Posted on 03/20/2003 8:46:06 AM PST by pad 34
Summer is only ten weeks away and spring break starts NEXT week. I have got to get away so I can recharge my batteries. Looking forward to moving to a school closer to my home and one more familiar....the one I graduated from!
Straight from the Texas open records act: "The people, in delegating authority do not give their pubic servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created."
Most people are totally intimidated by school personnel and school boards because that is the weapon they use. The people have so much power over what goes on, but it is not exercised as a rule. Especially, if they have children in the school because they fear retaliation. All of this could be changed if people knew and exercised their rights in putting these things straight. I'll have to say there is power in number, get other taxpayers to join regardless if they have children in school..this applies to all school business. With most state's open meeting laws and open records laws there, and knowing your rights, there is much a taxpayer can do if they want to take on the fight. Thank God for Rutherford and for Jay Sekulow, ACLJ. They will help.
Civil servants have an obligation to answer all questions (with very limited exceptions) from taxpayers, and all citizens may see all paperwork in the school's files, announcements, instructions to teachers from administrators, lesson plans, correspondence, personnel files, etc. I refer you to the law as this is relevant to rebut some idea you have that whatever is going on at school, whether or not you have children there or children involved, is not your business and is an intrusion on the school if you question them and they have no obligation to respond. That is totally false.
When O'Neill asked questions about a protest happening on school grounds, which the taxpayer owns, he should have received polite, complete answers. And, unless he was acting crazy or threatening, which does not seem to be the case although you see him as an "obstinate pr***", he should have never been told to leave the premises.
Regarding your "I pay your salary" rant; police, and other government officials enforce laws and you as a citizen have an obligation to follow the law. So, yes, you cannot break the law because you pay the salary of the enforcers. This example has no application to the situation we are discussing. O'Neil had the right to ask the questions and the school employees have laws and regulations they must obey which require them to give complete disclosure of activity at the school.
Yes, I certainly have confronted school officials who tried through intimidation not to give me the information I wanted and they were legally bound (a criminal misdemeanor if they don't) to supply. I knew the law. It didn't work for them.
If that situation was described accurately, the school was in the wrong by allowing a protest on the school grounds, during school hours, and not providing the public information about it when questioned. The reporter had every right to be there and to ask questions. What do you think about "school not sponsoring it" and your Once he learned that it was not a school sanctioned event, he should have just stepped back and let the officials handle it. , when it was held on the school property, during school hours, with particiaption of school employees? That's blindingly stupid.
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