Union Endorsement Transparency

By Derek Viger
July 18, 2010

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Not that long ago, the Maine Education Association addressed criticism that they were out of touch. In a release entitled “Is the MEA out of touch?“(pdf warning), the teacher’s union defended their position on the Race to the Top, performance pay, and charter schools. Though the document is slim, it is welcome peek inside the MEA. These sorts of explorations into the mind of the MEA leadership are all too infrequent. When an influential organization like the MEA is less than forward with the public, the decisions they make become shrouded in mystery. The MEA should know that this lack of clarity is a breeding ground for questions about one’s grip on reality. One area where transparency would have worked to the MEA’s advantage would have been in their gubernatorial endorsement process. In fact, the MEA could have taken a page from another state union, the Maine State Employees Association.

At the end of June, the MEA endorsed Libby Mitchell for governor. Given the positions of the other candidates, and Mitchell’s record as a legislator, this was no surprise. Still, there is the lingering question of what made Mitchell so deserving of the MEA’s support? The MEA has not made the criteria used in their endorsement process public. We don’t know who was involved in the decision process. What members were allowed to attend? Were union teachers allowed to provide their input? If the MEA leadership is concerned about their image and not being seen as “a whiny self-serving union”, then they should be upfront about these sorts of procedures.

So again, what makes Mitchell so deserving? The MEA leadership’s public answers were vague at best.

from Dirigo Blue:

When Libby Mitchell is elected Governor, our students and our communities will have a real friend in the Blaine House. As a former classroom teacher, Libby understands the challenges and the rewards of teaching in a public school. She understands that educators must be partners and collaborators in making sure all of Maine’s schools are successful.

Our state faces difficult times ahead. We expect to have to confront some tough choices as a State during the next four years. The Federal Government continues to experiment with “contests” to decide which public schools get funding. While the majority of Maine’s schools continue to perform well, some are showing signs of falling behind. As many of our educators near retirement, we must make sure that our state is attracting the best and the brightest young teachers who are well prepared to teach our students and prepare them for their futures.

Maine needs an experienced, competent, and committed leader. Maine needs someone with proven leadership skills and a bipartisan track record. Maine needs someone focused on improving our great public schools.

How does the MEA think we should “attract the best and brightest”? What are the “tough choices” Mitchell has the skills to tackle? The only thing abundantly clear is that the MEA really can’t stand the Race to the Top. The best that can be done is to make inferences as to what those answers are. What does it mean that Mitchell will be a “real friend” in the Blaine House? What that means to one person could mean something completely different to someone else. This is by no means a slam on Mitchell’s record on education. While I don’t agree with all of her positions, we do have some common ground. I agree that partnering local businesses with schools can create some great learning opportunities and that instilling life-long learning is essential, for a few examples. No, this is about the MEA leadership working behind the curtain. If they really wanted the trust and respect of Mainers, including their own members, the MEA leadership wouldn’t just pay lip service to being for Maine’s students. They’d open up their doors and prove it.

If the MEA was public with their endorsement questionnaire and interview process, we could sit and compare why Mitchell received the support and the other four candidates did not. There would be no guessing. What was most important to the MEA would be on the table. We could see what this endorsement really means. There could really be some meat, rather than just a thin broth. A name on a list.

A recent op/ed by Eliot Cutler gives us our only public look at the process.

Throughout four pages and eight long questions, the word “student” appeared twice in just one question, and even then only in asking whether teacher evaluations should be based upon measures of student performance (of course they should, but the teachers’ union says no.) There was not another mention of students or any reference to parents, taxpayers or creating jobs.

Here is what the MEA wanted to talk about: raising taxes, protecting the union’s first-class health plan, easing working conditions, higher teacher salaries (regardless of competence and performance) and a tax exemption for retired teachers.

There was one other question: Would I support or oppose the establishment of charter schools in Maine?

That is all we get. If it were not for this editorial by Cutler, neither the public nor most of the MEA members would have any idea what was asked.

The MEA also has never publicly corrected Cutler, so this is the only impression of the event there is. You would think the MEA might want to address Cutler’s claims. This makes the MEA seem disconnected and isolated. Yes, it makes them look out of touch. If we had had a public explanation from the MEA there would be no room to question. If their questionnaire was public, we could have a better understanding of the process and what they believed was relevant in Maine’s educational system.

