In his controversial convocation speech before Katy ISD personnel, Superintendent Alton Frailey lashed out at district critics, bemoaned “politics” in education, compared Internet bloggers to “village idiots” and even invoked the image of John Wayne leading a cattle drive during an almost hour-long presentation.
Instead of following a tradition of the superintendent using his convocation remarks to chart a direction for the upcoming school year and urge – some have even said “inspire” – school personnel to achieve lofty goals, Frailey took a number of pointed jabs at district critics.
His remarks sparked an intense round of criticism by some district employees, as well as many residents, who accused Frailey of engaging in the same kind of “dirty politics” he railed against in his speech.
They also questioned why Frailey would set a confrontational tone at a time when the district is trying to pass a $459 million bond issue on the Nov. 2 ballot.
After being introduced by Katy ISD Trustee Rebecca Fox, Frailey began his presentation by recognizing a number of special guests, including board members Chris Crockett and Joe Adams, Katy Chamber of Commerce President Ann Hodge, Katy Mayor Don Elder, Jr., and the superintendent’s executive cabinet. He then began his remarks by laying out the district’s plans and expectations for the new school year.
About 20 minutes into his presentation, Frailey launched into a spirited defense of school board members against critics and bloggers.
“(School board members) are the folks that have to make decisions and they’re held accountable for them. They can’t blog anonymously and pontificate,” Frailey told the assembly. “They can’t just, say, shoot from the cuff something, because their name’s on the line. We cannot delegate authority that is rightfully the board of trustees’ to someone hiding in the bushes afraid to put their name, their hat, in the ring.”
Another 20 minutes into his speech, while discussing Thomas Jefferson’s views of democracy, Frailey decried the influence of “politics” in education, saying it “sickens” him.
“We are impacted by politics like never before in education and our society and, if you’ll pardon me for being so blunt, it just sickens me to hear and see some of the stuff going on,” he said. “They have no shame, it seems. The hypocrisy is just killing us.”
Frailey did not say who “they” were.
He said he hoped people would get “informed and involved.”
During remarks about how technology has changed society, Frailey talked about how quickly that same technology can spread information. Again, he took exception to bloggers who used the Internet to spread criticism.
“There was a time when the village idiot didn’t stray far from the village. Now, the village idiot can go online and go viral and connect with other village idiots to where you have a village idiot movement,” he said. “You don’t always know what is real.”
Frailey said technology also allowed individuals to edit videos to change a message or use Photoshop software to alter photos that put people “into places where they never were.”
“And it sells newspapers,” Frailey added.
The superintendent went on to insinuate district critics “would like for us to be ignorant,” while schools were “the guardians of liberty.”
“That is why education is so important. A nation can’t be ignorant and free. And there are those who would like for us to be ignorant, I guess,” Frailey said. “But we’re not going to stop because we truly are the guardians of liberty.”
At that point, the superintendent transitioned into a discussion of the voting power of Katy ISD personnel, noting that of the 8,173 district employees who live within the district, 4,421 were registered to vote and 3,752 were not.
He also suggested those advocating reduced taxes may ultimately cause employees to lose pay.
“There are folks running on campaigns to cut taxes, so we can cut our budget. But 88 percent of our budget pays you,” Frailey told crowd. “Our board of trustees has consistently supported higher compensation for you all every year and this year is no different. We are one of the few (school districts) in the state to be where we are.”
Frailey quickly added three seats on the school board would be up for election in the spring.
“Pay attention; just pay attention,” he told the employees.
He then showed the voter turnout figures and margins of victory or loss for Katy ISD bond elections in 1994, 1996, 1999, 2002, May of 2006 and November of 2006.
“This year, there is a lot of anger (about) everybody, everything; a lot of rhetoric. This is the last day I can say this legally – the case has been made that we are going to have to have accommodations for the growth that’s coming our direction, period,” Frailey said. “You are part of the decision-making body with your vote. I’m not telling you how to vote, but I want to look up and at least see that you did.”
The superintendent then segued into a discussion about the possibility of cutting salaries.
“Without the revenue to build facilities, we’ve got to find it somewhere else. We have two pots of money – capital fund that’s approved by the voters and then the general fund that competes with everything else, including our salaries,” Frailey said. “Across the country, districts are cutting out salaries; there have been proposals near by here to cut salaries. This ‘anti’ rhetoric will be very strong this November; it’s risky.”
Frailey then turned to a comparative analysis of the philosophies espoused in a trio of books – George Orwell’s “1984,” Aldus Huxley’s “Brave New World” and “Amusing Ourselves to Death” by Neil Postman. He discussed how each looked at the impact of information and technology on society, again invoking his own views about “misleading information of the technological age.”
“The online community is making it worse through the blogging and what-not. Don’t you ever read that stuff? I think, ‘my gosh, where’s the first space shuttle to Mars?’” Frailey remarked. “We have some very special folks among us.
“There’s an old saying, ‘controversy equalizes fools and wise men, and the fools know it.’ And they give themselves a fictitious name.”
Frailey also compared the school district to the story of Gulliver being tied down by the Lilliputians.
“We can’t be tied down by the little stuff,” he said, challenging all district employees to “stand up and be a leader.”
“The board of trustees, when the campaign, they’re being attacked. When they make decisions, they’re being attacked,” Frailey said. “I’m probably the most blogged-about person in the community because I am making decisions that a couple of folks don’t like because it’s not the way they want things to be. And with the exception of a couple, most of them don’t even reveal their name.
“We need everyone to step up and push back and take care of our community and our school district.”
The superintendent then challenged the employees in attendance, asking if they were “willing to ride for the Katy brand.” He emphasized his point with a movie clip from the classic John Wayne movie “Red River” in which Wayne challenges his ranch hands before a difficult cattle drive.
