law says No, it is not in the best interests of students to have a teacher that is not certified to teach that subject in that classroom. The law insists upon a certified teacher being in the classroom.  

And what if you had taught Home Economics as well, for many, many years without a teaching certificate, or had originally had a teaching certificate for that subject, but had let it lapse and not renewed it? Would that also be breaking the law? The state law of Texas states that there must be a certified teacher in the classroom; if not, parents must be notified that the classroom teacher is not certified to teach those classes. Parents would then have the option to move that child to a school with certified teachers for that subject.  So, YES! YES! YES!--- it would be breaking the law.

But if the school superintendent says nothing, and even the school board says nothing--maybe the board doesn't know you are not a certified teacher any longer or that you never were a certified teacher---or they do know, and they just don't care whether you are certified or not---why should you 'fess up to the truth? That would mean you would have to admit you had been breaking the law by teaching without certification-- a crime-- and either get yourself certified and be able to teach lawfully, or not get yourself certified and lose all that big money. So you say nothing,even though you are aregular at church and considered honest, reliable, and a pillar of the community.

And here's another twist---your hubby gets elected to the school board! Does he, Jeff Rose, your husband-- also considered an upright, outstanding citizen in the community-- know that you are not certified to be teaching? If he does know, isn't it it his legal obligation as a school board member to now speak out and try to correct the situation-- even though it would mean possibly losing a large portion of your and his joint income?

 And what would be the fallout, when your friends and neighbors in the small community and in your church family found out that one or both of you had known this--and had also known or should have known that it was breaking the law, but you and/or your husband did not divulge it and correct it? 

And Jeff Rose, your husband, that beacon of values and morals, has stood up in the Cranfills Gap school board meetings many times as a school board member to publicly chastize and criticize other board members for what he considered unethical actions. Now, Jeff, isn't that being just a tad hypocritical? Is the saying,  "Do as I say do, not as I do", what you hypocrites live by?

You know, Jeff, you have seemed like a reasonable man the few times I have met you.  Last May,if at that time I had known who you were,  I would have asked you for a job as an uncertified teacher, like your wife, Laura Rose, when I was standing next to you and talking to you at the 2007 Cranfills Gap High School Graduation.  You do remember that ceremony, don't you, Jeff?  The ceremony that you, the Cranfills Gap school board, and Superintendent Carla Sigler banned my niece, Kaitlan Head, the 2007 Valedictorian of Cranfills Gap High School, from attending? 

 You don't know this, Jeff, but I had just asked my sister, Sue Lee, who is that nice-looking young man, when, lo-and-behold, you walked up beside me at the refreshment table. Luckily for you, my sister did not have time to tell me who you were, or I would have asked you for a job as an uncertifed teacher right then and there!  

 You and I did speak, Jeff, though very briefly. I made the comment that, even though she could not participate in the ceremony, at least the valedictorian was listed on the graduation program, and you immediately said you did not have anything to do with that!  "Me thinks thou dost protest too much!"---To quote a little Shakespeare. I would like to think that someone who appeared as nice as you seemed to be, might have been feeling a little bit bad for Kaitlan and her family, or perhaps even having at least a twinge of a quilty conscience. Truly, if I had known who you were, we might have had a much more interesting conversation, and I might have gotten a job!  

Now let's add another twist to this tale---Laura, your brother, David Witte, is the Mayor of Cranfill's Gap, the Fire Chief of the Cranfills Gap Volunteer Fire Department, a community leader, all-around good and respected citizen, and pillar of the town.  David is married to Kathie Witte, your sister-in-law, who is also on the Cranfills Gap school board.

 Now there are TWO of your close family members on the Cranfills Gap school board --your own husband, Jeff Rose, and your sister-in-law, Kathie Witte---who may or may not be aware that you, Laura Rose, school teacher and outstanding member of the church and the community, are breaking the law.  If they are aware, what do they do about it? Say nothing and let you keep drawing that big yearly salary? To tell the truth would mean causing possible financial harm not only to you and Jeff, but to your children--who are Kathie's family as well-- to say nothing of how many reputations would be tarnished and possibly ruined in small town gossip.    

Now, add one more figure to the mix-----new to the Cranfills Gap Independent School District, Superintendent Carla Sigler, fresh from the Juneau area of Alaska. The new superintendent becomes best friends with your sister-in-law and school board member, Kathie Witte. 

