No more Skyping
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 15, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
During the Wayne County Board of Education meeting on Monday night, Dr. Dwight Cannon disagreed with the 4-3 vote abolishing Skyping in board meetings. Cannon has relied on electronic participation since taking a job position in New Jersey, being physically present only 59 percent of the time.
News-Argus file photo
Dr. Dwight Cannon Skypes into a school board work session earlier this year.
The 4-3 split on the Wayne County Board of Education continued Monday night, with the majority voting to abolish Skyping in board meetings.
A two-page policy was crafted and presented at last month's board meeting before being sent back for revisions. When it was rolled out Monday evening, it had been pared down to two sentences.
"The Wayne County Public Schools Board of Education prohibits any electronic/telephonic participation in board special called meetings, work sessions, closed session and open session meetings. Electronic/telephonic participation in board committee meetings will be permitted as needed."
Vice Chairman Arnold Flowers took issue with the second sentence.
"I'm not in favor of that," he said of the committee meeting caveat. "If we're going to disallow electronic attendance, it needs to be across the board."
Board member Dwight Cannon said he "respectfully disagreed" with Flowers, maintaining that to do so would relegate Wayne County to the "Flintstone age" and close the door on keeping pace with technology.
He said he had no qualms about doing away with Skyping for the bulk of the meetings but took issue with circumstances where a quorum was required to make decisions.
Board member Pat Burden said she agreed that the policy should be more flexible, even if it imposed some limitations. Having "zero tolerance," she said, could be a detriment in the future, she said. She said the move does not set a good example for students the district is supposed to be preparing for the 21st century.
Board member Rick Pridgen, chairman of the policy committee, defended the policy, citing an occasion when there was not a quorum and being forced to call Cannon in order to proceed.
In the 30-minute discussion that ensued, the board members politely danced around the merits of using modern technology and the situation that prompted the issue in the first place.
Since January 2014, Cannon's attendance beyond the regularly monthly meetings has been unreliable except through Skype, FaceTime and conference calls. He had used the methods to participate in work sessions, closed sessions and during the interview process for the new schools superintendent.
When elected to the board in November 2012, he was pastor at Greater St. James AME Zion Church in Goldsboro. Since accepting a pastorate in New Jersey, he has commuted between there and his Dudley home.
This year he added another role, campaigning for Global Mission 2016, a four-year position with the denomination that could involve traveling to 19 countries and 28 overseas conference. Election for that is August 2016.
Board member Eddie Radford said he believes it is important for members to show up at meetings.
Ms. Burden agreed but said sometimes emergencies happen.
"And I'm not saying do it for a person for four months in a row (who) can't make a meeting," she said.
Cannon reiterated Pridgen's point, calling out Radford for not showing up at the meeting that Cannon was later asked to fill in by phone.
"I don't even know which meeting you're talking about," Radford said.
"Well, the same meeting Mr. Pridgen made reference to, that finance meeting. It was you, Mr. Pridgen and myself on that finance committee," Cannon said.
"Well, if that's the case, I've missed one meeting," Radford replied.
"Well, I think you might have missed a little more," Cannon said.
Chairman Chris West intervened, asking, "Anybody else have any discussion?"
"Yeah, I think I was cut off," Cannon said. "That's the first thing. I mean, I have a right to rebut that, I think. I don't know if you want to do a tally at who's been at whatever meeting. Does that include meetings walked out of?"
Flowers said his biggest issue is a personal one -- he is hearing-impaired and there have been audio problems with the electronic transmissions -- but admitted he is also old school and prefers to look someone in the eye when he is speaking with them.
"There's something that seems to be lost when you're just not here, and you're here electronically," he said. "We do have a board policy now that we disallow proxy vote. I don't see really a whole lot of difference.
"I just feel like WCPS would be better off, if you're going to be at a meeting, you're at the meeting. And if you're not at the meeting, you're not at the meeting. The world's run by people that show up."
Cannon maintained that business is conducted every day through technology and had believed the policy would represent a compromise.
"I think my tenure on this board led up to this," he said. "And especially with my busyness, and I would not apologize for my job nor for taking care of my family. I will not apologize. Just like you would not apologize for being a parent or whatever issues you have coming forth."
He added that he agreed a policy was needed and appreciated the discussions about it, but was afraid it might become a detriment to the district in the future.
Board member Jennifer Strickland suggested in the case of a natural disaster or state of emergency, the state would allow for telecommunications. Cannon was wary, saying he preferred to see that in writing.
Flowers made the motion to remove the second sentence in the policy and "disallow electronic participation in Wayne County Board of Education's meetings at any level."
"Can we cut off the microphones, please?" Cannon asked.
Ignoring the request, Flowers said that was his motion.
Radford seconded it.
The motion passed 4-3, with Cannon, Burden and Pridgen opposed.
Board attorney Jack Edwards pointed out that the vote had been for the change, with another vote needed on the newly amended policy.
A re-vote was taken, with the same outcome.
There was no further discussion, with only Cannon addressing it during board comment.
"I do want to share my disdain," he said. "Let the record show that I think we took a step backward, but I do respect the board.
"We voted on it and I want to note that I really hope that we will not be closed when it comes up again and I think it will. I think that circumstances may make us revisit that technological piece. But I do respect what the board has done and we move forward."