The state of Maine is flexing its political muscles, if not its political brains, at their school system, with a controversial proposal to eliminate single-gender bathrooms, lockers, and sports teams in the public schools.
The bit that bothers me isn't a stupid policy. Policy comes and goes (or should, and except in Lancaster.) But when the political leadership schedules a "public hearing" -- with the public, naturally -- and does not allow questions from the public, then there's a problem.
From news reports:
... the commission again came under fire for not doing enough to inform Mainers of the vote, and for not allowing the public to speak at the hearing where it was held.
“We found out about this hearing by accident. We were never informed of it,” said Celeste, who was the first person to speak out at the March hearing.
“When I went to the hearing I expected to ask, ‘Why are they doing this?’ And they said that they weren’t going to have public hearings,” he said. “I said ‘Mr. Chairman, it’s getting late, when are we going to be able to ask questions?’ and he said, ‘You can’t.’”
When the bureaucracy refuses to "hear" the public at a public hearing, it is time for a change.
How many public hearings are supposed to be held IN LANCASTER? But aren't?
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