The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-01, Page 7Freedom of Choice dilemna
Group is uneasy
about press coverage
BY JEFF SEDDON
The Society for the
Freedom of Choice faced
a bit of a dilemna at its
last meeting trying to
determine if it had the'
freedom to choose who
attended its meetings.
Some members of the
group were a little uneasy
about press coverage of
meetings and felt
restricted by reporters.
They wanted a private
session of the group to
allow them to express '
some concerns they
didn't want to be public
knowledge.
The idea of closing the
meetings seemed to be in
direct conflict with the
purpose of the group
according- to some
members who regarded
exclusion of reporters as
a type of discrimination.
Elsa Haydon, one of the
organizers of freedom of
choice, said she "did not
see how the public can
stay at the meetings but
people whose profession
is to write for newspapers
cannot". She'said she felt
that was
"discrimination" adding
she would like to see the
group "continue in the
same spirit as it started".
Haydon told members
she was not trying to win
the support of the press to
try to solicit publicity for
the group but merely
wanted reporters to feel
free to attend and cover
any meeting they chose.
She said she did not feel it
was important for the
reporters to be at the
Freedom of Choice
meetings but that it was
important for them to be
able to come if they
wished.
Steve Norton told the
group he agreed with the
philosophy Haydon put
forth but questioned the
accuracy of some
newspaper stories. He
said he felt reporters
"should be involved"
with Freedom of Choice if
they wanted adding that
"even though it is part of
their job to make stories
interesting and even
entertaining" he felt it
was "fair to say we
(Freedom of Choice)
have been getting
inaccurate coverage".
He told the meeting one
newspaper story about
the last ,session of the
group said Freedom of
Choice had asked that the
novel The Diviners,
removed from the ap-
proved list of English
texts by the countyboard
of education, be rein-
stated. He said the group
had asked that the matter
be re -opened for
discussion and had not
asked that the delisted
book be reinstated.
Dr. Tony Miller
reminded members of the
group that when a
reporter attends a
meeting or function and
observes the event that
event "does not control
the reporter".
One group member
said she was not con—
sidering the request for
privacy a restriction of
the freedom of the press
but rather an opportunity
for group `members to
"freely exchange ideas
without any thought that
they would be reported by
anyone".
Haydon told the
members that sending
reporters out of the
meeting would not
necessarily prevent them
from writing about it. She
said there was nothing to
prevent her from leaving
the meeting and telling
reporters things that
went on inside. Haydon
suggested the group was
getting involved in some
"backdoor underground
tactics that may destroy
our credibility".
A vote by members
settled the matter. Those
present t did not • want
reporters banned from
the meeting but did want
the group to consider
holding one meeting
closed to members only
with the following
meeting public.
In other business the
group was asked to
consider the possiblity of
including representatives
of farm organizations in
its meetings. The request
was made after Adrian
Vos told members he was
a little concerned about
the amount .of'unrest over
Huron County's image
outside the county: lie
said many members
seemed upset about what
others thought about
them pointing out that in
many circles Huron
County is considered first
rate. He said in farm
matters people involved
in farming in other
counties consider Huron
County residents "right
at the top". He said those
people have not been
influenced by comments
made about the mentality
of Huron County
residents wanting. novels
bannedlfrom schools.
"Our thinking in Huron
County is no more red
necked than on Bay
Street," said Vos. The
Blyth area farmer told
the group it should be
careful not get too
militant in its thinking.
He said the group was not
objecting to the thinking
or the morals of any other
group but was objecting
to having those opinions
"imposed" on the public.
He said 'that was what the
Renaissance Group was
doing when it asked that
the English novAb be,
removed fromigh,
school classrooms adding
Freedom of Choice had to
be careful it did not do the
same,
Members of the group
broke into discussion
groups to attempt to
formulate some sort of
priorities it could attempt
to deal with. The results
of those sessions
amounted to members of
the group being asked to
investigate government
control on' individuals,
quality of education in
public schools, central
,....government de
-"
personalizing in-
dividuals, improving the
public image of Huron
County, looking at
degrees of censorship and
taking a look at how
government control is
taking over individual as
a result of public apathy.
Results of those in-
vestigations will be
brought back to future
meetings of the group for
consultation and possible
action by Freedom of
Choice.
GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, MARCH 1 , 1979—PAGE 7
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