At the last board meeting (October 19, 2023), board member Ana Petero falsely said, “Board President Wilson in a letter to me on March 26, 2021 admitted that he used an expletive at the superintendent’s assistant, Mrs. Pierce. He was reprimanded and forced to apologize and subsequently declared himself a rubber stamp. Now using an expletive in anger is often expressed in an uncivilized tone. Mr. Wilson, though, was not censured.“
She was probably referring to this handwritten letter I’d sent her when she was new to the board. I had written, “I remember I went through some painful times … when I was brand new … (Don’t ask me about the time I had to apologize to Martha for saying “F*** this” right after a meeting!)”
She wasn’t there and only has this secondhand, but notice her conclusions, none of which are true:
- That I used an expletive at the superintendent’s assistant
- That I was reprimanded
- That I was forced to apologize
- That I subsequently declared myself a rubber stamp
- That I was speaking in anger or an uncivilized tone
Those who witnessed this would affirm that all of these were false. (Here’s what happened: after the meeting I was making a point to a fellow board member about procedure and propriety and not expressing any emotion; I later learned from that board board member the superintendent’s assistant had overheard me and I was appalled; from a sense of decency I chose to apologize to her and nobody spoke of it again.) Anybody who knows me knows I would never be cursing at anyone, much less a school staff member. Perhaps board member Petero is projecting her own behavior onto others.
The accurate story probably doesn’t matter to her. It’s not the first time she has used a false story with my name to make some point or another. This time she was arguing against being censured for a list of offenses against the district (something I’ll have more to say about at a later time).
When at a public event this evening I asked to speak with her privately, she was not willing to even talk with me. But at least I can set the record straight on this point with this blog entry.
I’m including this now, even though it was more than two years ago, because I will refer to this meeting again, and also because the issue I mention (district financial liability for reckless or irresponsible board member behaviors) remains current.
Transcript of Board Member Craig Wilson’s comments at May 19, 2021 special meeting on resolution 55-2021 to censure Trustee Ana Petero
Link to Youtube meeting spot, about 55 minutes and 36 seconds into the meeting:
Thank you. I perceive this action as a formal disavowal of reckless and irresponsible actions by Trustee Petero. The resolution is intended to shield the board and the district from legal and financial liability for those actions. The actions described in the document don’t need elaboration. The document speaks for itself.
I also reached out in support of board member Petero. I’d known her previously. We worked together on the music advocacy committee Music for our children. I Enjoyed that. When it looked like I thought she was getting off on the wrong foot, I wrote her a personal letter offering my perspective. She mentioned it last week, that it may not have been helpful. I got her permission to get a copy and make it public. I put it on my personal campaign website this morning. You can look at it yourself and evaluate whether my intent was to be helpful or not.
I also invited her to a site visit, one of the schools that I am liaison with because she was interested. I want her to succeed, and I believe she can succeed. I hope she will succeed. It’s not an automatic or easy thing for a board member to figure out what the job is. I had a hard time figuring out what my role is. Am I just a rubber stamp? Because from a certain angle it looks like your job is just to approve things and not really ask questions or not really have an influence anywhere. It’s hard.
And so I hope she makes the transition from new trustee to established trustee and I commit to doing whatever I can to give assistance. I’ve lost some confidence, but I can rebuild it.
We had a clear warning from our state association consultant in our self evaluation last week. Renegade actions by zealous board members can have serious financial consequences for districts. The example we heard about involved over $4 million in damages paid out and it didn’t sound like that was a rare thing.
It’s difficult to balance our obligations as elected officials with the need for oversight and accountability to the community. But it’s a fine line that we must learn to walk, to do it properly. If we enter schools and speak with school employees as if we’re the boss, we’re doing it wrong. We’ve chosen the superintendent to be the boss and we’ve agreed not to undermine that. Work environments become toxic when it’s not clear who the real boss is. That’s why we have placed limits on ourselves and empowered the superintendent to monitor us in keeping within those limits.
Perhaps this censure, if it passes, will have no ultimate effect. If Trustee Patero from here forward abides by the proper limits of the office she has been elected to, then there will be no consequences. Aside from a bit of shame, perhaps for having behaved enthusiastically but carelessly.
But if the behaviors don’t change and legal claims arise, then I would expect this resolution to matter greatly. It would constitute a defense against our responsibility. If employees, for instance, are subjected to unlawful harassment or intimidation, this resolution would be a major part of our defense. My hope is that it will have no effect because the behaviors will change.
In speaking for the motion, I would also like to respond to those in the community who have criticized the formal tone of our discussions, who say that our careful language looks artificial and that we’re avoiding addressing this head on. Perhaps they are hoping for the drama of a personal battle. The reason we choose to address behaviors rather than personalities is to keep ourselves focused on our mission. Our mission is to shape an environment where student needs come first and not to descend into personal conflicts.
