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2 Hillsborough School Board Members Lock Horns

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By MARILYN BROWN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 22, 2008

TAMPA - Discourse turned ugly Tuesday night when the chairwoman of the Hillsborough County School Board tried to stop a board member from speaking and motioned for her to be removed from the room.

Jennifer Faliero, who heads the board, has a history of friction with board member April Griffin.

Tuesday's clash occurred as Griffin made a plea to attend more conferences besides the one major conference approved by a new travel committee that includes Faliero.

Faliero dismissed Griffin, saying "It is what it is" as Griffin continued to make her case. Then Faliero warned, "I'm going to cut you off."

When Griffin continued, Faliero called her out of order twice, banged her gavel and nodded to the security guard as she called his name. That is usually a sign to remove someone from the public meeting.

"You are not going to take me out of this room," Griffin challenged, saying Faliero was cutting her off.

The security guard stepped back and the meeting continued.

Later, during board member reports, Griffin returned to the issue, telling Faliero, "You were abusing your power" and that it is no surprise that employees fear retaliation "when you see it at this dais."

"You have no right to cut me off and order me removed," Griffin told Faliero. "I am your peer. I am not your employee."

Faliero sat silent, then later addressed Griffin, saying, "I appreciate your passion," but "you just don't like the word 'no.' "

The women have sparred in the past. During a 2007 training session on team building, Faliero told Griffin that maybe "you need to resign," and Griffin walked out, slamming the door.

After Tuesday's meeting, Faliero confirmed that she was following procedures to signal the security guard after ruling someone out of order. Griffin was out of order for continuing to state a position that was stated, Faliero said. "The point had been made. Her case had been pled."

Faliero denied she would have actually had Griffin removed: "It was a warning."

Griffin doesn't buy that. "She did threaten to have me removed," Griffin said. "She can deny it until the cows come home."

As for the out-of-county travel budget, the board approved spending $35,000 a year, divided among board members as to approved need.

The budget grew out of uneven spending by board members. Of $148,000 spent over four years, Susan Valdes spent $50,322 of that.

The travel committee approved these requests for 2008-09:

Valdes, $5,667

Candy Olson, $5,056

Faliero, $2,675

Jack Lamb, $2,436

Doretha Edgecomb, $2,317

Carol Kurdell, $1,175.

Griffin asked for $3,522, including attending three major conferences on curriculum, each costing between $664 and $1,216. She was told to choose just one of those conferences and will also be allowed to attend another conference in Orlando which will cost $646.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069.

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