By David Allred, June 4, 2014
I got a phone call tonight that bothered me. The content of the message wasn’t so much an annoyance as the delivery system. You see, our schools sold us a bill of goods some time back about automated phone dialing. They said it would assist us in the event of emergencies, public service announcements, and other items of communication that might be pivotal to parent/school relations.
They were right. It’s a great system, probably worth the tax dollars, but I am no expert on its worth by any stretch of the imagination. Still, when that same taxpayer system of communication is used to solicit more taxpayer funds, I confess to being put on edge.
You see, I was one of hundreds, probably thousands of households, asked to fork over a little bit more money for a little more technology: tablets for all our students.
It’s a grand idea, I suppose. I mean, it is probably money that could be spent on an extra teacher or two or 12 or 20, but let’s face it—the tablet prepares our students for the modern world and there’s hardly anything more true of the modern world than replacing people with machines.
That’s neither here nor there. I don’t have much of a dog in the technology fight. I am for teacher raises though, hooray! The message had me cheering that on too.
Again, it wasn’t the content that bugged me. I am bothered to my core at the thought of a government-funded system being employed to foster up more government support and tax increases. I am bothered by the self-perpetuating nature of it. The idea that a taxpayer phone system—a technology that you and I pay for—would be used to solicit taxation for another mechanistic system is troublesome.
These questions are all I need to ask to sleep easy tonight:
- Do opponents of a tax increase have equal access to the contact system utilized to present a political viewpoint to my family tonight? And if not, haven’t we demonstrated the propensity of government to self-perpetuate its own ideologies upon its citizens via taxation?
- If a phone system bought and paid for by your taxes and mine can be utilized to push a political agenda for student tablets, what political messages would that same system deliver on the tablets themselves? It seems we’re in a “no holds barred” arrangement, so why not blast my kid with a political message?
- Once the political messages have been safely delivered via taxpayer phone services and student tablets, what technologies will be next paid for by me to solicit more from me?
Again, I don’t have a dog in the fight when it comes to content. An extra tax payment here or there won’t break this family. What bothers me is that I feel like I am being asked by our government to fund a technology that solicits the ideology of that government without equal access to opposing voices.
Sorry, but the wool wasn’t thick enough tonight to slide over these eyes. If you think the populace needs to be informed of YOUR viewpoint, find a way to do it without my tax dollar—or at least provide opportunity for honest debate. Otherwise, I feel like I’ve just been asked to pay my government for a brand new tool they could, without question or remorse, use to beg me for more.
Cindy McCullough says
I have to say, I had a similar thought when I received that phone call. What strikes me, is that the phone system was used for encouraging the budget proposals, and once for telling students there is a bus for everyone going to a basketball championship or some such thing (around 8:30 AM or so on a Saturday), but then when it comes to school hours changing during finals (8:30 to 2:30 PM) or AP Tests taking place at local churches and not on campus, nothing goes out on skyward. I think they need to rethink when to use and when not to use the Skyward phone system.
Angi Agle says
The bottom line is, the Skyalert system is a fixed annual cost. It costs not one cent more to advise citizens of what is in the schools’ budget and when the meetings are, which seems to me to be the essence of a public service announcement.
After all, opponents of the budget got the same advisory…
Trina Baughn says
It was a down and dirty sales pitch that insulted many and basically said, “Free ‘puters for all students if you can help us convince city council to raise taxes. For less than the price of a cup of coffee (only $15 a month for the average homeowner) you too can support a child in need of yet another device. Disclaimer: This deal does not cover costs for home internet usage, replacements if lost or stolen, popular apps, security monitoring, at home technical support (i.e. when your kid is doing homework) nor does it eliminate the need for most textbooks (sorry our primary attorney also lobbies for a major book publisher) http://rockytoppolitics.com/2014/03/23/part-two-the-chuck-cagle-common-core-cash-cow-conga-line/.
What it does do, though, is set up a continual excuse to demand more money down the road and a permanent increased burden on the taxpayers. Once council approves an increase, it’s pretty much set in stone (remember the MOE debacle) forever.
Mike Mahathy says
‘Free puters, really Trina. Is that your best? You are better than that.
You will be able to vote no tomorrow. Beyond that, neither you (nor I) have a say in what is implemented.
