Yeah, I wasn’t allowed to go, because I’m a blogger. A few folks who have similar community media roles, but also are heavily involved in the community were asked to leave. Leaves me a little suspicious . . . and curious. I’m not buying it that you can’t have this type of conversation with media present. In the past where I have held meetings where we were discussing sensitive things, I simply asked that they not quote anyone and only use it as background and then interview folks later so that they knew they were on the record. That seemed to work just fine. The media have always honored that and treated us with the utmost respect and followed our wishes. I have no reason to believe they would not do the same here. My two cents.
This was Channel 3’s editorial on this item.
OPEN CONVERSATION ON ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS BETTER
09/06/11We’re disappointed Urban League of Greater Madison CEO Kaleem Caire has decided to close Wednesday evening’s community meeting on the minority achievement gap in the Madison School district. Do we understand why he’s doing it? Absolutely. Do we question his motives? No. But we simply can’t support demanding that news media and bloggers not attend a meeting that will include school board members and a representative of the US Department of Justice among other public leaders . . . more
Yeah, channel 3 with a real opinion, no one the one hand . . . and the other hand . . . kind of thing.
This isn’t really my story to tell, but I know at least one community person who went there, sans camera, and was asked to leave. Here’s a few highlights from that experience.
(NOTE: I now know of three people, one more blogger, two media sources albeit with targeted audiences. Read TJs account – not the same as below. It is particularly disturbing that at least one person who publishes a magazine (a fourth person) was allowed to stay.)
– The two people removed said that we were not there as reporters, no cameras, computers, anything… and at least one really did feel that they were there as a community member and have worked on raising awareness of the achievement gap in the past.
– Signs were posted everywhere that they respectfully ask that no media be present.
– These folks were singled out and asked to come out in the hallway.
– They were told the DOJ reps would not facilitate if members of the press were there.
– At least one staff also told them that they could not be there because they do not have African American children. Others present did not as well.
I dunno, why would DOJ insist no media be there . . . government shouldn’t be encouraging secret meetings so blatantly. What are they afraid of?
well, didn’t the WI SC say the legislature was fine to make up their own rules about have closed door sessions. This is what I understand. Correct me if I am wrong.
………I dunno, why would DOJ insist no media be there . . . government
shouldn’t be encouraging secret meetings so blatantly. What are they
afraid of?
More here: http://madisonamps.org/2011/09/08/doj-crs-mmsd-ulgm-and-tj/
Hmmmm . . . plot thickens . . . a person quoted by the WSJ here is also a member of the press . . . or at least had a press pass during the uprising! 🙂 http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/video/vmix_5eca1576-d1a6-11e0-9ca6-001cc4c03286.html
Rebecca’s account of the meeting – http://progressive.org/charter_school_madison_wi.html
“As a parent of three African American kids in the District, two of whom
are boys who graduated on time, one of whom is in middle school, I felt
perfectly comfortable in attending. It turned out that most of the 100 –
120 people in the room did not actually have kids in the Madison
schools. Many were employees of the Urban League or businesses that
support Madison Prep. It also turned out that only a select few
bloggers and other people perceived to not be supporters of Madison Prep
were told to leave. Kaleem Caire even told one person that if he sat
down in the room the meeting would be cancelled! The people who write
for Urban League-friendly publications were not asked to leave, however.”