Independent Mindset Is a Net Positive
Independent Mindset Is a Net Positive
Six-months into their four-year terms as Spotsylvania County School Board members, Megan Jackson and Belen Rodas talk about their frustrations, hopes, and the need to focus on educating children.
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Email Martin
The day after the School Board election in November, we wrote of the results: “At the end of the day, voters favored people over policies in Spotsylvania County, sometimes by significant margins.” Out were Tea Party School Board members Kirk Twigg, Rabih Abuismail, and would-be Tea Party School Board member David Ross; in were first-time-elected officials Megan Jackson, Carol Medawar, and Belen Rodas.
For the two years prior to November, the School Board was run by a Tea Party “majority” that voted in lock-step most of the time. For some voters, the election promised a new type of majority, one that was unabashedly pro-public-school and would hold a commanding 5-to-2 majority in votes.
Those voting blocs haven’t emerged. Instead, this Board has three clearly defined and effectively co-equal power blocs.
On the right are two holdovers from the old Tea Party board — Lisa Phelps and April Gillespie — who have been boisterous to the point of melodramatic at times since losing their majority. Balancing them are now-vice chair Nicole Cole and newcomer Carol Medawar — unapologetic defenders of traditional public schools.
Both blocs have received considerable ink from this publication and others since the election.
The third power bloc, however, has been little discussed. Megan Jackson and Belen Rodas are both political newcomers who ran their races as staunch independents. Jackson surprised most everyone not because she beat disgraced Board member Twigg, but because she beat him by a 2-to-1 margin. Rodas, too, won relatively handily.
With the Board divided into three co-equal blocs, Jackson and Rodas have become the sometimes-hard-to-read swing votes, which has on occasion given the conservatives support when votes are counted, and at other times strengthened Cole and Medawar’s position.
Their independence has added an air of uncertainty to some votes, and at other times offered a middle path when discussions get heated. Mostly, however, Jackson and Rodas have been relatively quiet, watching and learning.
In an exclusive interview with the Advance, Jackson and Rodas sat down to talk about their first six months on the Board. What’s gone well and what hasn’t; the optimism they share for the new superintendent; their working relationships with Cole, Gillespie, Medawar, and Phelps; how they deal with public criticism, and the mostly positive support they receive from their constituents; and how they feel about being a political independent.
What’s Working, What Isn’t
FXBG Advance: The two of you have now been on the School Board for six months. Can you tell us what you’ve encountered that may be worse than you expected, and what is going better than you expected?
Megan Jackson: We are experiencing growing pains, and it’s stressful. That’s how it’s been going.
The chaos is worse than I thought it would be. I knew we wouldn’t be free from chaos, but it’s a lot worse than I thought it would be. When I say the chaos is worse, I mean that collectively as a body, I’m not singling anyone out.
Belen Rodas: It’s hard to know what something’s going to be like when you’ve never done it before.
Still, the level of dysfunction that continues on this Board is worse than I thought it would be, and certainly worse than I hoped it would be.
However, there are positive signs. I appreciated what [School Board Vice Chair] Nicole [Cole] said the other night: “We’re getting better; we’re not great … there’ve been missteps and mistakes and it’s been uneven, but in general we’re trending positive.”
This experience reminds me of when I had ankle surgery. I was told I couldn’t put weight on it for nine weeks, and it would take eight to nine months to get back to normal. All I heard was “nine weeks” and I thought things would be OK. When I finally put weight on my ankle, I realized how long the recovery was going to take.
MJ: I knew it would be stressful, but we are making progress. We have some new hope now, because we have a new superintendent coming in. And it’s encouraging because we got a better superintendent than I thought we would get.
I feel positive and grateful for the pool of quality candidates we had, and the options we had to choose from.
One thing that I’ve learned over the past six months is that I’m going to get it from everybody. And I’m ok with that. What that’s taught me is that there are times I want to say things, and then I think, “Is this best for the Board?” Because I’m trying so hard to be somebody who is trying to stay out of the more-toxic stuff.
— Megan Jackson
BR: All the candidates had instructional knowledge. Superintendent experience was the one piece that not every candidate had. The community rated this experience high on the survey. Fully 75% of respondents wanted someone with superintendent experience
I do believe there are some skills that are transferable and scalable. So having Superintendent experience, despite it being from a small district, is valuable.
I think we have a lot of central office staff who’ve never worked under someone who has experience being a superintendent. Even though he comes from a small division he understands … the processes and that’s a huge benefit to the staff.
