It is apparent for some time the Gloucester City Board of Education has held back televising the video recordings of controversial meetings. In other words they censor what you and I can see. Don’t believe the excuse that the equipment the school uses is not compatible with Channel 19’s equipment.
With today’s technology that is untrue and the board members/administration are well aware of that fact.
You would have thought the Board would have learned something from the Gorman and Kilcourse administrations who also concealed information from the public by not televising council meetings. It is obvious they did not.
Following the January school board meeting a letter was posted on ClearysNoteBook from a \”Concerned Gloucester City School Board member\”.
The first paragraph read, \”This Gloucester City Board of Education member would like to set the record straight. The Board of Education has no control over what meetings are shown on the Local cable Channel 19.\” The individual asked not to publish his/her name because of the consequences he/she would suffer for voicing a public opinion. read letter
If the Board of Education has no control over what meetings are televised then who does? And why was the individual afraid to sign his name. Who is controlling what Board members can say to the public? Don’t we vote these individuals into office to represent our best interest? What else is being with held?
For years in Gloucester City there has been a long standing practice by both members of the school board and city council to \”sanitize\” what the public was told. The new City Council members ran on a platform of \”keeping the public informed\”. Good or Bad news would be released to the media. I believe that was one of the reasons they (James, Marchese, Brophy) were elected in 2006.
At a closed door meeting held in January, the Board voted in favor of televising meetings beginning this month. No doubt much credit should be given to the new Superintendent of Schools, Paul Spaventa for convincing those who were against the idea that they were making a mistake. (read media release)
Incidentally some of those who were against the new policy said if the public was interested in school district matters then they should attend the meeting in person. The Stansky’s administration may be over. But it is obvious there are still members of her regime on the board that continue to believe in her philosophy of keeping the public in the dark.
It would behoove the opposing members to read what Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt told a reporter from the Courier Post recently about his decision to air council meetings on television. \”I believe people who work late or cannot make it to town hall for public meetings should not be blacked out of the process. They deserve to see the business of their municipality and the actions of their elected officials.\”
Good for you Mayor Platt!
Gloucester City residents need to get involved in the operation of their $40 million school district. It is obvious some drastic changes are needed. New people willing to fight for our rights need to be elected. You showed your power two years ago when you threw out the old Democrat regime. We need that same determination this year on April 15 when the school election will be held.
It all begins with a strong coalition of people who think alike. People who want to make a difference in our community. It is your turn to step up to the plate and fight for reform.
The deadline for filing nominating petitions to run for school boards is 4 p.m. Feb. 25. Prospective school board candidates can obtain a School Board Candidate Kit online from the New Jersey School Boards Association at www.njsba.org/candidacy or from local school district offices. School board members serve three-year terms.
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