Esquivel demands respect, gives little

"Open government" lawyer and School Board President Marty Esquivel showed his true colors last night at the public forum.

School Board Policy and past practice provides two minutes to every citizen who chooses to petition their government at the Public Forum, on any subject.

The first thing Esquivel did was to announce he was not going to recognize anyone who came to speak on any issue except the mess at Rio Grande High School.

His unilateral decision violates school board policy and past practice.

Then he announced that, because of the number of people wanting to exercise this precious and constitutionally protected human right, he was going to cut their time in half. There is no good and ethical reason that public forum cannot go beyond 30 minutes. They have never granted extra time to anyone because there were so few people signed up.

Another violation of School Board Policy and past practice.

Then he announced that, he was going to give preferential treatment to two citizens; head of the line and as much time as they wanted. Neither is ethically entitled to more than their fair share of the time.

Yet another violation of School Board Policy and past practice.

Finally, I notice that when Esquivel called on men, he would address them as Mr. Whomever. In stark contrast, when he called on women, he called on them by their first names. Why are men are entitled to a modicum of respect while women, apparently, are not?

Discrimination based on sex is not only a violation of School Board Policy but of one of a group of policies identified as Foundations and Basic Commitments. Right.

Esquivel needs to be held accountable for his disrespect for First Amendment Rights and School Board Policy.

But don't hold your breath.




photo Mark Bralley