Let's Make a Deal

The hard working Massillon Review Staff feels they were punished this week. They have suffered greatly and are demanding better working conditions.

Why?

They were asked to watch the first episode of Everybody Loves Marshall, also known as the televised Massillon School Board meeting.

The entire staff tuned in to watch a "decision made out of strength" unfold.

We tuned in to watch "one of the issues tearing at the board" be put to rest.

We tuned in to watch President Marshall Weinberg lead our schools.

While we were were certainly struck by President Weinberg's impeccable fashion, his constant need to prattle on expertly, and endlessly, about every single topic on the agenda forced us to rate the evening's entertainment as two thumbs down.

It appears that President Weinberg was the board member who spearheaded the idea of broadcasting the meetings.

At this past Wednesday's meeting, the school board had to pass a resolution to pay for the broadcasts. It was revealed that it will cost approximately $10,000 dollars annually to record the monthly board meetings, as well as an additional $2,500 dollars for microphones and equipment to support, what Board Member Vicki Becherucci called, "the travelling school board meeting" as it meets at different schools during different months.

The $10,000 dollars does include some unspecified other school related teleproduction costs, but would not be necessary at all without the need to televise the meetings.

A spirited debate then unfolded regarding the proposed expenditure, and when the vote was called, it was a split board, with President Weinberg, and members Elum and Miller voting in the affirmative, and members Becherucci and Seesan in opposition.

While President Weinberg was defending the expenditure of these funds to televise the board meetings, he revealed some insight into why he felt this was a necessary expenditure.

Firstly, President Weinberg talked about how the school board had just elected new officers in January, coincidentally choosing Weinberg as president, and that the local newspaper did not properly cover the event.

Weinberg then referred to the main reason why he wanted to spend $10,000 dollars to televise the meetings;

"if there is one part of it (serving on the board) that has been less than enjoyable it is the amazing amount of misinformation that is put out to our public. And where do they turn for the information? They go to these anonymous blogs" (Marshall Weinberg, Massillon School Board Meeting, January 26, 2011).

Apparently, Marshall Weinberg needs a taxpayer supported forum to set the record straight.

We believe that President Marshall Weinberg is making an incredible mistake in televising these board meetings. When Weinberg once again says something completely ridiculous, as he will inevitably do, there will be a permanent record.

If it is blogs President Weinberg is worried about, we are offering a deal which will save the school district thousands of dollars, and keep President Weinberg out of cyberspace, so that he may enjoy the respect and dignity that a president deserves.

If the school board doesn't spend the $10,000 dollars to televise the meetings, the Massillon Review will never mention Marshall Weinberg's name ever again.

With one caveat.

That they take half that money, $5,000 dollars, and donate it to the newly established Vicki Becherucci-Gary Miller scholarship fund.

We named it after Becherucci and Miller because they have sat next to Marshall on the school board for now over three years. Their suffering must be more than we can imagine.

The money then must be given to a graduating Washington High School Senior who plans on studying education in college. We want the money to defray college expenses for a future teacher.

Sounds reasonable. More reasonable than Marshall Weinberg wanting to televise himself bloviating every month and assuaging his ego because the paper did not pay him proper homage, and because a blog reprints his outlandish quotes and discusses his questionable actions as a school board member.

If Weinberg's skin was any thinner, we would think he was mayor.