One could ask the candidates to further explain the endorsement questions, but that shouldn’t be necessary. A quick trip to the MEA website should contain this information for the public to disseminate. The MEA leadership only need to look to another Maine union, the MSEA, for a lesson on how to accomplish this.

On July 9th, Eliot Cutler wrote a letter(pdf warning) to the MSEA-SEIU stating that he would not participate in their endorsement process. Cutler believed that because of Libby Mitchell’s “decades of work in Augusta on behalf of the [MSEA]” she had earned the endorsement and would certainly receive it. He goes on to tell the union he will work with them, include them in the decision-making process, and change the perception that “state employees put up unnecessary barriers to growth”. The union responded a few days later, asking Cutler to apologize for “accusing [the MSEA] of running a sham gubernatorial endorsement process”. This may be a harsh reaction to a fairly benign letter, but at least it was something. The MSEA took the time to briefly explain the content of their questionnaire. They even provided a link to the document itself(pdf warning). There are 19 questions total. Here are some highlights.

Please explain your position on taxes, tax breaks and the general question of generating revenue. What would you do to balance the State budget?
Public attacks on State workers and other publicly funded employees, combined with the steady erosion of their standards of living and job security, have undermined morale and harmed efforts to recruit and retain a new generation of public servants. As Governor, what would you do to reverse these trends and restore respect and pride in Maine’s public service?
How have you demonstrated your ability to elicit cooperation and compromise from those who disagree with you, while maintaining the focus of the ideas you campaigned on to get elected?

There are some broad based questions and specific policy questions. You get a clear view of what the MSEA considers most important in this election.

Some items are available on the MEA’s website. The current MEA website, based on their parent NEA site, is a minor improvement over the previous version. The dreaded 404 “page not found” error was common. To navigate the old site was a chore at best. The current MEA site is easier to navigate and does include a search feature, but it is still lacking. A quick search of “school consolidation” shows a few recent articles. Missing is a proper archive of MEA statements, research, and news. Another disappointing misstep. The MEA could have shown their commitment to being open by providing easy access to their history. Again, the public and MEA members are left wondering. There are no dates on any of the articles. You just have to make inferences based on what the article is discussing. Most of what appears on the MEA’s website has been published in the Maine Educator MEA newsletter. However, the Maine Educator can not be found on the website as a whole. If the MEA leadership considers the articles featured in the Educator relevant for members, they are relevant to Maine at large. The lack of regular updates also shows a lack of commitment toward keeping channels open with the public.

The MEA neglects a great deal of what most of us consider common technology. Like to follow an RSS feed from the MEA’s site? There isn’t one. The MEA does not maintain a presence on either Twitter or Facebook. MEA President Chris Galgay does however use Twitter and Facebook. Galgay’s Facebook profile is protected.

An organization that doesn’t leave the public wanting is the Maine Heritage Policy Center, specifically Stephen Bowen. Recently Bowen has completed the admirable task of critiquing Maine’s Race to the Top application. Bowen has pour over the application in a thirteen part series. He has given praise and criticism were it is due. There is no question what pieces of the RttT app that Bowen thinks is successful, which pieces fail, and why. The MEA is not a dedicated research, so to present the same level of information that the MHPC does would be unreasonable. However, the MEA does have someone on staff for research, Brian Kilroy. Having updates from Kilroy available to the public would further debate and also a willingness to work together on solutions for Maine’s educational system.

There is another site that provides an invaluable service to those who follow Maine education. MDI Schools , run by Brian Hubbell, has archived a wealth of education news. Hubbell’s site contains press releases, news stories, and other education related links for the ed policy wonk. You can also find an excellent history of Maine school consolidation law. What you will not find a great deal of are articles directly from the MEA. There are related articles from Matthew Stone, news outlets, and myself, but few releases directly from the MEA.

Again, consider who attended the MEA’s endorsement meeting. Since there were roughly 200 people at the past MEA 82nd annual Representative Assembly, let’s assume 100 people were invited to attend this middle of summer event. Let’s also assume Chris Galgay and executive director Mark Gray were in attendance. Add the deputy director Rob Walker, Steve Crouse (Government Relations), Keith Harvie (Communications), Brian Kilroy (Research), their assistants Jamie Daggon, Hilda Grant Jones, and Cynthia Fabbricatore. That leaves 91 spots. There are 25,000 members of the MEA. The MEA represents not only K-12 teachers, but also school support staff (librarians, learning specialists, custodians, etc.), university faculty and staff, retired members, and MPBN. All of these groups have their own various interests. 91 non-MEA staff members out of 25,000 decided what is best for a wide variety of groups. That is very little representation for each affected group, each with members that pay dues to the union for proper representation. Without know who attended, members have no way of knowing if their interests were properly represented.

