But it got better and now I'm covering another superintendent search, this time with much less hallway-sitting and futile phone-calling. Comparing the two districts may be comparing apples and oranges — virtually everything about them, from size to student demographic, is different — and yet I was struck by how much more efficiently and openly this search has been conducted.
Not everyone is passionate about education politics. I honestly can't say I am, either. But as a tax-paying citizen, I appreciate that our school board members are being accountable to the district's patrons by willingly sharing information with local media (i.e., me).
In a political climate where most elected officials are notorious for spin and secrecy, it's refreshing to encounter an example of precisely the opposite.
Transparency is a valuable quality in superintendent search
Wisner-Pilger’s superintendent search is not the first one I’ve ever covered.
When I moved to Enid, OK, five years ago, the city’s largest school district was preparing to start a search of their own. As the education beat reporter, it was my job to let our readers know how the process worked, who was involved and how close the school board was to finding a new superintendent.
During my first week on the job, as the newspaper’s editors explained what they wanted, it didn’t seem like an insurmountable task. Go to a few meetings, talk to some people, write it up — all that I could do.
However, I quickly discovered it wasn’t as simple as I’d hoped.
One problem was the fact that the search committee was extremely reluctant to speak with anyone outside their group. That most definitely included a newspaper reporter.
At least one night a week, I’d camp outside a closed-door meeting, waiting for hours to see if anyone would emerge with information to share with me. Sometimes all I needed was a simple “no comment,” but even that was hard-won.
Eventually, the committee began meeting at country clubs outside of town, changing their meeting locations and times. Each time, I’d be dispatched to wait, to pester, to glean whatever scraps of information I could.
One point the committee was especially close-lipped about were who potential superintendent candidates were. At one point, my editor told me to identify where vehicles in the parking lot came from; an impossible task, as Oklahoma license plates are alpha-numerical instead of labeled by county like they are in Nebraska.
I hated it so much. Instead of doing what I thought I’d be hired to do, I was venturing uncomfortably close to tabloid territory. I sympathized with the search committee members; I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be peppered with questions about an issue I didn’t want to discuss.
Mostly, though, I felt sorry for the patrons of the district who were being kept in the dark, despite my best efforts to do otherwise.
Happily, Wisner-Pilger’s superintendent search is less fraught with secrecy. The search committee has been helpful and forthright, willing to answer questions and share information. As a reporter and as a district taxpayer, I know precisely how valuable that transparency is.
This isn’t my first superintendent search. But it’s the first one that’s not a nightmare to cover.
Wisner-Pilger’s superintendent search is not the first one I’ve ever covered.
When I moved to Enid, OK, five years ago, the city’s largest school district was preparing to start a search of their own. As the education beat reporter, it was my job to let our readers know how the process worked, who was involved and how close the school board was to finding a new superintendent.
During my first week on the job, as the newspaper’s editors explained what they wanted, it didn’t seem like an insurmountable task. Go to a few meetings, talk to some people, write it up — all that I could do.
However, I quickly discovered it wasn’t as simple as I’d hoped.
One problem was the fact that the search committee was extremely reluctant to speak with anyone outside their group. That most definitely included a newspaper reporter.
At least one night a week, I’d camp outside a closed-door meeting, waiting for hours to see if anyone would emerge with information to share with me. Sometimes all I needed was a simple “no comment,” but even that was hard-won.
Eventually, the committee began meeting at country clubs outside of town, changing their meeting locations and times. Each time, I’d be dispatched to wait, to pester, to glean whatever scraps of information I could.
One point the committee was especially close-lipped about were who potential superintendent candidates were. At one point, my editor told me to identify where vehicles in the parking lot came from; an impossible task, as Oklahoma license plates are alpha-numerical instead of labeled by county like they are in Nebraska.
I hated it so much. Instead of doing what I thought I’d be hired to do, I was venturing uncomfortably close to tabloid territory. I sympathized with the search committee members; I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be peppered with questions about an issue I didn’t want to discuss.
Mostly, though, I felt sorry for the patrons of the district who were being kept in the dark, despite my best efforts to do otherwise.
Happily, Wisner-Pilger’s superintendent search is less fraught with secrecy. The search committee has been helpful and forthright, willing to answer questions and share information. As a reporter and as a district taxpayer, I know precisely how valuable that transparency is.
This isn’t my first superintendent search. But it’s the first one that’s not a nightmare to cover.
On the Lighter Side
Published January 18, 2012
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