We choose to focus on problem solving because our district is faced with many legitimate challenges and needs and should not be distracted by matters like this. That’s why I support the motion. Thank you.
September 11, 2023, to School Site Parent Leader Advisory Group, at the district office.
Since you are here as parent representatives, you already know that schools often need volunteers, sometimes need representatives on committees, and sometimes need board members like myself. If you think you might be interested in a committee or board, I’d like to tell you how to go about it.
Not everyone enjoys committees, but if you’re interested, simply tell your site principal, via email or in person, that you are available to serve on any committees where needed, and have him or her pass the word up to the district level. Your name will wind up on a list of people to invite when the time and the need arise. You can refresh this request every year to show your continued interest.
For the school board, every other year brings an election where several board member seats are up for re-election. These seats often go uncontested. For any particular area of Fairfield or Suisun, the cycle is every four years. For information about these, there are two or three places on the school district website where you can see your area and its election cycle, as well as area boundaries and neighborhoods. You might need some help to find these pages. Feel free to email any office employee, and I’m sure they’d get you the links. Or contact any current or former board member you might know and ask them. All of us would be happy to help you.
Lastly, you would need to apply for the elected position when the time comes. I went into the county elections office and asked at the counter, without an appointment, and they gave me the information.and the application form. I believe it does not need to cost you anything to become a candidate and get on the ballot. But if you reach out to any current or former board member you might know, they’re likely to help and advise you. All of our email addresses are on the district web page on current board members. Also reach out to your network of friends.
I would even suggest you contact the current board member of your area where you live and tell of your interest. They might be looking for an opportunity to not seek re-election and endorse someone else, and it could be you if you can make your case. This might sound forward, but I think we admire someone who respectfully shows interest in being on the board, especially when you are a parent of school-aged children and an existing volunteer or committee member.
Once you’re on the ballot, you will probably be contacted by the newspaper for an interview and small feature, and you might get invited to a debate if a community group organizes one. You can campaign as little or as much as you wish, with signs, mailers, door knocking, phone calls, donations, or none of these. Making the required campaign reports can be difficult, so I limited my campaign to no donations and kept my expenses below $2,000, so that I didn’t have to file those reports.
A certain segment of the community, including former board members, will be watching candidates to try to figure out your true motivation for running. They tend to be wary of special-interest candidates, such as those promoted by teachers unions, or anyone with a personal axe to grind. But if you really just want better schools for the most kids, they’ll likely support you, either by endorsement or donations, especially if you are running against a special-interest candidate whose motives are mixed with their group’s agenda.
Serving on the board is more work than status, so if you’re seeking prestige you will probably be disappointed. But if you’re willing to put in the time and just serve, you’ll probably find it rewarding to be closely involved in the policy affairs of the district. If you have a personal stake in the success of the district, with your children in our schools, and you have previously enjoyed serving on a school committee, I hope you’ll consider it.
Thank you for the role you are playing today on this parent advisory committee. When my time on the board is over, I won’t be eligible for this particular committee because my kids are all grown, but I’ll be looking for some other school committee where I could be useful. In a perfect world we all take turns, and I salute you for taking your turn on this parent committee.
Thank you.
I have not updated this website in some time, nor posted on the blog. But I prepared and read a statement at our special meeting today in support of a censure of a colleague, and wanted to get it on the record.
–Begin–
- The annual training conference for school board members in California is always held in late November or early December, before any elections are officially certified or brand new board members are sworn in. This year’s conference was in San Diego, and while all board members are encouraged to attend, not all choose to take four or five days out of their personal schedule without compensation, even though direct expenses are reimbursed. The conference consists mostly of training sessions, including an extra day to help brand new board members figure out what their job is.
- Evening social events, like the one where this incident arose, are by design a trust building environment. They encourage casual social mixing and frequent one on one discussions between board members or senior employees about issues in the district that will have to be addressed in the year ahead.
- When new people come onboard an organization, there is a double moral obligation. If an experienced employee takes a new employee aside and gives background, such as where hidden controversies may be, the experienced employee who does this has stuck his neck out a bit. He’s done a favor and the new employee is supposed to return a favor by withholding judgment and not intentionally embarrassing the one who shared. That’s the informal deal. When this doesn’t happen, the new employee is more apt to make mistakes and embarrass themselves or the group. Picture the newest person in *your* organization. Would you want to help the newbie or snicker when he falls down?
- There is a complicating factor for school board members. We elected officials have a public base of supporters. But the professional staff are often the ones with the most experience and perspective. They are *not* elected, and they can’t run political campaigns or draw a roomful of charged citizens to give comments at public meetings. If a staff member takes a new board member aside to fill them in, that staff member is especially vulnerable.