The MEA is a private organization so they are under no obligation to inform the public. Their influence does reach into the public sector, so the public does have a right to know what the MEA’s positions are and where they are using their influence. One would expect MEA members would be privy to their inner workings. Not so. The public believes that the MEA speaks as one voice for all members. This is not true. MEA members receive an e-newsletter. There is no archive of this letter, so those hoping to investigate if the MEA has fulfilled past promises to members cannot. During the vote to repeal the current school consolidation law last fall, many MEA members expressed not only their wish to see the law repealed, but to have the support of the MEA. The MEA however remained silent throughout the election.

The attitude from the MEA leadership fertilizes the gap between the union, its members, and the public. Their disconnect breeds the very attitudes toward their organization they seem to be so concerned about. The MEA wish to not be constantly on the defensive, yet they put Mainers in a position to constantly question them. They want Mainers to be respectful of them, yet they do not extend the same courtesy. The MEA wants Maine to work with them and be open to their ideas, yet they are almost a completely closed book to the public at large. In the 21st century, it is not difficult to be even the slightest bit transparent. If the MEA leadership really want to provide a valuable service to their members and Maine students they would open the doors. Honest debate and work is best accomplished with a healthy dose of transparency from everyone involved. We all want the same end, a quality education for Maine students. Planning how to get there should happen in the daylight.

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Tags: Eliot Cutler, Libby Mitchell, Maine Education Association, Maine Heritage Policy Center, Maine State Employees Association, Race To The Top

13 Responses to “Union Endorsement Transparency”

Bob

18. Jul, 2010

Did Eliot Cutler’s children attend (and graduate from) Maine public schools?
Gerald Weinand

18. Jul, 2010

The argument that few actual members participate in an organization’s endorsement process can be said about any large group. How many members of the Maine Chamber of Commerce participate in the endorsement process? Or of other unions?

For that matter, how many members of a given political party participate in creating and approving their Platforms? How many Mainers contact their legislators about particular legislation?

While it is reasonable to examine who participated in the MEA’s endorsement of Mitchell, that a small group was involved is hardly uncommon.

At least Cutler didn’t form his own “education group” to endorse him like Susan Collins did in 2008: http://bit.ly/bz8EaP
Derek Viger

18. Jul, 2010

I see your point, but that wasn’t mine. Because of the lack of transparency we can’t know who was involved and neither can members. That is the problem. We have no idea who is influencing this organization involved in public policy and it’s members have no idea if their needs are being met. Though they are under no obligation to do so, it would be a gesture of goodwill to be more open, rather than appearing to be commanding from a bunker. Greater openness will leave less room for people to charge the MEA leaders as being out of touch. It will grow trust in members and the public and lead to more productive debate. If the MEA is interested in those things they’ll realize I’m not out to trash them. I’m giving some damn good advice in order to help Maine’s students and teachers
Brian

18. Jul, 2010

I can tell you exactly what the deal is because I once was in the MEA and had a problem with their endorsement changes. During the late 1990′s the MEA stopped sending endorsement ballots to the membership and instead began to endorse candidates based on the opinion of a select group of the “chosen” within the organization. What once was mostly a situation of endorsements to liberal candidates then became almost exclusively an endorsement of the same.
Obviously, this “association” is nothing more than an adjunct of the Democrat party. I gave up my membership and have been happy to have the $500 yearly dues in my pocket and not in some candidates coffers.
Daniel R. Allen

19. Jul, 2010

I’m not entirely sure of your intent here Mr. Viger. You begin by implying that the MEA has lost its grip on reality, go on to suggest that it is unclear why we support Libby Mitchell, and then suggest we have something to hide by not publicizing the mechanics of our endorsement process or the content of the questions asked of candidates. Finally you trash our website and tell us we could be more transparent and that that would build member and public confidence in our organization.

