The Peoria Public Schools Board of Education stopped broadcasting their meetings live in May of this year, opting to show the meeting a week delayed and with the public comments portion of the meeting excised. The first meeting in May was recorded (audio only) by blogger Elaine Hopkins and posted on her site. This week’s meeting was recorded by Diane Vespa (video and audio), and she and Hopkins, on behalf of the District 150 Watch group, have partnered with WMBD-TV to put the video on channel 31’s website. You can see this week’s meeting by clicking on this link: http://centralillinoisproud.com/district-150.
These videos are complete and unedited, and will be uploaded sooner than the replay on cable access channel 17. Plus, they will be available on demand to anyone with an internet connection. Kudos to District 150 Watch and WMBD-TV for providing this public service.
This is excellent news! Thank you Elaine and Diane the public does appreciate it. I am sure the school board is upset by this, but what can they do about it…..nothing LOL! If they try to block this type of access it only becomes more obvious of their initial intent to censor information. Simple question is if Elaine, Diane, and WMBD-TV can do it FREE why cant #150??????
If only somebody would record the Park Board meetings and put them up.
I appreciate District Watch taking on this project.
We had some technical difficulties this first time due to incompatible file types. This caused a delay in publishing the video to the WMBD site. By the next board meeting these gliches should be resolved and our goal is to have the video uploaded the morning following the board meeting. Our thanks to Blake Long and the Station Managers at WMBD-TV for their willingness to serve the public interest and to you, CJ, for training me on the equipment.
On this video be sure and check out the remarks by Hedy Elliott-Gardners GED students. Very moving and heart-warming. Also enjoyed the Chess awards, the Teachers of the Year awards and the Administrator or the Year Award to Woodruff High School Principal- Terry Dunn.
The public comment section of this meeting is one of the most moving and valuable events I have seen anywhere. Don’t miss it! And thanks to Diane who bought the camera and stayed for the entire meeting to film it. The group will be sharing this chore in the future.
As for Laura P’s comment above — why don’t you move to reinstate the board’s live broadcast?
The board never voted to end it, just announced it. Vote on this important issue!
Thank you so much Elaine, Diane, and WMBD-TV for brining this to the tax-payers of Central Illinois.
Shame on District 150 and thanks to all involved (Diane, Elaine, C.J., WMBD) for this venture supporting freedom of the press. As Elaine and Diane have already stated, the speeches by the GED students are phenomenal and the district should never deprive the public from hearing the opinions of the public–and depriving the public from hearing these young men is so very wrong.
BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO Elaine, Diane and WMBD!
Wolfmeyer and cohorts were outsmarted in their attempt to hide by delaying the broadcast and editing out the public comment section. This BOE has repeatedly proven they lack substance, common sense and trustworthiness so they need this public scrutiny and input from people at the podium willing to address their grievous actions.
I think it’s great that Diane and others are taping the meetings and putting them on the internet for all to see. It’s truly above and beyond.
But why do people need to criticize D150 when what they are now doing (broadcasting, by delay and without comment, the meetings) is still above and beyond not only what is required, but also more than, I believe, any other nearby school district? Does Dunlap, Washington et al even broadcast their meetings?
No one is being “deprived” – anyone can go to the meetings. Sure, I wish the meetings were still televised live and complete, but I don’t understand why D150 should be “shamed”. And Professor – guess what – the District IS getting it done for free – because Diane is doing it now. I guess this works to 1) reduce costs and 2) create more community involvement.
Jon – I agree with you. This is something that we as a watch group should have done long ago, but just needed the right “incentive” to get on it. Nothing like telling someone “No you can’t” to get them to say “Yes we can!”. 😉
@Jon…you are right! However, the districts that aren’t televising their meetings create the transparency necessary for their tax-payers. Therefore, the need for broadcasting their meetings isn’t as critical as it is for PSD150. Since much of the people who are interested in the PSD150 meetings are the parents of school age children, Monday’s at 6:30pm is not always favorable for a lot of families.
