I regard myself (seriously) as fairly naïve when it comes to making public policy. For one thing, I have this notion, often proved wildly off-base, that what goes on in the public view – a meeting, a public hearing, a judicial hearing of some kind – is where decisions are made. I’ve covered sessions such as these for newspapers since I was a teenager. And sometimes, important things do happen. But often, it’s just show time.

I’m pondering this today in the light of Monday’s public hearing by the state Senate Education Committee on proposals to change the governance structure of Milwaukee Public Schools.  It was impressive in some ways. There was a large turnout – the auditorium at the MPS central office holds 300 people and there were clearly well more than that who came and went in the course of the day-long session. There were lots of important people there, not only a large number of legislators, but Mayor Tom Barrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers, aldermen, School Board members, civic leaders, and activists. If you were patient (really patient, in many cases), you could get up and tell the committee members what you thought on the issue, no matter who you were or what your views – and isn’t that a great aspect of democracy?

And yet (pardon me while I sigh) — did this accomplish anything?

I ask this for three reasons:

1)      Frankly, there was almost nothing new offered. The issues have been thrashed around in public discourse energetically and at length and there just wasn’t anything new there.

2)      It certainly appears there is nothing going to happen in the Legislature on these fronts, at least nothing that really changes the status quo or that would rightfully fit the adjective “bold.”

3)      If something is going to happen, it’s not going to be because of public hearings like this. It’s going to be because of discussions far from public view, classic backroom negotiating and arguing. Maybe some compromise and or new idea will emerge. But count on it not to happen in public. (And don’t get me started on how the Legislature is exempt from the open meetings law that it imposes on every other government body in Wisconsin.)

I don’t usually ponder Shakespeare while observing public meetings. (I admit, the main subject on my mind often is: What time will I get home?) But I remember enough Shakespeare to know about sound and fury signifying nothing. Why, that line was just on my mind yesterday.