I agree – the website could use some work. It is incomplete and we are still developing it. We are guilty of not being as technologically savvy as we should be. Your suggestions are excellent and a weak website in the 21st Century is no small thing. However, you go too far on too flimsy a set of arguments to suggest that we’ve lost our grip on reality or that there is confusion among the public over our support for Mitchell. You also go too far when you suggest our decision making process is “shrouded in mystery.” Of course, it is the mission of Pine Tree Politics to root out political intrigue. Too bad there’s nothing illicit, secret or underhanded going on here. And it doesn’t look like you did much rooting around either.

As you made clear in your column on June 29. it does not take an Augusta insider to know why the MEA endorsed Mitchell:

“…it should come as no surprise to anyone that Mitchell grabbed support from (the MEA)… Mitchell’s votes on educational issues also align with the MEA’s positions. The MEA has been against charter schools being allowed in Maine. Mitchell voted against charters in 2006 – LD 1798 – and recently in 2009 – LD 1438. Mitchell also voted in favor of increasing the teacher minimum salary in 2006 – LD 1381.”

You need only have followed Maine news or read the Maine Educator to know why she was the most likely candidate to win our approval. I concede we could use our web presence to be more transparent, but transparency is only useful to those who open their eyes and look for something.

As for the questionnaire, you need only have searched for “candidate questionnaire” on the MEA website and it would have been the first item to appear. I suppose it could have been posted right on our home page, like the MSEA, but it’s hardly a secret. I doubt there are many folks out there hunting for it, but if there are, I hope they make more of an effort than you did before giving up.

You claim that we have not made the criteria used in the endorsement process public, yet the Kennebec Journal simply asked Mr. Galgay about the process and then published this quote on June 24:

“Before endorsing Mitchell, MEA members invited the five candidates for governor to be interviewed. Four attended the meetings and shared their views on public education.
After the interviews, members cast ballots for the candidate of their choice, recommending Mitchell for endorsement. The MEA board of directors voted to approve the endorsement.”

For the record, the other 91 people in the room were association leaders from across the state as well as members of the board of directors and no staff members have a say in who we endorse. While there are those inside and outside of the association who may disagree with the process, it is our elected leaders who make the recommendation to the board, the members of which are elected by the members of their board district. Think of it as a representative democracy, much like the one in which we live.

The shroud of secrecy you point to, if it does exist, is paper thin. The positions of the MEA are clear. They seem clear to you despite your claim of befuddlement. They’re clear to Mr. Cutler who also stated that he was not surprised by our endorsement. And they should be clear to our members who receive the Maine Educator or those who can go to our website and read our public documents.

I’m sure the MEA will publish much more on why Mitchell should be our next governor over the next few months. Perhaps then the veil will be lifted (cue dramatic music).
Derek Viger

19. Jul, 2010

Perhaps they were clear to you, but I had more than a few members speak to me that things weren’t clear to them. If they aren’t clear to all in the organization what does that say.

Now the questionnaire you point to says House and Senate. Is that for gubernatorial candidates too?

As for the interview, the content you highlight from the KJ does not explain what criteria was used. Only that the candidates were interviewed, which was obvious. What questions were asked are still unknown. Are they the same as those on the questionnaire, which is not explicitly for gubernatorial candidates. Despite the fact that many reason why Mitchell got the endorsement, it is still important that it comes from the MEA leadership exactly what was asked an why. I’m not directly involved in Maine’s public policy issues. They are. If they are working their influence they should explain on what and why. If they want cooperation I shouldn’t have to explain things to readers. It should be made well known, with easy access, in a clear fashion, preferably through their website. I do thank you for explaining the interview process, but I am disappointed still that I had to right this piece so that people could find it.

And is the fact that Mitchell’s endorsement from the MEA was obvious a good thing?

As much as I’d like to read a Maine Education I can’t. I’m not an MEA member. The organization does not make them available on the website.

I am critical, I don’t deny that. I have said before, I am critical not because I am anti-union. I see an organization not properly representing it’s members, constantly sandbagging, and never fully explaining why. I don’t come to this conclusion on my own. This comes from working in the public school system and speaking with many other professionals who have done the same. If members don’t think leadership is clear on the issues, those who the MEA hopes to work in conjunction with likely believe the same. How does that help.

