Taming talk-show dragons without getting burned.Criticism: Public schools stink, at least that is what the guy on the radio said. Answer: Get the truth to the people with the biggest mouths. "If you are going to put your child into a government school because you don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. any better you are too stupid to have a child. If you are too poor to put your child in a private school, you can't afford a child. Government schools are nothing but a 12-year babysitting service. If you can't afford to educate your children, you shouldn't have any."--Neal Boortz, nationally syndicated radio talk show host No doubt some radio stations in your community carry a national radio program that regularly bashes public education. Some criticisms have merit. We in education often are our own worst enemy. Some of the attacks are the results of a misinformed host or emanate em·a·nate intr. & tr.v. em·a·nat·ed, em·a·nat·ing, em·a·nates To come or send forth, as from a source: light that emanated from a lamp; a stove that emanated a steady heat. from his or her personal feelings, prejudices and experiences. The good news is that many of the problems we have with talk radio shows can be solved if we are willing to be patient and persistent. Bad Information I was a radio personality for 14 years before going to work in school public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most , and yes, I attacked our local school system. The superintendent who hired me was fond of saying, "I hired him to shut him up!" As a talk show host, I could always attract callers on three subjects: taxes, abortion and public schools. Some thought I was a dragon, breathing fire on the local system. I thought I was being truthful and fair. At the time, I only knew what I read in the newspaper (failing test scores, acts of violence) and heard from my callers (lazy teachers and uncaring, overpaid o·ver·pay v. o·ver·paid , o·ver·pay·ing, o·ver·pays v.tr. 1. To pay (a party) too much. 2. To pay an amount in excess of (a sum due). v.intr. To pay too much. administrators). If you have dragons in your market, you have three choices: Ignore them, attack back or convert them. Ignoring them is a mistake. If you check the ratings of those shows, you will find them popular with high-income professionals and older listeners--also known as the movers and shakers Shakers, popular name for members of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, also called the Millennial Church. Members of the movement, who received their name from the trembling produced by religious emotion, were also known as Alethians. and the ones who vote. If you attack them as an enemy, they will eat you for lunch. They have the voice and they always have the last word. Instead, view these hosts as misinformed citizens. Your job: Patiently, persistently and gently tell the host and his or her listeners what is really happening in public schools. Concentrate Locally Realistically, you can do little about the opinions of syndicated hosts. Concentrate instead on your local talk shows in the following ways: * Listen to their programs often and objectively. Identify their major concerns and honestly evaluate the criticisms. If a host has a valid criticism, do not stick your head in the sand. Acknowledge the problem publicly and explain how you are working to solve it. * Invite hosts to your schools. Ask them to read to a class during Public School Week. Get them to MC a pageant or a spelling bee spelling bee n. A contest in which competitors are eliminated as they fail to spell a given word correctly. Also called spelldown. Noun 1. . Just find ways to get them in your schools to see what is really happening. * Invite them to visit the central office. Show them you don't have secretaries who have secretaries who have secretaries. And let them talk to administrators. Talk Show Advice Offer to come on the talk show to answer questions, but be careful. Consider the following: * Practice first. Gather some advisers to ask practice questions. Make sure they are pointed questions about violence, wasted money, accountability and student test scores, not softballs about a new reading program. * If the host is particularly hostile, take someone with you. A supportive business leader is best. Chances are the host won't trash schools with the other guest saying good things about you, especially if the guest's business advertises on the radio station. * Be prepared, but if you don't know the answer to a question, say so and promise to get it. Be sure you follow through. * Invite some "friends" to call the show but don't stack the deck Stack the Deck is a pricing game on The Price Is Right. Debuting on October 9, 2006, it is played for a car. Gameplay The contestant is shown seven digits, in the style of playing cards, and five spaces representing the price of the car. as that will be obvious. * Do not get into an argument. State your case and the facts calmly and stay in control of your emotions. Let them rant, and then reply calmly. If you blow your top, you lose. * Do not be intimidated in·tim·i·date tr.v. in·tim·i·dat·ed, in·tim·i·dat·ing, in·tim·i·dates 1. To make timid; fill with fear. 2. To coerce or inhibit by or as if by threats. . If you are nervous, you will not communicate well. * Maintain a sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour . These people are entertainers. If you can lighten up Lighten up Selling some part of a stock or bond position in a portfolio to realize capital gains or to losses or increase cash assets. lighten up the conversation (I don't mean tell jokes) and get the point across, you will be successful. But don't go overboard. A flippant flip·pant adj. 1. Marked by disrespectful levity or casualness; pert. 2. Archaic Talkative; voluble. [Probably from flip. response to a legitimate concern will torpedo torpedo, in naval warfare torpedo, in naval warfare, a self-propelled submarine projectile loaded with explosives, used for the destruction of enemy ships. Although there were attempts at subsurface warfare in the 16th and 17th cent. your efforts. * Tell your story. Make sure you have two or three ideas you want to convey during the interview and make those points often. * Tell the truth, period. * Thank the host for allowing you to come on the show and offer to return. Monitor the station after you leave and as often as you can to see if your appearance made a difference. * Don't give up. It will likely take several visits and lots of patience to change a negative attitude that has been years in the making and is supported by rabid callers and high ratings. Every situation is different, and every talk show host is different. The one constant is that we cannot afford to sit back and let people take potshots at us. You can't simply hope the dragon stays in his cave. He won't. You can only extinguish Extinguish Retire or pay off debt. his fire with information and the truth, with patience and persistence. Tom Salter salt·er n. 1. One that manufactures or sells salt. 2. One that treats meat, fish, or other foods with salt. Noun 1. is communication manager of the Alabama Department of Education, 50 Ripley St., Montgomery, AL 36104. E-mail: tsalter@alsde.edu |
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