 Superintendent Carla Sigler has to renew your contract, Laura, to rehire you to teach at Cranfills Gap another year.  Superintendent Sigler, by law, must know or should know that you, current teacherLaura Rose, have or do not have the lawful and proper certification to teach, as should have the other Cranfills Gap superintendents who preceeded Sigler. The other superintendents have okayed you teaching without certification, apparently lying about it to the school board, as most members of the board are not aware you have not been and currently are not properly certified to teach Home Economics and do not have any certification at all to be teaching Special Education. 

So, Carla Sigler not only lies that you, Laura Rose, have proper teacher certification, but she also says that she, Carla Sigler, is lawfully trained and certified to evaluate teachers, when that is also a bald-faced lie, and Sigler knows it is a lie.  

So, Laura Rose, respected teacher and citizen, what a situation you are in! Do you tell the truth and rock the boat, or just let sleeping dogs lie? Now that is a true dilemma for a supposedly spiritual person who supposedly attends church regularly and supposedly hears, studies,and reads the Word of God in the Good Book, the Bible, on a regular basis.

 SO, Laura Rose, a supposedly better person for being spiritual and God-fearing, what decision do you make? Are you thinking it has been okayed for years by higher-ups, and only a few know I am breaking the law?  Is that the best way to handle it? Do you have any little pricks of conscience for breaking the law and not doing the right, the moral, and the ethical thing?

And then one day, another teacher inadvertently finds out that you, Laura Rose, are not certified to teach the subjects you have been teaching all those years and for which you have been drawing a big salary. That teacher, high school Science teacher, Michelle Dubay, approaches you and point-blank asks if you are certified. You will not answer that question. You tell her to go speak to Superintendent Carla Sigler about the matter. Sigler is out of the building when Dubay asks to see her.

 When Sigler returns, she tells teacher Dubay that she, Superintendent Sigler, is too ANGRY to speak to her, teacher Michelle Dubay, at that time. By the end of the day, teacher Michelle Dubay has been suspended with pay and told to have all her things out of the school by the end of that very day. Snap your fingers, whoosh, and Dubay is gone!

And what happens to the teacher--you, Laura Rose-- the teacher without certification? Nothing, not one thing! You are still in place, teaching without certification and breaking the law and still drawing the big bucks.  But the teacher who had the nerve to inquire about your certification is gone? SAY WHAT??????!!!!!!!!!!

 Whoa, wait a minute--run that by me again. The inadvertent whistle-blower, teacher Michelle Dubay, who asked you, Laura Rose, if you were certified--- trying to ascertain the truth of the matter---but you would not answer that question--- who then, at your request tried to speak to Superintendent Sigler --is the one OUT!???  And you, Laura Rose, the one breaking the law, are IN--- still there--with no repercussions, no consequences at all?!!!!!  Now that just does not make sense.

The story gets even better, as Superintendent Carla Sigler apparently tries to protect her best friend's husband's sister (Kathie Witte is Laura Rose's sister-in-law) by trying to fire Michelle Dubay for a perceived threat to Laura Rose. 

 Superintendent Carla Sigler leaves an ugly, threatening message on Dubay's answering machine. Basically,  Sigler's message tells Dubay that she, Dubay, had better resign or charges of having alcohol on campus will be made against Dubay, and that she, Carla Sigler, will see that Michelle Dubay NEVER EVER teaches again. 

Obviously, Superintendent Sigler was lying about charges of having alcohol on campus..if that had been the case, Superintendent Sigler would have suspended Dubay WITHOUT pay--- immediately and on the spot, right then and there--- as the law requires.  So that was a trumped-up charge, as Dubay had been suspended WITH pay. Sigler's message was just an out -and -out harassing, downright threat, meant to intimidate Dubay into resigning and leaving town.  

When the local newspaper man heard the threatening message that Superintendent Sigler had left for Dubay, Sigler repeatedly denied it was her on Dubay's answering machine. Finally, though, she did admit that it was she, Carla Sigler, who had leftthe threatening message for Dubay.

 Superintendent Carla Sigler also sent teacher Michelle Dubay a letter, supposedly from the school attorney telling Dubay that in a meeting the Cranfills Gap school board had fired Dubay; however, Dubay had been present at that particular meeting and knew for a fact that her contract had not even been discussed, as Superintendent Sigler continually refused to put Dubay's contract on the agenda as required by law, so--until the contract was on the agenda, it legally could be not even be discussed.

 This was just another lie among many lies told by Superintendent Carla Sigler, who lied when the truth would have sounded better, as all pathological liars do.  Sigler then said the school attorney told her to send the letter firing Dubay--again, another lie!