I don’t seek to see the MEA destroyed, but I am far from the only person who has said parts of the MEA structure are not keeping up with the changing times. I think they can and should improve communications. It is only to their benefit. If the MEA would like to just pass that off as someone “trashing” them, that is their choice. Ignoring what myself and others have said will not help the MEA. They can fiddle while Rome burns if they like, but I’d prefer that they get their heads out of the sand, think about WHY people are making the criticisms they are, and start working to better the organization from the inside out. That is my intention.
Bob

19. Jul, 2010

“MEA President Chris Galgay does however use Twitter and Facebook. Galgay’s Facebook profile is protected.”

I don’t have access to his page, but my significant other claims to have heard him dismiss Sue Gendron as someone who does not keep promises.
Derek Viger

20. Jul, 2010

I took the night to ponder the comments a little more.

Not once did I suggest that there was some underhanded scheming happening within the MEA leadership, nor was I looking for one. The MEA is not the victim. They do have power in the Maine Legislature. Saying people are trashing you or hunting a seedy story is an unproductive waste of time. If you have the power, which I believe the MEA does have power and the potential to use it productively, then you aren’t the victim here. How can offering criticism to improve the MEA be victimization?

Again, the questionnaire should not have to be searched for. I shouldn’t need to hunt or investigate. Nor should any MEA member or voter. It should be easy to find, out in the open. Maybe I used a bit of drama to heighten my point, but if the MEA valued communication, or the endorsements they give for that matter, they would make it easy to explore the questions they asked further. Also we still don’t know how or why the 91 members were chosen for the endorsement committee. Again I will say, even though Mitchell’s endorsement was no surprise we still don’t know why. What did Mitchell say in her interview? What questions were asked? What was it that made her the choice of the MEA and not the other candidates? It is important we know this directly from the MEA, not myself or other journalists. We can speculate all day, but until the word comes from the MEA, laid out plainly, it is only educated guessing.

Now, it took this article to even begin to peel back the layers and there still is no answer. I am glad we are having this discussion. Yet again, as I’ve had to do so many times since I’ve started writing about education, I will say I am not out to poke fun at the MEA. They are not a whipping boy, at least to me. If we seek the same goal, the highest quality education possible for Maine children, then we should want one of the most influential organizations in Maine education to be at its best. One of the MEA’s self-described goals is to build community support for public education. They need to build community to reach that goal.
Jim

21. Jul, 2010

I am an Independent voter and I think the issue here is that the MEA is more worried about self-interest than the bigger picture. Sure, Libby probably will give the MEA the most benefits, but in the long run is that going to help Maine? I think based on the mess that the state is in, the answer is no. So I put the question to the MEA representative, does your endorsement process identify the leader that’s best for you, or best for Maine? I think anyone that has seen the questionnaire (I have) will know the answer to that question.
Derek Viger

21. Jul, 2010

I was going to post a link to the questionnaire. The link found at the MEA search now points to this page. I have screen caps of the search and redirected page in the event that they are changed.

The MEA’s “friendly incumbent” lists for State House and Senate have also been released. Again, it would be advantageous to have more information as to how and why these candidates were selected. We do know that the candidates have “demonstrated strong support for public education, for the well-being of Maine’s students, and for the best interests of Maine’s dedicated education workforce” through their voting records. Same issue here as before. It would be excellent to know how this process works. Who was part of this process? What constitutes strong support for public ed, student well-being, and Maine’s dedicated ed workforce? What is the specific criteria used for judging these candidates? Knowing this information is about keeping members and voters informed in order to build strong partnerships between the community and the MEA. Nothing else. I will gladly post any clarifying information on the gubernatorial endorsement process or the friendly incumbent process the MEA leadership would like to present to the public on the questions I have posed.
Jarrod Dumas

