Peyton Wolcott - Llano ISD

P E Y T O N W O L C O T T

Conservative Commentary - Llano ISD & Jack Patton (Texas)

How we take back our children's education:
one person, one question, one school at a time.

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Britain's King George
III once ruled our
country; despotism by
those with power
does not last.
Public school
superintendents would
do well to remember
this lesson from
history.

Questions?

Jack Patton: You can contact Jack at his place of
business: "Doc's Country Store & BBQ" which according to
the local phone book features BBQ, Bar-B-Que Meats and
Brisket, Gasoline, Convenience Doc's." The business is
located in Crockett, Texas. (NOVEMBER 2007 UPDATE:
Doc's Country Store received a "Business of the Month"
award from the Houston County Chamber of Commerce;
Andy Lawrence accepted the award for Jack Patton.)

Mark Chapman: Former Llano ISD board president Mark
Chapman's business is Chapman Construction in
Kingsland, Texas.

Billy Ratliff: Former Llano ISD trustee Billy Ratliff listed
his official contact as Charlie's Store, Inc., in Llano, Texas.

Alan Geistman: Llano ISD trustee Alan Geistman, who
listed his official occupation as "Investor," has moved from
Llano to Horseshoe Bay, Texas; his contact information on
LISD's website is: P.O. Box 8003, Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657.

The story in never-before released
photos of a supe's fall from grace
By Peyton Wolcott
Revised Sunday, December 17, 2006 - 7 pm

First, there was Llano High School (left), a
facility in such terrible shape, Jack told taxpayers, that
a new bond issue was imperative--even though the
district's enrollment is declining. Students were
enlisted to campaign the community on behalf of a
new high school; remodeling was not an issue as the
old high school was in such terrible shape.

So Llano ISD's voters approved a bond, and Jack got
his new high school (next), which taxpayers
nicknamed "The Taj Mahal." Controversy erupted

Next came an ill-fated trip to the TASA/TASB
convention in Dallas (left at TASB logo), in September
2001, where Jack treated himself and three board members
and spouses to $617.37 meal at Del Frisco's (below). The
tab included approximately $80 for alcohol, an illegal
expense under the Texas Education Code; board members
claimed later that they'd left $80 on the table in cash to cover
the alcohol charge which they said the waiter apparently
mistook for a tip. Rebecca and Bill Jennings and Pat and
Jim Donahy, having heard rumors, began asking questions,
eventually resorting to filing public records requests. Jack
produced the Del Frisco's receipt in response to the
Jennings' request for his credit card statements, but when
then-local publisher Eric Bishop asked for his own copy
from the district, Patton claimed no such receipt existed,
apparently not realizing he'd already produced it to the
Jennings.

The fall of former Llano ISD supe Jack Patton--at right hurrying to find out how
much cash LISD trustees were going to award him the month after he became Texas' first
Public Information Act conviction--from superintendent of one of Texas' richest school
districts and former superintendent of the year to selling BBQ from a convenience store/gas
station in East Texas can be traced to one specific action on his part: His refusal to produce
a steak dinner receipt in response to a public records request, thus becoming Texas' first
Public Information Act conviction, according to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.

These photographs are being published now as (1) a cautionary tale for those
superintendents who appear to their parents and taxpayers to think and act as though they
are above the law, and (2) as an encouragement to parents and taxpayers stuck with
superintendents who appear to think and act as though they are above the law. History
teaches us that tyrants fall and justice and truth eventually prevail.

Jack at truck with attorney, Jack with second attorney
objecting to having his photo taken on a city street.

After Patton's conviction by a Johnson City jury, next came his discussion
regarding his settlement with Llano ISD's board of trustees in September 2003. While Jack and
trustees Alan Geistman, Mark Chapman, Billy Ratliff and Bill Kirkman discussed terms (left
below) in air conditioned comfort in the huge empty board room, the public funding the
settlement and the press were locked outside literally, and figuratively left to cool their heels in
the sweltering heat in the un-air conditioned hallway. At one point Jack handed the board some
papers (at right, see arrow) which trustee Billy Ratliff (orange shirt) returned to Jack; despite this
photo, the board denied having seen, received or reviewed any paper records from Patton
during these negotiations. Next, while the board deliberated in private, Jack waited in privacy on
a porch (below) on the other side of the boardroom, away from the prying eyes and questions of
the public and press waiting in the hallway, talking eventually with two people who'd found his
hiding place.

After a lengthy wait, suddenly then-Llano ISD
board president Mark Chapman opened
the locked side door, signaled Jack to
come back inside (below left).

(Left) Patton's re-entry to boardroom; Patton's final exit from the boardroom.
At far right, to paraphrase a song, "Llano ISD Texas in his rear-view mirror."

