[Local-Maine-Schools] Fwd: MPBN/School Consolidation Reporting

[Gail Marshall]

By the way Keith, I used an old mailing address to our local maine  
school list and therefore in your reply you have used that too. I  
resent my first mail to the correct address and now send our replies  
there too.
Sorry for inconvenience to all.
Gail

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Gail Marshall <gmarshall at wildmoo.net>
> Date: February 29, 2008 10:11:38 AM EST
> To: "Keith Shortall" <KShortall at mpbn.net>
> Subject: Re: MPBN/School Consolidation Reporting
>
> Keith,
> I sat in the Senate that day (last Monday), introduced myself to  
> Mr. Higgins and heard the report. It was one of the better ones in  
> that it included coverage of sound bites from those who voted on  
> either side of the issue. (By the way, he took audio from me too  
> but diid not use it. Rest assured that as one not normally before a  
> microphone, it was with relief and not disappointment that i did  
> not hear my voice coming through my speakers that evening.)
> Since this issue has ground on for over a year, my ability to  
> recount specific passages of concern fails me. But if we sat down  
> together to listen to the oeuvre of MPBN's work on this topic, I  
> can assure you we would have a lively discussion.  I have winced  
> too many times about it to let this latest stand-alone, gratuitous  
> and really rather remarkably mean-spirited shot by the Governor go  
> by unchallenged.  Your coverage has tended to be almost exclusively  
> what people inside the state capitol are saying about the intent  
> and likely effect of school consolidation. It has leaned heavily  
> towards what the Commissioner and the Governor assert without  
> question. I see their press releases. I hear how relatively close  
> to their talking points reportage tends to be. It is important for  
> you to know and reflect in your reporting that there is a huge  
> disconnect between what is being said in Augusta about this matter  
> and what is being said and experienced by those of us who are at  
> work in our communities trying to run our schools. (I am a school  
> board member, chair of our high school board and chair of our  
> Reorganization Planning Committee.)
> Like I said at the end of my mail below, we on MDI  are among the  
> people who have been most consistently and insistently pushing  
> back. I really do think we and similarly situated school systems  
> are worth a visit. Not because we have nothing better to do, heaven  
> forbid. Not because we are contrarians. Not because we are power- 
> mad school board members. It is because we have fine schools that  
> work well. Because the Department of Education has constantly  
> misguided our schools-all of our schools, on many issues-and they  
> have no credibility within the educational community any more.   
> Because on it's face the State's plans will do our schools and  
> communities harm. Because it is a complex issue that requires some  
> understanding of the details. Because there is something important  
> at stake in this fight over "local control." That term can be used  
> to justify a lot of parochial sins, but it can also be used in a  
> perfectly legitimate defense of unwarranted and unwise encroachment  
> by a bigger branch of government.
> I happen to think exploring the real-life implications of this  
> debate requires and deserves more than sound bites.
> I don't listen to or watch commercial programming. Sadly, I  
> wouldn't bother to challenge what they do. I challenge you because  
> I expect more from MPBN.
> I know the roads are "wicked bad", but send someone out to find out  
> what is really going on where it counts: in our schools.
> Thanks,
> Gail
> On Feb 29, 2008, at 9:11 AM, Keith Shortall wrote:
>
>> Dear Ms Marshall,
>>
>> Thank you for your feedback on our story on Kid's Count. I have  
>> forwarded your comments to our reporter, AJ Higgins, and have  
>> carefully looked over all of your detailed points. We'll be sure  
>> to consider them in future stories. In response I would ask  
>> whether you could be more specific about our past coverage, and  
>> how it has fallen short.  Were you able to hear our coverage of  
>> the hearing on the Damon amendment earlier this week, which quoted  
>> both Senator Damon and House Majority Leader Pingree? If so, did  
>> you find it to be lacking?  If you missed it you can hear it at  
>> our website, in the radio news archive.
>>
>> Reported By: A.J. Higgins Date Aired: 2/25/2008
>> A bill aimed at removing barriers for towns grappling with the  
>> state's school administration consolidation law has now been  
>> amended, and the change, according to opponents, could undermine  
>> the intent of the original effort. The amendment would allow  
>> communities to create a "superunion of governance" which  
>> supporters say would provide more local control for taxpayers.
>>
>> We try to very hard in all of our coverage of such complicated  
>> issues  to bring in both sides.  I'm sure you can also understand  
>> that in-depth analysis of the financial implications of school  
>> consolidation is a challenge  in four minutes on the radio. Thank  
>> you for listening, and I look forward to hearing more from you.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Keith
>>
>>
>> Keith Shortall
>> News/Public Affairs Director
>> Maine Public Broadcasting Network
>> 309 Marginal Way
>> Portland,  ME  04101
>> Phone:  207-874-6570 or 1-800-884-1717
>> Fax:  207-761-0318
>> www.mpbn.net
>>
>> More to Explore
>>
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