An unwritten understanding limiting Tempe Union High School District Governing Board members to one out-of-state conference a year sparked a rare public disagreement at its Aug. 5 meeting.
At issue was a generally routine request on the board’s consent agenda authorizing a $4,400 trip for board member Andres Barraza to Chicago to attend the Council of Urban Boards of Education Conference Sept. 30-Oct. 3.
Board member Nicole Gutierrez Miller asked that the item be pulled from the consent agenda – where a block of requests is summarily approved – to question both the cost and the benefit taxpayers would receive from sending Barraza to the conference…