Updated: D113 mistake or misled? Time to move on

• December 17, 2014 – letter sent from Ram, Olson, Cereghino & Kopczynski, LLP (Attorneys) via email to the Board of Trustees of Tamalpais Union High School District regarding the online bullying by Dr. Kimbrel’s husband.

“Upon learning of the allegations, the board received assurances from the Superintendent that she knew nothing of the postings and was not involved in them,” – so Dr. Kimbrel apparently knew about these allegations prior to signing the contract with D113. I’m not willing to accept her claim of not knowing what her husband was doing – it doesn’t pass the smell test for me.

• Dec. 22, 2014 – San Francisco attorney William Tunick wrote back to Wortzman (the victim of the bullying). Tunick, who said in the letter that he was writing on behalf of the district, wrote:

“The Superintendent did not post any comments about Mr. Wortzman on Facebook and has assured the District she did not have knowledge of any such action. To continue to suggest otherwise would demonstrate a reckless disregard for the truth which could only be seen as an attempt to damage Dr. Kimbrel.”

The letter went on to say, “As Dr. Kimbrel has maintained throughout her tenure with the District, while she understands there may be differences of opinion over the operation of the District, personal attacks have no place in District matters and do not advance the fundamental goals of the District.”

Wortzman said he would like to know who directed Tunick to write the letter, because the district board did not meet between Dec. 17 and Dec. 22. Tunick could not be reached for comment.

(source: http://www.marinij.com/social-affairs/20150211/husband-of-tamalpais-unio...)

• January 10, 2015 – Dr. Kimbrel signs the contract with D113 as Superintendent.

• Jan 12, 2015 – Margie Sandlow signs the contract as President with D113 and Dr. Kimbrel

• Jan 13, 2015 – Dr. Fornero signs the contract as Secretary with D113 and Dr. Kimbrel

• Jan 13, 2015 – Tamalpais District hires an investigator to look into the issue.
• Jan 30, 2015 - A presentation is posted to slideshare.net, apparently by Dr. Kimbrel which clearly illustrates her association with HYA - this is approximately 20 days AFTER Dr. Kimbrel entered into a contract with D113.
• Feb 12, 2015 - A second presentation is posted to slideshare.net, also apparently by Dr. Kimbrel which also clearly illustrates her association with HYA. This is 6 days prior to the Feb. 18, 2015 revealing of ties with HYA.
  

• Feb 16, 2015 – Chicago Tribune article regarding the bullying incident. Dr. Kimbrel’s husband admits to the bullying, but denies his wife knew about it. How can we be expected to believe someone who created a fictitious moniker to bully someone in the District his wife worked at, ostensibly from his employer’s IP address? The article also reports that D113 is investigating.

• Feb 18, 2015 – Ties between Dr. Kimbrel and HYA – the search firm that recommended her are revealed.

• Feb 19, 2015 – D113 Board issues a statement that essentially states they’re taking the matter “very seriously”.

Keeping all these events in mind, let’s take a little step back in time, to November 10, 2014 – when D113 worked with HYA to develop the Leadership Profile Report (“Report”). This passage under “Desired Characteristics” on page 4 of the Report is as follows:

“According to respondents, the new superintendent needs to be transparent and consistent in decision‐making, follow a process, listen to input, communicate it to stakeholders and stand by the decision once it is made. As desired by respondents, this visionary, highly competent, honest, truthful, and respected educational leader would understand and have experience in a community with high expectations for student learning. Based on recent unfortunate events that eroded trust, respondents communicated a desire to have a new superintendent that is willing to make a long‐term commitment to the district, with the ability to establish a deep level of trust with all stakeholders…”

Compare and contrast the “Desired Characteristics” of the Community with what we actually received in our new Superintendent.

Regardless of what actually happened, and who allegedly knew what and when, this is a lousy way to start off a new relationship. Especially with one who is supposed to be honest, truthful, and respected as a leader needed to establish a deep level of trust with all stakeholders.

The existing D113 Board needs to part ways with Dr. Kimbrel, and ECRA-HYA. We can’t trust these people, and this event will only serve as a continuation of the cancerous levels of distrust in D113. Cancel the contract (refer to Paragraphs F(1)(a), F(1)(c), and F(2) for more information). And start searching for a new Superintendent – without the services of a search firm.

We’re intelligent, highly competent people living within the confines of D113 – let’s start acting like it.