By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Private bathrooms at the new high school and board relations were major topics of discussion during a Hays USD 489 school board candidates forum Tuesday night at the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.
The forum was presented by the Hays Chamber, Fort Hays State University Docking Institute of Public Affairs, FHSU Political Science Department and FHSU Student Government Association.
Candidates include incumbents Craig Pallister, Lori Hertel and Allen Park and newcomers David Clingan, James Feyerherm, Jayme Goetz, Ruth Ruder, Duff Watson, Dennis Wilkie and Derek Yarmer.
The issue of private bathrooms at the new high school has been an issue of controversy as the school district moves forward with its $143. 5 million bond issue. The construction of a new high school is the largest of the bond projects. Ground was broken on the high school on Oct. 4.
About 30 percent of the bathrooms in the new building will be private with a shared sink area for both female and male students. The doors on the private stalls go from floor to ceiling. The rest of the restrooms in the building will be traditional bathrooms.
RELATED STORY: Hays High construction to begin in August; project on budget
RELATED STORY: Hays USD 489 board hears concerns about private bathrooms at new high school
RELATED STORY: Hays school board approves HHS, Roosevetl contract; discussion heated
The candidates were asked about their stances on the bathrooms.
Allen Park said he has repeatedly asked for the bathroom issue to be placed on the board agenda. The issue has been discussed several times at board meetings. (See the related links above).
Park did not take a stance on the bathroom issue at the forum on Tuesday.
"I asked that we survey the parents of not just the high school but K-12 because there are two levels of this," he said. ... "We just need to know what they think ... the kids, the students, the grandparents, the whole community should be involved in that."
"That's just gathering the data, gathering the information so we can make a good decision."
Ruder, whose daughter is a Hays High sophomore, said she asked students and taxpayers about what they thought about the bathroom design.
"The children voiced to me that nobody asks us," she said. "They are very excited with the way it's planned now to have a choice between the way it is now and a separate bathroom for privacy."
Watson said he did not agree with the design.
"I think all students, no matter who you are, need to feel comfortable," he said. "I think if you have gender-neutral bathrooms, you will have many students who don't feel comfortable in that spot."
Wilkie said parents and not children should make the decision about the bathrooms. He said he thought the private bathrooms open the district to litigation.
"There is a potential for things that are not so great," he said. "By creating these private spaces in a public setting that aren't necessary, I think it's wrong, and I would change it if I got on the school board."
Yarmer said there should have been an earlier discussion of the bathroom design. The board first discussed the bathroom design at a school board meeting in April.
He said he favored separate private bathrooms for male and female students.
"At the end of the day, I think it should have been brought before the people, the citizens that voted for the bond to make sure they are doing what you want and that we are spending the money you gave us the way you want it to be spent," Yarmer said.
Clingan said the private bathrooms give the students options.
"I see this as a positive impact on our students," he said. "I see this as a positive impact on mental health. I see it as a deterrent from bullying, the vandalism that can happen. The safety concerns that can happen are more controlled."
The sink areas for the private bathrooms will be open to the hall. The sink area will also be monitored by cameras.
Feyerherm said he saw the private bathrooms as a positive option for kids.
He related a story of being bullied as a student. Administrators, including Hays High School Principal Shawn Henderson, said he hopes the new design will reduce bullying in restrooms at the new school.
Goetz, a former district teacher, said she favors the new bathroom design. She said students are avoiding using the bathroom all day because of issues with privacy and bullying in the current bathrooms.
"These students are preparing to enter the real world. They should have a say in what their school is going to look like and what they feel comfortable with," she said.
Hertel said she supported the idea of a mix of traditional and private bathrooms. She said parents should be involved and speak to their children about bullying in each area.
Pallister said he supported the bathrooms.
"Our kids deserve the same privacy that adults have," he said, "no matter if they are in a school or church, in a business. Adults demand privacy as much as possible. Our kids deserve the privacy."
Pallister, who was the long-time principal at Hays Middle School, also said children at HMS refused to use the bathroom all day because of issues with privacy in the traditional school bathrooms.
Dysfunction on the board
Someone from the audience asked what the candidates would do to create functionality in what appears to be a very dysfunctional body.
Watson said he would have to listen to all parties involved and do more research.
Wilkie said he would rethink how meetings are conducted.
"I think its current format, from what I've seen, stifles the public's voice, doesn't allow for the minority to speak in a lot of scenarios and gives the perception, while it might not be the reality, that decisions are being made behind closed doors," he said.
He said he thinks the board needs a rules overhaul to make the board more open, transparent and accessible.
Yarmer said he thought the biggest issue is that not everyone on the board is allowed to speak. He said he thought special meetings should be televised.
Although the final contract for the new high school was discussed in a regular meeting, it was approved at a special meeting. Yarmer said he disapproved of the timing of that vote and said more community input should have been allowed.
Clingan said communication and respect will be important moving forward.
"We are a role model for the students that we are here to take care of," he said. "We build on that relationship. We build on that trust. ... Everything we do goes back to that one main decision, 'Is it right for our kids? Is it good for our students?'"
Feyerherm said he thought the meetings should be configured so the board addresses public comments at the same meeting.
"[Members of the public] say their peace and then next agenda item," he said.
Goetz said she did not like the term dysfunctional. She said the current board has accomplished many positive things. This has included passage of the bond, renovations to the baseball field and free breakfast for all students.
Hetel, an incumbent, said she thought the board is unified.
Pallister, also an incumbent, said he took issue with the word dysfunctional.
"Our board all are dedicated to what is good for kids," he said. "We have done a tone of things. We have been able to negotiate with our teachers the last three or four years and get outstanding contracts and get it done over the summer ..."
Pallister also said the current board has been able to retain a superintendent. Superintendent Ron Wilson has been with the district for five years. The last several superintendents were only with the districts for about two years each. Pallister said that consistency under Wilson has been very important.
Park suggested in-service for the board on parliamentary procedure
Ruder said she would review board policies. She also said she thought the board should ask advice from the board attorney when appropriate and have additional work sessions. The school board meets twice a month. The city and county commissions meet more often.
Conflicts of interest
The candidates were asked about potential conflicts of interest that they might have if elected to the board.
Wilkie said he would have to abstain from any votes involving his employer Roofmaster.
Watson, who is the IT director at Holy Family Elementary School, said he did not think that working at a private school would affect his decisions on the public school board. He said he is a former public school teacher.
Clingan, who works for Grow Hays, which advocates for improvement districts for housing and business development, said if one of those issues came before the school board, he said he would recuse himself.
Feyerherm's wife works as a paraprofessional at the school district. He said he would recuse himself from issues of pay for paras.
Goetz sad her husband works for Glassman Corp. She said she would recuse herself from votes on HVAC contracts.
As a retired therapist, Hertel formerly worked with juveniles in the court system. She said if any issues arose involving one of those juveniles, she would recuse herself.
Yarmer's wife is a substitute teacher for the district.
Palliser, Park and Ruder said they did not think they would have any conflicts of interest.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. The Hays USD 489 school district has four at-large positions open.