Mike Mahathy says
And whether Common Core is implemented or not, all Tennessee schools get new textbooks on a routine schedule. Yes, that is a big industry which maybe shouldn’t be so big, but there is nothing here. To my limited knowledge Mr. Cagle has nothing to do with the tablet plan? Do you have facts to show wrong doing or just throwing stones?
bill bradley says
Pot and kettle?
Trina Baughn says
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MK7qz13bU
bill bradley says
That was pretty good! Really! 🙂
So, I guess you agree with Hillary Clinton’s attitude of ‘what difference does it make”? Not the question, of course, but the attitude.
No, we’ll never agree on this one. But, when your foundation with the new supt. is that “things are rotten in Denmark”, then the foundation publicly crumbles, doesn’t that call into question the soundness of the whole structure?
As long as you publicly criticize other people’s ethics, Ms. Baughn, someone, if not me, will constantly remind you that one must be careful of claiming that they, and they alone, are seeking the truth.
Trina Baughn says
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjoMQJf5vKI
bill bradley says
“When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.â€
― Billy Graham
Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. ~Thomas Jefferson
Ok, enough Google search. Good evening.
Mike Mahathy says
Nice song!
David Allred says
This sort of use actually ends up undermining the function of the system. When Sky Alert calls this family, we perk up and listen. It becomes easier to IGNORE what might be an important word to parents when we’re listening to a highly political message about what we can afford and why we should hand over the money.
None of this however addresses my real concern. That is if the system has no qualms with politicking my home number unsolicited, what messages will they send via tablet technology?
This is a powerful tool and should be used wisely.
Jack Mansfield says
Ms Agle,
The “bottom line” is it has nothing to do with the cost, it has to do with a total abuse of a system that was meant for alerts and this one was certainly no “public service announcement”. You say opponents were advised, what about all the citizens who don’t have this system because they have no children in schools? You are attempting to ally all the parents to support this move and get all those who don’t have children in the system to pay for it without a voice.
For this system to be used in this manner is unethical at the least and for a school board member to approve this use shows a complete lack of ethics coming from the top. It brings into question any leadership who would approve this abuse. I think its time for the citizens to take a very close look at what our school board is doing along with the new superintendent they have hired, especially if they are willing to make this sneaky underhanded move.
Its almost as bad as someone who would let their dog out the garage door while the girl scouts are at the front door selling cookies. When the dog scares them off, you get all get the cookies they drop, for free.
bill bradley says
Now there’s a rational response. Angi seems to have taken a lot of her time to research a bunch of questions for people who were obviously too lazy to do their own research.
Yet, when she provided answers very few people thanked her (which would be difficult to do while they jumped up and down complaining). And now, you claim “a complete lack of ethics”.? Didn’t we just go thru “ethics 101” last week?
Perhaps you disagree with the supt’s actions – and I understand that. But really? To compare this to a bizarre case of releasing you dog to get girl scout cookies? I can only hope the milkman doesn’t deliver on the same day!! 🙂
Philip W Nipper says
I agree it was a poor use of the system. Who ever gave the official go ahead to use the system for this purpose appears they require additional training and/or supervision.
Jeanne Hicks Powers says
Unbelievable use and misuse of the system. Who authored and authorized this? Mind blowing! I guess the BOE/school system is afraid that too many people are viewing this with “open eyes”… and questioning! What a disgrace…. but ingenious on “their” part!
Rick Hasbrouck says
What call? I did not receive a call like this. Who is on this list to receive calls?
David Allred says
The school system has an emergency alert / items of importance automated phone system that contacts parents with items related to their students. I have no idea who got the “pay more tax for us phone call” but I suspect all of us with kids in the system.
It was unsolicited phone politicking for this family.
David Allred says
I should make it clear that I am not against the superintendent or the schools. I may or may not even be open to a tax increase and probably would have no issues were it just for teacher raises.
I am concerned with how technologies are used and the power they have to influence public opinion. Further still, when technology is used to sway public opinion for the purchase of additional technologies I fear that we enter into a feedback loop from which we will not escape.
A. Powers says
Santa Clause time – I love Oak Ridge Today – I can make my list of who’s naughty and nice by keeping up with the School Board and City Council members’ personal opinions/stands on the issues – I have a list in progress for our next voting opportunity.
bill bradley says
Now THAT is pretty darn funny!