The Baltimore school board held a special closed-session meeting Tuesday night to discuss "administrative functions."

How did I know about this meeting? I happened to stop by school system headquarters at 200 E. North Ave., and I saw the meeting notice taped to the door. I've requested repeatedly over the past few years that the system post notice of closed-session meetings online, or at least alert the media by e-mail, as neighboring jurisdictions routinely do. But officials technically meet the letter of the law by putting up paper notices inside system headquarters. As a result, the only people who find out about the meetings are those who are in the building -- and notice the signs on the wall.

What does it matter? We can't attend closed-session meetings anyway. But doesn't the public have a right to know how much of its business is being done out of its view? And in this case, I wonder why the meeting had to be closed. Typically, the public is kept out of meetings when the board is discussing legal or personnel matters. This time, the notice at North Avenue said the purpose of the meeting was to review the board's "administrative functions."

What does that mean? I didn't get a response to my inquiry to the school system Wednesday. I'll let you know if I do.