As it turns out, the old high school could be salvaged after all--thanks to a costly remodeling
program. Locals noted that Jack was also undertaking an extensive remodeling throughout
this process of his own home, located on a ranch outside of town; locals also noted that
Jack's personal architect for his extensive home remodeling was the same architect that the
district was using for the high school; taxpayers attempting attempting to track the increase in
valuation of Patton's home as the remodeling continued experienced difficulties finding it on
the county's appraisals as there appeared to be some confusion as to the exact reported
street address.

Texas Attorney General Greg
Abbott decided to prosecute this as
Texas' first conviction for a violation of
the Public Information Act, saying, "We
cannot allow public officials to make a
mockery of our open government laws."
Andrew Jackson "Jack" Patton (as his
name appears on his SBEC certificate)
was arrested in February 2003 then
tried by a jury in the courthouse in
neighboring Blanco County, in Johnson
City, Texas in August 2003.

Then-Llano ISD board president Mark Chapman opening special
locked side door for Patton, who was allowed to wait away from
prying questions of TV and press reporters, parents and
taxpayers, while the board discussed Patton's settlement.

Former Llano High School, now
Llano Junior High after remodeling

(L to R) New Llano High
School and the large sign
which sparked controversy
as to cost and location -- on
the "Road to Nowhere," a
long drive situated away
from the town of Llano which
no one uses -- and the
contractor's use of non-area
subcontractors.

Dallas Convention Center;
Del Frisco's Restaurant

(Left) Jack and attorney in Johnson City courtroom;
afterwards, leaving courthouse with exhibits.

Patton (far left)
discussing terms of his
cash settlement with
LISD trustees; at right,
Ratliff returning papers
(see arrow) to Jack
which trustees later
denied existing.

Jack Patton cooling his heels while LISD
trustees deliberate, then hasty re-entry

Moments later, trustee Alan Geistman
escorted Jack back to the side door (right)--and
freedom, again allowing him to avoid any
questions from the press or his taxpayers.
This photo (below right) of Jack's truck exiting
the street in front of the school district's
administrative offices was the last known
sighting of Jack Patton on Llano city streets.

Jack's next court appearance (below) was the following month (October 2003) in
the Burnet County Courthouse; that's Jack at far left, again in khaki pants and dark blazer; the
occasion was a hearing for then-Llano ISD CFO Carol Voit (far right, in witness box, in grey).
District Attorney Sam Oatman stands in the middle, hands in pockets, looking down; Patton
had been Oatman's Sunday School student.

Andrew Jackson "Jack"
Patton

NOTE:

Throughout the proceedings, from
Patton's arrest through the trial and
conviction, until in fact his eventual
settlement with the Llano ISD board, Jack
Pattoncontinued to collect his salary at the
rate of $327.92 per day, for a total of
more than $70,000.00.

Was it really "All about the kids" or was it
really "all about Jack Patton's salary and
TRS retirement amounts"?

The way the laws are currently on the
books in Texas, despite Patton's
conviction, he draws his TRS retirement
checks each month and will for the
duration of his lifetime.

DA Sam Oatman
(left) with ass't DA
at hearing for then-
LISD CFO Carol Voit
in October 2003

HOME

when locals learned how much was being spent on the large "Sign to Nowhere" (middle),
located on a seldom-used side driveway farther away from town than the main entrance.
Locals also objected to the general contractor's hiring of outside subs to do work locals claim
they were not given the opportunity to bid on.

Home & Office: (830) 589-6760. (JANUARY 2008 UPDATE: Alan Geistman has resigned from the Llano ISD school
board and vacated the house he was renting in Horseshoe Bay; I have been unable to locate a forwarding address for
Alan other than his wife's executive search firm business in Austin.

Bill Kirkman: Former Llano ISD Bill Kirkman operates a travel agency out of a local bank and lives in Kingsland,
Texas.

Sam Oatman: District Attorney Sam Oatman's office is in Llano, Texas; his site states: "I have been privileged to serve
the citizens of the 33rd Judicial District as their district attorney since 1984. My career in prosecution began with the
Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney's Office as Chief Prosecutor of the 72nd District Court in 1976. I moved back to
my hometown of Llano and became First Assistant District Attorney under the Honorable Louis Crump in 1981. Mr.
Crump resigned in September, 1984 and I was then appointed by Governor Mark White to the position of District
Attorney. I was elected to my first full term as District Attorney and began that term January 1, 1985. I presently hold this
position and will be elected uncontested for the beginning of my fifth term on January 1, 2005. I am a Professional
Prosecutor by choice and by law which disallows any private practice of law or receiving referral compensation from other
attorneys. This also applies to all of my Assistant District Attorneys. As District Attorney, my primary responsibility is to
represent the State of Texas in all felony cases that arise in Blanco, Burnet, Llano and San Saba Counties. Some of the
duties of my office include seeing that justice is achieved in each case we prosecute, assist police agencies on the legal
aspects of investigations, provide legal assistance to each Grand Jury in their decision as to which cases to prosecute in
District Court and which to reject. My office is also responsible for assisting victims throughout the criminal justice
process. This office also represents the State through the appellate process when cases are appealed.