Keep at it Board....their is a terrible culture in GSD. King Farner and his ilk are ruling the land. If you disagree you are gone. I point out again all of the teachers and administrators who have left for bigger and much better things after dedicating years to the children and families of Greenfield. FARNER NEEDS TO GO NOW.

Farner is a very, very intimidating man; in my opinion he should have never been recontracted in our school district. If you ask other districts they would not employ him even with a doctorial degree....thats right he doesn't have one!

This policy is unbelievable! How are the parents of this district not more worried about this? Why is Farner so concerned about what staff might say to the board? There’s never been a need for a policy like this before? Why now? How much more can the board allow the sup to sweep under the rug?

they better do something soon before this school district really goes down the tubes - its amazing how they let the sup get away with the things he does.

Thank you for your accurate reporting once again Mr. Cotey. I would encourage your readers to attend the Board meetings and bring their concerns to the Citizen Commentary portion of the meeting. The current Board is interested in what "everyone" has to say. We want to be well informed so that we can make the best decisions for the District.

Mr. Spahn,

Spahn said he has evidence that “says just the opposite” but did not elaborate.

If this is true I think you need to make this "evidence" public knowledge. I hear a few people complaining about Mr. Farner, but it always seems to be the same folks. I'm not saying give names, but if you have reliable information that calls the "culture" in the district into question then it's your responsibility as a board member to share it with the entire board and the citizens. Everyone needs to have informed opinions. Having the community get hyped up over a few people making "inflammatory" statements isn't right.
I have a child still in the district and I am very concerned about the "culture" and how it affects learning, but I'm not jumping on the "anti-admin." bandwagon until there is real proof. Mr. Thusius said they are trying to create a sense of community and belonging in the high school, and in every school I'm sure. How is this helping?

School District employees like any other citizens have a fundamental right to communicate with Board Members as they do with other elected officials anywhere in this land.. In addition to the Freedom of Speech clause of the First Amendment, the last clause says that the right of the people to peaceably assemble to petition the government for redress of grievances shall never be abridged. This applys in Greenfield as well as in Madison or Berkeley CA. The proposal stains the lifeblood of the progressive heritage of Wisconsin and other states of the upper Midwest. This kind of policy belongs in the former Confederacy.

What other institution or organization allows for employees to skip a chain of command or a communication model to complain? Does a worker at the DMV who doesn't like the chair he sits go to the governor and complain about the working conditions? Does a person in the Social Security office who doesn't like the dress code policy complain to the president? The answer is obviously no. I think the point of the policy is to ensure an orderly fashion of communication about issues in the district. If something is so egregious as to warrant communication with the board then there are whistleblower laws in place to protect that person from discipline or retribution. Every organization of any size has a model of communication or chain of command in place to ensure efficient functioning of that organization. Perhaps, the "threat" of discipline can be removed, but this policy is nothing out of the ordinary. I also think the culture of the district is not being poisoned on the administrative level. What I do think is happening is that the union understands that they no longer have power and getting 10 or 12 people to complain in a discussion board on the Patch is a way to try to obtain some leverage. The union hacks on the board like Spahn, Moze, and Walsh are just there to do the bidding of their union buddies. This is and always has been the poison in the culture of public educaiton. The community needs to understand this and change board members in the next election.

Billy Ray, tell me the difference between a school employee and me as fellow American from communicating with an elected official(s). As far as you calling Spahn, Moze and Walsh union hacks,you are wrong. I know Cathy Walsh for over two decades and she is there for one reason and that is a good education for the children of Greenfield, the same goes for Mr.Spahn and Mr. Moze. You have some other members who interpret the result of the June 5th recall election a Greenfield mandate to screw public employees. That is not the case. Be reminded that if it was not for unions we would not have the standard 40 hour work week, paid vacations, health benefits, OSHA, fair employment and anti-discriminintion laws. By the way, on the light side "Billy Ray" sounds like a guy from the former Confederacy.

I never said an employee couldn't talk to the board. All I'm saying is that the process that is being called for is not out of line nor atypical. The assertions that the policy is a sign of a dictatorship is ridiculous. You whiners on this thread and all of the others are trying to start wildfires where there is not even smoke. There are constant references to illegal actvity, etc, etc, wah-wah-wah, blah-blah-blah. Everything you say is unsubstantiated and uneducated. It's odd that you think Farner is the bully as the tactics you employ are those of bullies. It is also often the menality of children who don't like to be told what to do. Farner is a superintendent of a sizeable school district. Just because ten people didn't have their ideas incorporated into the curriculum, or whatever, that does not equal a dictator or bully. It equals a boss. Bosses are paid to make the final decisions. Grow up.

Oh Billy Ray...to be so naive.

Please John enlighten me. Pull me from this darkness of naievety.

What was false about the ACT claims? Can you verify? Is the number of people that have left any different than districts of comparable size? Do you know? Can you verify? There are teachers that are lazy, incompentent, and stupid. The truth hurts.

Billy Ray, You right wingers expect public employees or any other persons to sacriface their constitutional rights because you disagree with their grievances. Do you think that petitioning the government is disobeying authority? Conservates are trying to destroy the Bill of Rights except the 2nd Amendment.

The term "Chain of Command" does not belong in civilian environment.