Lack of Integrity on Display
One of the recall supporters made a mistake Friday afternoon by calling in to the Joseph Michelli radio program. Recall organizers and supporters have been instructed to steer clear of public forums. The recallers have depended heavily on lies, slander, and deception to push their effort forward, so they do not want to be in the uncomfortable position of having to discuss issues publicly.
During the Michelli show, on which Sandy Shakes and I were appearing, a caller who called herself "Ellen" called the show. "Ellen" said that she was angry over the fact that Michelli was allowing us to appear on his show. She claimed that Michelli never allowed the Create Chaos group to appear on his show. She continued to babble on about fairness. Michelli, who is well liked, respected, and the most listened to afternoon drive-time radio host along the front range, was not about to listen to "Ellen's" nonsense.
Michelli told "Ellen" that he was not going to allow her to call his show and lie about him over the airways. Listeners of Michelli know that he is a very level headed and fair radio host. This attempt by "Ellen" to change reality was a little too much for the normally calm Michelli. Listeners of Michelli also know that he not only allowed recall organizers Mary Ellen McNally and Norvelle Simpson to appear for 2 hours on his show, he also begged the Chaos side to debate Eric Christen on his show. They refused out of fear. They claimed that Christen knows too many facts and that they would be unprepared to discuss facts.
Michelli and his listeners understand very clearly now what we have been dealing with for 3 years on the D11 board. The recall organizers are pathological liars, and we thank "Ellen" for allowing the community to see that fact. For people who wonder why there is very little trust on the board, we have been dealing with board members who conduct themselves just like"Ellen." I include John Gudvangen, Tami Hasling, and ex-board member Karen Teja on that list. Anytime that anyone brings an idea to the board that these people oppose, they immediately resort to lies as to motive, intent, and effect of the proposal on the district. We thank "Ellen" for highlighting, once again, how far the status quo side will go to keep D11 down.
During the Michelli show, on which Sandy Shakes and I were appearing, a caller who called herself "Ellen" called the show. "Ellen" said that she was angry over the fact that Michelli was allowing us to appear on his show. She claimed that Michelli never allowed the Create Chaos group to appear on his show. She continued to babble on about fairness. Michelli, who is well liked, respected, and the most listened to afternoon drive-time radio host along the front range, was not about to listen to "Ellen's" nonsense.
Michelli told "Ellen" that he was not going to allow her to call his show and lie about him over the airways. Listeners of Michelli know that he is a very level headed and fair radio host. This attempt by "Ellen" to change reality was a little too much for the normally calm Michelli. Listeners of Michelli also know that he not only allowed recall organizers Mary Ellen McNally and Norvelle Simpson to appear for 2 hours on his show, he also begged the Chaos side to debate Eric Christen on his show. They refused out of fear. They claimed that Christen knows too many facts and that they would be unprepared to discuss facts.
Michelli and his listeners understand very clearly now what we have been dealing with for 3 years on the D11 board. The recall organizers are pathological liars, and we thank "Ellen" for allowing the community to see that fact. For people who wonder why there is very little trust on the board, we have been dealing with board members who conduct themselves just like"Ellen." I include John Gudvangen, Tami Hasling, and ex-board member Karen Teja on that list. Anytime that anyone brings an idea to the board that these people oppose, they immediately resort to lies as to motive, intent, and effect of the proposal on the district. We thank "Ellen" for highlighting, once again, how far the status quo side will go to keep D11 down.
posted by Craig Cox | 3:49 PM
5 Comments:
Good golly goshamighty, Mr. Cox, you just seem to be plagued by "pathological liars" don't you?
And only you and your minions have access to "the truth".
You must feel like Superman, fighting for truth, justice, and the American Way!
"What a blessing knowing you are on the D11 Board!" Indeed!
The only bigger blessing is knowing you'll soon be completely marginalized, and that you won't be on the D11 Board next year.
Watch Chaos try another recall election after they walk away from Tuesdays results with their tail between their legs. When Reality gets to close to the Truth people lose it.
Two recall predictions, both miles apart. I am not a professional pundit, so I will not weigh in on those.
Anonymous #1, there is such a thing as "the truth." When "A" happens, and someone says, "A happened," that is a true statement. When "A" happens and someone says that "A did not happen," that is called a false statement. No one owns these truths, they simply "are." This would be a better district if you people on the left learned that lesson. Many of us learn that as kids.
