Huntley School District 158 board member Jim Carlin has a new burning educational issue.

Carlin is accusing Larry Snow as being “smarmy”–“smarmy behavior” to be exact. (See Carlin’s email below to board members and Superintendent John Burkey.)

What does Carlin propose to do about Mr. Snow’s “smarmy behavior?”

Pass a resolution to issue a press release distancing board members from Snow’s “smarmy behavior.”

There is a slight problem with Carlin’s “Smarmy Resolution”.

He apparently doesn’t know what the word “smarmy” actually means. (See definition below.)

Maybe this was a young Carlin’s vocabulary word for the day and he has just forgotten what the word means. I know my memory is worse now than it used to be.

But isn’t it considered bad form to accuse someone of something and not know what the something really means?

Snow is not your “smarmy” type of guy.

“Servile” is not the word I would use to describe Snow, although he has usually been quite polite to other board members during meetings I have attended. More polite than I have been in official times past when rudely interrupted by a peer.

It looks like petty political attacks are a high Carlin priority.

Do you think it is reassuring to D-158 residents that Carlin is on their Education Committee?

Carlin’s “Smarmy Resolution” may help make the five-member board majority and new superintendent the talk of state association meetings.

In all the years I was in Springfield neither Democrats nor Republicans proposed a resolution because one member thought another was being “smarmy.” They didn’t propose resolutions that attacked their colleagues. They all knew that each was an equally elected member of the General Assembly. That didn’t stop them from saying mean and nasty things about colleagues, but it was considered bad form to do it during official proceedings. Even personal verbal attacks were severely frowned upon during floor debate.

In campaigns, however, it was Katie, Bar the Door.

Maybe this is part of Board Majority President Shawn Green’s efforts to conduct board meetings in a more business like manner. Don’t let the minority make their points; allow them to be subject to continual attack.

At future regular board meetings, maybe more “Smarmy Resolutions” can be proposed by Carlin and both Aileen Seedorf, who beat Carlin in last spring’s school board election, and Snow will only be given 3 minutes to respond.

It’s always refreshing to see educational leaders living up to their potential, but I’m glad my son is in the Crystal Lake school system.

In his email, Jim Carlin wrote:

Mr. Snow,

I see that it is the same old story. It’s OK for you to issue unsubstantiated attacks on our Community Leaders, District Employees and other Board Members, but when we try to distance ourselves from your smarmy behavior it is we who are being political (bold face added).

Well no matter how you spin it, it is not OK for you to engage in this type of behavior and we have a right as Board Members to make sure that the Community and its Leaders realize that we do not support your comments.

My proposal is to have those Board Members who are wish to distance themselves from your behavior to issue a Press Release. The wording of this can be discussed at the meeting and of course it would clearly state who approved of the Press Release – And Who Didn’t !!!

Regards,

Jim Carlin

The below was from googling “dictionary.com” and entering “smarmy”

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) – Cite This Source – Share This

smarm·y /ˈsmɑrmi/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[smahr-mee] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective, smarm·i·er, smarm·i·est.

excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, etc.: the emcee with the smarmy welcome.

smarm·i·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.