Our thirty-third president, Harry S. Truman, was quoted in 1956 as saying, “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it is hell.”
Around The Times, the confusion of truth with hell is not too surprising to us. We almost expect it. It could be from a political figure who is being questioned in an editorial; or it could be a person arrested by the police (If we had not mentioned it no one would have known about it); or it could be the coach or sports fan who does not like our report about their team losing; or … the instances go on and on.
Recently a person arrested and convicted for a crime nearly 10 years ago wanted us to take the information off the Internet. Did you do what we reported? Yes, but there was more to it than what you wrote. When I Google my name on a computer your story comes up for everyone to see, the caller said. The Internet could become a crime deterrent, I thought when I heard this story. That is one of the things people should be most cautious about; once something is out on the Web, it takes a life of its own.
We like to think of ourselves as bearers of the truth. As your grandparent might have said, “The truth hurts.” To Truman it hurt so bad sometimes it felt like hell.
People who become public figures almost always do so with the best of intentions of always being truthful with the voter. Usually they were motivated into the public arena by the lack of public cooperation between them and an official of government.
Any newspaper worth its salt exists mainly as a defender of the First Amendment of the Constitution. “Congress shall make no law … prohibiting the free exercise … of speech, or the press; …”
Our current president has promised “transparency” in his government. Georgia Governor Perdue, who has not exactly been a flag waver for Freedom of the Press, has established a state Web site to bring more sunshine to state departments, state boards and local boards of education. You can check this out yourself at www.open.georgia.gov. It is not complete but it is a good start.
We applaud both men for their actions.
Locally we need to do a better job of heeding the Sunshine Laws and exercising more openness in government. The actions of public officials, whether elected or appointed are done so as an extension of the public.
Earlier this year, a senior Georgia Attorney General Stefan Ritter spoke to the Cobb County Board of Education about open meetings and open records. To Ritter, the Open Meetings Act is pretty clear. “If there’s any doubt about openness it has to be interpreted in favor of openness.”
Lunches with a quorum are considered meetings, he told the Board. Behind door exceptions are few, he added. “No votes in closed session. All votes of all kind are in the open,” he explained.
“If you violate the Open Meetings Act everything you did in violation of the Act is void,” Ritter said.
If my boss asks me a question or wants to see a file in my office, I respond in the positive without excuses. I know who hired me and who signs my check. Our public officials need to do a better job of remembering who they work for as well.
What We Think
From the publisher: Harry Truman had the truth down pat
- What We Think
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Shame in Berrien County
Unfortunately for Sherrie Williams of the Berrien County school-based health clinic, she talked to The Times and praised the program that she oversees. This pride in her work led to the loss of her job.
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Grading policy: A second chance?
In clarifying the Lowndes County Schools’ controversial grading policy, Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith spoke of second chances.
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Be up to any weather challenge
Georgia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week starts today and runs through Friday. The idea behind the week is to prepare Georgians for weather emergencies and how to keep these situations from becoming tragedies.
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Parents and schools
There is a lot of talk lately about school systems and grading policies, and how all of a child's problems come back to a lack of parenting. But is it really that simple? Can it be a case where the school systems are so focused on the problem few that the majority of students are ignored?
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Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Brooks County High School engineering and technology teacher Don Morgan and his students. They recently received national attention for their work with biodiesel fuel. They collect used cooking oil from area fast-food restaurants then process this oil into biodiesel. Morgan hopes to next interest the Brooks County school buses into running on the fuel created in his class. This classroom not only prepares students for the future but may prepare all of us for an alternative energy source.
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Take me out to the ball park
The Valdosta State baseball season begins today. The Blazers host Lindenwood at 2:30 p.m. Nothing beats quality baseball played in warm weather with a great venue like Billy Grant Field.
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What We Think: Signing Day
Wednesday was National Signing Day, the day when high school athletes across the country make official announcements about what school they’ve chosen to sign with.
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School policy fails expectations
Lowndes County Schools recently implemented new grading guidelines for students. These guidelines have left many parents upset ...
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Just the facts, please
The Times has taken some hits this weekend following the reporting of the Rev. Floyd Rose’ rally on Saturday concerning the car which drove into a home, killing an infant on New Year’s, and an incident at Pinevale Learning Center. Some police officers think the VDT is not being fair, and Rose accused the VDT of not printing the facts, but the facts are as follows:
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Fathers teaching daughters
It began as a small gathering for fathers and daughters. It has become one of Valdosta’s most popular social events of the year.
Several years ago, Jeff Stewart co-founded the event with his wife, Becky, as a way for him to give a special night to his two daughters. Other fathers of First Presbyterian Church liked the idea and the Father-Daughter Valentine Dance was born. - More What We Think Headlines
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Shame in Berrien County