He’s certainly capable and ready to learn and improve. I’m sure there will be a learning curve. But he’s got mentorship available through the search firm.
MJ: It’s also important to remember that while he comes from a very small district, he was superintendent of that district. In addition, he has worked in large districts. He is familiar with Fairfax County and Prince William County; he was a principal in both counties. He has a wealth of educational experience, and I’d also like to remind people that Dr. Baker wasn’t a superintendent before he came to Spotsylvania.
Seating Can Make a Difference
FXBG Advance: The two of you are positioned between Lisa Phelps and April Gillespie on the dais. Do you think your positioning has affected the way that you interact with them?
BR: I don’t think a change in my seating position would have changed how I would interact with them. However, our close proximity does provide more opportunity for casual, little conversations. That’s been a benefit.
MJ: I think our seats are good, and I do think it’s good that we’re sitting by them. It doesn’t matter who I’m sitting next to, I’m going to speak on something the same way I would speak on it whether I’m sitting next to someone or not.
I think the seating has brought us a little closer because we have been able to engage more and have more conversations. And we’re more willing to have conversations with them. That’s not a dig; it’s just … that we are.
FXBG Advance: To many citizens, Phelps and Gillespie are difficult to understand. A major criticism of them before the election was that they were unresponsive to email. They’ve also been unresponsive to local media. Do you think you have an understanding of what’s driving Phelps and Gillespie? What it is they are after?
MJ: I’m not sure we have the full story. I know that Lisa and April have felt targeted. But Nicole has felt targeted. We are gathering bits and pieces of information and trying to understand them, but we don’t have the full story or the bigger picture.
They were parents, and that’s how they got involved. I just want to focus on what’s driving them now, and how we can move forward in a collaborative way.
BR: If you know someone’s story, you can find a way to connect and interact. No one owes me that, but I’d love to know their story.
I have been showing up at School Board meetings since 2018, and I’ve had kids in this school the whole time. I’ve been actively involved, and I’ve felt hurt by the decisions that have been made. But I’m trying to start fresh.
— Megan Jackson
FXBG Advance: I understand the desire to not rehash the past, but does not really understanding their motivations make things difficult?
BR: I find the meetings very unpredictable. That’s my challenge. I cannot predict what’s going to happen.
MJ: I would hope the motivation for everybody is the students. But that may look different to some people. What I feel is best for kids you may not agree with. So I try and give people the benefit of the doubt.
We need to try and respect each other first, and then vote, and then not take everything personally. I’ve been guilty of taking certain comments personally. We all need to stop taking things personally, and we need to respect the way people vote. I want to stop rehashing all the BS and just move forward.
FXBG Advance: Do you feel there’s a point at which it may become harder to grant people the benefit of the doubt?
MJ: We all have our breaking points. I’m about to motion some weird stuff if we can’t get it together. I might say let’s go do counseling. I’m getting to the point to where I’m asking, What’s it going to take for us to agree to disagree and just move on?
BR: For the past two years, there’s been a lot of, “well, she did this … so I ….” I don’t accept that excuse from my own kids. I’m just shocked to hear so much of that. I feel like we’re rehashing old stuff that is just not constructive.
MJ: We have to remember that we each can only control our own behavior, regardless of what other people do. We’re in charge of how we respond to something.
Maybe it’s easier for us to say this because we’re new to the Board. However, we’re not new to the chaos.
I have been showing up at School Board meetings since 2018, and I’ve had kids in this school the whole time. I’ve been actively involved, and I’ve felt hurt by the decisions that have been made.
But I’m trying to start fresh. We know what happened and cannot change it. So how can we be better with the new Board?
For the past two years, there’s been a lot of, “well, she did this … so I …” I don’t accept that excuse from my own kids. I’m just shocked to hear so much of that. I feel like we’re rehashing old stuff that is just not constructive.
— Belen Rodas
FXBG Advance: Flipping the question for a minute. Do you feel that you understand Nicole Cole and Carol Medawar better? How has that affected the way you work with them?
BR: I feel that I have a better understanding of what drives the two of them. And that does make it easier to have constructive conversations.
However, I think everybody on the board is responsible for how this Board is functioning. It’s easy to target two people, but that’s not how any system works. We’re all responsible.
There is room for improvement all the way around, including myself.
MJ: Depending on the topic, things can be easier. Understandably, there’s a lot of bad blood between Nicole and Lisa and April. Because I know Nicole on a more personal level, she may think I’m more-inclined to agree with her, but that isn’t always the case and I think that’s okay.
I keep saying that I could be better, too. And I mean that.
