January 10th, 2009 : The Mike is Hot!!!!

I was astounded that Ms. Norman, Mr. Buff and other Board members stated at the January 5th Board Meeting that the Media Policy issue had been “blown out of proportion.” I think that the Citizens of Burke County ought to do themselves a favor and access the recording of the School Board meeting on November 17th, 2008, Part 2 that is available on the Burke County School Website: http://www.burke.k12.nc.us/boeaudio/. I have listened to this recording and am incensed at the comments of particular Board Members.

This particular recording is of the meeting at which over 30 students, parents and former students came to speak to the Board about the Proposed Media Policy. Most of them were responding to Ms. Norman’s own words at a previous meeting that certain books should be “pulled” from the schools. Many of the former students communicated with each other via Facebook to arrange to speak at the meeting. Although the Board denies ever mentioning “banning” books, it is public record that Ms. Norman made the statement that some books should be “pulled.” And I am happy to write that the Media Policy drafts are becoming more reasonable and constitutionally sound with every draft that is written.

Listening to the November 17th meeting , you’ll hear lots of crowd noise, exasperation from the public attendees regarding the right to speak at the meeting, threats by then Vice-Chair Tracy Norman to have the room cleared, and most distressingly, comments from the Board Members themselves regarding the public attendees. Apparently the Board Members didn’t realize they were being recorded, and that their comments would be accessible to the public.

At about 5 minutes into the audio, while the crowd is situating itself, some of the Board Members engage in what seems to be “small talk”. Mr. Barnard opines that the group who has come to speak has been recruited. Mr. Hairfield says “of course they have been recruited to speak, do you think they came because they were homesick?” Mr. Hairfield remarks once they have heard three people speak the Board can go on standby because they’ll all sound the same. As the non-speakers are leaving the room, Mr. Hairfield remarks “Shoot to kill if necessary.” (5’24” into the audio) Then Mr. Barnard says, “I mean you can find out . . .... “

At 5 minutes 48 seconds into the audio, Ms. Norman remarks “Eric, you need to get a copy of the email that’s been sent out to recruit them. There’ve been emails and if you trace back where these. . . Trace back where they . ... what their high school English class is, their English class. Trace back to their English class. English class.”

I don’t know who “Eric” is. Why does it matter to Ms. Norman who recruited students to speak? Americans have the right to organize. Americans have the right to dissent. Even teachers.

This is not a new tactic. Any time there is audible dissension in the audience at a school board meeting, the meeting is stopped and the chair and vice chair demand to know who made the remarks. At one Board meeting Ed Redman stood up and took the blame for a comment he did not make. When I asked him why, he said two things: “they are acting like a bunch of Nazis up there – I was waiting for them to bring out the police dogs, the bright lights and to start shooting hostages until someone confessed. We would have been sitting there all night if someone hadn’t ‘confessed,’ and I figured it might as well be me.” When I asked him why he thought the exclaimant didn’t confess, his reply was “He was probably a teacher. Can you imagine being on their (Buff and Norman’s) list?” Enough said.

Catherine Thomas