On Wichita school board, are only supporters’ opinions welcome?

At this week’s meeting of the Wichita school district board, member Lynn Rogers criticized the Wichita Eagle for printing a story that include criticism by an opponent from the 2008 bond issue campaign without disclosing his involvement in that campaign.

At issue is a land sale. Rogers said: “It also bothered me that the person who was identified that did have the courage to give their name — which I admire — it’s somebody that they didn’t identify as someone that was not in favor of the bond issue in the 2008 campaign and actually spoke often against it and against what 259 was doing.”

Is Rogers’ criticism relevant? Should only those who blindly support everything the Wichita school district does have a voice? I don’t think so.

But if we’re talking about transparency and disclosure, let’s put it all out in the open.

Has the Wichita school district disclosed that the school district’s partner in this land transaction contributed to the bond issue campaign? Michael Monteferrante and his wife contributed $500 to that campaign.

I haven’t seen this reported, and I don’t think the Wichita school board disclosed this either.

Comments

2 responses to “On Wichita school board, are only supporters’ opinions welcome?”

  1. kimpot54

    Too bad we can’t figure out how many people who voted to approve the bond issue were actually 259 employees, affiliates, or could benefit from the work that was created by the bond issue passing. That is certainly relevant if what Lynn Rogers complained about is relevant. It seems that once you’ve been on that board long enough to be brainwashed by the convoluted 259 logic that permeates the downtown offices, you even begin to turn against your most ardent lap dog: The Wichita Eagle. The 259 school board truly suffers from what will end up being a terminal case of Group Think.

  2. Karen

    Monteferrante and wife were also hosts of the big rah rah bond kick off party at Larksfield.

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