Gomers: What's going wrong

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: The first Republican Party gubernatorial candidate debate of 2010 will be closed to media and the public. Host KTIV of Sioux City will air the debate live at 1 p.m. Wednesday, then rebroadcast it at 7 that evening. Initially, the station was not even going to air it live, only rebroadcast it days later. It's good the broadcast will be live, but shutting out the public and other media betrays voters, who deserve open campaigns. And why haven't candidates objected to the closed doors?

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ONE-SIDED: No Republican candidates filed for the June 8 primary election for Johnson County attorney, treasurer, recorder and two supervisor seats. All Democrat incumbents did. Unless Republicans nominate someone by convention, it looks like an all-Democrat ballot in November. Without choices, voters are shortchanged.

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EDUCATOR ARRESTS: Since Jan. 1, five Eastern Iowa teachers and administrators have been charged with sexual misconduct with a juvenile. The arrests raise questions about how well schools vet the people they hire to teach our kids. School officials should review their practices to see if changes are in order.