More TLC Shakeups

I haven't blogged much lately- feel crazy busy with work- but found this comment on a past post "Seeking TLC Feedback:"

I hear that earlier this week (February 2010), the TLC Board of Directors officially fired Fredi Sison from staff. Since you are on the F Warriors Board, would you please check on this? I hope it is not true or, if it is true, I hope it is a decision that can be reconsidered.

Fredi is simply one of the best. That's why she was chosen to be on the Board of Directors of Spence's Trial Lawyers College. When Jude Basile took over as President of TLC last year, he removed Fredi, Carl Bettinger, Kaitlyn Larimer, and Lynne Bratcher from the Board.

When we gathered in Dallas in November, for the F Warrior retreat, someone asked Jude if these former Board members would return as staff members. He said they would, and went on to say that he wanted to open up the process by which staff are chosen.

So why no openness around this new development? I don't know, but I found another comment, which further intrigued me:

So, when are you or someone going to write about Fredi Sisson, Mary Pekam and Carl Bettinger being taken off staff by Jude Basile? What the hell is wrong with TLC and why are the alumni letting the new leadership get away with throwing the best teachers off the staff? The silence is deafening!

Here's your answer: Because of the silence, only a few people even know! And because no one knows the facts, the few that know about these "firings" (they're volunteers who pay their own way to TLC events!) can only speculate, like this commenter:

I have heard that Fredi Sison, Mary Peckham and Carl Bettinger are all off staff because they are friends with the former Executive Director. Can you please write about this? Who else has been taken off staff and why? If this is true, it is bogus and bullshit! What makes me the most sick is how no one speaks up, complains about or protests the very unTLC like actions of the new president and of Spence himself.

I agree that the "silence is deafening" and that someone needs to check on this so the alumni know the facts. I haven't heard anything from any other FWB members, so assume that this will be news to them too. But, in an effort to answer these questions and separate fact from speculation, I sent this email to the FWB:

"I've heard from several sources that the Board removed Fredi Sison, Carl Bettinger and Mary Peckham from TLC staff, but have heard nothing about this on the listserve or from other FWB members. I've also been asked by several people to find out more information about this. Isn't this in direct contradiction to what Jude promised in Dallas in response to a question about whether former Board members would return as staff? Isn't is also in contradiction to Jude's promise to strive for more openness about such matters?"

Will we hear more silence or are we entitled to the facts, and maybe an explanation if it turns out Fredi, Mary and Carl are no longer on staff?