OCPS: Did School Board Counsel Woody Rodriquez Commit Malfeasance When Giving Instructions To Bd Members To Close Richmond Heights Elementary?
- Details
- Category: Education
- Published: Friday, 01 August 2014 16:26
 |
 |
by Lawrence A. Robinson
Legal Counsel for the School Board Diego 'Woody' Rodriquez took the lead on the closing of Richmond Heights Elementary School. This responsibility was handed to him by School Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins who was the Deputy Superintendent at the time.
Lead Attorney Rodriquez explain criteria and the circumstances which was needed for the closure of Richmond Heights Elementary to be legal. Then he apparently mislead the board into believing that it was okay to vote on this issue when clearly, it wasn't.
Mr. Rodriguez mentioned the 'Settlement Agreement" which was an agreement made between the
 |
 |
Orange County NAACP and the Orange County School Board. That agreement clearly states that Richmond Heights Elementary cannot be closed unless there is a dramatic revenue shortfall. According to an e-mail received from the school board accounting office, there was no revenue shortfall. In fact, at the time Orange County Public Schools had tens of millions of dollars in surplus funds. There was so much surplus funds, that soon after the vote to close Richmond Heights Elementary for lack of funds, the board gave Dr. Phillips High School a $50 million bonus.
Link to Settlement Agreement located on Orange County Public School web site: Read number 6 criteria, then listen to Attorney Rodriquez explanation. https://www.ocps.net/sb/Documents/Unitary%20Status/Settlement%20Agreement%20(Fully%20executed).pdf
Here is part of the audio from the school board meeting of 10/25/11. Listen to the first 8 minutes decide if Mr. Rodriguez mislead the Board.
|
|
Was Diego 'Woody' Rodriquez complicit in presenting the information to the board? Did the school board members think that Attorney Rodriquez's presentation allowed them to vote on an illegal issue? It appears that School Board Lead Attorney Rodriguez intentionally mislead the board and allowed the members to vote on an issue that really should not have been on the docket for review.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins knew about the settlement agreement and also knew that the vote itself was illegal. She should have stopped the vote but instead, she passed the buck to Attorney Rodriquez and allowed the illegal vote that closed the Richmond Heights Elementary School.
In 2002, the School Board asked for and received the half penny tax. They made promises and commitments to the residents in their greediness to secure that tax increase.
According to comments made by Board Member Rich Roach District 3, the board broke those promises to the Black community. The Board is now coming back and asking for the tax to be extended.
Deny the half penny tax extension. The Orange County School Board has no intention of supporting the Black community or the students. In fact, the Orange County School Board is maneuvering to close Jones High School using the same tactics that was used to close Richmond Heights Elementary.
It appears that the Orange County School Board is only interested in the movement of money and not in the education of our children. Deny them their greed. Say NO to the half penny tax extension.
|
It appears that the Orange County School Board is only interested in the movement of money and not in the education of our children. Deny them their greed. Say NO to the half penny tax extension. |