Spotsylvania’s public schools need a superintendent the conservative-led Board of Supervisors like and trust. Will they keep him around? Or pay the exorbitant severance fee?
by Shaun Kenney
COLUMNIST (and Mild History Fanatic)
One would think that the election of Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) would have garnered more attention than it has. Consider when Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn was handed the gavel just four years ago, Virginia achieved two notables: our first female speaker and our first Jewish speaker.
Not only was our first black Speaker of the House sworn in by a black Virginia Supreme Court Justice, but something more notable happened that many observers missed and many insiders caught. Unlike Filler-Corn who performed an overtly political house cleaning, Scott’s first act of leadership was to ask Paul Nardo to remain in his role as clerk.
Bruce Jamerson long held the position after House Republicans finally took control of the chamber in 2000 for the first time since Reconstruction in the early noughties — serving under both Democratic and Republican speakers and despite a rather heated and contested 1998 transition.
Traditionally, the Clerk of the House of Delegates has never been a political role. Democrats had long appointed the clerk as an apolitical slot for the simple reason that there were no Republicans to contest the lower chamber. As recently as the 1960s, Democrats at one point enjoyed a 96-4 majority in the House. House clerks were practically lifetime appointments given to competent, trustworthy, and openly friendly human beings who loved the institution of the House of Delegates and the rich history of Virginia as a whole.
Speaker Scott: Serious Power Move, Sir
Lest one be persuaded that Speaker Scott knuckled under to political realities in a 51-49 chamber, with one masterstroke Scott demonstrated a degree of political savvy often lacking in Washington much less Richmond.
For a delegate to rise to Speaker of the House in just his third term in office is an unheard of achievement. Yet there’s no small secret as to how. Scott is the sort of progressive who came into power just as the old school Northam-era Democrats were on their way out, and while the old school disciplinarians were winner-take-all types, Scott’s brand of progressive politics understands a basic truth — it takes two lungs to run a marathon.
One of the developments of the last two decades is the temptation to politicize every appointed office. We see this in Washington most certainly as party appointees gets swapped out every 4-8 years. When Mark Herring was elected Attorney General in 2013, there was a complete house cleaning at OAG, one that Jason Miyares did not pay back in similar coin. More locally, one is beginning to see the politicization of county administrators, city managers, and school superintendents as one faction overrides another.
Politicizing the apolitical only turns the position into a small-scale version of the spoils system — the very opposite of a thriving democracy.
Of course, the vapor barrier between Red Virginia and Blue Virginia may be thin indeed — Goochland vs. Henrico, Fairfax vs. Prince William, any city vs. her surrounding localities — yet as these positions politicize, there is a tactile shift from a multipartisan leadership style commonly reflected in the Virginia Way and the monolithic non-partisan style which too often merely reflects the values of one party alone.
Payback Isn’t the Public Interest: Rebuilding Trust Means Breathing with Both Lungs
Case in point for folks locally? The fate of Spotsylvania Superintendent Mark Taylor remains in the balance.
Despite the 5-2 orientation of the new Spotsylvania School Board, the temptation to evict Taylor from his present position may prove more expensive than keeping him for the duration of his contract.
Yet more to the point, the conservative Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors is in no mood to be generous. With federal subsidies ending and Richmond looking to cut corners — not to mention Youngkin’s car tax proposal — the five-letter word that Spotsylvania’s Republicans are going to be looking for from their school district is simple: TRUST.
Lorita Daniels — the newly minted chair for Spotsylvania School Board — has already made a bit of history of her own. The present majority ran on restoring the trust forfeited by the latter majority. Yet the conservative-led majority also ran on preserving the public trust. Who then would serve as the best conduit between a school system in desperate need of investment and a conservative board reticent to yield additional resources? A closed door pick?
Or Mark Taylor?
Now that would be a power move indeed.
Not only would the present majority rewind the last two years of chaos, but they would also retain the best possible ambassador for public education to Spotsylvania’s conservative majority on the Board of Supervisors where Taylor is a known quality.
Such a move would demonstrate that the new majority in Spotsylvania intends to govern the way it campaigned, and most notably, would send the signal that Daniels et al. intends to move forward with intention rather than be governed by outside forces. Placing Taylor in their pocket — even if just for two years — only strengthens the hand.
People Over Politics: An Early (But Hard) Test
Yes, this is tough medicine.
Yes, this would be a 6D chess move. Yes, Taylor is one of the few personalities who can communicate the need for additional funding to a traditionally reticent and conservative Spotsy BOS. And yes — deep down everyone knows it is more cost effective to keep Taylor rather than jettison him or spark a legal fight where lawyers win and taxpayers lose. Amateurs talk tactics; professionals talk logistics — and this is logistics.
