Journal Editorial Page Editor D’Val Westphal apology disingenuous

Journal Opinion Page Editor D’Val Westphal apologized to readers this morning, for publishing a letter with factual errors and near verbatim quotes from internet posts.

Westphal did not elaborate on issues with near verbatim quotes from the internet, assuming compliance with copyright issues.

It might be as simple as a convenient excuse to avoid publishing letters from a reader who publishes his letters simultaneously on Facebook and a blog.

Within Westphal’s apology, she writes;

We want a vigorous debate of ideas.

Does she really? Does the Journal really want a vigorous debate of ideas?

I would like to begin a vigorous debate surrounding ethics, standards, accountability and role modeling in the leadership of the APS.

The debate would be between

Those who want the Journal to print the truth about ethics standards and accountability in the leadership of the APS

and

Those who want the Journal to avoid printing the truth about ethics, standards and accountability in the leadership of the APS

Westphal requires in whatever debates that she will enable; “the double checking of facts and original sources”.

The facts and evidence I would bring to the debate are substantial, incontrovertible, and are of public corruption and incompetence in the leadership of the APS.

They are facts and evidence of an ethics, standards, accountability and role modeling scandal in the leadership of the APS.

That the leadership of the APS won’t show up to that debate, or allow it in any venue they control, suggests that they cannot successfully debate the issue in an open and honest public discussion of facts and evidence.

That the Journal will not investigate and report upon ethics, standards and accountability in the leadership of the APS, even in the context of bond issue, mill levy and school board member elections and the hiring of superintendents speaks to the side that the Journal has taken in the debate.

That Westphal will not enable the discussion of “APS ethics, standards, accountability and role modeling” on any Journal page she edits, speaks to her personal preference that APS ethics, standards, accountability and role modeling in the leadership not be questioned or examined too closely.

It isn’t because APS executive and administrative standards of conduct are too high, or because
their actual, honest accountability to them is too swift and too certain.