The teacher's hair was gray. She had been asked to attend a conference with her principal and her supervisor from Moakley Street. They wanted to go over their findings from an observation that had been made in her classroom.

This teacher (Miss T.) is not a member of EASMC. She doesn't like some of the NEA's positions on matters such as abortion, and you can't be a member of EASMC without being a member of the NEA. So she joined the more conservative Association of American Educators.

Miss T. had only received the write up of her observation the day before the conference. She was surprised to find “there was not one positive comment in the entire observation.” After all, she had 20+ years of experience in teaching and had never received anything but positive feedback on her work.

She communicated with her AEA attorney, and invited a parent and a member of the public to attend her conference. She wanted to be sure that the two administration members didn't “remember” things from the conference that she didn't remember.

When school was over, she and her two companions met in the office. They waited about 20 minutes then were ushered in. “You can stay,” her principal said, “but they cannot.” “But this is a staff meeting,” said the member of the public.

She pointed from one school staff member to another. “Well you are staff, and she is staff, and she is staff. That makes a staff meeting.”

The principal replied, “We are going to go over Miss T's observation. That is not a staff meeting. If she wants to have someone here to represent her, she should invite her building rep.”

At this point the parent intervened. “I called Jan Emerson. She said she probably would not represent someone who was not a member.”

Finally we go to the real problem. “Dr. Weiland said I may not hold the conference with them here,” said the principal.

“Now wait,” said the member of the public. “You are having a staff meeting. Under the St. Mary's County Open Meetings Law, public is permitted to attend a staff meeting.”

So there you have it. Dr. Edward Weiland has given these instructions. It's a good bet he consulted with Dr. Fulton. It seems unlikely that either of them consulted with their attorney.

From the St. Mary's County Open Meetings Law, “(g) Staff meeting.- `Staff meeting' means a meeting of three or more staff members or a combination of three or more staff members of a public agency.” and “(1) When a public agency or members of the staff consider or discuss the assignment, promotion, resignation, salary, demotion, dismissal, reprimand, or appointment of a member of a public agency or employee, the session may be closed, unless the person requests in writing for an open session. The request is a matter of public record;”

So the question is were they going to “consider or discuss the assignment, promotion, resignation, salary, demotion, dismissal, reprimand, or appointment” of Miss T? They said they were just going over her observation. Even so, it is clear that she had invited the people with her, and if she wrote a note the public is permitted to attend the “staff meeting.”

Here's the real point. The law not withstanding, the pubic needs to be part of the education process. Over and over at the Diversity Forum meetings, people try to find creative ways to draw the public to the schools. Dr. Fulton says she wants public participation. The Board of Education says it wants public participation. Here were two people who wanted to participate and they were sent away, as too often happens in the school system.

Who is to blame? Is it Lynne Morgan, the supervisor who joined the principal for the observation, evaluation, and the surprisingly negative review? Is it Mr. Weiland, Interim Superintendent/Director of Human Resources and his lack of understanding of the details of the Open Meetings Law? Is it the Board of Education and their lack of policies to guide the day to day operations of the school system?