||| FROM DAVID JOHNSON |||
I am compelled to respond to Kari McVeigh’s recent letter to the editor published on July 10, 2024, titled “Kari McVeigh responds to attacks.” While Ms. McVeigh attempts to frame the previous news coverage as an unwarranted assault on her campaign, it is crucial that we examine the facts more deeply.
McVeigh claims that she voluntarily resigned from the district, yet the evidence points in a different direction. An article by Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle, dated October 26, 2014, provides a comprehensive account of her departure and other details, which unequivocally statesthat she was terminated on the same day she asserts she quit. This discrepancy is alarming and raises questions about her credibility. This article can be read online at [San Francisco Chronicle Article.
Furthermore, her letter conveniently omits contentious details surrounding her financial dealings, which according to the article, included her earning over $600,000 in a single year. Additionally, Ms. McVeigh’s other legal battles with the district cannot be overlooked.
According to the article, she initiated a lawsuit seeking lifetime health and dental benefits that was eventually settled, but the details remain sealed from the public domain. The school district subsequently filed a cross-complaint asserting that if she retired, she must return the $330,000 severance payment she received.
With such a complicated history, we must ask: if elected as county commissioner, would Ms. McVeigh engage in litigation upon her departure from the county?
In this election cycle, we need transparency and accountability in our leaders. It is vital to examine the records of those we elect, ensuring they align with our community’s values and expectations.
Hi Good People in the Orcasonian,
This letter claims we are entitled to the “whole story” of Kari McVeigh, but David Johnson falls far short of providing it. We know this by simply reading the SF Chronicle article Johnson cites. It says, in part:
“She is suing the 12,600-student school district, alleging she was fired after she objected to race-based hiring decisions, according to a lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court. McVeigh said she resigned and filed for retirement before the board fired her and that under her contract she is entitled to lifetime health and dental benefits for herself and her spouse, according to the court documents.”
So, according to this, McVeigh departed because she opposed systematic racism in her district’s governance.
As I recall, systematic racism was what things like the George Floyd protests were all about. So, whether she quit or was fired, she left the district in a dispute over a principle. Yes, she got a generous severance, but that was what her district’s employment policies called for. And when the district tried to deny her the settlement, they lost.
So, thanks to Johnson’s post, I learned something interesting about Kari McVeigh. But I had to work for it. She is someone who stands for, and fights for, “principle over party.”
It makes me want to vote for her.
Agreed, Toby. That all happened 11 years ago and has been resolved to the satisfaction of the San Juan island School District where she became
Superintendent. Ms. McVeigh is currently part time Superintendent of schools on Shaw and has been working to establish permanent housing
for teachers on Shaw. She has my vote!
Shame on you Mr. Johnson. And LOL that your weak sauce comes just days after O’Day’s endorsement from Bob Jarman, the former council member who was tossed by the voters of San Juan County for being at the center of the Portland Fair scandal (Google it). For him to say “Stephanie is fully informed and familiar with county rules, regulations and policies” is too rich.
Hi All,
Just as a friendly FYI: My name is also David Johnson although I refer to myself as Dave and folks in the community also know me as “Tall Dave” or “Big Dave.” This letter was written by another Johnson, sometimes referred to as DJ. I have no opinion on this issue. Hope folks are enjoying their fall and the last of these wonderfully sunny days!
Tall Dave