Robbinsdale School Board Members To Stop Mediation Despite Conflicts
The Robbinsdale School Board appears to be stepping away from plans for mediation to resolve disputes between board members.
In December 2023, the board moved ahead with plans to hire a mediation firm called Mediation Center to help resolve conflicts and improve relationships.
Mediation Center brought back a draft assessment of the board in May finding that members had a “lack of collaboration,” a “lack of board structure and process” and a “lack of inclusive culture.”
During a tense work session this week, Robbinsdale School Board Chair ReNae Bowman said there wasn’t an “appetite” to talk about the mediator’s report.
Robbinsdale School Board Members Helen Bassett and Sharon Brooks both said the report lacked information related to interviews with district staff members.
Bassett said she was “quite disappointed” in the report because it was “not comprehensive,” and as a result, her “confidence in that group diminished.”
Brooks concurred, and suggested that board members should hash out their differences over a cup of coffee.
Early Intervention Dropped
The mediation firm also brought a recommendation for early intervention mediation sessions.
The board approved funding for Bowman and Bassett, who is a former chair of the board, to have an early intervention.
While Bowman attended the session, Bassett said she was no longer comfortable sitting down with the mediator.
“Quite frankly, I feel like I don’t need a mediation,” Bassett said. “What I need is fairness. The same consideration and respect that’s given to every other director when they raise their hand and have something to say, I would like the same.”
Bassett also said she feels she’s been publicly disrespected.
“I’m not going to be snickered at,” she said. “I’m not going to have eyes rolled at me, I’m not going to have sighs and ‘wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up.'”
Bowman said she wanted to attend the early intervention to help speed up board meetings.
“We don’t have to like each other, or even respect each other, what we have to do is get the work done,” Bowman said. “And we’ve got too many folks, we have too many times, where all the sudden somebody’s feelings are hurt. The point of it is, don’t you think it would be wonderful to have learned from people what they would recommend, [what] an effective meeting looks like?”
The Robbinsdale School Board discusses mediation during a June 4 work session.
Formal Complaint
Meanwhile, the board has hired an investigator to probe a formal complaint filed by Robbinsale School Board Member Kim Holmes.
The complaint is not publicly available.
Holmes told the board she filed it after losing faith in the mediation proceedings.
“I have no hope for mediation with this group,” Holmes said. “I stand by that now because of what’s happened here, and all the others. I have filed a complaint. I am looking forward to an investigation so we can talk about it factually. I’m relying on that.”
Holmes later referred to the process as “insanity.”
“This has been the worst experience working on this board,” Holmes added. “And I’m gaslit. And I’m not doing it.”
See also: Robbinsdale School Board Selects New Superintendent
Brooklyn Center | Brooklyn Park | Crystal | Golden Valley | New Hope | Plymouth | Robbinsdale