Diane,
We disagree on many issues, but your work here was well done!
You radical!
NV, Thanks, but WMBD did the heavy lifting. They deserve our thanks and our admiration. If you get a chance please tell them your thoughts. During their newscast tonight they will plug the new District 150 Board meeting page. We need to get the word out at every opportunity that the board meetings are now all on-line and archived. The page is available at the centralillinoisproud.com webpage under the “NEWS” tab. The more taxpayers, parents and other stake holders are informed the more vested they will feel in their school district. That is a good thing.
Jon, of course, the district isn’t forced legally to televise public comments (and you no longer have to wish that the meetings were aired complete–and they will come very close to being live). However, District 150 some time ago made the decision to be different from other districts and televise the meetings and public comments. Then Wolfmeyer with major prodding from Stowell decided to cut the public comments and tape delay the business portion of the meeting. Then Wolfmeyer insulted the public’s intelligence by saying that it would be cheaper to eliminate public comment. District 150 could easily have made the same deal with Channel 31 (at no charge) that members of District Watch made. Clearly, they don’t want the public to hear what the speakers have to say. Of course, the district should be shamed and should be ashamed. For instance, at the last meeting, almost no information was delivered to the public from around the horseshoe–mostly the board votes with very little discussion on any issue. Information about GED classes, cutting librarians, summer school, vocational courses offered in other districts–all came from our side of the podium.
At the present time, I do not (as far as I know) have the second necessary to put it on the agenda. I’ve made my point about shortening public comment and I’ve consistently voting against these measures limited public access and participation when they come up. The course of action most likely to result in the resumption of live televising of the meetings seems to me to be to wait until things settle down and possibly until the composition of the Board changes, which it will do July 1 and against in January. On the flip side, repeatedly bringing up points I’ve already lost, and will lose again and again, seems likely just to harden opposition to televising without any practical gain.
Thanks, Laura, for your stand against the dropping of public comments, etc. At this point, I say that the other board members can go right ahead and dig their heels in and harden their opposition to televising–they now are irrelevant; the decision has been made by WMBD to carry out to the fullest the public’s right to know. This new method is most likely better–for those who have the internet. Also, there are those who didn’t have cable and couldn’t access Channel 17 anyway. Now people can choose when they want to watch the board meeting. I guess everyone now knows that any public meeting of any public group can be recorded. Remember that Elaine Hopkins did record the audio of the previous meeting with just a little hand-held recorder that did the job quite well. I am sure some blog or TV station will be willing to air other the meetings of other public bodies.
I can’t imagine that Rachael Parker would support the censoring of public comments. More than likely she acquiesed to others. For that matter it is probably true for Martha Ross as well. Laura has been true to her word and has consistantly voted on behalf of openness and transparency unlike Wolfmeyer, who despite the fact that she touted that heavily as a campaign platform, has done everything in her power to affect the exact opposite. But like Sharon said, it is all water under the bridge. This is a far better alternative anyway. Carpe diem!
Does anyone know when Wolfmeier’s term is up?
People you haven’t even started to see what is about to happen as far as shutting down information coming from the district.
I heard Shipp was put on Admin leave today pending the outcome of an investigation into the injury of another kid. It wasn’t enough she had two kids end up on Hwy. 74 then another kid had to be injured before they did anything about it.
Lynn they can try and shut it down all they want but in this day and age it just ain’t possible. But go ahead with the details we are all ears.
This new regime is going to make Stalin look like Mr. 1st Amendment. Pravda isn’t going to release any info that you don’t need to know and the new TV rules are a perfect example.
If they would do what is right that would reduce the number of speakers at board meetings. It wouldn’t eliminate them but it would reduce the numbers. Instead of doing right they just decide to reduce what you know or see.
How can the district stop WMBD or anyone else from televising or filming/recording the proceedings of open meetings?
They are OPEN meetings, right? Public meetings of a public organization… right?
“say that the other board members can go right ahead and dig their heels in and harden their opposition to televising–they now are irrelevant; the decision has been made by WMBD to carry out to the fullest the public’s right to know.”
