LETTER SENT BY TERRI MAJORS TO JOE ADAMS JUNE 8, 2011
June 8, 2011
Dear Mr. Adams,
The total of eight minutes I’ve been given to voice my concerns about occurrences at
Golbow Elementary have allowed me to state that I perceive there to be a problem at this
school. These few minutes, however, have not made me believe my First Amendment rights
have been met since there has been no resolution to the issues facing my former school. It
is my intention to continue to pursue relief from oppression for the teachers and staff at
Golbow, and to pursue justice for those who have no jobs because of said oppression. As a
highly trained and experienced school administrator, I am certain that my belief in the
instructional and professional expertise of the teachers I hired will be upheld in any
courtroom. I challenge you to find fault with my decisions regarding recommendations for
hire during my tenure at Golbow.
Certainly, I am well-acquainted with the grievance procedures written in Katy ISD Board
Policy. That said, I am also sadly aware that grievances do not benefit employees since
the vast majority end with negative results for the employee seeking fair treatment. In
this school district, as in many others throughout
Finally, Mr. Adams, I am surprised that my eight minutes at the microphone cause you to
believe that you should invoke “reasonable restraints” on my freedom to speak during the
public forum portion of your Board Meetings.
I question the constitutionality of your refusal to allow me to talk about Golbow
Elementary during the Board’s public forum.
In fact, Board Policy BED (LEGAL) says, “When the Board sits in public meetings to conduct
public business and hear the views of citizens, it may not discriminate between speakers
on the basis of the content of their speech or the message it conveys”.
I am, therefore, asking you to recant your refusal
to allow me to make further statements about Golbow Elementary at future Board Meetings.
An investigation of the extreme turnover rate at Golbow has not occurred, nor has the
Board made any effort to look into the allegations I have made.
Please honor my request for a reply within one day; after that time, I will share your
denial of my right to speak with the media.
Sincerely,
Terri Majors
Letter to which Mrs. Majors responded:
June 3, 2011
Mrs. Terri Majors
3025 Eula Morgan
Dear Mrs. Majors:
As President of the Board of Trustees, I have spoken with Mr. Frailey to confirm that you have been made aware of appropriate avenues for filing grievances, and he has assured me that you have been provided with this information. In addition, you have also had an opportunity to present your concerns about Golbow Elementary during the public comment section of Board meetings multiple times in recent months.
The purpose of this letter is to make you aware that the Board is not required to provide a public forum for every citizen wishing to express an opinion on a matter. In accordance with Board Policy BED (LEGAL), the board is allowed to make reasonable restraints on the number, length, and frequency of presentations. The Board has the authority to limit the number of persons it will hear on a particular subject and the frequency with which they appear, as long as the regulation does not abridge guaranteed rights of freedom of speech and to petition, nor unfairly discriminate among views seeking expression. Therefore, I want to inform you that the board will not be hearing any further comments from you regarding Golbow Elementary during future Board Meetings.
You do have a right to file a formal complaint regarding a particular concern through the appropriate grievance process. If you are unclear as to which grievance procedure to follow, you may contact Bonnie Holland, Assistant Superintendent for Governance, Legal Affairs, and Special Programs, or Steve Stanford, Director of Communications. Either of these individuals can direct you to the proper process and forms.
Sincerely,
Joe M. Adams
President, Board of Trustees
xc: Board of Trustees
Superintendent Alton Frailey