Our governor, Paul LePage, has never been known to approach problems with finesse, only straight talk. His metaphors can be alarming if taken literally. The news media can’t wait to display his words in headlines even though he is using figures of speech that many people use to express themselves.

What the media does not do is give a full explanation of both sides of the argument. The outraged cries of LePage’s opponents receive the headlines and majority of the column space.

In the recent flap with Speaker Mark Eves, it has not been explained that:

1. Eves is not a trained educator, but is a marriage and family therapist.

2. Eves is reputed to be an opponent of charter schools .

3. Bill Brown is employed on Speaker Eves’ staff as a special assistant for budget and policy.

4. Bill Brown is the chairman of the board of directors of the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences, a charter school.

So why would the board of directors of a charter school, Maine Academy of Natural Sciences, choose Eves — an opponent of charter schools — to run the school, knowing he is not a trained educator?

Were Chairman Brown and the board of directors unduly influenced?

It appears that Gov. LePage saw what was happening, and this, along with financial irregularities, caused him to act.

Every story has two sides.

Thomas F. Shields, Auburn