Throughout the interview process for the superintendent of Albert Lea Area Schools, school board members, administrators and community members have emphasized their needs for improved public relations and finalists have emphasized their skills in public relations.

But here’s the rub: What is improved public relations?

The askers of the question might be thinking they need a district leader who can bend, charm, coax or spin the media to their will and therefore garner smiling public opinions, too. That would be incorrect.

We hope the superintendent finalists are thinking the correct answer: Change the way the school district interacts with its public.

The shared word in the terms public relations and public education is “public.” There needs to be transparency.

Good public relations means dealing openly and honestly with the public — media, parents, voters, business leaders, kids, everyone. Good public relations means being open to scrutiny from the community and accepting it with listening ears. Good public relations means not trying to quash opposing viewpoints. Good public relations is not trying to cover up problems and hide difficult debates.

Good public relations is trusting the public to see the greater overall performance, even when they watch the tough days here and there. If you let them see all your cards, not just your best ones, it’s a lot easier to trust that you’ve got a pretty good hand.

The new superintendent is going to have to alter attitudes districtwide about how to interact with the Albert Lea Area Schools’ public. The district’s public no doubt cares about education. They want to be part of the process. It is just whether the leaders want them to be part of it.

Here’s the upside: It seems new school board chairman Bill Leland knows this is an issue that needs to change. We are hopeful that he and the new superintendent will usher in exciting changes for the Albert Lea Area Schools.