Monday, April 10, 2006

Yeah, we "got your back"

We just returned from our local School Board meeting. There was a student/teacher presentation on a program in which the kids participated in Springfield at the Statehouse. Fine. The kids were pretty articulate; but here's the deal. (I've noticed this at other "public" meetings as well - perhaps most noticably at the County Board meetings.) The meeting room was set up so that the presentation was made to the Board, so the kids and the teachers had their backs to we peasants (the "audience"). The public is always referred to as "the audience". We find that interesting in and of itself - but we digress. At the end, the teacher expressed profuse thanks to the School Board, the Administration, the Superintendent, the kids, everyone in sight for the opportunity the program represented - everyone except the taxpayers, that is. Then again, we weren't in sight. We were behind them.

All of these Boards need to set up their rooms so that they at least give the appearance of the Board and the "audience" being on the same side. It's a psychological thing. We are on the same side, aren't we?

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