This blog was hacked back in July and was down for a time. While trying to fix the problem myself, I managed to delete a lot of old posts, including about half of my own. So the “tags” and other references may include some dead links. I apologize for that and will clean them up as I find them.

The main here focus is transparency in school finance – especially in union contracts and how they’re negotiated. I’m actively looking for more contributors. Other school board members will be especially welcome.

You’ll have to register (only once) to post a comment or message. You needn’t worry that I’ll try to sell you something, send you jokes, or let anyone else have your email address.

This blog is moderated, meaning that I preview comments and delete any that are commercial, obscene, defamatory or otherwise grossly off-topic. Beyond that, I don’t edit. After you’ve posted a few thoughtful and civil comments, I can arrange for your posts to appear automatically without my review. If you want to call my attention to an issue that you don’t care to write about yourself, email me at fred@schoolboardtransparency.org. You may as well know, however, that I try not to second-guess local judgment calls that don’t involve some larger issue. If you merely want to let the world know that your board president is a jerk, you’ll have to find some other venue for getting that message out.

Disclaimer #1: I was just re-elected (November, 2009) to my fifth term on my local school board. So, once again, I need to emphasize that any opinions I post here are strictly my own. They may or may not be shared by my school district, my board or any of my fellow board members.

Disclaimer #2: I’m not a lawyer. I’ll sometimes write about school law, but you shouldn’t rely on my opinions if you’re thinking of suing someone or want to avoid being sued by someone else. In particular, if you’re a school board member seeking legal advice, you should consult your district’s solicitor.