Transparency Viewed Through Rose Colored Glasses

If you have had the pleasure of attending a School Board meeting in Poway Unified over the past five months, you will have heard the word "TRANSPARENCY". The word is tossed in to any sentence when an item on the agenda does not fit with the agenda. OK, I know, I'm taking in circles. I do that a lot and find myself dizzy and having to sit down and collect my thoughts.

#headbetweenlegs

Is it "TRANSPARENT" to conduct business, as a trustee, using your own, private e-mail, instead of the e-mail provided through the district?

There was a "Public Records" request of e-mails seeking exchanges between board members and another individual. The person seeking the request, knew of e-mails that existed between one of the board members and a particular individual. The request was sought in an attempt to understand the context of certain statements attributed to one particular board member.

The request resulted in NO e-mails being turned over from this board member. Knowing there was an exchange between the board member and this other person, that person was asked about the existence of any e-mails related to the issue being questioned. The other individual acknowledged the existence of e-mails from the board member, but was fearful of providing them. It was said the exchange was not from a PUSD e-mail address.

This appears to be a trend among people in political positions, who seek to hide their activities from the public. What communications are taking place in the dark, out of the view of the public? What agreements and promises are being made and not disclosed? What planning and discussion is taking place in these e-mails and with whom?

I for one believe these types of communications border on the illegal and clearly are unethical. As an elected official (School Board Trustee) the only private use of e-mail is for family and private business communications. ALL other e-mail communications should be through the public account provided by the district to eliminate ANY appearance of impropriety. If an elected official is fearful of the content of an e-mail, maybe they should consider the content and re-evaluate what it is they are about to say or do.

TRANSPARENCY is more than a word. It is an action and appearance. When light is shined upon darkness, many times the direction once thought to be correct is altered. Let us shine light on those who hide behind words and shun real life TRANSPARENCY.

Ronald Regan once said; "When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat."