Canyon ISD president speaks about decision to ask for Paul Blake's resignation
Following Monday’s Canyon Independent School District meeting, board president Bill Jenkins spoke about his decision to request fellow board member Paul Blake’s resignation as a board member for his comments and actions.
Jenkins said that Blake had made derogatory comments about LGBTQIA+ students and had failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a board member. He said that Blake’s remarks referring to the LGTQIA+ agenda as perverse, degenerate and demonic were inappropriate and showed a bias toward students who may not live their lives as he does.
“I felt like his comments were very inappropriate, very derogatory, inflammatory and divisive toward a certain group of people that choose to live their lives differently than he does,” Jenkins said. “But in a public school, we are charged with the role of providing a safe learning environment; it is our role to provide education, opportunity and a great place to learn for all students. Not just the ones we like. Not just the ones we identify with. Not just the ones that look like or worship like us, but all students. I believe the Bible says to love your neighbors, not just the ones that fit certain categories.”
More: Canyon ISD president calls for Paul Blake to resign due to inappropriate remarks
Jenkins said his request for Blake’s resignation was based on many factors besides his comments. Blake also declined to serve on a committee previously with the board, which was already shorthanded due to board elections. Blake also failed to conduct an evaluation of the district superintendent on time, being the lone member not to complete the task in the allotted 11 days.
During the meeting, Blake stated that he abstained and did not complete the evaluation because he thought it was proper to wait until after the elections to make the evaluation. Jenkins said that this was the first time he heard that reasoning and that it was well after the assigned task.
“These are serious offenses; so, because of those offenses, I find him to be unfit, I find him too ineffective and I find his speaking toward students the way he did to be unethical,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins reacted to some in attendance attacking his level of faith and his comments made during a training session.
“I make no apologies for the statement that I am reported to have said,” Jenkins said. “We as board members are elected by the community, but we are a nonpartisan board. It does not matter if I am Republican, Democrat or choose not to identify as a party whatsoever.”
He emphasized that issues in today’s culture on both sides of the aisle make him want to throw up.
“We are not here to carry on an agenda or a personal interest,” Jenkins said. “We are here to serve all of the kids. I feel like this has been an attack. There are books in our library that we are working to clean up. It needs to be done, and we have made great strides to do that. There are books in our library that I would not choose to read. There are books in every library that I would not have in my own house. It comes down to a personal choice of what they (the students) wish to read.”
Jenkins emphasized that many books are not meant for all students, and each student has different interests. Moving down the path of removing each book that one may find objectionable because of the lifestyles depicted is not something that Jenkins wants to be a part of. He said he wants inappropriate content out of the libraries, rather than just subject matters that are not agreed with.
“We are not in the business of burning and removing books,” he said. “We are in the business of cleaning up our libraries. We have made great strides. There is a right way to do things.”
According to Jenkins, the call to resign for Blake was not his alone. He said that others have requested that action be taken by those who are in the school district. He said overall, the biggest voice on whether Blake resigns or not will come from the people as he has declined at this time.
Jenkins referenced the attacks he received from some community members at the public forum as not indicative of the community. He said Canyon ISD’s accomplishments speak for themselves with a low tax rate, the schools’ successes, and the well-prepared students who graduate to go on to greater things from diverse walks of life.
“I feel like there is a lot of support in this community,” Jenkins said. “I just find that the people that choose to bring their comments to the board have the loudest voice, but I do not think they represent the majority of Canyon or our community in general.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Canyon ISD president gives reasoning behind resignation request
