Why is the Sioux Falls School District being so secret about naming new schools? Tradition?

In defense of tradition, they have named schools this way for over decade;

District policy requires that name be selected by a committee, and to help the committee decide, the district conducted a survey on its website.

But the public won’t see those survey results. Maher on Monday denied an Argus Leader open records request for all responses submitted to the survey.

”The raw survey data does not stand alone and is not required of the policy in the naming process,” Maher’s response stated. “Instead, it is a means for the committee to solicit input from the community as one factor for consideration.”

But that doesn’t mean the tradition should continue. Why not solicit input from the community in a public meeting? I suggest the committee meet in public with the top names and discuss in an open forum and take public input before they vote on the final decision. Silly me, that would require the SFSD to change all of their policies on transparency.

And who is sitting on this secret committee?

While I suppose I should be angry, I am certainly not surprised. This process has been secretive from the beginning. It’s one of the biggest shams ever pulled on the citizens of Sioux Falls. Does it really matter what these schools are called? In my mind they will always stand for corruption whether you name it Jefferson or Attila the Hun High School.