Letter to CUSD Trustees
by Kim Lefner

Put an End to Mob Rule

In the Dec. 18 words of Supt. Woodrow Carter to the trustees: "you have mortally wounded the position of superintendent in this District. You have shown a clear contempt and disregard for the office, have violated civility and courtesies, and done so in a classless manner... Your actions have undermined my authority and ability to run this district. Dead man walking comes to mind...”

The disrespect, clear contempt and disregard shown to you as trustees by your employees, starting with and perpetuated by Carter, was breathtaking in its sheer audacity.

Had I ever spoken to a manager the way Carter spoke to you on Dec. 18, in public no less, I would have been terminated so fast my head would spin. And I cannot believe that you thought people shouting down the Board president and any speakers who disagreed with them (to the point that no one could hear) was acceptable on any level.

Carter is the one who told the mob and the media that you were out to fire him; that's what that whole display was about yesterday, and it gave him the opportunity to "warn" you about what he intends to do if you cross him (italicized words are directly from his prepared speech): "...since you have chosen to discredit the position and me in the process, and to tarnish my reputation as well as my ability to pursue my passion to be a superintendent, I now respectfully request you honor my contract and other reasonable requests that I will make to minimize the damages I will suffer."

I'm curious to see what those "reasonable requests" will be to minimize what he considers his "damages"; more money? More power? He already has plenty of both, thanks to a board that will take no action against him. And if that shameful display of mob rule at the Dec. 18 meeting proved anything, it proved that Carter, not the Board of Trustees, is in charge of this district. He already knows it – he was just letting you know it. This is quickly becoming a dictatorship worse than the one created by ex-Supt. Jim Fleming. 

Is this the way you want this district run? I know I don't. And I don't believe that the majority of the voters who put you in office want this dictatorship either. Remember, the people who were lambasting you at that debacle of a meeting did not vote for you - they voted against you (as several of them stated during oral communications). The union president was shaking hands with and congratulating people for lambasting you, telling them "good job" as they walked from the podium. In fact, I saw her laughing and smiling while people shouted at you and called you names. This is the woman who orchestrated and ran the campaign against you. Carter is working with her - not you. 

The public at large had no reason to attend the Dec. 18 meeting; they trust that you will represent them. In fact, many of the attendees who were shouting and disrupting the meeting (including your own employees who were on the clock) were the same ones who gave Jim Fleming a standing ovation on the eve of his indictment on multiple felony charges. These are the same people who said Jim Fleming was a "man of integrity" who was all "about the kids," too. 

You have an opportunity to put a stop to this division in the community, and to Carter’s attempt to completely take over the district, by terminating his contract so we can begin the long road toward healing. It's clear that no healing will take place as long as Carter is playing “divide and conquer” with the community, as he is demonstrating he can do so effectively. The slings and arrows you will suffer by terminating his contract for cause will be far less than what you will suffer if he is allowed to remain and continue to create this kind of controversy any time you disagree with him. 

Please put a stop to this fiasco as soon as possible.