Beard is Using Cleburne ISD as Stepping Stone

by Alden Nellis

July 26, 2010

Following up on the Saturday post by CleburnePolitics.com that CISD Superintendent Dr. Ronny Beard was reported to be leaving CISD for a position in the Region 20 Service Center, Dr. Beard today (Monday) issued a news release.

Dr. Beard is less than honest in his statement to the press. Although he says he did not apply for the new job because he is unhappy in Cleburne, he has told me several times that he hates this job. How can he hate this job and not be unhappy in Cleburne?

Dr. Beard states that CISD Board president (Stu Madison) has been “in the loop” on this move from the beginning. I have no reason to doubt that.

Dr. Beard says he has informed ALL of the Trustees since he was named a finalist.

It is not uncommon for Dr. Beard and some of the Board Trustees to leave Trustee Wendell Dempsey out of the loop. Mr. Dempsey is honest – and in my opinion not all the Trustees are. Mr. Dempsey thinks the voting public should know what goes on at CISD – a claim few of them can make. Mr. Dempsey cares enough about informing the public to write a weekly column for the “Cleburne Eagle News” – an effort none of the others put forth. Therefore, Mr. Dempsey is often excluded from the good ole boy club.

It appears that Dr. Beard’s news release is intended to cover his behind in case he does not get the new job. He, like many superintendents often do, is using this job as a stepping stone on his way up. There is nothing wrong with that IF he gave us his total attention while here. That is the least he could do for the quarter of a million dollars we give him in salary and benefits. That is not likely to happen now. Since he has shown a desire to leave, we should give him our best wishes and let him go.

Superintendents are free to move on anytime, leaving the Board and the community to deal with the shipwreck they leave behind.

It appears to me that Dr. Beard has been looking for another job ever since he got here. I think that was the purpose of his traveling around giving speeches to other school districts blowing his own horn about bringing the district into compliance with TEA requirements. He was heavy on his own praise to local civic groups also.

This all points out a flaw in our system – giving contracts for more than one year. A few months ago Dr. Beard requested and was given a contract renewal extending his contract to three and a half years. If we ask him to leave, we can be sued to pay his full contract. On the other hand, if he decides to leave, he just gives notice and walks off without penalty. If a specific performance clause were to be inserted in these long-term contracts, they might not be so appealing to administrators.