APS District and Community Relations Committee Meetings; time for change?

The leadership of the APS spends about a million dollars a year in communication "with" stake and interest holders.

By which they mean in communication "to" stake and interest holders.

There is no real "two-way" communication between the leadership of the APS and the community members they serve.

The fourth in the school board's own code of ethics reads;

Establish an open, two-way communication process with students, staff, families and all segments of the community

One would suppose that two-way communication is part and parcel of a District and Community Relations Committee meeting.  It is not.  Far from it.

Though the meetings have a public forum, the rules of the forum; the Public Participation in Public Meetings Policy and Procedural Directive, forbid asking questions that make school board members feel uncomfortable.

Should one insist; one will be hustled out of the meeting by their publicly funded private police force.

I propose;

• The District and Community Relations Committee will meet in the evening in different communities through out the district.

• The purpose of the meeting would be to create a venue offering open and honest two-way communication between the leadership of the APS and the communities they serve.

• The discussion would take place around a round table.  All stake and interest holders will have a seat.

• The discussion will be facilitated.  The facilitation will be impartial and expert.

• Stake and interest holders at any distance will have some means to participate meaningfully in any decision making that affects their interests.

I believe civil discourse will produce a shared understanding of the issues.

I believe a shared understanding is fundamental to sound decision making.


The next school board and their superintendent are going to make some important decisions about spending your resources and wielding your power.

Do you want you seat at the table where those decisions are made?

Do you want to participate meaningfully in decision making that affects your interests?

It won't be easy.

Somebody is going to have to do something.




photo Mark Bralley