Roesler Denies Using School Bldgs. for Campaign Rallies

Some papers came into my possession from a confidential source who shall remain nameless. One was an application by Paul Roesler to use the Library Media Center at Southeast Junior High. On the paper form, he answered none of the questions about why he was using the room and the application was not signed by school staff or anyone else. I can't say for certain whether the paperwork I have a copy of is the final paperwork or not.

I arrived early at the Center for Humanistic Inquiries' school board candidate forum July 11, 2016 at the Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A. Before the forum began, I asked Paul Roesler point blank whether he had paid for the school building rooms he used for campaign rallies. He denied using the rooms for campaign rallies and described them instead as "meetings of concerned parents." Since he denied they were campaign rallies, although according to those who were there, the last 10 to 15 minutes of the meetings were campaign rallies, I assume he didn't pay for the rooms, although I don't know that for sure. He did admit to applying to the school district to use the rooms.

Roesler began his campaign with a secret Facebook group. The group that supports him, the so-called Eastside Mafia run by Julie Eisele, is also a closed group. School board member Chris Liebig, a Yalie and a University of Iowa law professor, and I, a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University, had a good chuckle over the fact that Eisele excluded two Ivy Leaguers from her group. I offered to meet with her face to face, but Eisele wouldn't. Scared, I guess.

What we don't need more of on the ICCSD board and from Supt. Steve Murley is more secrecy and closed groups. Add the district's rule by intimidation and "culture of retaliation" documented by the State Department of Education report, and you've got a toxic mix. A candidate who espouses closed groups and secrecy would be likely to bring more of the same to what's already wrong with our district and board, in my opinion.

When asked at the Monday night meeting whether he would choose community opinion or his own integrity if a conflict arose between the two, Paul Roesler answered, "the community comes first."

Board candidate J.P. Claussen said he would listen to community opinion but also mentioned Alexis de Tocqueville's comment on "the tyranny of the majority." J.P. added, "I'd default to my integrity" in case of a conflict between community opinion and his own integrity.

Board candidate Janice Weiner simply chose, "My integrity."