One thing that I’ve learned over the past six months is that I’m going to get it from everybody. And I’m ok with that. What that’s taught me is that there are times I want to say things, and then I think, “Is this best for the Board?” Because I’m trying so hard to be somebody who is trying to stay out of the more-toxic stuff.
FXBG Advance: How much does the history of tensions between Phelps and Gillespie on one side, and Cole and Lorita Daniels on the other side, affect this Board?
MJ: It affects it a lot. Some board members have been guilty of saying, “Over the last two years….” I’ve tried to encourage them to stop saying that, because in my opinion it doesn’t help us move forward. It hasn’t been the easiest to work with this Board all around.
Belen and I have our own opinions, and we are independent thinkers, and we’re not here to vote in a bloc one way or another. We’re not going to vote the same all the time, and we’re not going to be pressured to vote the same.
BR: I try very hard to not engage in anything that’s old, even if it’s subtext to what’s happening. I think that’s one of the things that I can control that helps us move forward.
FXBG Advance: A common expression not just on this Board, but in education in general, is to say we should “do what is best for the children.” Do you believe this Board is doing that?
MJ: Sometimes I think it’s become more about the fight of the School Board. Frankly, I’m sick of talking about adults’ behavior at School Board meetings when we’re supposed to be talking about students.
Every meeting it’s just trying to find ways to curb behaviors, whether it’s taking a recess or something else.
I try very hard to not engage in anything that’s old, even if it’s subtext to what’s happening. I think that’s one of the things that I can control that helps us move forward.
— Belen Rodas
FXBG Advance: Lorita Daniels has had the difficult job of running this Board. Are there things she can do to make things go better?
MJ: I think she’s doing the best she can. I nominated her as chair, and I do support her.
I do believe the past few meetings have been a little bit better with the more-consistent application of parliamentary procedure.
Treating everyone equally across the board is really the best way. You can’t give someone a second opportunity to speak if you’re not going to give everyone a second opportunity to speak.
The challenge for her is trying not to put too many parameters around what people can say, while not letting things go off the rails.
BR: I think she’s made great strides as School Board chair, especially with process and Robert’s Rules. I think she has very good instincts, and she needs to trust herself more.
FXBG Advance: As first-time public officials, what’s it been like being on the receiving end of criticism from the public?
MJ: One thing that has been disappointing is that the community has been very critical of us as a board, and I understand.
People want to be done with the chaos, but we can’t control people, so we’re doing our best.
I would ask people to be a little more patient with us. We didn’t get here overnight, and we can’t just dig out overnight.
FXBG Advance: What do you think needs to happen to move this Board forward?
BR: The main thing that the Board and staff need to develop is trust. That’s a long game.
My goal is to try to rebuild that trust with staff and to build that trust here on the Board.
The more April and Lisa see that I’m going to support them when they ask for reasonable things, at some point I believe that will start to register, and that extreme defensiveness that comes up so quickly on that Board can start to come down a little bit.
But again, rebuilding trust is a long-term project.
I would ask people to be a little more patient with us. We didn’t get here overnight, and we can’t just dig out overnight.
— Megan Jackson
FXBG Advance: What have you learned personally over the past six months.
MJ: There’ve been a couple votes I’ve taken that I’ve really struggled with, and I do not like feeling unsure about a vote.
I’ve learned to slow down a bit more, remember that we can table things, abstain if we absolutely need to.
BR: I’ve come to appreciate that even when people make critical comments in public comments, I still feel generally that people support the work we are doing here on the whole. Those things aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s important to hear the criticism, and to keep moving in the right direction.
The more April and Lisa see that I’m going to support them when they ask for reasonable things, at some point I believe that will start to register, and that extreme defensiveness that comes up so quickly on that Board can start to come down a little bit.
— Belen Rodas
FXBG Advance: You each ran as independents and seem determined to maintain an independent posture. Do you still believe that is the right approach?
MJ: Our independent mindset is a net positive. We’ve got to find our way back to the middle. Too much of any one side is not a good thing. If I’m not fully satisfied and you’re not fully satisfied, we’re probably making the right decision.
BR: It has seemed to me for a while that our higher-level officials have pursued power for the sake of power, as opposed to making positive change.
Being an independent doesn’t mean I don’t have opinions. I refuse to let public education be located on a political spectrum. That’s what I’m trying very hard to do.
What we’re doing is not the beginning of a sea-change in American politics, and our experience might be different if one of us lost. But two of us together trying to hold the lens and say “I don’t care what the partisan lens says” it’s something we try very hard to stay true to.
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