I've got the right, you've got the right, to see and read

The other day, I had the tv on with the volume off (a strangely satisfying way to watch it), and an ad with a young lady, maybe 16-18 came on, and I could tell she was decrying something she thought was unfair, expressing that she was being oppressed in some way. It made me think how people are quick to jump up and yell about a general wrongdoing or suppression of rights that is so vast in scope as to leave one feeling impotent at the thought of trying to overcome such obstacles, when there are distinct local rights to be claimed that are often left fallow.

The Sunshine Laws, Freedom of Information Act, and Public Information Act are all part of Texas and national legislation that gives citizens access to the going-ons of their local government. We have the right to sit in on commissioners, school board, hospital board, appraisal board, water board, all public meetings, and we have the right to look at minute meetings, upon request and without being asked why we want to see such documents. Having the right and invoking that right would seem to be easy enough to interpret and enact, but that is not the case, and it takes a willingness to speak out and claim the right to get follow through, as I found out recently in a tussle I had with a local entity.

I won't be calling out which office I had trouble with, because this is a small community and it's all "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" (yep, I need my back scratched, too, sometimes). Also, everyone knows everyone, and I can't take the heat. Anyway, I was put off and stalled, making more than one in-person appearance after being told the minutes would be made available but they were not. I was asked why I wanted to see the minutes. I was given a raise of the eyebrow and a "Well, I never", even though the handbook for this entity, citing from Texas law itself, specifically instructs that all minutes be supplied upon request.

Aside from trampling on the rights of constituents, it is also breaking the law to deny access. There are costly fines and litigation that can come from an employee's lack of knowledge about the law, costs that would be passed on to the county should that employee be found at fault. I must quote here my eighth-grade social studies teacher, Mr. Blanchard: "Ignorance of the law is no excuse!".

I finally obtained the records I requested, but only after several weeks and a final letter I sent to them invoking Texas Code. I was hoping to reinvigorate my journalistic career by covering the affairs of this particular institution, whose endeavors I find fascinating, but I just don't have the guts for it.

I enthusiastically encourage every one of you to claim your right to access of local chambers and documents. I say this hypocritically, though. You won't see me around at the meetings. My skin is not thick enough.

It would be greatly appreciated if all the public forums had the transparency of the Fisher County Commissioners Court. All agendas and meeting minutes are made available on-line in a timely manner. They set a good example of availing the public of county actions.