Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kissy_Lissy 
"I believe you misheard me," Nolan said in reply to Erik. "I had developed the office hours idea with students in mind, however I could see why you thought I was referring to parents as well." Actually, he didn't. Because he had clearly said STUDENTS like, a billion times while answering it. Erik must have just not been paying attention. Boo.
"Ah, I see, so you plan on having this town hall meeting moderated? Rather than just a free for all sort of discussion? That, I have to agree, sounds much more...controllable. I wanted to assure you had thought through the parent aspect of this idea--being a former professor I can assure you, parents can get awfully nasty at times," he added with a smile. You know, yelling at you via Howler for giving their kids detention and all that. Every day was an adventure. "You made no mention of any sort of control earlier. Thank you for that clarification."
Because honestly the way he had described it, Nolan had sort of pictured a giant room full of parents hounding the board members complaining at them. An actual debate sort of...thing actually sounded like a good idea. Not that he'd sayyyyy that.
Why would the Board of Governors even need open office hours for students? And where would they hold these hours? In the one tiny room on Hogwarts' ground floor where they were permitted to meet? How many Governors were supposed to hold 'hours' then at one time? And what about the childrens' academics, and the true professors with real office hours they could be attending instead? Erik could have easily asked fifty questions nitpicking Nolan's idea apart, but he didn't. And that was the difference between most of the other candidates and himself: he was on the defence, not the attack.
"Of course it vould be moderated..." Erik slowly turned his head to stare at Nolan like the idiot he was.
"Forgive me if I vas unclear. I assumed most people understood how meetings vork...they are conducted, led by someone, usually by the person who called for the meeting in the first place." He continued staring at Nolan as he explained this oh so patiently.
"In vhis case, the Board of Governors would be conducting the meeting. I trust President Rae-Branxton has alvays had parent complaints and Howlers to deal vith, so an open meeting, vith the support of additional Governors as moderators, vould hardly be the hurdle you must be picturing, Mr. Reynolds..."
He trailed off with a deliberate, thoughtful look out at the audience.
"I vas only sharing one idea I had, should I be elected to the board. Nothing's certain yet for any ov the candidates up here," Erik smiled,
"except that it seems you are certainly afraid ov a little work. Interesting quality in a former professor, Mr. Reynolds, but vhank you for the question regardless."
Erik nodded and went back to his impassive watching. He had nothing else to say on the matter. He had made it pretty clear that as well meaning as Reynolds was, he was most definitely the village idiot.