"SINCE voting at board meetings is provided by Guam law, Robert's Rules of Order does not apply,” according to a statement released yesterday by the Attorney General’s Office, after the Guam Education Board sought legal clarification on the voting process that recently occurred to determine the fate of the 4AB schedule.

After the statement was released by the Attorney General’s Office, GEB decided to convene a special work session to further discuss the schedule, according to Lagu District representative Joe San Agustin.

According to the AGO, “Robert's Rules pertaining to the number of votes required at a board meeting is inapplicable since Guam law provides the number of affirmative votes required for any board action to be valid.”

In reaction to the AGO’s statement, San Agustin, who initiated the motion to reconsider the adoption of the 4AB schedule during the last GEB meeting, said: “I was happy that the AG’s opinion was favorable in the ruling – that five votes is all we need because that is the law required for board action.”

During the last GEB meeting, San Agustin’s motion was supported by board members Ronald Ayuyu, Dr. Jose Cruz, Dr. Anita Borja-Enriquez and Rosie Tainatongo, while GEB chairman Francis Santos and parent representative Barry Mead put in a vote against the motion. Two board members, May Camacho and Dr. Paul Pineda, were absent from the meeting. A total of 5 out of 7 board members voted to reconsider the motion to reconsider the schedule.

After the roll call of votes was done, Mead used a point of order to state that, based on Robert’s Rules of Order, a vote to reconsider should receive a two-thirds majority vote. According to Mead, any parliamentary procedure on any motion to rescind a previous motion adopted by the body requires a two-thirds majority vote and that any motion to repeal a prior decision should be published before a board meeting.

San Agustin said the motion to reconsider does not rescind the schedule but puts into question the 4AB schedule and its implementation. With that in mind, he said he spoke with a few board members who are in agreement that a work session is necessary to discuss the schedule.

“We will have a work session to ask the stakeholders to give their input on whatever they recommend regarding the schedule.”

San Agustin also said the board will involve new Guam Department of Education Superintendent Jon Fernandez in the discussion with stakeholders.