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.
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