That is probably true (and I hadn’t thought of that, I was focused on how best to return them to the “old” method of broadcast). However, I’m still not sure that repeatedly beating a drum on an issue I lost, when nothing has changed, is a good strategy cosmically, since there are other issues I’d like to move forward on as well; I’m hesitant to alienate others unless I can accomplish something, if that makes sense.
Good advice, Laura. Maybe some people will consider doing just that…… or maybe not 🙂
It makes sense, Laura. You have your hands full. Lynn Smith you may be right on your predictions. I have not seen anything out of the new super that would make me feel otherwise and I know many others share my concerns.
District Watcher I am one of the ones who had high hopes that maybe the board had got it right this time on hiring a new superintendent. At this point it is not looking too good.
From what I have seen and heard thus far is she is “attacking” a certain area in lieu of what the real problems are. All of those that are retiring this year have no idea how blessed they are to be able to retire before this horror show gets rolling.
Lynn – I would like a bit more detail about how why you believe Dr. Lathan is already going a stray. Thanks!
Laura- Shrewd move. Have to pick your battles. I would prefer you cash your chips in on a more meaty matter. Thank you for hanging in their and communicating with the public on this forum.
Laura might well be right with regard to picking her battles, etc., on the board and will continue to stand her ground on matters of conscience. As for the public comment argument, Laura tried her best and no one listened, so I see no reason for her to continue fighting that battle. But we can. Also, I am sure that the board as a whole will try its darnedest not to take the advice of most of us who stand at the podium–certainly, not Terry, etc. They are shooting themselves in the foot by keeping Edison and Johns Hopkins–the district will be broke and they will still be showing Terry that his opinion doesn’t matter. My only hope is that the public and teachers get the courage to say enough is enough. Lynn, there is absolutely no way that you can be so certain that Dr. Lathan will be presiding over a horror show–those are just your predictions based on little real evidence. First of all, if she turns out to be all that you predict, then it will be the board, not Dr. Lathan, who will be to blame for allowing it. The board got rid of Royster–they are the ones with the power whenever they decide to use it. The main thing that scares me right now is that 150 currently has 6 women in top positions and (according to job postings) an associate superintendent still not appointed (and we can every reason to believe that will be a woman). Therefore, we will have the leadership of 7 women from out of town who do not know anything about Peoria history, Peoria people, Peoria schools, etc., and with no particular personal interest in whether or not Peoria schools succeed or fail–they just aren’t invested. And even if they have the best intentions that scares me.
Sharon:
One way to look at it is the end of the good ole boy network. That would be a good thing, no?
Emerge, I am a bit of a sexest when it comes to school leadership–too many of either sex is not a good idea. The all women thing was really my main complaint about Royster’s regime. You may not agree with me, but I believe that Manual is way too top heavy with females. I believe young men need strong male role models–some have none in the home and, certainly, need them at school. Just my bias. However, I agree the “old-boy-network” left much to be desired. But the “all-anything-network” doesn’t work. This catching up for women and minorities doesn’t have to mean dominance, does it? Frustrated, see that’s way I acquired the negative connotation to the word network!
One way to look at it is the end of the good ole boy network.
I’m sure you refer to it as “good old boys” only figurately right Emerge? Men and women both have been part of the stagnant, bureacratic, nonproductive, money sucking status quo. In fact, one was in court just last week. And no, I don’t think anyone is convinced that this is the end of the network you refer to. The network will remain intact, (although somewhat expanded) – only the faces change.
“repeatedly beating a drum on an issue I lost”
Laura.. you are not dealing with people who have the children’s best interest in mind. They have their own and the business communities interests in mind… YOU CAN NOT LOSE THIS BATTLE.
This is not just a simple agreement about which text book to use or which discipline model to follow. This is a fundamental difference about what should the role of public education be in the lives of children, and / or the community. I know you want it to be about education. They don’t. They want it to be about providing employees for a busted economic system.
