Editor: I am intrigued by teacher Wes Huffman's idea to have all school board meetings televised. It sounds like such a common-sense idea that I am amazed that two men who I know and respect, Tracy Unified School District Superintendent Jim Franco and Trustee Gerry Machado, should voice any opposition to a no-brainer.
Their dubious argument was that televising the meetings on Comcast would disenfranchise those who do not have cable. Excuse me? To disenfranchise someone is to take something away that he or she doesn't have. Franco and Machado say that there is equality now in that everyone has access to attending board meetings. Since televising the meetings would not prevent anyone from attending those meetings, how is anyone being disenfranchised?
Some people done't have cable, but many thousands more cannot attend the meetings because of time or work constraints. These people are disenfranchised by the present system. Televising the meetings would give them more opportunities. Those without cable could borrow a tape from a neigbor, or maybe the school district could set up a viewing room with the pre-recorded tapes to expand the opportunity for all.
The other amazing argument against televising the meetings was the possible bad quality of the taping. This is not a beautiy contest, but an opportunity to see and hear what is happening with our schools. The public is ignorant of these deliberations and here is an opportunity for the district to do the right thing and let us know what is going on.
Franco wants to study the matter. What is to study? Is it more an opportunity to delay what is going to happen eventually? Why not embrace the idea and look like heroes standing up for the public's right to know instead of appearing as obtructers having something to hide? Allow the public to see televised meetings instead of propagating this nonsense of disenfranchisement.
Scott Hurban, Tracy