Cops Called After Fight Erupts At Wash. State School Board Meeting
- Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:20pm by
Billy Hallowell
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EVERETT, Wash. (The Blaze/AP) – Educators can be pretty passionate about helping children. But, apparently so can school board members. A disagreement at an Everett School Board meeting got so heated, police were called to intervene:
The Daily Herald reports a tussle erupted Tuesday night during a closed door session after a long and divisive public meeting. The dispute centered on the job performance review of Superintendent Gary Cohn.
Things heated up when school board member Jessica Olson turned on a small videotape machine and other board members objected. Here’s where the details get a bit murky.
Board President Ed Petersen says he reached over to turn it off because he didn’t want the private discussion to be made public. Olson says she was worried he was trying to confiscate her recorder. Then the argument reportedly got physical.
Olson’s video recorder was working for part of the time and she showed the film to Herald reporters (see above). While the video doesn’t show the fight per se, it’s evidence that something less than professional went down (watch for the turning moment at the end of the clip). HeraldNet.com has more:
Olson said Dutton [another board member] grabbed her and began wrestling with her. She said while that happened, Petersen [board president] stepped up and restrained her from behind.
Olson said she told the pair, “You guys have just assaulted me.” She then dialed 911.
Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz says statements were taken from those involved, but no arrests have been made. Click here to read a transcript from the video.
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Comments (64)
Carol Ingian
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:59pmNext time, everyone hire a camera crew, everyone gets a copy. Easy, simple.
Report Post »The woman turning on her recorder midstream seemed like she was a bit of a bully.
Maybe they need to have a police officer there to keep the peace, if they can’t behave like grownups.
loriann12
Posted on August 25, 2011 at 7:09amI worry about people who are afraid to have a meeting recorded. what do they have to hide?
Report Post »The BRAIN
Posted on August 25, 2011 at 8:22pmEvery meeting that discusses a public institution and that does not directly affect public security should be recorded for the benefit of the public record and the taxpayers funding it. Ones that affect security should be recorded and then properly securely archived for review as necessary after the fact. I do see one argument. Unions have become organized crime and take advantage of public knowledge to perpetrate crime against people that they oppose. We have long ago needed to remove the protections that unions enjoy that have been abused and turned to the commission of crime. The same house cleaning needs to be done for regulations that give businesses protection from true honest competition. Too much abuse and law generally written to give people unfair advantage instead of equal protection.
Report Post »skilaxdad
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:55pmAnd these are the people who believe that they know far better than we do how our children should be educated?
Report Post »thomas242007
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:45pmMore rabid democrat school administrators no doubt
Report Post »grabyrgun
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:32pmspinless liberal cockroaches always head for the shadows when the light of truth is shown upon them.
Report Post »dabbo
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:25pmPersonnel matters are always discussed in executive session…..if you discuss them in a public meeting your leaving the school district vunerable to litigation.
This Lady is an idiot….each board member should give their own evaluation of the superitendent and a concensus report should be created.
She should be reprimanded for her video camera stunt….but since these positions are thankless and unpaid there is not much that can be done with her but vote her out in the next election.
Report Post »MASTER YODA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:42pmWe need to be smarter than that and use hidden cameras. That way they will act like they always act and they will be caught on tape. It’s like that RINO town hall where he had the cops confiscate the video equipment such as personal cameras. Why didn’t the crowd jump up and support the peoples rights? They sat like cows and did and said nothing except for the people whos rights were taken away. It reminded me of schindlers list where the nazi’s single out someone and take them away screaming and nobody lifts a finger or says anything. Wake up people and get in their faces.
Report Post »notatoomah
Posted on August 25, 2011 at 8:45amMore like, the other will be voted out next election. Even if she was out of order to video tape the proceeding, which considering what they were trying to do I don’t believe she was, they still had no right to lay hands on her. They could have voted to adjourn until a later date, and get a court order that she, nor anyone else could have a recording device during a closed session.
If this woman were my wife, the other would have to beg the police to protect them.
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on August 25, 2011 at 10:13amI think you are an idiot. The lady clearly stated over and over that she wanted to record the parameters, NOT the evaluation. In regards to the other reply, many states, require two party consent to record. Having a hidden camera can be considered illegal wiretapping. Washington, being controlled by commies, is probably one of them.
Report Post »ezeewhiz
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:21pmWhy grab someone. Simply end the meeting or pass a motion banning recording equipment.
Report Post »REDBLOODEDHUSKER
Posted on August 25, 2011 at 12:44amAgreed. Whoever lurched for the camera, and then later AGAIN grabbed at the camera is not very bright. As soon as the recorder was turned on, the rest should have made a motion to exit executive session, then suspended the meeting. Then deal with this stuff.
From what it sounds like, the secretary (and maybe others) were cherry picking the comments about the supt. for the official minutes. Every board meeting I have been to, there is always a point at the beginning of the meeting for members to amend or at least raise objection to the previous minutes as presented. THAT is where she should be making her objection, not during an executive session.
Report Post »NeoKong
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:14pmWho was the tough guy in the blue shirt pacing back and forth….?
Report Post »llotus
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:49pmThey are either flat out liars or spineless, and usualy both. At least thats was my experience with them. Lotus.
Report Post »US Anthem
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:47pmShe plainly said that the rules for this closed session had not been agreed upon and that the minutes of the last meeting did not include her opinions, they were intentionally left out. The other 4 people are trying to falsify the minutes of these sessions, closed or otherwise so that no one knows what she says or writes.
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:36pmGood stuff.
Report Post »CrazyTexan
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:35pmNewsflash. Government can record you at a stoplight, record you walking down the street, record you doing pretty much anything in a public forum. A school board meeting is a public event of public individuals acting in a public service role. If the gov’t can record you in public, why shouldn’t we be able to record them?
Report Post »lonewolf57
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:46pmWe ARE them.Its high time to start letting the ‘official’s’ know who put them in that chair.And yes,they WILL BE RECORDED.
Report Post »mikester8888
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:33pmDont you wish there had been ANYONE in the closed door sessions the democrats held with health care that would have had the spine to record it. Every true american knows that the leaches that was in that room are as corrupt as anyone in our federal prisons.
Report Post »It makes me sick knowing that there are people in this land that justify that mockery of our congress.
georgiavietvet
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:31pmthe women should have pressed assault charges………………………
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:29pmThere is such a thing as a “right to record” as long as all parties know it is happening.
Report Post »lonewolf57
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:42pmThese are PUBLIC meetings,paid for by the Citizen,the TAXPAYER.
Report Post »garbagecanlogic
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:37pmYou are incorrect in your statement. It varies from state-to-state. In our state, only one party has to be privy to the recording.
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:25pmthese liberal elitist hates to be recorder when they are screwing over people , just like the rest of government , they love those secret meeting where they screw us but they are also like coach roaches ,, shine the light on them and they run and him just like **** roaches like they are
Report Post »hudent
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:25pmwho me?
Report Post »hudent
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:11pmThese boardmember idiots feel they are so rightious and if someone argue with them they call you out of order,fire all these tax payer leaches all they do is protect their asses.
Report Post »Ducky 1
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:07pmMy darling grand children live in this city………so glad they are home schooled !!!!
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:35pmYou raised SMART children!!
Report Post »spirited
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:03pmDon‘t know what Olson’s evaluation is based on….but she did clearly let them know she turned on her recorder…, and did not refuse a copy of the recoding when asked.
We can hardly drive (or walk) down a street these days with being recorded.
We‘re still waiting for candidate Obama’s campaign suggestion that meetings be aired on C-span.
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 9:16pmTrue enough. But according to the rules they ALL agreed to this was a closed door meeting……… How “closed” is it when you & I and everyone else knows she would have made that recording available to the media??
Report Post »Steel Awesome
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:44pmSpeaking of Obama, I wonder if it’s time for another beer summit at the White House. Or, perhaps “wine summit” would be more fitting for these upscale school board folks.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 11:59pmShe clearly stated that she was going to the media and, that they were not going to do what they’ve been doing not “including the minority”; she’s the minority. (?)
Report Post »They could have ended the executive meeting and walked out of the room.
>Seems they might have something to hide. Bottom line, taking her camcorder was waaaay wrong.
lonewolf57
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:55pmEvery meeting by elected ‘officials’ must be taped/preserved.Every one.From local school board meetings to State DNR meetings to Congress to the Oval Office of the USA.
Report Post »Every DIME that tax paying USA Citizens spend to keep these people WORKING for US,should be taped.Especially at ‘meetings’.FOIA
Digitally is so inexpensive now.No reason to hide from the public what IS the PUBLICS property.
FEMALL
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:51pmSome superintendents are elected. Some are appointed. Where they are elected school personnel repeatedly attempt to get the law changed for superintendents to be appointed. Wonder why?
O=US screwed
Report Post »Montana Libertarian
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:42pmI know a little about Washington’s open meetings law. Almost all official government meetings must be open by law. Exceptions are meetings regarding personnel actions (sounds like this might have been one of those) and, naturally, the legislature negotiates the budget in quiet little meetings among the power brokers.
Sounds like this one got way out of hand.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:47pmWhat else is new anymore.
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:38pmThat’s a “fight”? We really are pussified.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:50pmLol
Report Post »zoo9guy
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:36pmI vote for making all the meetings available to the public….this was obviously a hostile environment and everyone would behave themselves better if the was an audience, besides it’s business for Public schools! What kind of secrets do they need to keep?
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 8:35pmI don’t know exactly what is going on but something is very fishy . Looks like we have some people trying to protect the Superintendent in private. All elected officials from US Congress down to local dog catcher should have to have any meeting or session in public. Maybe this woman is a trouble making nut job ,maybe not . This board should have public scrutiny on any decision ,it tends to keep things honest.
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