28. Jul, 2010

I find it amusing that people are concerned that the MEA cares “more about their own interests” than the interests of Maine and its citizens. Last time I checked, the MEA’s members were all residents of the state of Maine, who depend on their jobs in education to feed their families and build their futures. The state of Maine, its voters, taxpayers and government have done very little to support teachers in the last 20 years. True, Gov. Baldacci did raise our minimum salaries to $30,000 from an insultingly-low $14,000. I guess that’s a step forward from Jock McKernan’s brilliant plan to raid the teachers’ pension fund (money that teachers earned and were counting on for retirement) and use that money to cover a budget shortfall. Even with an increase in the minimum teacher’s pay, Maine has dropped from 33rd in salary and benefits in the nation to 42nd since 2006. Am I, as a teacher, supposed to be grateful that my fellow residents and taxpayers ask me to educate–excuse me, in many case, actually raise–their children for them, with more duties, less support, in larger classes, for less pay (when adjusted for inflation and cost of living)? Of course the MEA looks out for its own interests and the interests of its members. That is the purpose of a labor union. Its pretty clear that no one else is looking out for the best interests of educators. I wouldn’t happily pay my dues otherwise. But, the MEA is also looking out for the best interests of the state, its students and its schools.
The constant demonization of educators in this state, especially by people like Mr. Viger and the above-heralded Maine Heritage Policy Center (for whom, I might add, I have zero respect) is part of a purposeful, coordinated attempt to convince the people of this state that resources should be diverted from education, our schools and our children, to line the pockets of the wealthy individuals who can “opt out” of public education for themselves and their families by sending their children to out-of-state private schools to the tune of $15,000 a year. I’m sorry, but the children of Maine deserve the same education that Mr. Viger’s friends at the Maine Heritage Policy Center are buying for their children. And they deserve them here in our towns, at our own schools, educated by our neighbors and not by commercial “academies” who offer an inferior product and only care about profit.
Yes, MEA thinks of itself and its members first. Thank God. No one else in this state is thinking of us.
Derek Viger

29. Jul, 2010

Jarrod- I apologize for the late response. I have been in Portland Oregon since last Friday. I urge you, and everyone, to take a trip out if you get a chance. It’s really a wonderful place.

Before I ramble too much, let me address some of your concerns.

I have NEVER demonized Maine’s educators. I have supported them constantly. To say that I have done anything but that for Maine’s teachers is a lie and a distraction. I agree with the MHPC at times. Of course I disagree with them just as much. I am my own person and not affiliated with the MHPC in any way. I read their opinions as much as the work of David Silvernail, and fellow ed journalist Matt Stone. I also read educational blogs of every stripe (Andrew Sullivan, Dianne Ravitch, Jay Matthews, and others), as well as those of the NEA and AFT.

I have seen your video to Sens. Snowe and Collins. I find myself agreeing with some of what you ask for (feel free to email me if you’d like to discuss the edujobs bill more) I was educated at and worked for RSU #10, then MSAD #43. There are many great teachers at the district, whom I enjoyed learning from and working with. I have some fond memories of those times. It was sad to leave. So before you try to discredit me with a deflection, perhaps you should really read what I wrote, including the comments here and other articles I have written. You will see I am a stalwart friend of Maine’s students and teachers. Even the MEA at times, if they are willing to listen.

Now I must ask, and this is open to everyone, do you really believe it is true that even the small amount of transparency I advocate for is an attempt to subvert the MEA? I have clearly indicated that it isn’t multiple times. This is not a request for the MEA to present every single decision to the public. The MEA, of course, is not a public organization. However, decisions that impact the entire state could be explained a little to the citizens and MEA members. This will breed an environment of trust and honest debate of the issues. Is this request counter to the interests of MEA members? If I had believed that it was, I wouldn’t have included the MEA members as those asking for more information in my argument. Increased communication is beneficial to everyone.

Lastly, if the only point of the MEA’s gubernatorial endorsement was to protect their interests, why not just say so? Publish the gubernatorial questionnaire and interview question list. This is not a demand or an order by any means. Just a friendly request. Nor am I asking that the MEA apologize for the questions or their interests, once those are clarified. I am not seeking to make the MEA to bow down or look weak, only to cultivate a better relationship with Maine’s educational field, those the MEA represents, and the people and students those members serve. Make this information public not only for voters, but for MEA members as well. MEA members of ALL levels should be privy to this information.

I will state for the umpteenth time, my intent is not malicious. I am not try to destroy the MEA. I am not trying to crush Maine’s educators. I am a friend and advocate to Maine’s educational system. If I am critical, it is because I see room for improvement. I will not apologize for providing constructive criticism. Everyone is free to agree or disagree with my opinions. However, some of the comments make it clear that people are not truly reading what I have written in this article or past articles, dismissing what I say before truly exploring the content. Introspection is not always easy. It can be damn uncomfortable. The MEA is by far not the only organization resistant to examining itself. I suggest giving it a chance, rather than swift condemnation of any critical examination. Like I said, it may not be comfortable, but it is helpful and part of a healthy organization.

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