Superintendent Carla Sigler then tried to get the school board to come up with false charges--Anything-- Just make something up! ---against Dubay for the purpose of being able to fire her. And some members of the school board--you can probably guess which ones--were all for it!

 As Dubay had filed a lawsuit against the school, the school attorney, present at that same meeting, advised a settlement with Dubay ---rather than making up false charges against her--- that a settlement would be less time-consuming and less costly than a battle in court.  The settlement amount and additional costs  (for attorney fees, substitute teacher wages, and continuation of Dubay's salary for the months that she  was suspended with pay) are estimated to have cost Cranfills Gap ISD about $30,000 total.

What would it have cost Cranfills Gap ISD if Laura Rose and Superintendent Sigler had gone to TEA from the get-go, and said --hey, we have a problem...we need this fixed-- and gotten it fixed---which was the logical and proper thing to do? It certainly would not have cost CGISD anywhere near $30,000. But that is not what happened until much later. Eventually, that did happen, and its cost was nothing compared to the cost of Superintendent Carla Sigler's retaliatory actions. So why not do that logical and proper action in the first place?

Ah, but you don't know Carla Sigler and her friends on the school board. You don't know their outrage and thirst for retaliation for any perceived possible harm that might be caused to their beloved Laura Rose. No one knew to what ends Carla Sigler and her friends would go, or what underhanded means they would take to protect Laura Rose, pillar of the community.

 As I have said before about former Cranfills Gap Texas Superintendent Carla Sigler:  I have known two people like Carla Sigler--- one is in prison for life without parole, and the other one was murdered.

Another old saying, "What a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive",  really does apply to these events. This sounds more like an episode of "The Young and the Restless" than real life. Would that it were a pretend soap opera on the telly; then so many real-life folks would not have been harmed--some greatly-- by Sigler and her friends.  

Nepotism also seems to be alive and well at Cranfills Gap ISD. You would be surprised to learn of the many  "I'm employed here because I'm kin to so-and-so!" connections at that little school, rather than employment based on merit, which could be one of the myriad reasons for the drastic drop in academic rating for Cranfills Gap ISD in the one lousy year that Carla Sigler was superintendent.   

 In my opinion, it appears that many of the self-proclaimed leaders, like Kathie Witte-- the movers and shakers of the town---the ones who want to run the town and would be allowed to do so, if they did things for the common good of the town and all the citizens, rather than for their own selfish interests---- are in reality nothing but hypocrites who are willing to break, bend, or twist the law whenever it suits their purposes. 

And to think, not one of these hypocrites told me about the great job opportunity I could have had at Cranfills Gap ISD as a regular teacher, and not a substitute teacher! No one told me that, apparently at Cranfills Gap ISD, a teacher certificate was not really necessary, though it is required by law--The motto at Cranfills Gap ISD seemed to be, "Guess what! We'll look the other way, so you can make those big bucks, Darlin', even though you are breaking the  law!" And I could have really used that big money, as subbing is such a low paying job compared to a real teaching position. 

  Oh, wait a minute! I bet the reason they did not tell me about this great job opportunity was that I AM NOT KIN TO ANY OF THEM, AND FOR THAT, I AM SO GRATEFUL!  

 

 

 

Billy Willis

                               Billy Tom Willis 

Born: October 16th, 1938

Died:  October 11th, 2007

When I look back on my childhood memories, I am always amazed at the great friends who just happened to be great cowboys. I am proud to have known dear old friend and great cowboy, Billy Willis. I am so glad my sister Sue and I stopped in at the store not long ago to reminisce with Billy about the old days. This is where the cowboy rides away.

Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo Night Out

Met up with my sister Sue in town yesterday to go to the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo that night. Hadn't been in years. Sue drove the sixty miles from Cranfills Gap to Waco, and I came from the big city of Elm Mott...about 20 miles away, if that! We consider that a long trip!

 Actually, I like to conserve gasoline and save the natural resources when I can, so I try to combine errands as much as possible, and do all I can in one trip. I first stopped at Tractor Supply--my favorite store-- and put five bags of my special horse feed, Tiz Whiz 16%, in the front seat of my Chevy truck, so it would still be there after the rodeo.

(Note:  I have always had a horse, sometimes way too many. Can't take the horse out of a country cowgirl, so don't try!)

After picking up a few things at the Waco Walmart on Franklin Avenue, Sue and I ate at Luby's Cafeteria, then ran by the DePaul Center, so I could turn in my badge and keys, as October 5th, 2007, was my official resignation date. My last day was last Sunday. I already miss my great coworkers and dear friends there... But it was sure nice to not have to work on Saturday and Sunday!

