On the BOE and Transparency

Opinion

On the BOE and Transparency
Written by Joene DePlancke

I spoke with Kathy Jones today. I told her I was coming to the Board of Education Work Session on Thursday, October 6 at 5:30, as I had some questions. She said, you can’t ask questions at a work session. You can request to be on the agenda for the Board meeting next Tuesday where you can ask questions. I told her I had tried that route and when I asked questions I was told that you don’t answer questions at the Board meetings, I can just ask them. So I told her today that was why I was coming to the work session so I could talk with them. She again said, we don’t allow the public to ask questions at a work session. So I told her that I wanted to ask them if they would be receptive to a Town Hall meeting with the citizens and the Board of Education. Ms. Jones said “WHY?” She said you only have town hall meetings when you have issues and we don’t have any issues. I told her the public would like to talk about some of the recent decisions and also some ideas they have for some things regarding the schools. She said we don’t need a town hall meeting, that “she feels we have avenues in place” to address the citizens, that “prior to a board meeting you can state your concerns.” I said, but you don’t answer the questions, we just get to ask them. She said that they have done nothing that is not transparent and that they are all available by telephone and by email and that they all answer both. I said, but that is one on one. That I think the people would like to be able to discuss things. To which Ms. Jones said “Ms. DePlancke you are the only person that has ever expressed a problem with how we do things, that if people had questions or concerns they would come to the work sessions and the board meetings.” To which I replied, WHY? You don’t answer questions you just let us ask them. That people have tried to get answers and they leave there knowing nothing more than when they came. AND, that all the discussion at the board meetings is in code. The public that attends has not a clue what you are talking about; you refer to everything by Item 3, Tab B. Do I have a motion, a second, any discussion, all for, note all approved. Next item. What good does it do it hear that? What are you hiding? I asked her if she was afraid to have a town hall meeting to which she did not respond. She said that she would check with the board about whether they would be willing to do a town hall meeting and get back with me. THAT, MY FRIENDS, IS HOW YOUR TRANSPARENT, OPEN BOARD OF EDUCATION OPERATES. I hope everyone with questions will show up this Thursday, Oct. 6th at 5:30 at the Board of Education offices at 457 Bobcat Trail.

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