Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 23, 1995 Page: 3 of 18
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Burleson Public Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Burleson Star, Thursday, February 23,1995-3A
if \
^Editorials
Questionable decision
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they
probably had the foundation poured in
the length of time the Burleson ISD
Board of Trustees spent in executive
session Monday evening, Feb. 13.
Superintendent of Schools Fred
Rauschuber rightfully concluded that
scheduling a marathon closed session
prior to the regular meeting is not a
likely candidate for the Great Ideas Hall
of Fame.
He’s apologized for the inconve-
nience that this undoubtedly caused the
people who had to cool their heels for
the better part of four hours before they
could enter the board room.
Many others didn’t choose to wait
around at all, preferring to rise that time
instead to read War and Peace or watch
the video of the mini-series Lonesome
Dove.
That scheduling, nor the length of
time it required, may not have been the
biggest error in judgment to come from
that meeting, however. Certainly, it
wasn’t the only one.
We may have unwittingly contrib-
uted to the controversy ourselves.
For example (see letters to the edi-
tor), a woman who spoke at that meet-
ing took exception to our word choice in
describing her assertion to trustees that
their actions would come back to haunt
them—presumedly at election time.
The word "threaten" was used and,
in retrospect, probably shouldn’t have
been. While subsequent paragraphs
made it clear that the word did not im-
ply its most dire consequences, it does
carry that possible connotation. If we
have offended her, it was certainly not
our intention and for that we apologise.
Whether we reported, rightly or
wrongly when we stated that the hear-
ing was closed at the request of the
teacher is not quite so clear. That infor-
mation came as the result of a direct
question. The answer, as we perceived
it, was definitely wrong, but whether we
misunderstood the answer or an admin-
istrator misunderstood the question will
never be known because we don’t have
that conversation oh tape.
Either way, we regret the error. The
teacher did request that the hearing be
even more often than they use and it is
used a lot
Too much, but that’s a different
story.
It was deemed by the board, and re-
flected in its decision to hold the hear-
ing behind closed doors, that the princi-
pal was the personnel in question. That
rationale stems from the fact that the
teacher requested the hearing to protest
a letter placed in her on-site file by the
principal.
That makes about as much sense as
saying that the superintendent is the
personnel involved when someone re-
quests a hearing before the board to ap-
peal an administrative decision he has
made.
Unless a board member can tell me
with a straight face that they spent al-
most four hours discussing Taylor Prin-
cipal Dennis Tatum, then I would con-
sider it a mqjor waste of my time to even
listen to such a lame justification for
closing a public meeting.
Despite the intent of the law, most
meetings closed for personnel reasons
aren't closed for the benefit or protec-
tion of the employee, but for the benefit
of whatever board or council is doing the
deliberating.
While such a betriyal of the public
trust does not stir the masses in the
same manner as virtually any subject
that has to do with sports, it still erodes
some of the trust that the public has in
its elected officials. Elections are not far
off and, while such tactics as a meeting
closed on questionable grounds is not
likely to haye the backlash that last
election’s sports-related issue had, you’d
think that somewhere down the line
elected officials would learn that being
open and honest with the electorate is
generally the best policy.
I don’t question the sincerity of any
of the board members but, as fair as the
letter Of the law was concerned, the
board was treading on thin ice by clos-
ing that meeting; and when it came to
the spirit of the law, the ice was melted
and no one has been fcble to walk on that
stuff in almost 2,000 years.
Whether the board’s ultimate deci-
sion was right or wrong is not at issue
BISD Board
I UNDERSTAND HE'S SEEN WAIT!
FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION TO END
FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
Between a rock and a hard ball
an open one. ■, Jftwre. Wliat js at issue is that the board
; The board closed the meeting on the hat.deoai»ed.the public and deprived it
justification that the principal asked ofits right to know.
that it be closed. Texas law provides that
a governmental body may meet in closed
session to discuss specific personnel
matters. Like all the exceptions to the
open meetings act, it is an empower-
ment that governmental bodies abuse
Eve on Austin
In this case, with personnel in-
volved, the public’s right to know is not
an absolute one.
But that decision should have been
left to the teacher and not to the board.
—JWM
'S
By TERRY EVANS
Associate Editor
Replacement players trying for a
spot on the Texas Rangers are caught
between a rock and a hard ball.
The leader of the baseball players
association, Donald Fehr, said that any-
one who plays in exhibition games will
be considered strikebreakers. In the less-
gentle vernacular of labor unions, they’ll
be scabs.
