Lewis, the superintendent, had urged the board to not drop the then-current firm in July, citing Gilbert’s lack of experience. “While I understand my opinion probably means nothing, I believe strongly that DCSD has been well served by Maupin, Cox and Legoy,” he told board members in an email obtained by the Independent. “Education law is very complicated, and especially when it comes to employee and special education law. It could be extremely costly to the district if we hire counsel that does not have the expertise required in today’s litigious world.”
When the board voted against ending Lewis’s contract as superintendent during last week’s meeting, many students, parents, and alumni spoke out against the move, including multiple speakers who identified as conservative in the bright-red county. That likely helped tip Englekirk, one of the board’s more conservative members, into voting to retain Lewis. He urged Lewis and Gilbert to find a productive way forward for the country’s own good.
The controversy likely won’t end there. While the board paused its transgender-student policy change in May, it could revisit it again in the future. (It is unclear whether there are even any out transgender student-athletes in Douglas County.) And even if it doesn’t, Gilbert’s lucrative compensation from the board will likely draw further questions in the months ahead. Some board trustees have also questioned the legality of the contract, claiming they didn’t vote on the one that ultimately went into force.