Wednesday, February 9, 2011

This Goes For Decatur School Board Members, Too

Today's Indianapolis Star has this fantastic post, authored by Steve Key, General Counsel for the Hoosier State Press Association.

Here is what he had to say about Wayne Township School Board members:

Some Wayne Township School Board members have decided not to speak to reporters. Their voice will now be that of paid district spokeswoman Mary McDermott-Lang.

The media serve as a proxy for citizens – attending public meetings that a citizen’s schedule might preclude. Reporters ask questions that would be on the minds of those who voted for the School Board.

These questions posed by a reporter and included in a newspaper article or news broadcast help citizens understand the quality of representation they are getting from an elected official.

Those citizens are not well served by a board member who refuses to articulate the reasons behind a policy decision, but prefers to hide behind the practiced and professional tongue of a spokesperson who did not cast a vote and can’t speak to the personal motivations of any individual board member for a vote taken.

If Wayne Township School Board members can’t handle the heat of media questions, then they need to get out of the proverbial kitchen.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

"If Wayne Township School Board members can’t handle the heat of media questions, then they need to get out of the proverbial kitchen."

...or, they can spit in the face of the media and taxpayers, and continue to rob money from children, like the Decatur board does.

J.Benson said...

It's not all that different from the usual alternative. Here in Perry they tell you what they think you wanna hear, and then they do exactly what will please them best and help them retain their school board seat the longest. I'm not really sure which is worst.

Anonymous said...

It's called the "Susan Adams Method" of dealing with the public. I guess the Board at Perry twp learned the lesson well. Nice to see there's something Susan has been successful at teaching.

Anonymous said...

Did Decatur hire someone to replace Bob Harris - CFO?????

Anonymous said...

J. Benson,

Help might be on the way for you in Perry Township. I know that some people are trying to talk a really good man into running. I know he has been a thorn in the side of several administrators in Perry, and would probably have the support of many, many parents. He works in government now though and I think is investigating any conflicts of interests that would present themselves.

Anonymous said...

"I can speak for the rest of these board members. We're gonna work very had to do the right thing," says Dale Henson, president of the school board.

January 28, 2010

Comments made in response to the district eliminating teacher positions and cutting other school-wide budgets. Then "the board" paid $750,000 to administrative retirees and then turned around and rehired them, at what cost we do not know?? Throw in Stinson's contract, whatever it is actually worth (>$300,000). Keep doing the "right thing" school board...just like they are in Wayne!

Anonymous said...

"We're gonna work very had to do the right thing," says Dale Henson, president of the school board.
_____

No surprise there...question is, "do the right thing" for WHO? Themselves and all the fat cats on DUI Don's central office gravy train??? It sure's heck won't be the "right thing" for our kids. It never has. You can take that to the freakin' bank.

Somebody wrote here recently that the school board and DUI Don are running a casino for the administrators where they ALL hit the jackpot. That's the best description yet that I've heard for those self-serving drunks and losers.

Anonymous said...

Story about Stinson in the Star this afternoon....

Anonymous said...

Our board president doesn't live in her district let alone the township. hows this legal. how do this board get away with this.

Anonymous said...

Wonder who will show up at the jury trial????? Glad the Star reported the update.

Anonymous said...

Why would DWI Don plead not guilty and ask for a jury trial? He's already pleaded guilty to the charge in front of the school board. Why would he publicly blubber for "forgiveness" from the Decatur twp community if he's not guilty and didn't do anything wrong?

You don't suppose that it's all eyewash, just to get the heat off himself until his high-dollar lawyer can get him off the hook in Hendricks County? Has our boy DWI Don ever publicly swore he wanted to do something, only to suddenly reverse himself and go the opposite direction when it served his self-interest? I wonder what the school board he BS'd down in Alabama would have to say about that?

No wonder so few people go to school board meetings. I'd feel like rushing home and taking a shower after being in a room with Stinson and those people. Thank God my kids are done with Decatur schools.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he'll plead not guilty due to insanity.

Anonymous said...

Channel 6's Kara Kenney did another story on Wayne Twp Schools last night and the huge amount of taxpayer dollars blown on out-of-state party junkets for the superintendent and board members. The report even included e-mails from board members to Supt. Thompson praising him for being a wonderful superintendent and how close they felt to him. Who can blame them. They obviously followed Thompson like the rats following the Pied Piper wherever he wanted to lead them, just like our school board does with DUI Don. I understand now why Gary Pellico and Robin fight tooth and nail to keep the public from seeing any of the expense account records for $tinson and his party-hearty pals on the school board.

Anonymous said...

Channel 6 needs to get the Decatur claims for superintendent and board trips.