For the last seven years, I had worked weekends and most holidays as the front desk receptionist and switchboard operator, so I am just now discovering fun things to do on the weekends--things besides cleaning house! The downside of not working weekends is that now I don't have an excuse for not having a cleaner house.

Sue and I zipped on over to the Fairgrounds and parked in the guarded parking lot. It is worth the $5.00 to park there and know your vehicle is safe. Walking up to the Coliseum, we right away ran into folks we knew --- some from the Gap and some friends and family. The Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo is a longtime tradition for Waco, McLennan County, and surrounding areas.

We went to the General Exhibits Building first and ran into more folks we knew. Saw a lot of good things I wanted, but sure don't need. Looked for the canning, cakes, pies, etc, in the Creative Arts building, but saw only a few items---figured it was because of the rule change made last year that dropped entries to a trickle. It was a shame to see it so bare! Just an almost empty building! 

Sauntered down the Midway a little way, then veered off to see the cattlebarns and animals...Never made it there, though, as we spied J.W. White coming down the trail to the Contestant area. Had a cordial visit with him and his wife, Frances. Known them both since Sue and I were little kids. Their daughter, Vickie White, horse-showed with us back in the sixties. We were like one big family then. Everyone knew everyone and looked out for all the horse-crazy kids that would tag along. We had such fun!

We went on into the Coliseum for the Rodeo, walking all around the mid-level of the arena. I had twisted my knee a bit a few days before, so I was walking wih a slight limp. It is a really, really long way around that Coliseum when you are limping and looking for your old buddies! Found many of the old friends sitting behind the roping chutes, so they could catch that action up close.

Talked to Danny Uptmore who had his leather goods booth right where we went up to the mid-level of the Coliseum. Danny's work is beautiful. Sue and I both picked out several purses and leather goods we are going to buy when we win the lottery. Cattle and beef market are really high just now, so anything made of real leather is also costly. Danny's work is of truly awesome quality and, oh, so desirable. 

I was carrying my saddle purse that my Gatesville cowboy husband, Noah Powell, had bought me at Jack Johnson's horse sale in 1964. Paid all of ten dollars, a princely sum then--equivalent to about a hundred dollars today. A saddle purse is all leather with an actual little saddle on the top of it. You lift the little stirrup-- with its tapaderos (leather coverings for the stirrups, to protect the rider's feet in brush country) and pull the little saddle back to open the purse.

 Most saddle purses were made in Mexico, and this one is the best saddle on a purse I have ever seen. The authentic and to-scale little saddle is ten inches long and about six inches wide, with a chocolate suede seat, white buckstitching, and beautifultooled design on the square skirts, fenders, and sides. It is even sheepwool-lined as all regular size saddles are!

 It doesn't have the fat horn of the usual Mexico saddle and could pass for a modern-day Billy Cook or pleasure show saddle of today. The life-size saddle today would cost you  $1,500 or $2,000. The purse itself itself is also beautifully tooled, with a wide leather strap. There is no doubt you are dressing western when you carry this purse, as it is an interesting, unique item and a great conversation starter if you have never seen one.

Danny said to come to his saddle shop on Highway 6 near Speegleville for a special leather conditioner that would not turn my purse a darker color like Neatsfoot Oil does, but would still moisturize the leather. I plan to go by there one day.

Saw the Sweethearts of the Rodeo getting ready to ride into the arena and do their horseback drills. So many pretty horses and pretty girls! Sue and I reminisced about being in the 4-H Horseback Drill Team in the early '60's, out at the Wright Palomino Ranch, near China Spring and Lake Waco. Mrs. Wright, a crusty old lady who raised palomino horses with her daughter-in-law, Doris, ran the Drill Team and did a lot of 4-H activities.

Old cowboy friends we saw included Ronnie Parks, the cowboy banker--retired now-- and father to Todd Parks and son to Raymond Parks who passed away a few years ago.  I also saw  James Austin. James is an old friend and teenage boyfriend-- a Rondezvous, black-powder, muzzle-loading rifle sharpshooter and authentic mountain man, married for forty -plus years to his great wife,  Carolyn.

 I used to spend the night with James' beautiful little sister, Darlene Austin, with the ulterior motive  of getting to see James, who was black-headed, green-eyed, tall, and very handsome, until my daddy and his daddy caught on!  James is still a handsome man, with the same gorgeous green eyes and hair of silver.