- When I was new, my first conference was in San Francisco. I was grateful for those who were willing to share their view of things, even when I privately did not respect everything they were sharing. I received this generous treatment from David, from Jonathan, from Bethany, from Joan, from Judi, and from almost all of my new peers and support people.
- So this is the setting. There’s an environment designed to build trust, and there is an emerging trust between individuals, off the clock, so to speak, who know they will be spending lots of time during the subsequent year in formal meetings.
- And then there is a colossal blunder, which is the reason we’re here today.
- Given that background, here is my position. For an elected official to secretly record a conversation with an employee at a social event in order to share it with friends shows a stunning lack of judgment. I hope nobody disagrees with that. I’ll say it again: For an elected official to secretly record a conversation with an employee at a social event in order to score points with political friends shows a profound lack of judgment.
- This is not what we want from any of our elected officials. I doubt there is a politician in California who would disagree. This negative behavior was noticed far and wide.
- Then there is the behavior afterwards. If I have made a mistake that brings embarrassment to my colleagues, which I inadvertently did at our last board meeting, please let me know and give me a chance to apologize and make it right. I didn’t see that attitude or behavior following these events in San Diego. If there had been, I doubt this censure would be before us.
- It hurts to see the school board become a political battlefield over the basics of trust and cooperation. If we all assume bad faith from each other, the system will break down or at least become seriously dysfunctional. Do we really want to become like San Francisco city politics? Ask any former board member. We give large amounts of discretionary personal time and usually wind up with great respect from each other, even when we disagree with each other’s votes or comments.
- But to seriously and intentionally degrade that trust environment is offensive to me personally, and a disservice to the entire community. Considering all of these circumstances, I will vote to support the censure.
–End–
I’ve received a batch of documents in response to a public records request about board member Ana Petero, who is seeking re-election to her area 6 seat in November. If you live in that area, I urge you to vote for anyone but her. For reasons and documents that support that, see the newly-created BLOG on the website.
I’ll be working my way through the document dump. Watch for more. Hope to get as much as I can before the voting deadline.
On my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@craigwilsonfairfieldsuisun), I just added three video clips of erratic behavior and comments at a March 2021 board meeting. I’ve just started looking through old board meeting videos, and I don’t have to search far for examples of her behavior. She doesn’t represent the kids or families, although she has strong opinions. Perhaps it’s the college instructor in her.
Because of her actions as a board member over the last four years, I strongly oppose re-election of my board colleague Ana Petero in November. When I told her this privately two months ago, she stormed off without saying anything – but then returned only long enough to pour her drink on me. (I see that as yet more evidence of her temper problem. I believe her drink was an iced tea. This was outside Peet’s Coffee in Fairfield July 14th.)
I’ve only begun on the other website (it’s even more primitive than this one) but please check it out. I’ll be updating it daily or as I get more material. (We’ve got until November 5th!) If you know of more reasons to oppose her re-election, let me know and I’ll include them if they fit. Here’s my email: craigbwilson@gmail.com
Here’s the website
https://www.factsaboutana.com/
From an earlier version, I also created a “pointer” page to it:
I have three other pointer pages, but they’re not configured properly to redirect. These two above are probably good enough.
I also created a YouTube channel about this, but I only have one clip so far, of her speaking to the board as a member of the public a few months before she was elected. Just like her temper problem, the clip displays her profanity problem.
Here’s the link to the YouTube Channel. I hope to post many more video clips as I receive or create them (mostly from board meeting recordings) soon.
https://www.youtube.com/@craigwilsonfairfieldsuisun
Feel free to share any of this on Facebook or wherever you share with others. I don’t have automatic buttons to do that (on the other website page) because I don’t know website controls very well (and I’m not on Facebook), but hopefully you can manage. -Craig
For my opening statement, I’d like to talk about board member behavior. We’re a large organization, with an annual budget of about a third of a billion dollars. Unlike a factory or other type of business our size, almost all of our assets are people, and almost all of our output is in our effect on people, our students. Because of this, it matters whether we smile, whether we are sincerely warm with those we interact with. If you are a machine operator, for instance, it doesn’t matter what attitude you show to the equipment, as long as you throw the right switches to produce your product. But because our main activity is designing and encouraging growth in students, every teacher and principal quickly learns to show concern and patience toward students and parents. Public confidence is our stock in trade, and that applies all the way up the board level.
I would like to remind board members that when you are elected, you must assume a new identity and give up an old one. Your old identity is that of an ordinary member of the community, free to give pro or con opinions on any subject, whether on social media or in person, without regard to the consequences. That is every citizen’s right, to share their opinion on any subject, no matter if the opinion is well-informed or ignorant. It’s a public square, and we’re all in it.
