VALPARAISO | Since Valparaiso school board member James Sarkisian called for Superintendent Michael Benway's resignation last month, a number of contributors to public forums have called Sarkisian the spine on the board and praised him for airing important issues.

Although fellow board member Brigid McLinn accused him of bringing an agenda with him when he was appointed to the board in June 2007, Sarkisian has said his only agenda was to do what's best for Valparaiso's school children "and not be a rubber stamper."

But has Sarkisian been that much of a maverick?

Prior to his surprising call for Benway's departure, Sarkisian was relatively quiet on the three issues he raised before the board.

In a statement read at September's board meeting, Sarkisian accused Benway of mismanagement in the resignation of Valparaiso High School Principal Patrick Weil and the resurfacing of the high school football field and deception in the matter of his contract extension.

Yet when Weil resigned at May's School Board meeting, Sarkisian supported without comment a motion to accept the resignation.

At June's meeting, Sarkisian voted to accept the terms of Weil's $131,000 severance package, again without comment. However, when the board moved to appoint James Doane as VHS principal, Sarkisian cast the lone dissenting vote. He praised Doane as an administrator, but said the position should have been posted. Openness in such an appointment should be demanded by all residents, he said at the time.

On the same basis, Sarkisian also voted against the appointment of James McCall as VHS associate principal.

Regarding replacing Viking Field's natural grass with a synthetic turf surface, Sarkisian voted with the board in February to hire an architectural design firm to oversee the process. He made no comment on the motion before the vote.

In May, Sarkisian voted to approve a $631,000 bid for installing the synthetic turf at the high school football field. He made no mention of the $550,000 in private donations raised for that purpose in 2007 that he accused Benway four months later of turning down.

And at April's meeting, Sarkisian voted for an omnibus personnel line item that included extending Benway's contract for a year. The deception Sarkisian alleges in the matter did not become apparent until after that meeting, Sarkisian has said.

Sarkisian declined to comment on his prior board action, saying only, "I stand by my statement and I will continue to do what's right for the children of Valparaiso."