PART 1 WOW - The Dothan School Board Investigation Into School Supt. Tim Wilder - Getting WILDER

Earlier today WDHN Dothan First reporter Ken Curtis issued this challenge: “Why are people calling me anonymously claiming [Dothan School Superintendent Tim] Wilder is getting the shaft but offer nothing to back up those claims?”

Ken, this is what folks mean by THE SHAFT:

1.  Wilder was suspended without ever having the ability to confront the evidence before the Board.  No hearing, no getting his side of the story – hell Wilder was not even allowed in the room.  That is UnAmerican.

2.  The School Board attorney shared information with, and personally lobbied, at least 5 members of the Board – in essence Wilder’s jury – well ahead of the meeting at which they suspended Wilder.  To quote another government watchdog  The members of the Dothan School Board serve as the “jury” in the matter. They are to enter with no pre-concieved ideas and great strides are to be taken to shield all board members from knowing any of the evidence of the case. Therefore all parties get a fair hearing.”  How is this fair by any conceivable standard.  The jury has been compromised.  The judge has decided the case before the trial.  Wilder’s fate was decided before the School Board ever met.  Hell, the North Koreans are fairer than that.  (BTW, there is a recording out there that will prove this.   It is in the hands of a School Board member.  The reporter that finds it can clear a space on his/her shelf for a Pulitzer. Hint:  Its one of the Board members who recently changed his personal phone number)

3.  The School Board attorney participated with the accuser in drafting an incriminating affidavit against Wilder.  And if that is not enough, the affidavit went through several drafts all overseen by Segrest.  Each draft more outrageous than the first.  You want proof, ask Segrest.  If he denies it he’s lying if he refuses to comment . . .well you have your answer then.  How is that impartial or fair to Mr. Wilder.

4.  The School Board attorney has a personal relationship with the family of the accuser.  He represented the husband of the accuser in a divorce proceeding.  Set aside the crazy but true notion that we pay big bucks to a divorce attorney to provide counsel to our school system – Go to the courthouse and look it up yourself.  The case involves Charles Brandon Ethridge.  Then ask yourself, how can Jerry Segrest represent to we the people that he is an impartial arbiter of the facts?  He’s not.

5.  Despite what he told the media and the public the School Board attorney HAS shared sensitive information on the case with people who have no connection with the school system.  He shared the ‘confidential’ documents that supposedly incriminated Wilder with his Pastor from the Ridgecreast Baptist Church of Dothan at a lunch in a public place on Friday October 27.  Ask him, or better yet, ask his Pastor.  Begs the question . . what else has he shared and with whom and why?

6.  The Board attorney is coaching the star witness and preparing her for testimony.  The School Board is not “gathering evidence” as Segrest claims – they are coaching up their witness.  I bet if you asked blogger Rickey Stokes he would tell you that the accuser has been in the attorney’s office as recently as Friday when she spent several hours in there.  How would Rickey know?  Because right now he’s outworking  the local media to get the full story.

7.  Segrest has hired, at taxpayer’s expense, a Private Detective to try and find dirt on Wilder in his hometown, in another state.  The PIs name is Mike Magrino.  Now, why should we have to pay for this?  What are students and teachers going to have to do without in order to pay for this.  When did the Dothan School Board become muckrakers?  Better yet, Why has the Dothan School Board degenerated into muckrakers?  Why does Segrest feel the need to find people who dont like Tim Wilder?  What does that have to do with anything?

8.  The Dothan Eagle has gone so far as to say the investigation has been “bungled.”

9.  The official motion that was read at the meeting at which Wilder was suspended was written ahead of time.  It was printed — not handwritten.  There was no printer in the room where the Board met.  It had to be printed ahead of time, before the meeting.  The verdict was published before the trial.  Why?  By whom?  Is Jerry Segrest a psychic?  How would he know this would be their decision and to print it out in all its legalese ahead of time?  Because the deal was rigged from the beginning – that’s why.  Get a copy of the motion yourself, you’ll see it was printed out.  Look in the secret meeting room and find the printer – you wont because there isn’t one in there.

10.  And with all this swirling about Segrest has told Board members and others not to worry that HE and HE ALONE will conduct the hearing.  He will decide for all of Dothan what is right and what is wrong.  Ask the School Board Chairman – he’ll tell you.

To the members of the media who are still skeptical, there are 10 reasons just off the top of our head that Mr. Wilder is getting the Shaft —-Its not our job to do your job.  You should be asking these questions yourself.  But since you challenged us to “back up the claims”  Well there you go.