asktheboard@woodstockschools.net is apparently the correct email address.
Dear Board of Education,
I am writing to you in response to comments appearing in the November 23, 2007 edition of the Woodstock Villager. The article quoted Ms. Wholean as stating that she would send a letter to the WBOE chairman Lindsey Paul, on behalf of the selectmen, expressing her objection to the WBOE submitting its column, A Spotlight On Woodstock Education, to the Woodstockctcafe.com website. Wholean cited that the Cafe website is a gossip blog that spreads lies and objected to the fact that the BOE referrred to this website as a legitimate news source for parents. While I appreciate Ms. Wholean’s opinion, I am questioning her motivation for objecting to the post of your non-biased column to the Cafe website.
As a voting Republican and supporter of individual rights to choose, I am appalled at Ms. Wholean’s statements. The legitimacy of the Cafe and the decision to view it as such should be left to the discretion of the individual reader and not to a political demagogue. Ms. Wholean or any other government official has every right to express their opinions, expose lies, clarify gossip, promote transparent dialogue, and participate on a blog, but whether they choose to or not is their personal decision. However, they do not have the right to obstruct freedom of speech, delivery of information, or infringe on the goals of any board who wishes to communicate in any way, shape, or form they deem necessary to reach a broader group of their constituency. While I support Ms. Wholean’s recommendation to post the column on the town website as well, there is no room on that site for candid discussion and dialogue which is so desperately needed in Woodstock. I am also grateful for Ms. Wholean’s concern that parents receive accurate information but I cannot reitterate enough my belief that it is the responsibility of parents, not politicians and government officials, to disseminate information and decide for themselves what news is legitimate and what news is not.
As a Republican who believes in the limited role of government, I am offended that an elected official believes it is their perogative to decide for me what news sources are worthy. Legitimacy of news sources and media outlets are a constant source of debate, a constant subject of scrutiny, and a constant accusatory target of bias, whether it be the NY Times, the Woodstock Villager, or the Woodstock Cafe. A government official who disagrees with an editorial point of view and points a fascist arm upward in support of obstructing its source because they presume to know better is an insult to freedom and a slap in the face to every American. In closing, I commend the WBOE on their endeavors to communicate with the public and attempt to do so by reaching out to the many media venues available. I would encourage the WBOE to continue correspondence with the Woodstock Cafe and am hopeful that they will take into consideration my opinion when deciding to do so or not.
I am sending my letter to: asktheboard@woodstockschools.net . Please join me in doing so.
Good for you Paul! “A government official who disagrees with an editorial point of view and points a fascist arm upward in support of obstructing its source because they presume to know better is an insult to freedom and a slap in the face to every American.” Margaret needs to stop blaming the Blog and free thinking for her election loss. Otherwise, she will be looked at as someone who not only has issues, but someone who is quite mad.
Wholean is bothered by the Cafe because it has exposed the truthful underside of the educational funding structure that benefits her political sponsor, Woodstock Academy, at the expense of the Woodstock Public Schools. Her comments about this, in addition to her seeking to control the BOE and PZC through illicit means, are just more evidence for my dubbing her “Woodstock’s own Richard Nixon”.
Paul,
I personally agree with everything you have stated here. I’ve recently written on this very site that every news outlet has an editorial slant. The Cafe obviously isn’t immune, but neither is the Villager.
Since I’ve been here, the BOE and other town boards have been lambasted for being opaque. The BOE tries to change that and it is now getting yelled at for putting out information using a media outlet that has a editorial slant in opposition to one citizen in town. I’m sure it is of no surprise that just about every media outlet has an editorial slant objectionable to someone in town, the Villager included.
As a new board member I plan on giving my personal views on what goes on in town, here, on my blog, in the Villager, etc. I applaud the outgoing board for doing the same. Conflicting opinions may be messy but open debate is crucial to a healthy democracy.
If Ms. Wholean doesn’t like the editorial slant of the Cafe, she is free to start her own town discussion site. It’s not like the barriers to entry are high.
Kevin E. Ford
Thanks Kevin. Republicans and Democrats can agree! The reason we can agree is because this is a non-partisan issue and anyone or any group who seeks to make it one is a trumpeting a polarizing tune which is painful to the ears of a healthy community. I hope my fellow Republicans will join you in muffling this beleaguring dog-whistle.
Wackity Rant
Margaret Wholean has serious and real concerns about soliciting community input from uncontrolled, anonymous blogs then using that potentially bogus information to justify something that a majority of Woodstock’s citizens don’t want or believe in. I agree with her 100%. “Paulâ€? claims this is obstructing free speech with is ridiculous.
How can anyone, especially the Woodstock Board of Education, try to solicit input from the town via this blog where people are allowed to post anonymously? Say you get twenty different “inputs” here from twenty different screen names, how do you know it isn’t just one person making it look like he’s twenty different people? How do you know if these people are even from Woodstock? For that matter, who is “Paul,â€? the author of this article? If “Paul” were to indentify him or herself, it would give some credibility to this “article” because without that identification, none of us (except John Leavitt) know who this person is.
This isn’t about oppressing freedom of speech as “Paulâ€? claims, it’s about using TRUTHFUL news sources.
It is asktheboard@woodstockschools.net
Woodstock Charlie,
Thank you so much for the wackity rants. Honestly. I love them. I go immediately to the “wackity rant” section on the home page as soon as I see one. I love it that someone has a little fire in them. Boy wasn’t I surprised and honored by your thinking that I was Lindsey Paul!
Charlie, Now that we have the correct email address for the BOE above, why don’t you email your concerns directly to them?…non-anonymously of course.
Woodstock Charlie,
Seriously now. I believe the WBOE is not trying to solicit information from anonymous bloggers. They are merely posting their letter in order to reach as many number of constituents as possible. Whether the Cafe is a legitimate news source or not has nothing to do with it. Responses to the WBOE’s statements/questions via their email address is all they are seeking. Lindsey Paul’s statements that give claim to the Cafe’s credibility as a news source can certainly be argued but it really is just a matter of opinion and opinion, right or wrong, should not stand in the way of reaching the board’s goals. The cafe is merely one vehicle for reaching that goal, not a means for soliciting anonymous opinion. What you are suggesting is as ridiculous as if the BOE were to gather feedback from the Villager “sound off”.
As far an anonymity on the cafe. Let me beg you two questions: If it were disclosed that I was the next First Selectman would my words hold more weight? If I were to tell you that I was a transfer station attendant would they carry less weight?
If you believe my words cannot stand alone and support themselves based on their own merit or they carry no value or crediblity unless followed by a name and title then you my friend are not worthy to read them.
Consider this: Lack of anonymity often serves to feed ego. Words and ideas are all that matter.
WC,
I fail to see the reason why it would matter if every post on the Cafe were actually written by one person. Press releases are not aimed at the people writing at a particualr media outlet, but instead the people reading it.
Kevin E. Ford
Chuck,
Let me also emphasize that although I may disagree with Margaret Wholean’s statements on this issue, this does not imply that I am not a supporter of her. As a matter of fact, I disagree with my own wife about 50% of the time! People tend to think its all or nothing on this website. Not true. Ms. Wholean has tremendous talents and deeply cares for this community. I regret if my statements imply disrespect.