Former school district trustee responds to teacher’s claim

While enjoying a fresh start in Wyoming this month, former Nye County School District Trustee Robert Mobley's peacefulness turned to confusion when a Nye County teacher chastised Mobley's decision to resign his elected position.

Beatty High School Teacher Mary Beth Aragon, in a letter to the editor on Aug. 12, said she was surprised but not disappointed about Mobley's departure.

Aragon took umbrage at Mobley's assertion that the board was not doing as much as it used to do in years past.

Mobley questioned whether Aragon had even read the entire article detailing his motivations for leaving Nevada.

Mobley said as one of seven trustees, he felt it was the entire body that he was referring to, rather than any one school, teacher or administrator.

"It seems like over the last couple of years, the board has less and less to do and there is less and less on the agendas and the meeting notes," he said. "I don't know, it seems like we don't do as much as we used to."

Mobley cited confusion on the part of Aragon, as her letter to the editor suggested Mobley was referring to the schools of Nye County.

"His parting remarks don't put him in a good light," she wrote in part. "We, Mr. Mobley, the teachers you never regarded, cannot corroborate your claim not to be 'doing as much as we used to.' Exactly the opposite is true, as I believe the public realizes."

Additionally, Aragon asked rhetorically, "What exactly did you think you were entrusted to do for us here in Nye County?" she queried. "Public servants should have a spark of enterprise, sympathy, fellow-feeling, and a large dose of respect for those they seek to serve. You asked for people's votes, but you didn't deliver, and you leave when the going gets rough. Some public servant. Voters, take heed."

As a result, Mobley wanted to clarify his thoughts to his former community and its residents, regarding what he was referring to.

"Somehow she insinuated that I was talking about the teachers and that is absolutely, unequivocally untrue," Mobley said. "She said things like good riddance, you're gone, and that's fine, but what she wrote wasn't true. She goes into great detail about how I had the school year changed to start at the early date but I never had anything to do with that, and as a matter of fact, I was the only board member to consistently vote no."

Trustees had several options for the proposed calendar year changes.

After reviewing the Nye County School District minutes from the regular Sept. 3 meeting, Mobley in fact, voted against setting changes for the beginning and ending dates for the 2014-15 school year.

Following a brief discussion, the minutes indicated that not only Mobley, but fellow board members Tim Sutton, and Trustee President Traci Ward followed suit, and the motion failed to pass.

During an Oct. 1, 2013 board meeting, Mobley was the sole trustee to vote against setting an earlier start date for the school year.

Mobley did so again at a July 29 meeting when he was the only trustee to vote against changing the school year to start roughly two weeks early for the 2015-16 school year.

Trustees will begin the process of filling Mobley's unfinished term at their Sept. 15 meeting.