KPCW, don’t get bullied by the Park City School District
Over the past two weeks, KPCW did what a competent news organization does. They reported on the actions of the Park City School District related to enforcing masks at Parley’s Park Elementary School. On Thursday, the school district went Full Bully on KPCW. Their lawyer sent a letter to KPCW. PCSD’s lawyer, Joan Andrews, writes:
“Specifically, on November 17, 2021, you [KPCW] published in various media, including on your website and Facebook pages, the following statement: ‘During Tuesday’s Park City school board meeting, board member Andrew Caplan said Parley’s Park Elementary School did not violate the county mask order and called reports of violation fake news.’ This statement is demonstrably false and on behalf of the Board of Education, we demand the immediate retraction of same. More specifically, at no time was the term “fake news” used by Mr. Caplan. The use of this term appears deliberately calculated to create the belief in the community that Mr. Caplan is opposed to Summit County Public Health Order mask mandate, which he is not, nor is the Board as a whole.”
KPCW responded by saying, “The articles and broadcasts of which your client complains are truthful and accurate. Moreover, KPCW’s use of the words “fake news” is a fair and accurate representation of board member Andrew Kaplan’s comments during Tuesday’s meeting and such use absolutely was not ‘a deliberately calculated’ attempt to imply Mr. Kaplan or the board is against the Summit County public health order mask mandate. Despite our belief that KPCW could correctly continue to use those words, we have decided it is even more accurate – and in the listeners and readers’ best interest – to use direct quotes from Mr. Caplan instead of characterizing them.”
The Park City School District’s lawyer argued that KPCW used the term ‘fake news’ to imply Mr. Caplan and the school district were against mask mandates. KPCW argued that the term was accurately used to characterize Mr. Caplan’s comments.
I don’t believe KPCW is trying to say that Mr. Caplan, or the district administration, is against mask mandates. I think KPCW is saying that Mr. Caplan implied that the school district followed mask mandates at PPES from day one, when all signs point to the fact that they didn’t. If they didn’t follow the mandates, then they broke the law.
However, what I find rich from the Park City School District lawyer’s letter was the bullying from an organization that is responsible for teaching our children.
Park City School District’s lawyer writes, “In the meantime, the Board has asked me to convey that Board members and District administrators will not be engaging with KPCW with respect to its repeated queries for comment, appearances, or other interactions, at least until we have clarity around the outcome of the review of what happened during week one of the Parley’s Park Elementary School mandate. The Board and District will continue to communicate on matters of importance to their constituents through other channels.”
Did the school board members take the Welcoming Schools training? That statement from the Park City School Board is pure bullying. “Leave us alone or you’ll lose access to the school district!”
If I were KPCW, I would say, “That sounds fine PCSD. We, as a news organization, will continue to report the news. We are ready to speak to you whenever you are ready. We’ll continue to report the news based upon your school board meetings and your public reporting requirements.”
KPCW is frankly above this fray. KPCW reports the news and it appears the school board doesn’t like it. They seem to view it as some sort of vendetta against them. There is no vendetta; there is only the hope for honesty. KPCW is reporting on what they are seeing, hearing from people on-site, and comments from our community.
KPCW, please don’t back down against these threats. If the school district won’t speak to you, that’s their loss.
KPCW, you are doing great work in our community. You are the best news source in the Wasatch Back.
If you don’t fight for the people’s right to know what is happening, who is going to do it?
Most of us trust you far more than we trust them.
Keep up the good fight.
Parkrag
We believe in citizen journalism. We believe there are stories to tell that can help to shape our community for the better. We believe tomorrow's Park City can be better than today's.
Comments
8 Comments
God that lawyer must haaaaate him. There’s no way in hell she let those chuckleheads go into that meeting without strict instructions to read the statement and keep their mouths shut
The school board needs to communicate with KPCW even more than they have in the past. When was the last time Andrew Caplan or Jill Gildea went on the air during the News hour? Communication with the community is a key way that they can make a case for their agenda. Kpcw is a community resource and the school board et.al, should take advantage of
the station’s willingness to give them
A platform to have a conversation with the public.
Well, if that was the kind of rational, proactive, and community oriented leadership we had in our school district, we’d be in a very different position. I feel like asking or expecting them to make that change now is very much in ‘tigers don’t change their stripes’ territory.
And iirc the last time Dr. Gildea went on air with kpcw was last spring. She told Leslie that the teachers were liars and none of their kids had been denied a spot in any PC schools. And Leslie was like, lady I’ve seen the denial letters. I don’t even think anyone went on to say ‘hey thanks for passing the bond’
Great honest well researched article’n
Dear Santa,
I hope you are not too cold at the North pole. I’ve been a good boy this year. If you think so too, here is my list. Thank you.
– happy students who like school because it’s safe and welcoming
– happy teachers who like school because it’s fun and safe and welcoming and the administration really cares about them and their ideas to make things better
– people in high places at our school district who are honest all the time and love to meet the students and teachers and listen to their ideas and support them with whatever they need to be happy and make the little world or education in our town much, much better
– no more bullies in school and that means no bullies in high places who lie to everybody all the time and don’t care about people and threaten people a lot
– a red mountain bike so I can ride it in the summer like my older sister…she’s really really good at it
– a snowboard
– lots of snow
Thanks Santa!
The district is straight up broken at the top. Time to clean house… and if it doesn’t happen, our kids won’t be PCSD students anymore. I know a lot of other folks who feel the same way.
Thank you Park Rag for the boldness of this article, not only in terms of your support for KPCW but in your criticisms of PCSD.
You nailed them and it is extremely affirming to read in print what so many of us have been saying and feeling for years. We need news sources such as KPCW and the Park Rag to tell the truth of what is going on in the hopes of real accountability and righting the ship.
Unfortunately, PCSD continues its tailspin. Covid mitigations at most school sites are virtually non-existent and as KPCW elucidated, thwarted by district leadership. The “Future of Learning” plan is poorly conceived, out of touch, and muddled by inept leadership. Throwing millions of dollars at new school buildings will not fix the problems that plague PCSD.
This could all have been predicted when Andrew Kaplan hand picked the BOE and blocked anyone he perceived as a threat. Remember? Look back at the board docks from 2014..
Leave a Comment