Sue and I sat with Joe Burt and his wife, Darlene. It was really good to see Joe, an honest-to-goodness sweetie, a true gentleman, and one of my dearest childhood friends, with whom Sue and I had grown up. Joe and his twin brother, John Burt, were raised real cowboys and worked on their father's dairy farm at China Spring. I am one week older than Joe, and he was my very first cowboy boyfriend. (As you can tell, I think it is importantto be a "real" cowboy and not the "drugstore" cowboy.) 

Our gang of kids would sometimes ride our horses from Cameron Park out to China Spring --a little trail ride---to visit with Joe and John. And of course, we all rodeoed together. Joe is still a good friend, one you'd trust to "ride the river with"--that's cowboy talk for being extremely trustworthy and a true-blue friend. I don't see him much, but Sue runs into him a lot, as he lives in Valley Mills and runs a dump truck/gravel business and does lots of work in Bosque County, Sue's part of the country.  

 Joe and Darlene Burt have been happily married for 38 years. Joe still rides, has two horses, and team ropes in the Old Timer Rodeo Assn. rodeos.  It looked like both Darlene and Joe do a real good job of having fun with their grandkids and their son, Sambo, who were also there, enjoying the HOT Fair and Rodeo, too. Sue and I had a great time visiting with them and watching the rodeo, as Joe knew the scoop on the latest happenings in the horse world and all the old friends. 

 All too soon, the rodeo was over, and it was time to head back to the house after a very enjoyable outing to the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo, a familiar place that brings back so many wonderful memories.

Continued: Sue Lee's Statement to Cranfills Gap, Texas School Board-_Part 3

(Part Three--Sue Lee's continued statement of August 20th, 2007, to Cranfills Gap school board members Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, and Jackie Ray Sorrels. Board President Kenneth Weise was absent.)

Cranfills Gap school board member Sue Lee is addressing other Cranfills Gap school board members:

It is a wonder that any student passed anything this year, what with all the chaos caused by Superintendent Carla Sigler, a blatant affair going on between two teachers here at the high school, and another blatant affair between a Gap high school teacher and a teacher at another school. The ethics should be of the highest standard, and personal lives should not affect the students. How can students learn if there are no morals or ethics?

Kathie, you wanted me to resign at the last meeting. Maybe we all need to resign and get some people in here that have morals and ethics, and are honest and willing to fight for what's right. I'm proud that I stood up for what's right, even though I was attacked, harassed, and ostracized.

Ruth Taylor, whom I have known and admired for years, really disappointed me. I thought she was a better person. I sat with Ruth at baccalaureate services, and we had a normal conversation, I thought. The next day, when I was delivering Kaitlan's appeal of Superintendent Sigler's decision to the school, Ruth caught Superintendent Sigler coming down the hallway. They could not see me, but I could certainly hear them. Ruth was explaining to Superintendent Sigler how she had gotten "trapped" sitting next to me, like that was some crime, or that Superintendent Sigler would be mad at her for sitting by me. I also had my tape recorder going, as I always did when at school. I have a lot of things on tape, if anyone ever wants to listen. If you don't want to sit by me, get up and move, like member of this board, Shelly Stuart, did at the 8th Grade Graduation ceremony--it won't hurt my feelings any!

Superintendent Sigler even tried to have a restraining order against a trustee who was disrupting school last year. Twice! Well, who do you think that was? That shows how far Superintendent Sigler would go to try and cover up her mistakes and lies. I was exposing her, and she wanted me gone!!

I hope we can survive the last yearand become the school we used to be. I hope it is not too late. All injustices must be fought to preserve the rights of students, parents, and staff. I am certainly going to try and do all I can to see that our new Superintendent, James Scott, has a really good year. I hope the rest of you will also.

With my knowledge and documentation of everything that has gone on this year, I would think you board members would not want to continue to pursue and harass me. I have a right to be here, just like you. This school district and Kaitlan Head have paid a mighty high price!

Thank you.                                 END

 

 

Continued: Sue Lee Statement to Cranfills Gap School Board--Part 2

(Continued: Part Two of Sue Lee's August 20th, 2007, Statement to  Cranfills Gap School Board members Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, and Jackie Ray Sorrels. Board President Kenneth Weise was absent.)

Cranfills Gap school board member Sue Lee is addressing the other Cranfills Gap school board members:

Superintendent Carla Sigler at a board meeting said about Michelle Dubay, the Science teacher, "She is a good teacher." By law and school policy, the parents of students must be notified if the teacher in the classroom is not certified to teach the subject that is being taught in that class, but parents were not notified in the case of Michelle Dubay. Another mistake! At the April, 2007, board meeting, Laura Rose stated that she had been teaching uncertified, but now had taken the test. The Texas Education Agency backdated her certification to August 2006. However, when the board renewed Laura Rose's contract in March, 2007, she was not certified!