As far as me being "marginalized," sorry, but that is not my concern. Whether I serve 1 more week, 1 more year, or 5 more years, I will have proudly served my community and fought for what is right. You, meanwhile, are already marginalized. 10,000 kids live in D11 boundaries and because of union leaders like you who don't care one bit about them, they chose to receive their education elsewhere. Marginalized? Your union, which could have chosen to become a professional organization, instead chose to become an extension of the AFL-CIO labor union. Instead of contributing to the education discussion, your labor union has chosen to spend money trashing citizens who try to make a difference for their community's kids. Marginalized? You understand that parents are fed up with the poor performance of their schools. Rather than offering solutions to those issues that parents express, your leadership has chosen to hide within the labor movement to fight against the very communities that pay your wages.
I hate to break your heart, but being marginalized in your opinion really does not hurt me one bit.
When one side is so convinced that only they know the truth, and see the truth, and speak the truth, we're all in trouble. You think conservatives learn the truth as kids, and that the liberal left still hasn't learned that lesson? Several words come to mind: arrogance, oversimplification, overgeneralization, self-righteousness, and just plain silliness.
I'm no expert in labor unions, like you obviously are. But, if the NEA controls local Colorado Springs teachers to the degree you claim they do, then I guess the converse is true, too? That the National School Board Association speaks for you? That they control your every word and every thought?
You used to have a lot of teachers' respect, Craig, when we viewed you as a guy we may not agree with all the time, but we thought your heart was in the right place. Lately, you've apparently decided to be a junior-grade Christen, and it's not a role that suits you. Please, for the sake of those kids you say you care about, get back to what you were and who you are.
And if you insist that what you are today is what you are, then I'm saddened for all of us.
No, I don’t think that one side has the market on truth-telling. Yes, my comment would have been all of those things you listed, if it was a serious comment. Any time someone tells me that there are “many truths” or that “everyone has his own truth,” or “there is no right or wrong,” I take that with the same lack of seriousness as the person saying it and I respond accordingly.
I would say that you are almost on mark when you suggest that NASB controls local boards. That is why I voted to stop paying money to that organization, which we did. NASB offers nothing to improve schools either, so we should not waste money on them. This is something that you should consider.
You talk about the respect issue, but I have been called a scumbag, I have been accused of trying to destroy our schools, I have been accused of hating teachers, I have been accused of taking thousands of dollars to cast votes on certain issues, and the list could go on over the past 3 years. You call that respect? The fact is that I respect individual teachers. I respect the hard working teachers who do whatever it takes to educate their kids every day. Nothing I have ever said or written says otherwise. Is my heart in the right place? Show me where it is not. Show me where my advocacy has been for anything other than improving the outcome for our students and parents.
The thing that bothers you is that you think that I am picking on your union in this blog. You don’t get upset about the poor performance of the schools, you don’t get upset about the wasted taxpayer dollars, or the incpmpetent administrators; you get upset when I talk about the union. I post the absentee figures because I think that teachers belong in the classroom. If I disrespected teachers, I would be applauding their absence, right? I criticize the union because your leadership never offers solutions, or at least ideas, to our educational crisis. I criticize the marriage with the AFL-CIO because I believe that teachers should be treated as professionals, not as day laborers. You should have made a move towards a professional organization, not a labor union.
You talk about respect, but your money goes to support people like John Gudvangen, Tami Hasling, and Sandra Mann. I have challenged you time and time again to tell me what these people have offered that will improve our schools, and you avoid that question like the plague. Where is their heart? Why do you respect them? The answer is pretty clear. They don’t attack your union, and that is what matters most. If a discussion of your union is the only thing that upsets you, then how can you accuse me of having MY heart in the wrong place?
When we were elected 3 years ago, you said that we should have tried harder to work with the seated board members. When the new 3 were elected in 2005, you said that we should have tried to work with the new 3. At what point have you tried to work with us? If you would actually get over the fact that we were elected without your permission, you would have to admit that you as teachers, and your students, and the competent administrators (emphasis on “competent”), and the parents, would all be much better off operating a little differently than we have been operating for decades. We have a world to catch up to, and we are not doing it. Sorry, but that is not my fault, or Eric’s, or Willie’s. Board members come and go. My problem with your union is, and has always been, that its leadership will not participate in an honest discussion on what to do to improve our schools, nor will it support candidates who will do so, either. THAT is sad.
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