Exactly who are these ASPEN Group International folks that Terry Grier brought in to silence SDUSD board members?

SDUSD superintendent Terry Grier (photo) brought in consultants to design a gag rule for board members.

I looked up Aspen Group International and found this:

ASPEN Group International Inc. and American Association of School Administrators present:

"A timely seminar for superintendents who want to lead"

From School Administrator
June 2003

"...This conference will help you, as the district's CEO, and your board work together to form an authentic and respectful relationship characterized by a true trusteeship focused on increasing community support for and understanding of district efforts..

"WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT...

* If your school board members exercised collective self discipline to stay out of interpersonal game-playing, political intrigues and micromanagement?

[Blogger's note: Wonderful! Only administrators--not board members --would be involved in interpersonal game-playing and political intrigues.]

* ...If you could make administrative and operational decisions without seeking approval or being second-guessed and reversed by your board?

[How can voters and parents have any input at all, if board members are not accountable for administrative and operational decisions?]

* If your school board were focused more on student achievement and creating community support and less on operational "stuff"?

[Wait a minute. Isn't "operational stuff" precisely how student achievement is attained? What exactly would the board members focus on?]

...What a utopia! But in your lifetime?

As a matter of fact, YES!

[Public schools are NOT utopias designed for the comfort of the superintendent. They are public entities, and those who operate them must be open and accountable to voters. Conflicts should be resolved by discussion, not gagging board members and keeping voters out of the loop.]

"Many school boards and their CEOs already are experiencing all these benefits of Policy Governance[R], the governing model created by John Carver that has proven to be practical and successful in the public education world by helping superintendents and school board members understand their real roles and how to effectively execute them.

[Since when are board members merely cheerleaders for superintendents? They are bosses, not boosters!}

"This AASA/Aspen Group conference is your opportunity to learn more about Policy Governance[R], how it is being used by superintendents across the nation, and how it can produce results to match its promise in your district. Log on to www.aasa.org or www.aspengroup.org for details about Policy Governance[R] and this important conference.

"$400 for AASA members, $450 for non-members"

[Blogger's note: I agree with the commenter who said these shenanigans are a good reason to vote for John Lee Evans instead of Mitz Lee.]