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!"