Superintendent Sigler managed to keep everyone at bay that might tell the truth about her actions and cause her trouble. Sandy McMahan was kept away by a restraining order. I (Sue Lee) was kept away by many lies when I found out the truth about Sigler's lies. Michelle Dubay was kept away by being suspended by Sigler. Everyone with firsthand knowledge that was involved in Kaitlan Head's incident was kept away. She kept everyone away, so no one would hear the truth, and she could tell her lies.

At Kaitlan Head's hearing on May 25th, 2007, Superintendent Sigler and this board violated the Texas Open Meetings Act by going into closed session, at the objection of Kaitlan's attorney, John Cullar, that they do not go into closed session, and that they do not present any new evidence if they do go into closed session. The board went into closed session TWICE, and Superintendent Carla Sigler PRESENTED NEW EVIDENCE, in the form of affidavits and signed statements from students and a teacher, which influenced the board's decision to rule against Kaitlan. THE NEW EVIDENCE WAS NOT EVEN A PART OF THE CHARGE AGAINST KAITLAN HEAD! 

Also, teacher Sarah Doty had written a letter on Kaitlan's behalf--a letter to be read at Kaitlan's May 25th, 2007, hearing before the school board. Sarah Doty gave a copy of this letter to Kathie Witte, Cranfills Gap school board member, and to Superintendent Carla Sigler to read at the hearing, but it was not read at the meeting or presented to Kaitlan's attorney. WHY?  Because Superintendent Sigler was hell-bent to persecute Kaitlan to get at me!

Charles Head, Kaitlan's father, had made a written request for any and all documentation about Kaitlan's case, but had received NOTHING! But Superintendent Sigler presented new evidence-- yes, in an ILLEGAL closed session-- and the letter written by Sarah Doty was INTENTIONALLY withheld. Superintendent Sigler used the Cranfills Gap staff and students to her advantage. Anyone who got in Sigler's way was cut down! All of you board members will be held accountable in some way for the part you played in this injustice. It is a shame you did not try to find out the truth.

Early in September, 2006, Superintendent Sigler was letting students leave campus at lunch. Cranfills Gap has a closed campus, and leaving campus at lunch is only allowed with parental permission. When I approached Superintendent Sigler about it--which is my right--she said she tells the kids, "No", but they leave anyway. Well, what did she do about it? That was a lie, too, as she gave them permission to leave! As you recall--and it is on tape-- I asked her twice, and, both times, she said she told the students, "No,  they cannot leave campus."  However, the third time I asked Superintendent Sigler, she admitted she DID give students permission to leave campus at lunch. SO SHE WAS LYING! And you board members just sat there and did not say anything about Sigler's lying!

We had to have a special board meeting, just to make Superintendent Sigler do her job, which is to enforce our policies for the safety of the students. Instead of keeping the kids on campus at lunch until we could have that special meeting, Superintendent Sigler continued to endanger every student by continuing to let them leave campus! I was approached by teachers, students, and parents about no supervision, inappropriate physical displays of affection, and a male student smoking at the speed bump. If you recall, the school's own student council even brought a list to the school board, wanting more enforcment of the dress code as well as more enforcement of the physical displays of affection rules. But I guess you still did not think there was a problem.

I asked Superintendent Sigler about these issues, and she said, "It is being handled." The concerns kept coming. I asked again. Again, Superintendent Sigler said, "It is being handled." When I saw that it was not "being handled", I went to the school to put these issues on the board meeting agenda to be acted upon. At that time, I was told by Superintendent Sigler that I was "micro-managing", and why didn't I just get my superintendent certificate and put my desk up here?!?  Well, why didn't Superintendent Sigler just do her job?!? Why would you not just take care of the situation? Superintendent Sigler escalated every situation into a major drama. Why?!? She could have had a wonderful job at a wonderful school. I just don't understand it!

(Continued in next blog article)

 

 

 

Sue Lee August 2007 Statement to Cranfills Gap School Board--Part 1

(Statement to Cranfills Gap School Board--Part ONE--August 20th, 2007:  Cranfills Gap school board member, Sue Lee, read the following statement to Cranfills Gap School Board members Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, and Jackie Ray Sorrels. Board president Kenny Weise was absent.)

