Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-06-08
DIscOURA0Es SECRET SESSIONS.
State Superintendent carieton's Letter to the
Helena School Board.

HELENA, Mont, May 30. 1898.
To THE BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES,
Helena, Montana,
"Gentlemen: i am informed that your hon
orable board transacts a portion of its business
in secret session. thus excluding reporter of
the press and any citizen or patron of the
schools who might desire to attend. i am also
informed that sometimes. even after the bust
ness of the secret session is transacted. you
hesitate to disclose what you have officially
done. The people are intensely interested in
their public schools and in all things in any
way connected with them.
They depend naturally to a considerable
extent upon the newspapers for much of their
information concerning them.
IL am firmly of the opinion that any tax
payer or patron of the schools has the right to
know, at all reasonable times, everything that
a board of trustees has officially done. / see
no reason why any citizen should not be pres
ent at any and at all meetings of the trustees.
| think that all meetings should be public.
THE idea of a secret meeting or session of
the board is ~repugnant. believe, to the spirit
and intention of our law.
"Of course, if the transaction of business was
interfered with by those who were not members
undoubtedly the board would have the right
to exclude such from the meeting. But why
reporters should be excluded / cannot i'm
agine.
IF at any time discussion is desired relative
to school matters concerning which there is a
difference of opinion, and the board is of the
opinion that such discussion, if made public,
would be injurious to the schools, then. of
course, it is proper for the board to hold a
caucus or secret session for the purpose of dis
cussing these matters. but even then, when the
business is transacted and the secret session
adjourned, full and complete publicity should
be given to everything done at such session.
/ am satisfied that this course is the best for
the board and best for the schools. There
should be nothing secret about public schools
or their administration. The reporters and the
public should be invited and encouraged to
attend your meetings. You should take the
public into your confidence. Under your
efficient administration of the Helena public
schools they have attained a position of great
excellency, and they are a source of just pride
to our people. You are entitled to no little
credit for the splendid results of your labors.
But ! fear that a policy of secret sessions of
your honorable board, or the Withholding of
anything done at any of its meetings from the
public, will work to their detriment. l am GER
tain that naught but the best of motives actua-
ted the members of the board in pursuing the
policy they have. but / cannot but think that
such a policy is unwise and of doubtful legality.
Section 1702 of the political code, referring
to the state superintendent, reads as follows:
He shall have the general supervision of
the schools of the state
Il construe this to include the supervision, in
a general way, of the official acts of school
officers. particularly in those matters affect
ing the welfare of the schools, as otherwise
there could be no supervision that availed
anything.
81 trust that your honorable board will, after
carefully considering the reasons for open ses-
sions. herein so briefly set forth, discontinue
the executive or secret sessions, and in the
future adopt the better policy of open meetings.
This letter is not intended as a criticism of your
board, but is written in the interests of the
schools and for the purpose of bringing this
question before the school boards of the state.
THE attention of all the boards of school
trustees will be called TO this matter, and in
structions given to follow the course herein
Indicated"