President Cross's Staggering Abuse of Power

In September of 2005, an Ann Arbor News editorial ("School board president crosses line", 9/18/05) reprimanded Board of Education President Karen Cross for using her position to influence a judge's ruling of a juvenile she was acquainted with personally. Moreover, the letter she wrote on the defendent's behalf was written on AAPS Board of Education letterhead. She did all this without seeking approval of or even notifying the rest of the Board.

Ahead of the Board election in May of 2005, two member's of Citizens for Responsible Schools attended a meeting for prospective Board candidates. Several current trustees, including President Cross, were in attendance as well to give newcomers some idea of what it was like to be a trustee. When the other trustees mentioned that one should never use one's power for anything personal, President Cross reiterated the point and made a special effort to emphasize it.

Either she forgot the principle behind the words she used, or she ignored them. In either case, in writing the letter and appearing in court as President of the Board, she was guilty of at best only arrogance and disingenuousness, and at worst, pretense about her principles and deliberate abuse of her power.

	Fighting Mismanagement in the Ann Arbor Public Schools District "If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about answers" — Thomas Pynchon

Main Archives Page (New High School) Environment Land Use Traffic School size Demographics Safety Archaeology Alternative sites In the News About CRS Write a letter ! Contact Us Home Page	President Cross's Staggering Abuse of Power In September of 2005, an Ann Arbor News editorial ("School board president crosses line", 9/18/05) reprimanded Board of Education President Karen Cross for using her position to influence a judge's ruling of a juvenile she was acquainted with personally. Moreover, the letter she wrote on the defendent's behalf was written on AAPS Board of Education letterhead. She did all this without seeking approval of or even notifying the rest of the Board. Ahead of the Board election in May of 2005, two member's of Citizens for Responsible Schools attended a meeting for prospective Board candidates. Several current trustees, including President Cross, were in attendance as well to give newcomers some idea of what it was like to be a trustee. When the other trustees mentioned that one should never use one's power for anything personal, President Cross reiterated the point and made a special effort to emphasize it. Either she forgot the principle behind the words she used, or she ignored them. In either case, in writing the letter and appearing in court as President of the Board, she was guilty of at best only arrogance and disingenuousness, and at worst, pretense about her principles and deliberate abuse of her power.