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School boards and municipal bodies in New York State are required to meet only in public, but an exception is made when legal, personnel, or other matters requiring confidentiality is required.  In that case boards go into 'executive session' where the discussions are confidential.  Monday's lansing Board Of Education meeting revealed a rare look into the dynamics of board relationships and behavior when Board Vice President Glenn Swanson read a statement condemning a statement board member Christine Iacobucci had read at a previous meeting on may 23rd.

In that statement Iacobucci explained why she was about to vote no to a resolution confirming a new hire for the school food services leadership position.  She said it had nothing to do with the person, but that the hiring process was questionable enough to her that she would be forced to vote no.  She outlined the process, as she saw it, in some detail, including that a motion was made after an hour's discussion in executive session.

"A mistake was made that night," she said.  "We should have made that request as a public action item and voted in public."

At that point Superintendent Stephen Grimm challenged the facts as she stated them.

"There are a lot of things that were said in that statement that are not true, factual things," he said.  "There are also questionable things revealed from executive session and mischaracterizations.  That's all I'll say."

The New York State Open Meetings law (Public Officers law, Article 7) outlines topics that may be discussed in executive session.  Among others topics may include matters that will imperil the public safety if disclosed, information relating to open investigations, discussion of proposed or current litigation, personal information about individuals, preparation, grading, or administration of exams, and so on.  Board members are permitted to attend executive sessions along with individuals they invite to a particular discussion.

At Monday's board meeting Swanson read a more detailed response.  He says other board members and staff members were upset by Iacobucci's statement.

"I'd like to make a comment on a statement that board member Christine Iacobucci read during our board meeting on May 23rd," Swanson read Monday.  "While these comments may reflect the sentiments of others on the board I don't claim to speak for them.  Christine's statement contained a number of inaccuracies and distortions of discussions held that board members and others present expected would be confidential executive session meetings.

"Why would they consider executive sessions to be confidential?  First, because we have a board policy #1730 that says 'we will not reveal executive session discussions'.  There are many reasons we have such a policy.  Most of them are related to how important it is that we are able to trust each other.  For example boards sometimes need to discuss matters that concern teachers, staff, kids, or community members.  The law does not require that all these matters be discussed in executive session, but it allows us to discuss them there.  We choose to do that to protect the privacy of those involved.

"People trust us to protect  their privacy.  When someone starts violating that trust people quite understandably start wondering what else this person might reveal.  I think it would be safe to say that most people would hope it wouldn't be private information about them.

"I would hate to see this recent incident cause people to stop communicating with the board.  We want and need your input.  Until now board members have felt confident sharing the comments and questions openly during executive sessions, just as they do during public sessions.  Now some board members have expressed their reservations about doing so, fearing that something they say in executive session may be later misquoted or taken out of context in public, and become grist  for the rumor mill.

"This can have a negative effect on our ability to function as board members.  We need to be able to trust each other.

"When one person declares that something was said in executive session while the others maintain confidentiality, people who were not present may be led to believe that what they have head is true, even though that may not be the case.  Breaking confidence puts everyone in a difficult position, and can intimidate, embarrass, and hurt people unjustifiably.  It can cause misunderstandings that can divide us as a district and hamper our abilities to do our jobs as board members.

"I'm proud that our board asks many questions of our administrators, and has some very long discussions about the various issues that concern all of us before coming to decisions.  I am hopeful to see that that continues.

"There is no denying, though, that it will take some time and some willingness on all our parts before Christine can regain our trust.  I hope that we'll be able to reestablish the respectful and cooperative relationship among board members that is essential to our success."

Iacobucci briefly replied, saying, "I had no idea that Glenn was going to read such a statement.  I want the board to know, our superintendent to know, and our community to know that I never would breach the law.  What I said in my statement, I did not think that I was doing anything against the law, or that I was sharing something that should have been confidential.  I have nothing prepared because this is a shock to me."

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