Making haste slowly may not please the partisans, but the wider community would see a new board chairman demonstrating a leadership style in the pattern of Speaker Scott which plays the long game — not to mention saving the school system six figures in severance (and six figures more if it inevitably goes to court) during tough economic times. Not to mention the lost political capital with an early stumble out of the gate.
Let’s face it. We could do with a dose of calm right about now. Speaker Scott’s leadership in Richmond early on is a great example to others — Republicans and Democrats — to put people over politics. Spotsylvania should do likewise.
Whacking Mark Taylor might make the present majority feel great for about five minutes, but the long-term consequences of a short-sighted decision will impact public education in Spotsylvania in a direct and negative way.
Keep the honeymoon going and illegitimi non carborundum. That’s the secret of good leadership, after all.
Rick Pullen
January 11, 2024Taylor is part of the problem. For starters, he has yet to tell the school board what happened to hundreds of banned books that have somehow disappeared on his watch. That’s taxpayer dollars wasted and from I’ve read, I believe what happened to them is illegal. He held a religious book festival on county property. He has consistently snubbed his nose at the public, keeping them in the dark, as did his mentor, now-departed Kirk Twigg. I assume his contract as superintendent is iron clad, so he will have to be paid. (I agree, legal battles are not worth it.) It is the legacy of Twigg that taxpayers must pay for. Once they realized Twigg’s true nature, they ousted him. I say, as I’ve said in the past, pay Taylor. Make him the highest paid janitor in the state. And then hire a qualified superintendent.
Leo B Watkins
January 12, 2024In all seriousness, I think the board’s 1st course of action is to consult with their newly hired attorney to review the contract in question, law, and the areas of concern regarding past actions, qualifications, etc. to obtain an objective appraisal of the facts and their alternatives.
Based on what little I know, there do appear to be serious questions about his competency, partisanship, and if he has acted with due care and concern for all of the citizens of Spotsy, it’s students as a whole, their property, and their rights. Even if he says that he was taking actions at the direction of a misguided and hyperpartisan board, that would not excuse his actions if they were either illegal, or went against the basic tenets of the School system’s, County’s, or States missions and constitutions.
No more than Nazi guards leading someone to the gas chamber would be excused by saying someone told them too.
Still, if after that review, the Board determines that they cannot dismiss him from service, or that he can only be judged for actions that occur after they take over – they are still paying the man a great deal of the taxpayer’s money. While humilation would be tempting, I would opt for a different route.
There is a lot of expertise and knowledge expected of, and paid for of a Superintendent. I would demand commensurate work for that money. Even if I reassigned him, and gave the primary responsibilities of the job to someone else, I would still demand work such as on grant applications, budget preparation, etc.
If he can provide value in providing such expertise and work, then make him. If it turns out that he cannot, THEN dismiss him with cause. If he cannot control his partisan instincts, or cannot perform the demanded and expected work in good faith, also dismiss him.
If you do find yourself burdened with him due to contracts made by another board not acting in good faith, if at all possible – the primary goals should be either to limit the damage of that contract either thru dismissal, or obtaining the most value for the money that you are compelled to pay.
But it should be based upon monetary value, professionalism, and maturity, Not emotional or personal attacks. Not only is it bad business, it’s a bad lesson for the kids. While making a martyr for a group, based upon Mr Kenney’s writings, that seem pretty detached from reality already.
It will be a challenge for the new board. I wish them luck.
Leo B Watkins
January 11, 2024LOL.
Man, oh man. I ain’t never seen someone work so hard to save someone else’s job.
Does this guy owe you money? Is he dating your grandmother, son, or daughter, whom you are hoping will not return home if he loses employment?
Seriously, what’s the deal? I keep waiting for Paul Harvey to tell me the rest of the story.
Now just to give your mind teaser fair play, what partisan activities has the esteemed Mr Nardo been involved in while in the obscure position of clerk?
Refused to answer basic questions from citizens, delegates, or the press?
Banned any books using questionable legal reasoning?
Have ongoing questions about where and how those monetarily valuable books were disposed of? Had to get a special dispensation from the state to hold his job?
Please, fill me in. Otherwise, I’d say it’s not quite apples and apples being compared here, is it?
I’m happy to hear Miyares didn’t do one particularly partisan action (if it’s true, sorry – you’re not particularly credible in these matters – too much spin). Didn’t like it when MacA engaged in NY style politics, haven’t been impressed when Youngkin has done it (need I list the ways, will be happy to if desired). One of the main reasons I’ll be looking to support either McClellan or Spanberger in the next Governor primary over Stoney.
