Comments on: Novi School District keeping public in the dark http://www.novitalk.org/2007/05/14/novi-school-district-keeping-public-in-the-dark/ What Novi Michigan is talking about Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:33:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Brian Bartlett http://www.novitalk.org/2007/05/14/novi-school-district-keeping-public-in-the-dark/#comment-3 Brian Bartlett Tue, 29 May 2007 19:28:22 +0000 http://novitalk.org/?p=5#comment-3 Dave and Willy, A few years ago a group got together in Bloomfield Hills called 20-20. They published a document that discussed School Boards in general. They talked about how most boards meet, tell the public how great things are and then pass all issues - 5-0, 7-0, etc. etc. Ours is no different. Check the minutes of our school board lately? While a City Council meeting may contain a debate and confrontation, the School Board tends to have none. Looking at the published minutes, I find it hard to find a SINGLE DISSENTING vote on any SINGLE TOPIC. (I did find two abstentions by Mr. Austin. One was the vote to abstain.) How do you get such mass agreement on every issue? (Deerfield is a few and far between exception to this rule.) The Standard Agenda at a School Board meeting Follows: I. Presentation by a School/Department in District II. Praise of Presentation II.-A Each board member comments what a terrific job it is. III. Vote on proposals unanimously IV. Adjourn Don't expect it to improve or change. At least debate occurs somewhere in the system. Dave and Willy,

A few years ago a group got together in Bloomfield Hills called 20-20. They published a document that discussed School Boards in general. They talked about how most boards meet, tell the public how great things are and then pass all issues - 5-0, 7-0, etc. etc.

Ours is no different. Check the minutes of our school board lately? While a City Council meeting may contain a debate and confrontation, the School Board tends to have none. Looking at the published minutes, I find it hard to find a SINGLE DISSENTING vote on any SINGLE TOPIC. (I did find two abstentions by Mr. Austin. One was the vote to abstain.) How do you get such mass agreement on every issue? (Deerfield is a few and far between exception to this rule.)

The Standard Agenda at a School Board meeting Follows:

I. Presentation by a School/Department in District
II. Praise of Presentation
II.-A Each board member comments what a terrific job it is.
III. Vote on proposals unanimously
IV. Adjourn

Don’t expect it to improve or change. At least debate occurs somewhere in the system.

]]> By: Dave Staudt http://www.novitalk.org/2007/05/14/novi-school-district-keeping-public-in-the-dark/#comment-2 Dave Staudt Sat, 26 May 2007 19:02:15 +0000 http://novitalk.org/?p=5#comment-2 This School District needed a watchdog and now we have it. If these comments don't make you think twice about what is going on in this City, then you just don't care. This administration needs to be held accountable. George Kortlandt and Bobbie Murphy need to lead a new approach for the school board. Question, probe and demand answers. No more hiding away from the cameras (shame on those who support that). There is no expectation of privacy when elected officials meet to set policy and make financial decisions. This School District needed a watchdog and now we have it. If these comments don’t make you think twice about what is going on in this City, then you just don’t care.

This administration needs to be held accountable. George Kortlandt and Bobbie Murphy need to lead a new approach for the school board. Question, probe and demand answers. No more hiding away from the cameras (shame on those who support that). There is no expectation of privacy when elected officials meet to set policy and make financial decisions.

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