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CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
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RE: This weeks situation:
I've been absent from this forum since the election.
I think a way that I might start using this forum to my advantage is as a means of protection for what my responses are to the media. As we all know, it's easy to get misquoted by the media and I've been burned before in previous endeavours (related to business and higher education topics). But so far, I must say the media has been fair to my few quotes regarding school board topics/issues - and I appreciate that. But trust me I'm always on guard when I talk to the media for any reason (as everyone should be)
So this was my quote to Melissa Burden today (who has been fair and accurate to my quotes thus far and I give her credit for that):
Q: Do I think the events of the last week will hurt the image of the FCS or have a negative impact on the school system? (my paraphrase of her question)
My answer: "Of course it has potential to hurt the image of the school district. But I think the superintendent responded in the manner that was appopriate considering the facts surrounding the situation. She has to base her decisions on what is in the best long term interest of the 15,000+ students of the Flint Community Schools. I believe that is what she based her decisions on and I support her for that."
(so let's see how it pans out in the Journal) |
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Sat Sep 15, 2007 1:46 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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A member of my family was lambasted in the media about 7 years ago, now they are leery of anyone that wears a press hat.
You know what you could do is that say from now on you will only talk to a reporter that you know and that will get the story pretty much right on to what you said.
My boss "got it" in the media last month.........Good luck, when in doubt, just say, "That's a good question, let me get back to you on that." Look em in the eye and ask for their business card or phone number and then contact them and think about what you have to say or run it by someone else who's judgment you trust.
I was called, by a reporter, about a situation actually that made people laugh, because it was so weird, I was instructed not to talk to them, but the person changed their mind, so I spoke to the reporter and just went on and on and on and on, I don't think that they knew where I was going....<evil grin> needless to say, I wasn't quoted. The ditzy chick act works sometimes, but, I am not an important person, so I got away with it. |
_________________ Build a bridge and get over it! |
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Sat Sep 15, 2007 5:22 pm |
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last time here
Guest
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i'm always leery of the journal. they tend to "push" a little ot inflame or
enhance a story. you just have to "play" them right!! |
_________________ Guest post |
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Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:41 pm |
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SpeakNTruth
F L I N T O I D
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Cross....let me say this. I am sympathetic to the superintendent's plight. Yet I am perplexed as to what information formed the basis of the decisions. Was it the Flint Journal?? Pleaseeeeeee!!!! What really becomes an issue is whether these kids are being treated the same as other kids who have been simularly situated. There is a concept of fairness that must come into play. I know for a FACT, that many kids have passed through the FCS with run-ins with the law, were under some form of court supervision, and participated in sports during that time. As recent as last year, at another school in this district, the almost exact situation existed with a starter in another sport. The difference in this case is that someone else(public officials) broke the law and leaked non-public information, the media has created a sensation where there really is none. The information is non-public for several reasons, including to prevent this type of public scorn and disdain that has been heaped onto these folks involved, so that they can pay their debt to society without wearing the "scarlet letter" on their heads. If this decision stands, FCS has done nothing more than reward the other wrong-doers and punished kids and a coach for something that other kids and coaches have addressed within the teams for many years. HYTA is not new, its been around many decades. Some of your friends, neighbors, doctors, lawyers, law-makers, preachers, you name it, may have had this law to help them redeem themselves and lead very productive and lawful lives. But you may never know, because the law worked for them as it has not in this instance. Suspension, especially for the entire season, is excessive and accomplishes nothing that the judicial system is not already handling. |
_________________ Silence is not golden. |
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Sun Sep 16, 2007 9:06 am |
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CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
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Truth,
I understand everything you're saying and I appreciate your insight - you're mentioning much of what has been articulated to me by others over the last few days.
But I repeat: In my humble opinion, the superintendent based her decision on what is in the best long-term (big picture) interest of the FCS and it's 15,000+ students, the parents, it's employees AND the tax paying citizens of Michigan who own the FCS. |
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Sun Sep 16, 2007 9:27 am |
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SpeakNTruth
F L I N T O I D
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Cross...I am glad we can agree to disagree. However, I don't understand what good it does the FCS, to the other kids, parents,or the taxpayers (of which i happen to be) to reward the illegal behavior of government officials. The story's out there and, and just like a bell, it can't be un-rung, no matter what the superintendent's decision. It's an unreconcilable position when other students have not had their priviledges curtailed under the same circumstances. It certainly puts even a bigger roadblock for these two students' redemption which has clearly played no part in this decision, and for good or bad, they are also members of 15,000+ FCS. And the decision on the coach is just mind-boggling. In my humble opinion, it was the easy way out. The hard thing to do would have been to say to the detactors (many of whom are NOT Flint community taxpayers, NOT FCS parents or even in this community and would NEVER under any circumstances send their kids to FCS), that the incident in question did not occur on school property, or during a school event, or even during the school year, and that the judicial system is the correct place for this to handled and that the matter would be addressed internally. Again in my humble opinion, it was a decision made hastily in reaction to pressure from those who prefer to remain on the outside of our school system and our community, and certainly have no vested interest in our kids. My Mom used to say, "two wrongs don't make a right", and in this case, that is certainly the Truth. |
_________________ Silence is not golden. |
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Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:45 pm |
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CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
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Truth:
The intent of my original posting was simply to reveal the specifics of my comments to a reporter from the Journal (as a means of self-protection so-to-speak)
Now that this thread has evolved into a discussion of the actual students involved, I feel it is inappropriate to continue this discussion in a public forum since we have a policy to not discuss the discipline of students in public. However, if you (or anyone else) would like to contact me to discuss any other concerns please don't hesitate to do so at michael.cross@baker.edu.
Thank you for your concern for the well-being of the FCS. We certainly have that in common. |
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Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:13 pm |
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SpeakNTruth
F L I N T O I D
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...lol...it would have been nice if the government official had taken that approach....best wishes as this matter continues to evolve. |
_________________ Silence is not golden. |
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Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:30 pm |
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Pachuco
F L I N T O I D
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Michael Cross has passed... |
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Sun Sep 30, 2007 8:36 am |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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Pachuco:
Your quote: "Michael Cross has passed..."
You are kidding right? Expound, please. |
_________________ Build a bridge and get over it! |
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Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:35 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:53 pm |
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Biggie9
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saw on the news Saturday ? night...all they stated was that he died in his sleep.
sad loss for the city of Flint, the FCS, his patients & students and colleagues, and most especially, his family. |
_________________ Biggie |
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Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:53 pm |
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rapunzel11
F L I N T O I D
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How sad! Nothing can compare to the loss to the hearts of the Cross family.
Yet, the citizens, students, parents of the FCS community have lost an advocate that was willing to listen & respond to average people's concerns.
tears,
Rap
quote:
CrossSchoolBoard schreef:
Truth:
The intent of my original posting was simply to reveal the specifics of my comments to a reporter from the Journal (as a means of self-protection so-to-speak)
Now that this thread has evolved into a discussion of the actual students involved, I feel it is inappropriate to continue this discussion in a public forum since we have a policy to not discuss the discipline of students in public. However, if you (or anyone else) would like to contact me to discuss any other concerns please don't hesitate to do so at michael.cross@baker.edu.
Thank you for your concern for the well-being of the FCS. We certainly have that in common.
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_________________ The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.
John F. Kennedy, speech at Vanderbilt University, May 18, 1963 |
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Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:22 pm |
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