There have been a few newspaper stories about the two final candidates for our next school district administrator. At both the Janesville Gazette and the Daily Union, there were mid-March announcements of the two finalists. See, in the Janesville Gazette, “Whitewater superintendent finalists announced,” and from the Daily Union, “Whitewater picks two superintendent finalists.”
The Daily Union story never follows up on the odd description of the Whitewater Country Club venue for the forums as a ‘neutral’ location. Nor does the reporter explain a favorable remark from the WUSD Board President to the effect that ‘the board was very impressed by the number of applicants, adding that Dennis Richards, a Wisconsin Association of School Boards representative, said that is a very high number and it reflects well on the district.’
The unexplained background on the remark makes Richards seem unaffiliated with the selection, like some kind of observer. He’s not.
Who’s Dennis Richards? He’s from the consulting group the WUSD hired to conduct the candidate search. One might expect Richards to speak well of the district that hired his organization. I know who Richards is because the Janesville Gazette reported on the selection of his organization, the Madison-based Wisconsin Association of School Boards, in a December story. See, “Whitewater school district hires firm to find new superintendent.”
Yet more recently, the Gazette offered a detailed story, asking questions of the two finalists (Dr. Suzanne Zentner and Dr. Dennis Pauli), themselves. See, “Two remain in running for Whitewater superintendent.” Far as I can see, it’s the only local story that involves reporting of the candidates’ statements. One learns more there, at the Gazette, than from the WUSD website.
Our district might have posted more information on its website than it has, that others might have more background. A serious press will ask questions, but a tame press will avoid meaningful examination of public institutions and officials.