School board amends protocols to reduce rancor at its meetings
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

As promised, Conejo Valley Unified School District board members used their annual reorganization meeting as an opportunity to look over their protocols, and this time, board member Mike Dunn decided to abstain from voting.

Although most alterations were minor, there was one major addition to the rules regarding censure. Regardless of the change, which was probably added after the board had trouble censuring Dunn in June, Dunn said he's not going to repeat the mistake of signing the guidelines again.

"We have a saying in Texas," Dunn said. "Only a fool buys the rope to hang himself. If I agree to abide by these protocols, I guarantee they'll use them against me. If they were being uniformly enforced, I'd have no problem signing them. But I think they are being used to censor me and to inhibit my performance as an independent trustee serving the good of the people."

Superintendent Mario Contini spearheaded the development of board protocols last year when it was determined at a study session that the board members could use some guidelines.

Tim Stephens and Mike Dunn served on an ad hoc committee to help develop the protocols, which directed members to act as team players and role models, to respect democratic decisionmaking and to place the best interests of students over those of any other constituency.

In the section describing censuring a board member, the original document gave the board president or superintendent the option to meet privately with the member of concern. The conversation may then be reported to the board through verbal or written communication, or in open session.

An addition to the document states that if censure is to be considered, the board member of concern is to be advised beforehand and the process should be reviewed by the board president and/or superintendent.

At a June board meeting, the school board voted to censure Dunn after he made contact with a potential district job candidate. Dunn was blindsided by the vote, which was not on the agenda. Later, Contini said the vote was presented incorrectly by thenpresident Dolores Didio, and the board actually voted to put the censure vote on the next agenda.

Contini also used the annual review to emphasize the confidential information clause. Although there was no new language, the following was bolded for emphasis: "Confidential/privileged information which is produced for or shared during closed sessions of the Board shall not be divulged or released unless a majority of Board members agree to release the information, subject to applicable laws regarding closed sessions."