Your new identity, however, is that of a trustee, similar to a board of directors, acting with power given by the entire community, and ultimately responsible for all of the student results. The public regards our voices and opinions as much more meaningful than random people on the internet or a neighbor they might bump into. Our personal opinions can never be entirely separated from our now public role. Our highest duty, of course, is to enact and sustain policies and programs that best serve our students. But second only to that is to preserve the confidence the public has in the school district.
From the time we are elected, any public criticism or complaints are absolutely inappropriate and improper. For one reason, the school board is the final appeal board for complaints, and public comments speaking negatively of any employee would disqualify and exclude you from that position. Another reason? It may result in significant legal liability for the district. In essence, if we choose to exercise our full range of first amendment rights as citizens, we may inadvertently be costing the school district tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in resulting legal costs. Yes, it’s that easy for board members to cause hits to our general fund by being reckless in their personal behavior, either online or offline. Reckless board members are dangerous to the financial health of districts. I made this same point at our special censure meeting in May of 2021, which I posted a transcript from this afternoon on my personal website.
But even without financial consequences, more serious are the public confidence consequences. We have the topmost spot of accountability, and if we publicly air public criticism or complaints, that sends a message to the community that our board, and probably our district, has serious problems. That’s a damaging message to send to the community, especially when the actual truth may just be that my feelings were hurt by someone in the organization or on the board. Members of the public look to us for assurance that the organization has integrity. If one of us is unconvinced and expresses public doubts, that lessens the confidence the public has in the district at large.
Believe me, the public opinions of even one board member can quickly have an effect on principals, teachers and classrooms. Don’t let that happen.
The takeaway is this: board members have an obligation to refrain from airing public criticism or complaints. Neglecting this responsibility will likely erode public trust as well as result in large legal expenses.
At our annual self-evaluation meeting yesterday, I made these comments, which I had prepared as a statement. They were part of my “one positive thing, one negative thing” comments. This was the negative part.
“When we have problems, I think often it traces back to the fact that not all board members are willing to commit to work together and follow our basic procedures. If you examine some of our most important documents, you will see that not all members were willing to sign them.
“I think there’s a feeling that, “Well, the voters in my area elected me, and my only responsibility is to those voters, as well as the people who helped with my campaign. I have no other allegiance.”
“When I was new to the board, I had a similar attitude. But I learned that I also have an allegiance to the current and former members of the governing board, because they are the ones who spent countless hours of uncompensated time creating and shaping the structure we work under. I also have an allegiance to all of the administrators, whom we have indirectly selected for their dedicated service and who are working for far more than just a paycheck. And not just administrators, but other staff and teachers throughout the district, who have given a portion of their lives to this effort, to work together to benefit these 20,000 students. It’s absurd to think we all agree on all of the details. We don’t, but we’ve learned when to debate and disagree, and when to come together to support the best that we collectively can come up with. And we avoid, at all costs, sabotaging or undermining parts that we don’t like.
“I think it’s shortsighted and ultimately destructive for any one of us to conclude, ‘Well, it doesn’t make sense to me, and I didn’t vote for it, so I don’t have to follow it. I’ll do whatever gets me excited, whether or not it aligns with previous decisions or current protocols. If they don’t like it, they can vote me out.’
“I suspect that attitude, and behaviors extending from it, accounts for a good deal of the friction that we encounter as a board. And not only is the community watching, our own employees are watching, to measure how much confidence they will have in this operation. When our employees observe us ignoring norms and undermining the program, I think they lose some respect for their part in the system as well. I think some of them conclude, ‘Well, the board is not united in what they do, so I better not care too much about what I do. I better look out for number one.’
“I think that’s sad. I don’t want to accuse anyone, because I don’t know your motives or what’s in your mind. But if you see yourself in any of these problem attitudes, I hope you’ll consider the effect of your behaviors and look for a way to adjust, for the good of the entire district.”
I’m going to start planning for a fall campaign, including updates to this website, which has seen little change since the last campaign in 2018.
My prompt was the teacher’s union. They (FSUTA Organizing Committee) contacted me a few weeks ago to schedule a candidate interview for a potential endorsement. The remove interview happened Saturday.
The filing deadline is August 12th, and I haven’t made a final decision on whether to seek election to another term, but I may as well start thinking about it and preparing. I’m inclined to run again, so at least I can organize myself in that direction.
I really have no idea who reads this, but I’ll see if I can put more time into it. The idealist part of me would like to create some kind of record, accessible to the public.
I’m sure to make mistakes and revisions as I get to know this WordPress.com software.
-Craig
Craig Wilson, Board Member, Fairfield-Suisun School Board (personal website - not official, not speaking for district) 