Blogging with the doors open: he may receive 1,000 posts on a controversial matter, but this superintendent wants to keep a finger on the public pulse

School Administrator, May, 2006 by Clayton Wilcox

Most, if not all, of our board members read the blog, as do other community leaders, which builds common understanding. The blog also gives me, as superintendent, a place to test ideas and challenge the status quo without the normal pressures attendant to the office I hold. It has given me another tool to help shape public opinion about the district and the actions of those who serve the children and young people in Pinellas County. The blog has helped us beat the news cycle on several occasions, which allowed the district the chance to help shape the discussion rather then simply react to headlines or sound bytes.

As we started the process of cutting $20 million from our operating budget, we used the blog to gather ideas for eliminating duplicated services, eliminating archaic practices and simply identifying areas our readers thought ripe for the taking. Here's what some of them had to say:

* "Have we considered those who have the benefit of driving cars paid for by the county ... and I don't mean the work trucks, I mean the cars. Why can't these people drive their own vehicles and just give them a smaller stipend for gas/mileage?"

* "Get rid of CHOICE. Start with rezoning high schools in the same zones as MS & ES. Allow the student to attend a HS out of his/her zone as long as they provide their own transportation. Then do away with countywide choice completely the next year."

Counting on Feedback

Bloggers are an interesting lot in that they tend to pile on and keep score as if the side with the most posts supporting a position should carry the day. When considering the public's opinion on hot topics, my role becomes one of perspective police, trying to determine whether what appears to be the general sentiment is actually reflected in the other decision-making tools we use. Finding balance in the fast-paced world of the blogosphere is constantly a challenge.

Another challenge is to constantly monitor and update the blog to keep it fresh. I decided early on that while I would read the blog daily, I would not respond every day. In fact, I sometimes go for weeks at a time without responding, choosing to monitor the conversation rather than to moderate or participate in it. My infrequent participation on some threads has been a point of concern for regular bloggers, who have surmised that I really don't care or that my blogging is really a political stunt or an effort to simply appear "with it."

They are wrong. I do use it daily and I've come to count on the feedback. It is one element of a much broader communication plan. I am keenly aware of the digital divide in our county. In addition to those who do not have access to technology, we have a polar opposite, the well-connected who have the ability to create a roar through the power of web-based technologies. However, I am absolutely convinced that providing our school community with varied access points to the system and its leadership will pay dividends down the road.

Those who are given an opportunity to express their opinions and who are thus involved in decision making will feel a greater responsibility for seeing that those decisions lead to successful outcomes for all of our kids. They also will become engaged in more personal forums like traditional parent-teacher conferences, school performances and simple acts of volunteerism.