Sharon I’ll somewhat agree that I can’t predict with certainty that it is going to be a horror show but it is certainly giving that initial impression. When statements are made that “when I have to come down from my position to use my intelligence to do your job” please tell me how you would interpret a statement like that? I understand what a person is trying to say with a statement like that but wouldn’t you agree that it is a demeaning statement?
I just saw this story on the ROB…
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37390661
Why do we need TWO boards of education?? And what does the RBE do?
Lynn, what worries me about her after watching the video is did you notice her silence during the discussions about funding for adult ed and summer school? She displayed no visible concern about the students/adults that will be deprived of needed supplementary educational services (adult ed and summer school), but sat quuietly in anticipation of all of her multiple cronies $$$hundred thousand + dollar contracts being approved.
Lynn, I do agree that that seems to be a very arrogant statement. I assume you are attributing it to Dr. Lathan–when did she (or who did) say it and to whom? I admit that Dr. Lathan made one (and only one) statement so far that bothered me. She said something to the effect that I am not here to meet the needs of adults–just the needs of children. My first thought was “Which of your needs will you sacrifice?” I did understand what I hoped was her intent–but I believe she made a poor choice of words. I just heard about some teachers (probably the same all over the city) told to turn in a hard copy of some student records stored on the computer. The only problem is that the teachers are not provided ink for their printers (if they have one). I believe that teachers at the high school level have been asked to pay for their own ink for school printers. That is just one example of an adult “need” that needs to be of concern to the superintendent. I am still trying to follow my own advice to take one decision at a time and to judge that decision on its own merit. Eventually, we can decide what pattern is emerging–and there is still a good chance that we will find reason to believe Dr. Lathan is a good leader.
Observer I haven’t seen the video.
Sharon I can’t tell you who that statement was directed at, not because I can’t but because it wouldn’t be in my best interest to do so at this time. Retribution is alive and well in District 150.
If you think ink is a valuable commodity then try getting some paper for your printer.
Yes I heard the statement that you too mentioned and it was troubling also.
We need some investigative journalism around here to see about the rumors of another administrator being placed on leave…..anyone know? It apparently happened yesterday.
Professor, investigative journalism is sorely lacking in this media coverage area. They help cover up more than they try to unveil.
I think that it was the principal at Glen Oak that was put on leave. Whatever administrator it was the track record of being sent home with full pay for months and months and months is not a bad deal for the administrator.
Investigative journalism costs money. The PJS isn’t, sadly enough, going to do anything that costs money.
Lynn, I was a teacher for 43 years–remember. Of course, I know all about paper shortages–I fought that through the last 10+ years of my career. And I bought many, many of my own supplies. If Dr. Lathan is the one who made the decision to put Shipp and maybe another principal on leave (depending upon who that is, of course), then I would say there is more than a little hope that she is using some sound judgment. Also, I have noticed Dr. Lathan’s silence at board meetings–maybe it takes a while to get one’s bearings, but I would like to hear from her a bit more than we have so far. About the PJS, I believe that Dave Haney is stepping up his efforts to give us more information. He certainly did a good job with the raises for secretaries. Certainly, some info can be gained from FOIA requests–at least, to get leads on what to investigate. Journalists need to move a bit faster than the FOIA process allows.
Hopefully her job coach will be able to get her up to speed. FOIA requests are certainly a good tool but journalists need to rediscover the old way of getting news stories. Develop good contacts that will share information with them. Just like good old fashioned detective work.
Heard there is more going on over on Wisconsin than is being told to the public at this time about other positions.
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x11203839/District-150-principal-put-on-paid-leave
She is on leave.
PJStar: Mary C. Davis arraignment–pleads not guilty.
I do not see Mary O’Brian’s name on the District 150 website any longer….. is she really gone????
she took a job with the isbe in springfield.
The Peter Principle used to be that if you were good at what you did you got promoted to your level of incompetency… now it must be if you are incompetent (but an insider) they keep promoting you until you either find a place to be harmless, invisible, or are able to retire.