By Jeff B. Flinn
Managing Editor
Two new trustees took the oath of office Monday to join the Boerne Independent School District school board in a meeting overshadowed by a mass turnout of supporters for a high school instructor currently on administrative leave.
A standing-room-only crowd Monday saw 451st District Court Judge Kirsten Cahoon swear in newly elected Trustees Dallas Pipes and Courtney Darter Bruce. They took their turns in front of the podium with Cahoon as did Place 1’s Carlin Friar, who was re-elected in the same May 4 election that saw Pipes claim the Place 2 seat and Bruce the Place 3 post.
But the crowd that applauded each board member packed the house for another reason: Dorman Vick.
The Champion High School welding/ag mechanics technology instructor was placed on administrative leave April 24 by the district. The district has not issued a statement on Vick’s displacement, as is its policy with all direct personnel matters.
But more than a dozen parents, students and business leaders addressed the board, voicing unanimous support for the popular teacher.
Michael Ethridge, a 2006 Boerne High School graduate member of Dorman Vick’s first class at Boerne ISD, called Vick “a role model of the highest order” and said he teaches “for all the right reasons.”
Vick, Ethridge said, “teaches not for the glory, the TEKS, the plaques on the wall, the cool videos and photo ops ... (he) quite plainly teaches for the kids, a phrase you’ll hear him say ad nauseum.”
He said Vick strives to instill the values necessary to help mold his students into productive young men and women.
“The least important lesson learned in his class is welding and fabrication,” Ethridge said. “Rather, the true lessons learned in Mr. Vick’s class are those of respect, excellence, leadership, a hard work ethic, community service and operating on a good moral compass.”
BISD’s board trustees, including the newly seated Bruce and Pipes, listened intently as speaker after speaker made their way to the podium. The board is prohibited from commenting or responding during the citizens to be heard portion of the meeting.
Eli Christian, a senior at Champion, spoke highly of Vick’s influence, and of the values he insists upon in his classroom.
“There has been no other course or teacher that has left such a strong and powerful influence on me,” Christian told the board. “Respect is a major value of Vick’s teachings. He’s taught us all that we must respect one another, and respect where we’ve come from.”
Christian told a story of Vick and his class assuming maintenance of Samuel Champion’s headstone, which had faded and was in need of a facelift.
“Mr. Vick represents what a teacher in this district should stand for, and what this district should have more of,” Christian said. “Through those values, I’ve learned to stand up for what I believe in and that’s why I’m standing up here today, because I believe in Vick ... and we hope we have him back very soon.”
The night’s agenda did not contain any discussion or action items concerning Vick’s employment status.
Hayden Landis, also a Champion senior, said the welding class is like family — and “those 2 a.m. friends,” the people in your life you can call at 2 a.m., regardless of the circumstance behind the call.
“These people you see behind me, as well as Mr. Vick, they are my 2 a.m. friends. They are my family,” Landis said.
“I never thought that as a high schooler, I would be able to work on projects with such profound and meaningful effects, such as the Uvalde project .... which completely changed my perspective on life.
“Vick’s reach goes far beyond this class, this school and this community,” Landis said. “We all want Vick back in class.”
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