Cranfills Gap school board member Sue Lee is addressing the other Cranfills Gap school board members:

I want to start by saying that I think this school board did not act in the best interests of the students or the school this year. Bad decisions were made, and money was spent needlessly. We had a superintendent that was manipulative, vindictive, and a liar, in my opinion. Board members would not verify anything to be the truth. I think some board members were given favors through their kids or their wives. Others must have been given some sort of reward.

Jeff, looking back, I think you were right when you said this started at the convention in Houston when Susan Ward and I were left behind Friday night without any word from anyone. Susan and I talked to Superintendent Carla Sigler that night, then found out later that she had said "we had attacked her". "Attacked" was her favorite word. Lots of people got to hear that word this year.

The superintendent wanted complete control, and this board had no say. For instance, her trip to Louisiana for five days that cost about $4,000 was taken without board permission.  Nice vacation for her! No one said anything about that. When the board voted to let the seniors have a trip, five of the seven board members did not think the superintendent should go. This board was to have complete control over who went and the rules for the trip, but it was never discussed again. Superintendent Sigler did not get approval for that trip either. What did she do? She went anyway-- with board member Kathie Witte and missed four school days. We did not pay her to be on vacation during school.

At teacher contract time in the March meeting, I asked Superintendent Sigler if Laura Rose was certified to teach Special Education. Superintendent Sigler said, "Yes." After that meeting, I requested copies of Laura Rose's certification for Special Education and teacher Doug Holmes' local permit to teach technology. I also requested Superintendent Sigler's certificate for PDAS training that is required to be able to evaluate the teachers. Cranfills Gap school policy states that, in order to evaluate the teachers, you are legally required to be certified in PDAS. At a previous meeting, I had asked Superintendent Sigler if she had received the PDAS training, and she replied, "Yes." At that same meeting, she was asked if all the teachers had been evaluated. She said, "Yes." When I received my requests, there was no certification for Laura Rose to teach Special Education or Home Economics, both being subjects she had been teaching for some years and was currently teaching. Superintendent Sigler also had no certificate to legally evaluate the teachers. Doug Holmes also had no local permit to teach technology. Superintendent Sigler had insisted repeatedly that Doug Holmes did not need a local permit. The board now finds out that Doug Holmes DOES need a local permit to teach technology. So everyone who was hired at that meeting was based on Superintendent Sigler's lies. Why not just tell the truth? Liars are always caught.

At that same meeting, the high school science teacher, Michelle Dubay, who was suspended with pay by Superintendent Sigler for asking about teacher Laura Rose's certification to teach Special Education, was present. Superintendent Sigler denied all requests from Dubay and school board members to act on Dubay's contract. The next day, Superintendent Sigler sent Dubay a letter stating that the board had decided not to renew Dubay's contract. Another lie! Dubay's contract was never discussed. What Superintendent Sigler did not know, but should have known, was that not taking any action on Dubay's contract put the board into a position where Dubay automatically had another contract for the coming school year. When Superintendent Sigler found this out, she really started trying to find a way out. She proposed trying to use the letter that she, Sigler, had sent Dubay as a consent item by the board, when the board had no knowledge of the letter!

Superintendent Sigler then proposed to fire this teacher for anything that she and the board could make up, and you board members went right along for the ride. If there had been any misconduct, such as having alcohol on campus as Sigler tried to claim, Superintendent Sigler would have suspended her right then without pay. Another lie by Sigler to try to fix her mistake! Superintendent Sigler had left a message on Dubay's answering machine stating that she was proposing to fire her for havingalcohol on campus, and she would see that Dubay would never teach again if she did not resign.  Kenny, you said that Superintendnent Sigler told you the attoreny told her to leave that message. Don't you think you should have called and verified that? I don't think any lawyer would tell someone to leave a threatening message like that on someone's answering machine.

I would say the payout-- including lawyer fees, substitute teacher salaries, and the salary we were still paying the suspended teacher, Dubay-- was around $30,000 for that little fiasco. All the charges against Dubay were trumped up by Superintendent Sigler, and you board members were willing to go along with anything illegal to stand by this superintendent. WHY?

So who else suffered besides Dubay? How about the kids who were denied a certified Science teacher in the classroom, while the Special Education teacher, Laura Rose, stayed in place with no consequences-- though she was not certified to teach Special Education, as well as the Home Economics students she had also taught without certification?  Does this make any sense?

(Continued in next blog article)                                                                                                     

More About Carla

Wow! Many folks have contacted me wanting to know where they can read more about the notorious former Cranfills Gap Superintendent Carla Sigler and the infamous Cranfills Gap school board members, Kenny Wiese, Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Virgil Tindall, and Jackie Ray Sorrels. I will soon be posting sites where you can read more about them, if you so desire. Most postings will be articles that ran in the newspaper, The Bosque County News--and most are on the front page, I think starting with the February 2007 issues currently online in the Bosque County News Archives.  Everyone especially wants to read the expose on Carla that details the controversial Alaska events that were the forerunners to the Cranfills Gap Texas fiasco.  