The manager of the Rangers, Johnny
Oates, said anyone who refuses to suit
up for an exhibition game jeopardizes
his position on the major-league team as
well as any position he hoped to have
with the Rangers’ Triple-Ateam in Okla-
homa City.
Many of those caught in this di-
lemma do not want to be considered
replacement players, but genuinely want
a shot at playing major or minor league
bull. . t ui. "...
BOB HEROLD, an engineer, said
he is an anti-union guy.
“The owner is the owner,” Herold
said. “He has the gold, so he makes the
rules. If the regular players don’t want
to play, then to heck with them. Let
someone else play.”
Bill targets abortion
safety; requires wait
By Arlene Wohlgemuth
State Representative—District 58
This past week, I filed HB 1334—
The Women’s Health Protection Act.
This legislation will
serve to bring medical
standards at abortion
clinics up to par with
those at other ambula-
tory (outpatient) surgi-
cal centers in Texas.
Women who choose
abortion deserve to WHOLGEMUTH
have the same safeguards on this pro-
cedure as with other surgeries. Several
needless deaths, including that of a 15-
year-old girl in Houston last year, were
the primary motivation for this bill. In
each of those abortion-related deaths,
substandard medical conditions and
care were to blame.
HB 1334 also calls for a 24-hour
waiting period, as it necessary prior to
undergoing a vasectomy procedure. Fur-
ther, it requires parental or judicial con-
sent for minors. The informed consent
law, which now applies to almost any
other procedure, would be clarified. The
focus of this legislation is the health,
safety, and well being of the women who
choose abortions.
Another issue capturing my atten-
tion, and other legislator as well, is the
proposed ban on “canned hunts.” A
canned hunt is not hunting at all. It is a
slaughter disguised as hunting.
During these so-called hunts, caged
animals, which are sometimes retired
zoo animals, are taken to the wild and
released for a hunt; These animals,
which have grown accustomed to hu-
mans, are then shot, or tracked
and slain with dogs.
I advocate hunting and the right to
bear arms, but I do not support the
senseless, sportless slaughter of any ani-
mal. Texas boasts of some of the best
hunting in the nation and these canned
hunts are ruining that reputation.
In order to stop this poor excuse for
hunting, Rep. Toby Goodman has intro-
duced HB239. This bill makes it illegal
to sell dangerous wild animals kept in
captivity for the purpose of canned hunt-
ing. It also makes illegal the practice of
hunting dangerous wild animals previ-
ously held under control, or in captiv-
ity. I support this bill.
Also, if you plan to be in Austin for
an event or meeting during this legisla-
tive session, please bo sure to let me
know that you are in town and come by
my office in the Capitol Extension, Room
E2.316.
If you have specific questions re-
garding legislation, please contact my
office in Austin at (512) 463-0538 or my
Burleson office at (817) 295-5158.
I /
NOVIS STEPHENS
DALE MOWERY
We asked folks leaving the Post Of-
fice Tuesday how they think people who
want to play professional baseball should
be treated by both sides of the strike
issue.
Of six respondents, there were no
union sympathisers.
DENISE LAGER
Herold said he would be reluctant to
call the replacement players scabs.
“They’re just replacement players,” he
said, adding that he actually doesn’t
care one way or the other about base-
ball, except as the situation relates to all
business.
DALE MOWERY, manager of
Payless Shoes, said the conundrum is a
heck of a situation, but anyone out there
who wants to play should be allowed to
without pressure from either side.
“The owners and the players asso-
ciation should be the only ones affected
by the strike,” Moweiy said. "Minor
leaguers, until they come up to the ma-
jors, should not be considered members
of the association. They’re just trying to
make it, and should be given the oppor-
tunity.”
NOVIS STEPHENS, a firefighter,
said the replacement players are in a
Catch 22 between playing and being
considered scabs, or not getting a chance
JUDY PETTY
to play in either nujor or minor leagues.
“They should be treated with re-
spect by both sides, realizing they are in
the middle,” Stephens said. “Either way
they go, they’ll make somebody mad.”
BRUCE FAYETTE, a police officer,
distilled the situation down to econom-
ics.
“Management has investments in
the replacement players, who also have
investments in management,” Fayette
said. “This is their opportunity to enter
their chosen profession, baseball. The
new players will have to make some
sacrifices coming into the league: hav-
ing to play exhibition games under the
pressure and stress ofbeingcalled scabs.”
