Take issue to Sathoff before public airing

To the editor:

[In response to ?Sathoff ?attempts to hoodwink public,?? Dec. 8.]

I would like to compliment the Ledger for their consistently thorough delivery of local news. Having been a reporter at the Ledger some years ago, I know first-hand that the dedication and work ethic of the reporters who bring us the community news cannot be matched by other papers the Ledger?s size. Essentially, four or five people bring you everything you see in the Ledger each night. Too many people take the paper for granted. For me, turning the pages of the Ledger each evening is a relished ritual.

Every paper has its limitations; this is true of every paper from the New York Times to the Clarion-Plainsman. They have a small amount of space in which to report what often is a lengthy amount of information. No reporter covering a school board meeting can report every single word said at what are sometimes three- and four-hour meetings. The writer of this letter to the editor does not say if he was in attendance at the meeting; if he wasn?t, it?s hardly fair to read the newspaper ? the Ledger or any other ? and assume that the news coverage of the meeting is a chronological account of every single fact, quote and comment made at a meeting. The letter writer also doesn?t address whether he made any attempt to discuss his concerns directly with the superintendent, either at the meeting or privately; if he didn?t, he missed out on what I believe, knowing Art Sathoff as I do, would have been a mutually enlightening and productive conversation.

Spending the amount of money that the rebuilding, re-vamping or patch-working of Fairfield High School will cost should be a serious concern for every taxpayer in the Fairfield Community School District. People should practice their civil responsibilities to be informed, voice opinions, and collectively look for answers. In doing so, people must recognize that many times, nostalgia fans the flames of what are already emotionally charged debates. I commend the letter writer for caring. In the future, he should get more intimately involved and attend school board meetings so that he can be privy to all of the facts. If he has questions, he should address those directly to the administration and the school board at the meetings so that he may find the answers he seeks. In so doing, he may also provide answers for others who may have similar questions and concerns. He should tour the high school facility and see for himself the issues that the board and the administration are faced with resolving. These tours have been offered multiple times, and they have been advertised to the public. FHS is owned and operated by the taxpayers of this district and any one of them may arrange a tour of the school?s facilities at any time.

If after all of this, a person still believes there are school employees using their positions to satisfy personal agendas, he should then address that with the school employee directly before he takes his complaints to the bully pulpit. Call this due process, call it honoring chain of command, or call it protocol; whatever it?s called, it?s how civilized people conduct themselves and it?s imperative to the success of a society.

In large part, people have forgotten how to disagree in a way that doesn?t threaten civility. When did launching a personal affront become an acceptable way to air differing points of view? Too many people get emotionally involved in a debate without having all the information. We cast stones too quickly. I say with complete certainty that nobody in the school district is trying to hoodwink anyone, particularly Mr. Sathoff, and personal attacks suggesting the contrary splashed on the pages of the Ledger do nothing to solve our school infrastructure problems.

Again, it?s great to be concerned. It?s great to be involved. It?s even better to address deep-seeded cares and concerns in a way that nudge the solution-finding process in a positive direction. Personal attacks only prove divisive to the process and to the community at large; they certainly don?t solve the problems we?re facing as a district.

? Staci Ann Wilson Wright, Fairfield