Superintendent Corey Wise given an ULTIMATUM!

Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes

At tonight’s DCSD Board of Education “Conversation About District Business” called by Directors Ray, Hanson, and Meek, we learned:

•   Superintendent Corey Wise was given an ultimatum, without written notice, by Directors Peterson and Williams to resign or be fired last Friday morning. This action did not involve or include input from all of the other Directors. This lack of transparency, not to mention the lack of respect for the 26 years of service Wise has given to DCSD, shows a complete disregard for decorum and the policies and procedures that have been in place for how district employees should be treated regarding personnel matters .  

• This ultimatum was made in a meeting between Directors Peterson and Williams and Superintendent Wise on the advice of recently DCSD-contracted attorney Will Trachman, notably of the Reformers days. DCSD General Counsel was neither informed nor involved. 

• As is her legal duty as an attorney, Director Hanson will make a formal ethics complaint to the Colorado Supreme Court regarding Will Trachman’s breach of contract and ethics because he did not notify all board members of this ultimatum meeting.

• It is important and noteworthy to add that while tonight’s public discussion was organized by Directors Hanson, Meek, and Ray, ALL board directors were invited.

Now What?

The actions of BoE Directors Peterson and Williams will have a devastating impact on our entire Douglas County community, employees, students, and property values.  

We are left with major questions for our entire community moving forward:

•   Why are two BoE Directors making a unilateral decision, (of the job ultimatum of their ONE employee), behind closed doors, without discussions and without the entire board?

•   Do we want our local elected officials to throw laws, policies, and decorum out the window and make decisions on our behalf without transparency, integrity, and accountability?

•   How can we protect employees in this culture of creating distrust and instability with fear and intimidation?  

•   How will this new BoE majority ever build trust with the entire DCSD community when its actions continue to be consistent with the Reformers of DSCD days past?

•   What will be the financial impact of Superintendent Wise leaving? Will the district have to front the cost of a payout of his contract? Or a wrongful termination lawsuit?  What will be the cost of a new Superintendent search?  And most importantly, what is the cost to our children’s education?