If truth is the first casualty of war, then access to the truth in some areas went down in flames almost immediately in our war against COVID.
The latest example is what appears to be another round of stonewalling by Sarasota County Schools.
This morning, SNN reporter sent an email to the district’s Kelsey Whealy asking if anyone would be available for an interview to talk about what the plans are for enforcing the mandate and how the opt out will work. Our interest being driven by the mandate taking effect Monday.
Whealy was chipper with a “Thanks for checking in. We are not offering sound on this, apologies for any inconvenience. We are currently working on an update for families and will be sure to share that information with you once it’s finalized.”
Today is Thursday. Mandate kicks in Monday.
We are left to speculate, but perhaps last year is the model for this year. At this time a year ago, the district all but walled off leadership and staff and instead produced a series of videos, some even including jaunty music.
We in television news call these things “video news releases,” or VNR’s.
Organizations like the school district like them because they don’t have to deal with pesty reporters asking questions officials don’t want to answer or want to spin their responses their way.
Some of you may not like the mainstream media, of which SNN is a card-carrying member, but let’s be blunt, without us and other news organizations, you are at the mercy of the school district not being held accountable.
Last week, three school board members showed courage and voted to defy Florida’s governor who has forgotten his libertarian, local control roots.
With their vote, the responsibility falls to the district to roll out a plan.
Did I say it’s Thursday?
Superintendent Asplen, we are asking you to ignore whatever internal advice you are getting from your media team and give SNN and other local TV stations 30 minutes out of your life tomorrow.
We’ll be back tomorrow with your remarks, or I’ll be back tomorrow and every day to ask again and again and again.
That’s how we view things this week. I’m Craig Burdick. Thanks for watching SNN, THE Suncoast News Network.
