By Gary Gillen
By now many of you have heard about the allegations against and the ultimate resignation of Katy Independent School District Superintendent Lance Hindt. I have met Dr. Hindt on one or two occasions at public events but do not know him personally beyond that. For those who have not read the story, the media reports that Dr. Hindt was accused of having been a bully when he was in high school. He denied the accusation and another person came forward alleging the same thing. An allegation like that is bound to attract attention and this one did.
Dr. Hindt has the right to defend himself including hiring an attorney to sue anyone he felt defamed him. But in this case, the school board was, according to news reports, planning to hire an attorney to sue their own constituents who complained about him, using taxpayer funds to do it. Interesting, but it gets better! Dr. Hindt, believing there was a “relentless smear campaign” against him, shocked the community by resigning. The school Board gave him $750,000-two years of salary- as a parting gift.
I don’t know if Dr. Hindt was ever a bully, only he and his accusers really know what did or did not happen. And your perspective on this story will be determined by your opinion as to whom you believe is the victim. Were Dr. Hindt’s accusers the victims of bullying? Was Dr. Hindt the victim of a “relentless smear campaign?” Or were the ultimate victims the Katy I.S.D. taxpayers? That will be for you to decide.
The reason I write this column today is to make this sad affair a teachable moment. This is a political column so let’s look at this from a purely political viewpoint. When a political person, and a school superintendent qualifies, is accused of malfeasance, if guilty, he or she has three choices and two of them are bad. First, deny. This is what most do. Ultimately the truth will come out and the public official is now, not only guilty of the act, but also a liar. Second, Ignore. The media generally fills every void and speculation may be worse than the truth. Third, admit. Voters can be very forgiving. Admitting the act happened is difficult and uncomfortable but it is always the best route to take. Admit it, ask for forgiveness and become the poster child for stopping the bad behavior.
In this case, if he did what is alleged, I would have recommended that he get out in front of the issue, admit that he did it, ask for forgiveness and become the public face of anti-bullying efforts in the schools. He could go to every campus and talk about how he was a bully but turned his life around. If you believe his accusers are the victims, this will help you reach forgiveness.
If he did not do what is alleged, his resignation is troubling. An accused public official who resigns appears guilty. In politics perception is everything.
Finally, if you believe the taxpayers are the victims, you will have an opportunity to express your opinion at the next school board election. It is only then that we will find out whether the voters in Katy ISD approve of this $750,000 exit package.
Gary Gillen owns and operates Gillen Pest Control in Richmond. He is the only person in history to have served on both the Richmond City Commission and the Rosenberg City Council. He was the Chairman of the Republican Party of Fort Bend County 2006-2007. He can be reached at Gary@GaryGillen.com
By Gary Gillen
I resent what a few high-level employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice, who believe they know better than the people of this Republic, have done to harm the reputation of their own agencies. To de-legitimize the Trump election James Comey illegally leaked confidential information to orchestrate an Independent Counsel and get his friend appointed to that job. He has suffered no consequence for his action. Why?
I’m angry about what one political party has done to keep the President we elected from doing the job we elected him to do. They are slow walking all of President Trump’s appointments that require Senate Confirmation for no reason other than stopping his administration.
I’m frustrated that the liberal media refuses to report the promises our President has kept since taking office. They won’t even acknowledge his accomplishments.
I feel pity for people who cannot or will not think for themselves. These people watch the breathless anti-Trump reporting of the liberal media or the professional victims to blindly determine what they should be offended by each day.
I’m sad for the high school and college students who have endured the relentless indoctrination of political correctness. I am so glad I had Mr. Smith in high school who taught us about government and more important not what to think but how to think. And I never had a clue to his political beliefs. That is a real teacher!
I’m disappointed in conservatives who think for themselves but do nothing about it. They don’t care enough to vote or get involved in campaigns to reduce the size, cost and footprint of our ever-growing government. This column went to press before the May 22nd Run-Off Election, so I can’t tell you how many people cared enough to vote but if history is any guide the turnout will have been abysmal.
I’m afraid for the young people who are coddled by their parents. We should love our children, but we should make them self-reliant. “My child couldn’t have done that” is a familiar refrain at schools today. Doing the banking for your grown child is doing them no favor. They need to take responsibility for themselves.
There is a war going on in this country. A full-blown frontal assault against family, faith and justice. Call it political correctness, progressivism or any other name. If these people disagree with you they don’t debate you, they try to shut you down. They will deny you the right to be heard.
It is time we all stand up for our rights. We can start by talking to our children. Explain to them why they should consider consequence over convenience. Why they should think long term over impulse.
If you want to leave your children a world of free speech, of rights, we must teach them the value of that free speech. It may seem to them fun or even effective to walk out of or drown out speech they disagree with but what happens when it is their speech that gets drown out? Ask them how they would feel if they lived in a country with no free speech?
There are no “safe spaces” in life. Better they learn that now then when they are on their own.
Gary Gillen owns and operates Gillen Pest Control in Richmond. He is the only person in history to have served on both the Richmond City Commission and the Rosenberg City Council. He was the Chairman of the Republican Party of Fort Bend County 2006-2007. He can be reached at Gary@GaryGillen.com
