Controlling the Message

Confession: I don't hang out at Howard PublicEd. I am wary of this particular group because some participants play fast and loose with the truth and some seem to encourage toxic thinking and conspiracy theories, which alarm me. Not everyone, of course. And I appreciate that there are people there who read my blog, but I have made several requests that they not reprint it in full without a link or attribution. I am hoping they have ceased this practice.

But yesterday Board of Education member Cynthia Vaillancourt posted a rather interesting screenshot taken from the listserv.

What you see here is an email from Board of Education member Ann DeLacy requesting that listserv member Jack start a conversation with a specific line of thinking, supplied by her. This particular line of thinking is anti-union and slams local Democrats as well.

We've got two problems here, and neither one is that I am offended by pot- shots to teachers unions and/or Democrats.

1. Trying to get other people to post your ideas in public forums in order to shield your own identity is unethical. Period. And, according to other postings, this is hardly the first time Ms. DeLacy has done this.

2. For a Board of Education member to try to sway public opinion against the HCEA during a period of negotiation or impasse is illegal. It is a violation of bargaining rules for management to try to influence outcome "through the press."

So do we think this is just one individual "going rogue" or is Ms. DeLacy acting with full knowledge and support of the Superintendent/Central Office staff? Do we think that other members of the Board will act to censure her now that this is out in the open?

What do you think? If past experience holds, the powers that be will ignore it and refuse to address it until it goes away. I wonder what would happen if it didn't go away?

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