Fayette said the regular players
made the decision to go on strike, so they
have to accept, the foct that manage-
ment will do something to keep baseball
going.
“They need some give-and-take on
both sides, and it should not involve the
replacement players,” he said. “We [fans]
should realise that baseball players are
not underpaid oompared with today’s
job market. They should be grateful for
having jobs that pay what theirs do, for
working six months a year.”
JUDY PETTY, a homemaker, said
let them play.
“The players union is being unfair,”
Petty said. T like to watch baseball, and
I would be out there supporting the
replacement players. The strike is non-
sense. The ones who want most to strike
are the ones making the most money.
“I’m glad to see the other guys have
a chance. I think the teams should play
replacement players all year long. If the
strike ends, the association players
should be lockod out”
DENISE LAUER, an Army spe-
cialist stationed at Carswell, said the
replacement players should not be
caught in the middle, but have the op-
portunity to pursue positions they have
the ability to filL
“Personally, I think the enjoyment
people get from the game will be lost if a
means is not found to resolve the strike, ”
she said.
(IJSPS-079780)
Second-Class Postage Paid at
Burleson. Texas 76028
.......................President
Christine Akry
ADVERTISING
...............................................................Salee
NEWS STAFF
...........................................Aseariate Editor
0
COMPOSITION
Connie CranneM. June Morris
FRONT OFFICE
BW?N
Volume M. Number J* • l( Pugee In 2 Section,
TV
I Imtegm Sim i, an inVpcmJrnl ncwvpupvr published two lime, i
week on Monday and Tburaday in IV iMcrea ol Burleson and adiatem
areas by Burleson Publishing Company. Ins . VIV N Burleson Bled
Burleson. Tcaas 70028. Any erroneous reflection on any individual or
littn will V corrected if brought in IV attention ol t V editor Address all
correspondence uiUte Editor. Burleson Star. P.O Drawer *». Burleson
TcsaWb0¥7
The contents of each Isaac are protec ted under IV Federal Copyright
Act. Reproduction of any portion of any issue is pnihihiied without
permission
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Burleson Sui PI) Drawei
Burleson. Teaaa 7*tW7
COPYRIGHT© IWJ BURLESON STAR
Subscription Price »2» V5 Per Year
In Johnson St 1 arrant Counties
Other Areas of Tesas MS »5
------------- Outside Tcaas U»J»
AMsnr Middleton. ShcMr Cochran. Roanlyn Johnson pnmed on recychu^aper
Letter to the editor policy
The Burlrum Shis welcomes lenm on subjects of sencntl interest. Letters must hear the handwritten signature ol the writer and include
I an address and daytime telephone number lor verification. Name* cannot be withheld for any return
Letters political in natunr are not printed the week prior to anelection. T wo week* must pas* between subsequent letter* l rom the same writer
Writer* arvcautioned to retrain from attack* upon individual*i*r businesses _ . - ...fv,,,,,
The newspaper reaerve* the right to edit, condense, and/or reject any letter. Letters may he mailed to the Editor. Burlrum Shu P i). Draw*r
«* w. Burleson. Texas 76097-0909. faxed to 295-327*. or brought by the newspaper ofike. J It N. Burleson Blvd. Utters do not necessarily retlect
die editorial policies or beliefs of the Star.
Letters to
the Editor
Reader disappointed by coverage of meeting
I was very disappointed by your cov-
erage of last Monday’s [Feb. 13] school
board meeting.
The story, as it appeared in the Bur-
leson Star, misrepresented the events
and presented inaccurate information.
There are two points in particular with
which 1 wish to take issue in this letter.
First, 1 did NOT tin oaten tho school
board. I DID tell them that their action
against a good teacher would inevitably
result in problems with their personal
consciences, and their bids for re-elec-
tion. I explicitly stated that these were
the ways in which I felt they would have
to pay for the poor decision making they
demonstrated at the hearing.
Second, you reported that tha
teacher had requested the hearing be
dosod to the general public. This was
not the case at aU. The teacher had
aaked that tha hearing be open. Tha
principal requaatad that it be closed
The lives and education of our chil-
dren are important and volatile issuss in
this community. I am glad to aaa tha
Burleson Star repotting on pertinent
events. However, in theniture, I would
be even more glad to eee a thorough and
accurate representation of those events.
LINDA LEWIS
BURLESON
t
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View six places within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Ellertson, Sally. Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 23, 1995, newspaper, February 23, 1995; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth762905/m1/3/?q=Lamar+University: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Burleson Public Library.