Imagine having an interview with an elected official who provides answers! Answers in the form of what was going on daily? What programs are you the champion of? What about meeting only with selective faces? Lastly, what about “non-partisan events” that really are blocked?
I recently had the occasion to interview just that individual, an elective official. As hard as it is to believe a simple question could not be answered. You wonder why? Could it be the difference that my voter registration letter is different than the individuals? Had I broken into an area of “code of silence” or is it the environment we are living in and working in so divisive that providing real-time information is a no-no and out of bounds?
Maybe it’s time to back up, take a deep breath and put divisive politics aside and start working in addressing the people’s needs. The ultimate score of being able to declare a win or loss has the result of people gradually growing apart, which means there isn’t an honest conversation or bad one even that ensues. Communication breakdown. Has it all come to just a big theater? The people are tired of being back-seat recipients of actions and knowledge of events.
The people stand ready for the change that is positive, productive and of common sense.
 Catherine Barrett is an Arizona Governor’s Master Teacher and currently Chair of citizens initiative petition, A Classroom Code of Ethics For Public Schools K-12. You can find her on Twitter @ReadersLeadPD, and on Facebook at Yes4Ethics. |