tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post3918266531730772904..comments2023-06-05T06:30:25.429-07:00Comments on Rhetorical Wasteland: Liveblog! LCSD Board Meeting, August 4th, 2008Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-91382879300730124632008-08-06T08:17:00.000-07:002008-08-06T08:17:00.000-07:00Well, Dennis, would you want to have a beer with s...Well, Dennis, would you want to have a beer with someone who had trashed you so consistently? I wouldn't. Maybe Rick would, I don't know. It seems kinda arrogant on your part to suggest this...like you get to rip someone apart but then "be willing" to have a beer with them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-42596544137935009102008-08-05T21:11:00.000-07:002008-08-05T21:11:00.000-07:00Anon @ 8:11, I would have said the same thing abou...Anon @ 8:11, I would have said the same thing about any board member who made such a motion without any discussion, for the same reasons.<BR/><BR/>I don't particularly like the fact that the board barely deliberated all - and that's on the entire board, not just Alexander.<BR/><BR/>I understand where you're coming from with the comment about discussing the positives and negatives in front of them, but to be frank, that's life on a public board. This school board should not deliberate behind closed doors and appear only to announce their decision unless it is required by law. No, it might not have been comfortable for the candidates, or even many in the audience, but I still think it would have been best. And besides, there are ways to go about it that don't involve making negative comments about the candidates. They simply could have said which candidate they preferred and the positive reasons why.<BR/><BR/>I think Mr. Alexander's behavior as a board member has been atrocious, and I think I've been clear in laying out my reasons why. However, I stand by my offer to have a beer with him, metaphorically or otherwise =)Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05685035273589091992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-51348726695616060052008-08-05T20:11:00.000-07:002008-08-05T20:11:00.000-07:00If others had wanted to deliberate, they could hav...If others had wanted to deliberate, they could have declined to second his motion and maybe asked additional questions. Do you think that there, in front of them, they would deliberate the positives and negatives of each of them?<BR/><BR/>Come on, Dennis, you just have decided you don't like or respect Rick, so you will be critical of damn near whatever he does.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-76182195563201093132008-08-05T19:02:00.000-07:002008-08-05T19:02:00.000-07:00I don't think they should have aksed each person t...I don't think they should have aksed each person the same question either. It did make it more difficult for Jackson, but at the same time, because McUne and Sneddon had time to think about their answers it left us wondering if they would have given the same answer if they were first. I thought that was just weird. In fact, I am curious if that is the way things like this are typically done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-72410041637394645852008-08-05T17:26:00.000-07:002008-08-05T17:26:00.000-07:00Sorry - that was rather terrible word choice on my...Sorry - that was rather terrible word choice on my part. That sentence should have read "Even if the board members had all independently made up their minds before they <I>started the discussion</I>..."<BR/><BR/>You're right. It's generally a good idea to make up one's mind before voting =)<BR/><BR/>If a school board is supposed to be a deliberative body, making a motion to approve one candidate less than ten seconds after Josh thanked the last guy and opened the floor is a failure. There's not even the appearance of deliberation. Even if Alexander knew who he was voting for, he could have at least waited to see what others had to say, no?Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05685035273589091992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-13848685484312488902008-08-05T17:15:00.000-07:002008-08-05T17:15:00.000-07:00Well most members of congress know how they are go...Well most members of congress know how they are going to vote before a vote is taken! To not ponder pros/cons of the candidates in advance would be ludicrous. It may be the decision wasn't final for all or some of them until the questions were answered, but I wouldn't see it as a crime to have an opinion about who one favored (having reflected) before the meeting!<BR/><BR/>Frankly, I think Rick can't win with you, Dennis, no matter what he does or doesn't do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-87148298996185430042008-08-05T14:55:00.000-07:002008-08-05T14:55:00.000-07:00The other thing I want to address is the McUne bit...The other thing I want to address is the McUne bit.<BR/><BR/>Even if the board members had all independently made up their minds before they voted - which is fine - making the motion within seconds of opening the floor for discussion adds to the APPEARANCE that this was decided before the meeting, either independently or not. And since the board is supposed to make those sorts of decisions in public, at the meeting, making it look like the decision was made somewhere else is not good, <I>especially when they had the freakin' candidates come up and answer questions</I>. What was the point of that if they already knew they were voting for McUne? I know if I was P. Jay Jackson or Jeff Sneddon, I'd feel like it was rigged right about now. The Superintendent is not the only person in the district who needs to think about public relations. <BR/><BR/>(As a side note, not talking to the board members beforehand is arguably a large oversight on the part of Sneddon and Jackson. On the other hand, I have this feeling that the process used was not all that formal or thought out.)<BR/><BR/>Besides, this would have been a good opportunity for them to walk through their decision-making processes in some level of detail and show the public they are capable of making good, considered decisions. I'm not saying they didn't; I'm saying they <I>looked</I> like they didn't, and that the impression they leave the public with matters.Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05685035273589091992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-46351746797929433552008-08-05T14:43:00.000-07:002008-08-05T14:43:00.000-07:00I'm talking specifically about adding things to th...I'm talking specifically about adding things to the agenda at the beginning of the meeting, and not earlier. And not when Alexander was chair - I mean in the past year or so.<BR/><BR/>Adding things to the agenda days beforehand allows the public to become aware of those things and make their choice to participate based on them, which is something Alexander claims he wants. Not providing the public that chance - <I>intentionally not providing the public that chance</I> - is anti-democratic, not pro-democratic. And don't tell me he only added things at the last second because that's when they occurred to him. He's smarter than that.Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05685035273589091992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-44000316071850686742008-08-05T14:31:00.000-07:002008-08-05T14:31:00.000-07:00I don't know if they agreed about who they were se...I don't know if they agreed about who they were selecting ahead of time, but they sure all seemed to have their minds made up ahead of time. At least that was implied when they all said McUne had called and spoken with each of them at some time before the meeting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-90410675834671991232008-08-05T13:05:00.000-07:002008-08-05T13:05:00.000-07:00Not all of us see him as sandbagging the public by...Not all of us see him as sandbagging the public by adding things to the agenda that he's decided need adding (when he was chair). It's being responsive to the current situation. good grief.<BR/><BR/>Now you are implying they all agreed in advance who they were going to pick for the new board member, just because Rick made a motion quickly to select the guy they picked? good grief with a horizontal head shake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-89489696191698194252008-08-05T11:27:00.000-07:002008-08-05T11:27:00.000-07:00I can't actually decide if I think he's sincere an...I can't actually decide if I think he's sincere anymore or not.<BR/><BR/>If Mr. Alexander believes in democracy, why does he constantly sandbag the public by adding things to the agenda at the last second?<BR/><BR/>Why does he give the appearance of having made decisions behind closed doors, often making motions before there has been time for deliberation or discussion? <BR/><BR/>Even with the appointment of Russ McUne, Mr. Alexander did not allow more than a few seconds for discussion before making a motion.<BR/><BR/>In some ways, I can understand how Mr. Alexander may think of himself as a proponent of citizen involvement and democracy, but his actions often betray those values; the only possible exception I can think of is if he informs his supporters of his plans beforehand, but that just means it's democratic only for people that agree with him, which is not democratic at all, really.<BR/><BR/>That's one run-on sentence.Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05685035273589091992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-67560008527627853922008-08-05T11:18:00.000-07:002008-08-05T11:18:00.000-07:00I don't think Rick was familiar with liveblogging,...I don't think Rick was familiar with liveblogging, until he learned you were doing it. He probably was just curious. He is sincere about believing in democracy and the more people are involved, the better, even if they disagree or disrespect him, as you generally do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-73114360480062872992008-08-05T07:37:00.000-07:002008-08-05T07:37:00.000-07:00He may not have known I was liveblogging, but he w...He may not have known I was liveblogging, but he was awfully interested in what was the on the screen of my computer when he came over.<BR/><BR/>Like I said, he was polite. The bit about democracy was apropos of nothing, or, if there was an intended message buried in there, I missed it.Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05685035273589091992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-23058860365658997572008-08-04T23:57:00.000-07:002008-08-04T23:57:00.000-07:00Rick Alexander didn't know you were live blogging ...Rick Alexander didn't know you were live blogging until after the meeting. He just wanted to meet the famous Dennis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-77856301711360491252008-08-04T23:26:00.000-07:002008-08-04T23:26:00.000-07:00The woman's name that followed Jan, is Laurie Glaz...The woman's name that followed Jan, is Laurie Glazener. She just sort of quickly went up there before being introduced, and I am not sure an introduction was ever done. P.S. I will cancel the request for your seat - cheersTouristhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12417357056891036905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-62148654631055384512008-08-04T21:58:00.000-07:002008-08-04T21:58:00.000-07:00Tourist, thanks for the offer, but I don't want a ...Tourist, thanks for the offer, but I don't want a seat at the press table.Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05685035273589091992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620474884501533030.post-19883172380595016332008-08-04T21:44:00.000-07:002008-08-04T21:44:00.000-07:00Well done, I am told I know a few people, I will l...Well done, I am told I know a few people, I will look into getting you a seat at the press table. I hope you had fun sitting next to Brian, he is always good for a story or two, but he really needs to change his outlook on Apple. I was curious that during the discussion on the failing reading and writing AYP scores, no one asked, how specifically the district plans to fix the issues. Yes, a generic overview was done, but in order to start to work on these complex issues,a specific and systematic plan must be developed and scaffolded appropiatley across grades.Touristhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12417357056891036905noreply@blogger.com