Brenda Gullett of the State Board of Education left a lengthy comment on Jay Greene’s blog. Most of the comment, which is reprinted below, was really addressed to the Mid-Riffs bloggers.

I would invite Ms. Gullett to write to us directly — particularly if she feels that she has been misrepresented by the local newspaper — with a full defense of her and her fellow Board members’ actions in rejecting every single charter school application last week. We will be happy to print her words unedited as a guest post.

Indeed, public officials should welcome the opportunity to interact with informed citizens and consider their criticisms. That’s part of living in a democracy rather than a dictatorship — private citizens should be able to exercise their free speech right to criticize public officials’ actions. We look forward to Ms. Gullett’s response.

Here’s the comment:

Gosh, Jay, I can’t imagine you not having a comment. I am the state school board member you and those folks on Mid-riffs are referring to. I am also the co-chair of the Development Council for the College of Education and Health Related Professions. I believe that is where your “chair” is located. And, I just made my financial contribution.

Now about charters. By reputation, I perceived you to be wiser than to take newspaper articles as fact. But, I have been wrong before. My statement was that I had visited a school in Springdale that had made AYP for 2 years still having a large Hispanic population. This Dove school proposed to outsource it’s ESL work, and I did not see how they could improve on what the current system was doing in regards that. Their whole pitch was about working with Hispanic students.

I would like to invite you and some of you little genius bloggers on education to come to the State Board meeting. We meet every month on the second Monday. Unfortunately, we review charters in November.
We just had 2 grueling days of going over only seven charters and spent 7.5 hours one day and 4 hours the next. This is not a capricious activity.

I always love people like yourself who are fairly protected, but can criticize those on the scrimage line with all sorts of Monday morning comments.

I would be happy to post all of the 1000+ pages of charter application material on your blog for you to review and then we could discuss as a parent, grandparent, whatever if you would choose for your child to go there.

I have supported KIP ( may have 2 p’s) and E-Stem.
I have a degree in secondary education with a dual major. I have shepherded two children through public school and college graduation. Both U of A and one with a master’s. My husband Robert R. Gullett, M.D. was a school board member for 6 years. I have had a lifelong commitment to education and served as Vice-Chair of the Arkansas Senate Education Committee during the LakeView case.So, in all due respect to you and your little bloggers comparing my response to the definition of “pornography”, I DO believe I know a quality education when I see it.

Most recently I have spent time in Cincinnati for NASBE
(National Association of State Boards of Education) and heard and personally met Sec. Arne Duncan. I have been to DC twice since Pres. Obama announced the stimulus package and been briefed on that as it relates to education. I am very aware that this current administration considers caps removed from charters as important and may affect “race to the top” competetion for $$$.

The folks in the Midriff blog were all over my use of innovation. We much to their surprise, Sec. Duncan said that is the key and exactly what they are looking for.

You bring me a quality charter school, and you will have my vote.

Sorry, this is so long. I am not a blogger. I have much better things to do with my time. But, I was alerted to this by friends in Fay. And, I have heard a lot about you. So, you have talked about me and I have talked to you.

Jay Greene responded thus:

Jay P. Greene Says:
November 20, 2009 at 11:16 am | Reply

First, I’m not sure if you really are Brenda Gullett. Your comment doesn’t seem like the sort of thing that a member of the State Board of Education would write. And as you note, you can’t believe everything you read.

Second, if you really are Brenda Gullett, your opening paragraph seems to be a thinly veiled threat. Essentially, you are saying that you hold a powerful position with and are a major contributor to my employer. It’s not clear why this would be relevant other than to intimidate people who disagree with you. Fortunately, universities offer their accomplished faculty tenure precisely so that they won’t be intimidated.

Third, most of your comment seems to be directed toward things written on the blog, Mid-Riffs. While I agree with much of what they have written, their words and thoughts are their own, not mine. If you have an issue with what was said on Mid-Riffs I would suggest that you leave the appropriate comments there.