It is just incredible how Superintendent Carla Sigler got away with so many shameful and incompetent actions. Throughout history, there have been many charismatic leaders --such as David Koresh, Jim Jones--- even Adolph Hitler --who have had the appeal and personality to accomplish outrageous injustices.  Few people have the courage to stand up to such a leader and say, "Whoa--wait a minute--that's not right--that's not how you treat folks, especially children."

In my opinion, this woman, Carla Sigler, should never be in contact with any child, considering her past history with children under her authority. In some instances, it appears to me Carla Sigler's actions broke the law, she knew she broke the law, and she just did not care---anything to get revenge on her perceived foes.

Perhaps it is like being a politician--you have incredible power that can be misused to influence others to do your will, whether for good or bad. The thing wrong with that,  is that absolute power corrupts absolutely, as there is usually no one able to stop you if you decide to do wrong. 

  In other instances, it appears to me to be just plain old incompetence that caused so many students to be pulled from under Carla Sigler's authority at the Cranfills Gap school.  

  Of course, Superintendent Carla Sigler had already done things that had compromised herself, before she resigned--like leaving Michelle DuBay, the Science teacher,  that threatening message on her telephone and sending her that letter, then lying to everyone that the attorney told her to send it.  I believe she felt she could do whatever she wanted to do, and there was not one thing anyone could or would do-- as Miss Carla was movin' on.  No one had previously been able to do anything to her --she had escaped unscathed. If you have no conscience, you don't really care what you do to harm others--so what if they are children? 

You just do all the damage you can, and then you move on. Who cares about  the chaos you leave behind, at the school or the town? You are movin' on, Darlin'---You won't be there---You won't be the one who has to deal with the fallout----So let someone else pick up the pieces from the horrific mess you have made.

  You, Darlin'--you just move on to the next unsuspecting victims.  No matter that the district  might be drained of funds --some spent on your rabid supporters--especially  one school board member who insists on a $10,000 barn being built almost exclusively for the use of her child--because Superintendent Carla Sigler had already delegated those funds for that purpose, and it should be built whether the district can afford it or not...and there really is a question of affording it, after the disastrous tenure of Carla Sigler.  

And, Carla, what about those outrageous raises, such as a $6,000 raise IN ONE YEAR to one of your biggest supporters--the one I saw, the one who had you all hugged up when I went back into the school after the Cranfills Gap graduation ceremony, when everyone had left--or so you both thought.  Things like these have finally come to light, and the entire town sees just how badly you misspent their hard-earned taxpayer money.

 And this is to say nothing of the all important district academic rating which dropped drastically to a dangerous level under your watch. You left the district in almost dire straits, though it was in a most excellent shape when you arrived in town. Who could have dreamed the damage you and your friends would do?

 Doesn't matter---you're not there--you've moved on to bigger and better things! You have done that before--why would this time be any different? Uh-oh, wait a minute--this time the law was broken, and it can be proven that the law was broken-- not only by you, butby the incompetent members of the schoolboard --all but one--who didn't know the law and didn't care about the law, even when they were informed by experts that they were breaking the law. The school board members--all but one---were your willing accomplices to anything you wanted to do. You were smart enough to be sure their personal agendas were being fulfilled---that is the only reasonable explanation for their backing you and your actions like a flock of mindless sheep.

 This time, Darlin', you--Carla Sigler--are being investigated--- along with Cranfills Gap school board members Kenny Weise, Jeff Rose, Kathie Witte, Shelly Stuart, Sue Lee, Virgil Tindall, and Jackie Ray Sorrels--by the Bosque County District Attorney's office. Yes, Carla has moved on, but the stench of Carla Sigler is still there.  Carla, you might not slither off the hook this time-- there might actually be a consquence for you as a result of your illegal actions. And look at the devastating consquences --intended or not--of your actions on the Gap school and the town itself.

On the surface, Carla, you appear an attractive, charming individual with a beautiful speaking voice and a mouth full of the right words. But pretty is as pretty does. In my opinion, your actions prove you are a pitiful and almost tragic figure. However, it is the Cranfills Gap school and the town of Cranfills Gap--the students and the people-- who will pay the biggest price of all for your incompetence, revenge--whatever it was--- and that is the real tragedy.