Comments on: Kakishiba isn’t stepping down quite yet

By: Arismom

Arismom — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:27:34 +0000

By the Way, board members also get health insurance . That is the best deal yet.

By: harlemmoon

harlemmoon — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:43:29 +0000

Teacherspet, you nailed it.
The Board, in its infinite wisdom, continues to flaunt the law, logic and just about any other sensible guidelines it deems fit.
Let’s count the days before this issue heats up and further detracts from what should be the real purpose of the panel.
Additionally, this is a great civics lesson for all the students following this sad saga. It could be titled: Flipping off the law with one paw while clinging to the public trough with the other.

By: teacherspet

teacherspet — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:10:11 +0000

This looks bad. The Board’s general counsel issued a conflict-of-interest opinion because the organization Director Kakishiba leads and is employed by contracts with the District. (Director Kakishiba’s organization, by the way, receives over $3.5 million a year from government contracts. See http://www.ebayc.org/accountability) Rather than respecting the ruling, the Board plans a special meeting to change its by-laws and allow Director Kakishiba to remain on the Board. In the meantime, Director Kakishiba is, according to the Board’s own general counsel, breaking the law by remaining in office. Now that the Board has real power, it’s hard to believe that there will not be qualified candidates for Board seats.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:13 +0000

Oakland school board members earn $750 per month, which (if paid in July, during the board recess) comes to $9,000 a year.

But the board members were stripped of their salaries, along with their voting powers, when the state took over in 2003. The money wasn’t reinstated until 2007 or 2008, I believe.

A job with no pay and no power… not much of draw, as it turned out.

On the other hand, now that the board has real responsibility — and the need to cut tens of millions from the budget — the job might be even less enticing. Or not. Who knows?

By: harlemmoon

harlemmoon — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:15:05 +0000

I see, Katy.

Still, perhaps Kakishiba should at least consider stepping “aside” until the matter is cleared and his “limbo” doesn’t become more of a distraction that it already is.

Cranky, the board is paid a stipend (I don’t know how much it is, however). And I couldn’t agree with you more that OUSD desperately needs higher quality representation.

By: cranky teacher

cranky teacher — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:48:26 +0000

The larger issue is why is it so hard to find decent school board members? If I remember correctly, Kakishiba orginally landed on the board by running unopposed.

Does the job pay anything? If not, maybe it should, something significant. Pretty damn important job, and shouldn’t just be a stepping stone for political climbers with lucrative day jobs.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:34:58 +0000

Interesting point, though that’s not exactly how I’d characterize the situation.

What I heard from Kakishiba is that a number of people were asking him to hold on while the general counsel explains the ruling — which differs from the opinions of two previous attorneys — and the board explores its implications and looks for a legal solution (which could mean amending its bylaws).

By: harlemmoon

harlemmoon — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:22:56 +0000

So, let me get this right: A conflict-of-interest ruling has made it explicitly clear that Kakishiba should step down from his Board of Education post.

Now, however, he’s standing pat because no one has said “Get the hell out of here”?

So, in this mans head, it takes not a ruling (by the district’s attorney, no less) but a profanity-laced directive from some random person before Kakishiba responds accordingly?

There you have it, my friends. The personification of the rank arrogance (and ignorance) that continues to demonize and destruct the district.