But ain’t none of that got anything to do with Spotsy.
Always amazing when the only time Republicans want to talk consensus is when they are NOT in charge.
I’d say allowing Republicans to speak, and treating them with typical respect and privileges, even though they just spent an unprecedented era of partisanship at their hands is about the limit of what entitlements those Republicans have.
By all means, let them present in whatever forum, about what reasons they feel this employee should be kept, including the poison pill contract they negotiated with him. Please.
But that don’t mean that they still get to run things as they please. That’s not the spoils system, that’s democracy in action when the majority rules.
Interesting that you cannot tell the difference. Again, I cannot but wonder why.
Becky Murray
January 11, 2024I believe you’ve given Taylor far too much credit. Do the “conservatives” in Spotsy trust Taylor? I say no, they don’t. I believe his association with Twigg and his outrageous salary package is much of the reason Megan Jackson is now on the school board. I also don’t believe those sentiments are unique to Livingston. Throughout the county, other than within the fringe group that has pushed for book banning and calls teachers and librarians pedophiles and groomers, the vast majority of conservative Spotsylvanians, which is the vast majority of Spotsylvanians, see Taylor for who he is and have no illusion that he should remain superintendent.
Taylor has done nothing to earn the trust of any voter in Spotsylvania who has paid attention. His stunt last March where he laid out false threats of closing libraries (illegal and he knew it) as well as ending CGS and IB were ridiculous and, if anything, backfired. That the supervisors voted to partially fund the budget (though certainly not to properly fund it) had little to do with Taylor’s politics and much to do with his unpopularity and the pushback the supervisors may have felt had they not voted as they did. Note the major dissenters, Ross and McLaughlin, were not running for reelection.
The latest issue with the disappearing books has placed Taylor in a pickle. Yes, he most likely has an ironclad contract but there is the “with cause” clause. Whether he is fired “with cause,” which will kick him to the curb without his golden parachute or whether his and Twigg’s dirty deal will enrich him, he needs to go. Spotsylvania taxpayers do not deserve to be left with the tab of paying off Taylor, but that may the unfortunate consequence of the 2021 school board election. However, he has shown us he cannot be trusted to make the decisions this school division needs to move forward. In other words, our students and staff cannot afford to keep him.
Will the BOS do its job and fully fund the schools? If past is prologue we all know the answer. However, keeping Taylor as superintendent is a recipe for disaster and will not result in support from the BOS or other real conservatives in Spotsy.
Ronald Fiske
January 12, 2024What is the political capital that Taylor brings to the BOS? The BOS twice fired him. Once as county attorney. Once as county administrator. Taylor and the previous Board majority created a culture of fear in SCPS employees. How can that be changed when the ‘retaliator- in-chief’ remains in place? What about his lack of integrity and conversion of banned books while refusing to account for them for the proceeds, your tax dollars? What about his ducking long respected media interviews while choosing to the interviewed by very questionable Facebook and web sites? I cannot see a glimmer of hope for Taylor among informed and intelligent people. That leads me to one solution. Fire Taylor for cause and replace him with a qualified and legitimate new superintendent. Finding cause should be no more difficult or challenging than hunting cows.
Jeff
January 12, 2024Will Mark Taylor ever agree to speak with The Fredericksburg Advance?
Sara Toye
January 12, 2024Perhaps Mr. Kenney is not aware that Mark Taylor departed Greene County leaving taxpayers with a budget miscalculation that led to a tax increase of $1,000,000? Does he know that when constituents sent emails to the Superintendent they were immediately answered? Great, huh? Well no. The writers received a form response stating that Mr. Taylor receives a plethora of mail and cannot possibly take care of it so your inquiry will be forwarded to the appropriate office. If I had a nickel for every email that received a response I bet I’d have about a dollar. Does Mr. Kenney mind that Twigg and Taylor have been and still are joined at the hip? More importantly, does he believe that a leopard changes its spots?
I am not an attorney, but I hope the new School Board does not work from the premise that Taylor‘s contract is ironclad.
I have just scratched the surface here, but I’m beginning to get a really bad taste in my mouth! So it’s time to stop.
Dawn Shelley
January 12, 2024The old majority wasted taxpayers’ money with their fake search for Twiggy’s best friend to be superintendent. They paid for board members to attend partisan conferences, they hired their buddies for high paying jobs then sent them off with our money, they caused multiple law suits and criminal trials that will increase insurance costs, and they hired a non-qualified superintendent. Mark T doesn’t know didly squat about public schools, following policy, or education laws. He has to go! This isn’t political; this is what’s best for our students, school division, and community.
Leila G
January 13, 2024Taylor is in no way qualified for the position. He needs to go.