To whom does the public record belong?

It depends upon who you ask.

If you ask politicians and public servants, and they were inclined to candor, most would admit that effectively speaking, the record belongs to them.  It is their prerogative to decide which records will be made available for immediate inspection, and which will not.  There is no personal penalty in the law, for their deliberate delay in the production of documents according to their personal interests.

Why is the redaction of public records in the hands of people who might well benefit from the redaction?  How much more egregious must a conflict of interest be, before the end is put to it?

Allowing potentially corrupt and incompetent policy makers and administrators to redact the public record of their own public service is utterly indefensible.  It is an abhorrence created and maintained by corrupt and cowardly politicians and public servants serving their own self interests.  There is no culture of corruption where there is no spinning of the truth.  Falsifying the public record is a criminal offense. hiding the public record for personal gain, is every bit as harmful to the public interests.

The redaction of the public record must be an impartial and timely process, carried out in accordance with the spirit of the law.  Timeliness is essential; in as much as "justice delayed, is justice denied" - truth delayed, is truth denied.


Among the most egregious offenders when it comes to hiding their public record, are the APS School Board and Superintendent Winston Brooks.

Don't believe it? ask him for the findings of at least three investigations into felony criminal misconduct by senior APS administrators and the leadership of the APS Police force.

All we have to do to end the culture of corruption and incompetence in the leadership of the APS is to elect four board members who are willing to tell the truth; the foundation upon which honest standards are built and real accountability is so utterly dependent.




photo Mark Bralley