Editor’s Note
Back in the old days — that’s less than a decade and before there were such things as blogs and interactive conversations with readers — editors used to respond to their newspaper readers with an “editor’s note.” Sometimes it clarified a point made in a letter to the editor. Sometimes it offered a correction. Sometimes it was just a simple explanation. An editor’s note was a handful of sentences; maybe a four or five paragraphs. It was always a personal link between the editor and the reader. Only difference between it and today’s blog is the immediacy and the platform. Welcome to Editor’s Note.

Super search out in open

February 18th, 2009 at 05:26pm Linda Grist Cunningham

For crying out loud, enough with Rockford School Board hand-wringing over whether releasing the names of the two superintendent finalists would jeopardize the process. We reported today on rrstar.com the two finalists, and immediately the “blame the media” machine kicked in gear. You can read the news post here.

These are the same people who initially did everything they could to deflect and stonewall the Register Star from figuring out Paul Vallas’ role in the candidate search. Not only was there nothing wrong with bringing Vallas into the search process, it was darn smart. I applauded them for doing so, and, frankly, don’t know why they didn’t call a press conference last fall and shout to the world what they were up to.

But, no, things went Rockford-style, all super secret. Right up to the point that we asked “why does Paul Vallas have Rockford top of mind” and then they freaked. We kept asking and kept reporting until we could and did answer the questions last Sunday. For the life of me, I cannot understand the secrecy.

As for our naming the two candidates? No superintendent candidate worth his or her salt should ever, repeat ever, think the candidacy will remain secret. Rarely has; rarely will. Ditto why a board would think it can or should promise secrecy. Just tell the candidates: “We’re out in the sunshine. If you have a problem with that then working in Rockford isn’t for you.”

I’ve been covering superindent searches for 37 years. The names always “leak.” Get over it.

Entry Filed under: Uncategorized

5 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Paul  |  February 18th, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    Good job Linda.

  • 2. bob trojan  |  February 18th, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    The sad thing is, IF the two decide to withdraw for whatever reason, and the two locals who have already withdrawn, we’ll have NO ONE and in that case, the entire community loses.

    Frankly, I’m disappointed.

    Maybe a process that I described in an earlier post is what we should be focused on next, once we get a new Super…a management development process within the greater CEANCI district.

  • 3. G. Kent  |  February 18th, 2009 at 10:51 pm

    You forgot to mention that Schaper at WREX did the heavy lifting by reporting the finalists FOR you at noon. Ninety minutes later, voila!, rrstar.com has the story.

  • 4. hokumboy  |  February 19th, 2009 at 8:50 am

    Who were the other 3 of the original seven candidates?

  • 5. hokumboy  |  February 23rd, 2009 at 10:03 pm

    No,
    Really.

    Who were the other three of the original seven candidates?

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