Over the four years that this blog has existed, the feedback that I have received regarding it has been overwhelmingly positive. Many people have called, texted or stopped me on the street to tell me that they read my blog regularly and it helps to keep them informed about Minooka CCSD 201. There are a few people, however, who believe that my blog is inappropriate and that I should take it down.
To those that suggest that I take it down, you should not expect that to happen any time soon. This blog will remain as long as I am a member of the Minooka CCSD 201 school board and probably long after. You see, I believe there is a fundamental disagreement between myself and those that think this blog is inappropriate.
Let's start with the fact that Minooka CCSD 201 is a public school district. And as a public school district, it is financed with public money (your tax dollars). It is my belief that when you finance an institution with public money, that institution should be subject to public scrutiny and public oversight. That, my friends, is the reason that there is a school board elected by the voters of the district to oversee the district, an Open Meetings Act to ensure that the public is aware of and can attend the proceedings of the school board, a Freedom of Information Act to ensure that the public has access to public documents held by the school district, and a Public Records Act to ensure that public records created by the school district are preserved and cannot be destroyed.
As an elected official, I believe that it is my obligation to ensure transparency and provide the public with as much information as possible (while still abiding by the privacy laws that exist). I believe that public servants spending public money should invite and encourage scrutiny and not be afraid of it. We are, after all, doing the public's business on behalf of the public. If we are doing that to the best of our abilities, then we have nothing to fear from transparency and public scrutiny. And, if we fear transparency and public scrutiny, then that is the first sign that perhaps we are doing something that we should not be doing.
Unfortunately, public institutions do not always provide adequate transparency or desire public scrutiny. To the extent that this blog provides more transparency, invites public scrutiny, and increases public awareness of the inner workings of Minooka CCSD 201, then I consider it a success.
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