Letter: Barrington candidate has a conflict of interest

Posted 10/5/16

To the editor:

Serving in the public office is both a privilege and a responsibility. After hearing that 3 new candidates are running for the school committee, I have grave concerns over 1 of them …

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Letter: Barrington candidate has a conflict of interest

Posted

To the editor:

Serving in the public office is both a privilege and a responsibility. After hearing that 3 new candidates are running for the school committee, I have grave concerns over 1 of them because she poses a conflict of interest in running. 

The 5 members of the SC should decide policies and/or curriculum based on a non-biased decision making process taking into consideration the cost, benefit, the effect it has on the student body, the effect it has on the quality of education, and the effect it has on the community at large. 

If a SC member should serve on a subcommittee, he or she “should only have authority to speak or act on behalf of the SC”. In other words, a SC member cannot actively participate in the research or presentation of the subcommittee. Any committee should look at any issue objectively compiling the pros and cons of their research; and make a well-balance presentation to the SC.

Dr. Douglas as well as her husband, Scott, are current members of the health and wellness committee and have recommended and promoted vigorously changing school start times by utilizing material from a national special interest group, startschoollater.net, which appears to be in direct violation of the SC policy manual. 

This is clearly demonstrated on Dr. Douglas’s personal Facebook page. Mr. Douglas was, also, picked to serve on the ad hoc committee as a parent of Barrington Middle School. The SC policy manuel clearly states, “All decisions should be based on the available facts and independent judgment, and refuse to surrender that judgment to individuals or special interest groups”. Since the health and wellness committee is a sub-committee of the SC, this could be seen as a conflict of interest.

While I applaud all the candidates for their community service, there should be some “separation of power."  

The tenured part of the SC, in the past, has failed to be objective in their decision making process by passing delaying school start time to 8:30 a.m. for the high school. They made their decision without considering the cost; how to implement it; and the objections of parents, teachers, students, and their constituents. After receiving pressure from parents, students, teachers, and the community, they formed an ad hoc committee after they passed the policy. 

I know of no business and/or form of government that passes a law or policy then finds out afterwards what it costs, if it is feasible to implement, how to implement it, and what are the adverse effects it may have.  

A well-thought-out plan can and should have been devised prior to passing the policy taking in all of these concerns.

Dr. Douglas has proven she would rather proceed with the “politically correct” policy rather than researching all aspects in her decision making process. 

Please consider these factors prior to making your decision, do you want a special interest group influencing the decisions of a SC member, do you want the SC member being actively involved in another committee proposing changes in policy, do you want a family member on multiple committees proposing changes in policy? Do you want a SC passing policies without weighing the pros and cons associated with it and carefully considering all factors prior to making a decision? 

Please take this into consideration prior voting and consider voting for Gina Pine who is more than qualified and will consider all factors in her decision making process.  

Anne Merlino

Barrington

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.