Friday, March 27, 2015

Should Everyone Get A Trophy?

Today's Gazette above the fold story (at least they used a question mark)

Well I guess now I know why the Gazette sent a photographer (but not a reporter) to the Amherst Regional School Committee meeting on Tuesday: Today's whiny front page soap opera piece about the supposed poisoned political climate in town.

Had the reporter attended the Regional School Committee meeting readers could have been informed about the one-hour discussion that took place concerning expanded Regionalization -- the most  important educational decision facing the four towns in more than a generation.

All the more important for print coverage since Amherst Media, although contractually obligated to, failed to cover it (too busy covering the town sponsored 3rd annual parking forum I suppose).

And where was the Gazette when former School Committee member Catherine Sanderson was being raked over the coals five years ago for telling it like it is on her blog?

The establishment went so far as to file a letter of complaint with the District Attorney about her outspokenness -- a clear violation of the First Amendment.   Thus sending the unmistakable message that if you question authority, you will be crushed.

Seemingly every year someone dies horribly while hiking in the White Mountains because they choose to set off ill-prepared for the journey.

Amherst politics is not a casual stroll along the bike path, but neither is it an ascent up Mt. Washington.

I would not have it any other way.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The reason Amherst Media did not cover Tuesday's meeting is that the committee's top notch chair, Trevor Baptiste forgot to tell them about the meeting. How much longer do we have to suffer through this guy's ineptitude?

Anonymous said...

Is that true?? He has failed to notify the Pelham school in time twice already which caused two meetings to be scuttled. What a L0SER.

Larry Kelley said...

In response to Marylou Theilman's lament about Amherst Media not being present he did kind of suggest that perhaps he forgot to give them notice.

And then he went on to say that maybe their absence was a good thing.

Anonymous said...

A good thing? Really?

Anonymous said...

Who normally schedules with Amherst Media? This seems like a clerical task normally delegated to someone.

Larry Kelley said...

Well if you remember from the renegade meeting that Mr. Baptiste called over the objection of then Chair Lawrence O'Brien (that the AG later determined violated Open Meeting Law), only the Chair can call a meeting.

And he did seem to indicate that it was his responsibility to give Amherst Media a heads up.

Anonymous said...

So, did I just read another Larry Kelley "whiny" piece about the Gazette, speaking of "whiny," pseudo-journalism?

And don't portray Sanderson as some some meek, can't defend herself woman. She raked people over the coals as much as she felt that heat hearself it.

You liked her and don't like some of the committee members since. So Obvious.

The fact that you don't think people can see through your bias is comical.

Anonymous said...

We need more translucence in local government.

Larry Kelley said...

Yeah 11:24 AM, seems only the CAN's see through my bias.

Anonymous said...

Translucence.....ha ha ha.

That is like saying we need more grey to make black and white decisions.

Translucence is when you think you can see through something but cannot make out the details in any way.

I think you meant transparency
....translucence's full blood uncle.

Translucence is like tolerance to transparency's respect.

Anonymous said...

I think Anon 11:39 am meant "truculence".

And, while we're at it, let's have more "vituperation".

After all, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

What better test of a candidate in Amherst than seeing just how much personal abuse you can take?

Anonymous said...

No, I meant translucence.