Trustees’ Angry Exchange Briefly Halts Board Session

Ventura County Board of Education President Wendy Larner temporarily halted Monday’s board meeting and bolted out of the room after engaging in an angry exchange with fellow Trustee Al Rosen.

Rosen was commenting on a proposal by Larner that she be sent to a two-day educational conference organized by the Claremont Institute when Larner began to interrupt.

“I’m talking about something!” Rosen shouted loudly at Larner. “I’m talking about something!”

Flushing, Larner abruptly stood up and said: “Do we need a sergeant-at-arms?” Larner then quickly exited the room. “Thank you, gentlemen,” she said as she departed.

Larner had earlier said that she wanted to attend the conference in Long Beach to learn about current issues in conservative education philosophy. But several speakers objected, saying that the information to be discussed was too partisan to expect taxpayers to support.

“I could not support paying for this conference,” said Trustee Marty Bates, who described himself as a conservative. “Nor would I support paying for a conference for those who are on the complete left--the liberals.”

Board Vice President John McGarry took over the meeting, but Larner returned within two minutes and asked, “Mr. Rosen, are you ready to be civil?”

Larner sat quietly as McGarry conducted the vote. Larner’s request that the board pay for the trip lost 3 to 2, with Rosen, McGarry, and Bates voting against it.