In concluding his remarks, Frailey said the school district “must be respected as the center of truth.”
“This administration, of which you are a part, must be respected as the center of truth on all matters in which we participate. Most importantly, Katy ISD must be regarded as the foremost advocate and expert for children,” he said. “We must not only partner in helping raise the young, but also the village. It won’t be easy – you hear all the rhetoric and all the bashing – but it starts with us; we make it happen.”
Frailey’s entire speech can be viewed online at the Katy ISD website.
“Without the revenue to build facilities, we’ve got to find it somewhere else. We have two pots of money – capital fund that’s approved by the voters and then the general fund that competes with everything else, including our salaries,” Frailey said. “Across the country, districts are cutting out salaries; there have been proposals near by here to cut salaries. This ‘anti’ rhetoric will be very strong this November; it’s risky.”
Is he saying he will raid the operating budget to supplement the debt side of the equation? If so this is a clear threat to teachers and staff your pay will be cut, you may lose your job, if this bond does not pass. Amazing, to say the least if this “quote” is word for word correct.
If so, I believe the BOT should censure him and move to terminate his contract for cause.
The reason other districts are cutting salaries is because they PASSED the bonds and in order to pay the debt (mortgage) they have cut the operating budget to find the money. They have robbed Peter to pay Paul, and the sad truth is Paul, could have been dealt with differently.
I am seeing red.
The “village idiots”, eh? Wow. How long does this guy have left on his contract? This Superintendent with a Napoleon complex better learn quickly that all of those “village idiots” he so despises pay HIS salary and HE is supposed to work for THEM.
http://www.truthaboutib.com
By reading his speach I would say that Superintendent Frailey has crossed the line in more then one areas of his speach.
It sounds like he was telling all the KatyISD employees that they where and are watching them and how they vote on this bond issue. By what he said it was like we are going to check up on the way you voted and if this bond is not passed and you didn’t vote for it then your pay and job is on the line. I think that all of the KatyISD staff members should be filling the next board meeting and asking for Mr. Fraily’s job. I also think the Texas Board of Education needs to be looking in to what was said. I think he maybe has broke some election laws.
Calling the property owners and the tax payers a Village of Idiots I can tell you was a big mistake. Who in the hell does this guy think he is addressing when he was talking to the KatyISD staff members? Most of them are not on board with this out of control spending they are doing. There taxes are going up also within the next couple of years due to KatyISD debt.
Mr Frailey,
This village idiot has a BSEE degree from one of the finest colleges in the USA, has held NASD series 6 and 63 securities licenses, served as an IT auditor for Ernst and Young and Mir Fox Rodriguez public accounting firms, served as A “C” LEVEL EXECUTIVE in several firms, and knows DESPERATION and INCOMPETENCE when he hears it.
My mother was a teacher for 35 years and had 2 masters degrees, wrote many books, my father and brother went to Notre Dame. My Aunt is a school principal in one of the to 10 high schools in America. The rest of my family are physicians and attorneys.
My high school SAT score for math alone put me in the 98th percentile of all Americans. I took college calculus classes while still in high school.
What was your score , Mr Frailey?
As a recognized mathematics and business “expert” , your accounting and management skills are unacceptable – you fail. You owe me an apology.
I don’t even know where to begin but let’s start here: “We are impacted by politics like never before in education and our society and, if you’ll pardon me for being so blunt, it just sickens me to hear and see some of the stuff going on,” he said. “They have no shame it seems. The hypocrisy is just killing us.” I’m having a hard time understanding exactly what he is trying to convey in this rambling statement but what I know (since I had two kids in the system) is that public education has become infected, not with politics, but the sickness known as liberal government. At some point our schools went from being public schools to government schools. As a parent I battled the educrat liberal nonsense being taught at every turn in KISD. The fact is public education is failing and has been for many years. Over half of the graduating seniors in Texas alone are required to take some kind of remedial math and/or English class upon entering college. Teaching critical thinking has been replaced by building self-esteem and diversity training. The TEA has to continue to dumb down and adjust the grading of standardize tests just so they can continue to hide the truth about the true state of public education in this state.
And his comments about our school board…so what if their “names are on the line”. They are supposedly the representatives of the taxpayers in this community. They certainly can and should be accessible since it is the taxpayers that are paying the freight in this district. And just for the record, I don’t blog anonymously; I sign my name to every post and to every letter. What the taxpayers are sick of Mr. Frailey are KISD superintendents like you that want to run this place like your own personal fiefdom. I, for one, am sick and tired of an arrogant, immature, unprofessional, cowardly and rude board of trustees that have nothing but contempt for anyone that doesn’t think that they walk on water.
I guess my favorite part of his comments was the fact that he essentially called anyone that opposes anything the district does as a “village idiot.” I had to read this twice since I couldn’t believe that someone in his position; someone that is desperately trying to pass the largest single tax increase in district history, would be foolish enough to goat the other side and insult many that may have been on the fence about the issue. Mr. Frailey, I’m not sure that this particular comment is going to bode well for you in November.
He describes schools as “the guardians of liberty.” Hahahahahahahaha. Seriously?? This is just too ridiculous even to respond to.
Mr. Frailey’s problem is like every other educrat in this nation; he doesn’t believe that the same basic economic principles that govern our daily lives, both at home and at the office, should apply to schools. He, along with our board, believes that if KISD tells you that money is needed then you should all just shut up and give it to them; no questions asked. But it’s not all his fault. Apathy in our community has allowed this. Apathy is why this district passes a deficit budget every year and why our current bond debt is close to billion dollars. Apathy is why we have allowed our public schools to become government schools.
We have a chance in November and then in May to begin making changes as to how business is done in KISD.
Vote “NO” in November to the tax bond and throw out the incumbents in May!!
Christopher E. Cottrell