Audacious Donn Merriam Throws Hat in Ring
Running For Re-Election on Record of Support of
Superintendent Rubio
November's election season has begun early for Emery School Board, the opening salvo initiated by Board member Donn Merriam in what promises to be the District's first truly contentious board election.
School Board member Donn Merriam has launched a campaign to be selected an Alameda County delegate for a statewide association of school board members, a two year position that would run concurrent with his Emery Board position, putting to rest questions about a possible re-election bid for Emery School Board in November when his term is up.
School Board member Donn Merriam has launched a campaign to be selected an Alameda County delegate for a statewide association of school board members, a two year position that would run concurrent with his Emery Board position, putting to rest questions about a possible re-election bid for Emery School Board in November when his term is up.
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| School Board Member Donn Merriam Running for re-election as a strong supporter of Superintendent Rubio. Notably, Mr Merriam's support has never wavered despite the Superintendent's terrible record that has driven Emery down. |
Mr Merriam has been a controversial Board member, having voted in December 2016 to renew the District’s employment contract with embattled and pugnacious Emery Schools Superintendent John Rubio despite Mr Rubio’s lamentable three year record at Emery frequently splashed all over the pages of the Tattler and the East Bay Times. It has been widely rumored that Mr Merriam would not seek re-election after the drubbing Mr Rubio has received having so definitively dragged the District down during his tenure. The beleaguered Mr Merriam is closely associated with the Superintendent serving as the Board’s most ardent supporter regardless of Mr Rubio’s bad record at Emery.
Board member Merriam has stood by Superintendent Rubio even as the Superintendent has led the District into the cellar among Bay Area school districts in academic achievement, dropping its ranking to last place in the East Bay under Mr Rubio’s watch. Additionally, Superintendent Rubio has earned the notorious distinction of the worst teacher retention of any Bay Area school superintendent, a common metric used by educators to evaluate the efficacy of superintendents. Mr Merriam infamously threw his unconditional support behind Superintendent Rubio during a 2015 contentious fight when the Tattler and the East Bay Times exposed Mr Rubio after he conducted an illegal and secret Board meeting behind closed doors, the beset Superintendent only admitting culpability and apologizing later, Mr Merriam following suit.
Mr Merriam is hoping to be among the four selected by Alameda County school board members to represent the County among 270 delegates representing nearly 1000 school districts statewide. Such a status would likely bolster his chances for re-election in November, a fact probably not lost on Mr Merriam. The Emery School Board will vote for four (out of seven) representatives for the august seat on the California School Board Association Wednesday night and among his colleagues Mr Merriam is a likely shoo-in (4-1?) however he is less likely to receive enough votes among the other Alameda County school boards owing to Mr Merriam’s thin resume, lacking in educational bona fides as it is.
Anybody that stands behind Rubio shouldn't be reelected period. We need to vote Merriam OUT. No excuses for taking this school district down.
ReplyDeleteWho's the 1 in 4-1?
ReplyDeleteUsually it is Barbara Inch, the independent voice on our school board. A vote against Donn Merriam (or John Rubio) pretty much could only come from her.
DeleteI saw the video in your link that showed the school board attacking the board member that blew the whistle on them. Embarrassing! Mr Merriam comes off as a clownish guy piling on. He's pretty low caliber and not an independent thinker. I can see why he would stand up for Rubio full on.
ReplyDeleteIt is time to elect school board members who care about the children and families that attend, the teachers, and the future generations to come. A few good people who understand the value of a strong school community and that are also fully committed to making the district sound.
ReplyDeleteGood points all but the problem is everybody that runs for Emery School Board says the same thing...all roughly what you've said here. The problem is, how do we tell the ones that actually mean it over the ones that say it to get elected? I think we need to ask to prospective candidates litmus test questions. Like- "Do you think John Rubio is a good superintendent, all things considered?" "Do you favor replacing him?" "The teachers have said Superintendent Rubio is a bully. Do you believe the teachers?" And then see how they respond.
DeleteIf the tattler rag thinks this guy Donn is no good then he's probably good. This shit blog and the city council that it works for is responsible for the homeless taking over with their needles in the streets, all the business failures from the minimum wage bull shit and cutting off the police at the knee caps resulting in the massive crime wave we now have. Ask any cop. they'll tell you the city council and the tattler is stopping them from doing their jobs to make us safe. The schools are the best thing about this town. Stop the progressives from ruining our town. Vote for Donn everybody!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the difference between a 3 week old puppy and Rob Arias?
DeleteIn 6 weeks, the puppy stops whining.
It amazes me that even when there is absolutely irrefutable evidence that John Rubio is a worthless, corrupt piece of crap, there are still these people who post behind Anonymous tags who decide to shoot out there and attack the very people attacking and attempting to remove the cancer that threatens not only our children's education but our children's safety. Dr. Rubio, if he can be called a doctor, absolutely did not, intentionally did not report to sexual assault at our school which alone places our children in grave danger. When the leadership does not take the leadership position and instead apps to get in for the grab all along with many of the board members if not the majority or all of them. This man cannot be elected for anything related to our school. He is a part of the cancer that has not completely been exercised from the emery Unified School District. It seems to be unified and one thing and one thing alone. Fucking over every child and parent for the sole purpose of personal gain and egotistical masturbation.
DeleteOut of curiosity, how long does it take a puppy to stop whining about a school superintendent?
ReplyDeletePuppies don’t whine about things like school superintendents. They’re not concerned with public policy. They’re self interested…that’s the whole thing about them. Like children, they’re naturally born sociopaths. That BTW is the very definition of ‘childish’…lacking the capacity for empathy. Children have to learn to be adults. The public part of public policy is a problem for puppies and children. They’re not interested in that. They have to learn to share.
DeleteIf you stand by Rubio you should take your ass and stand by him wherever the fuck he's going!
ReplyDeleteThe last time that I went to the board meeting there and I stood there looking at Rubio and then at the board members I couldn't help but think about the movie Caligula
ReplyDelete