Who Controls "Right To Privacy"?

I have put off writing about what may be the most powerful "discussion" or "non-discussion" in last night's Hillsborough County School Board meeting.

It has to do with the saga over on what is now called Goader Online. At that link, you can read his latest post about what has happened.

I have not sorted this out, so I will just start somewhere.

At the above meeting, two public speakers spoke to the Board about Goader's situation. They used his real name in saying what they had to say. These two speakers did not speak in sequence, therefore there were some speakers on other topics between the two. After the second speaker spoke, at least one Board member made a comment or asked a question. Check the tape for the details, but what seems to be of signifcance to me is that very shortly after that, the School Board attorney told the board something to the effect that Goader's right to privacy may have been violated, and that to his knowledge no charges had been filed against Goader and to basically ignore or strike from their memory what had been said because it might be a matter that comes up before them, or words to that effect.

This has been going on since July 2nd, 2008. That's seven months by my monthly calender. That is a long time to wait, not knowing.

There were further comments and questions by the Board that indicated that there was a public perception that the way this case was being handled was not an isolated incident. The questions, comments and answers that happened during that discussion should be studied more.

I have been on my blog box since day one saying that public exposure of the system is their Achilles heel. "They" can't talk about Goader, but the public can talk about him to the extent that anyone can talk about anyone else. Once again, Ms. Kurdell brought up the need to stifle public speech, but this time Mr. Gonzalez told her that the courts did not look favorably on that.

There is a lot behind this story that effects every school employee. Even if you have to follow the drinking gourd, some how the public needs to know.


Even if the Board can't talk about it, the public can.

And they can't stand that.