Civility and Local Control
Four years ago, just prior to the 2003 school board elections, the Gazette ran an article about the campaigns of the four of us reform candidates. The article took an aire of scandal as it reported that we had received contributions from, of all places, Denver! The article also pointed out that we had received an unprecedented endorsement from Governor Bill Owens, a Republican. The alleged outrage was that school board races were supposed to be both local and non-partisan. The lefties in town declared that we were illegitimately elected because we did not play by the rules.
After the election, the anti-reform talking points revolved around the issue of Eric Christen. These people did not oppose new ideas, they said, but they just could not tolerate the uncivil behavior that Christen demonstrated. In fact, the 2005 slate of anti-reform candidates even borrowed our platform for their campaign. Their only other issue was that they would bring reform with civility to the board. Strangely, the local media did not object when these liberals also brought in over $1 million in outside funds into the race to purchase their seats.
After the November 6th election, I received this post to my blog:
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Tom Strand, Charlie Bobbitt, and Steve Schuck!":
Bye bye Willie
Bye bye Willie
Bye bye Willie
We're glad to see you go.......
First of all, was this post sent by a child or by a labor union mouthpiece? A rhetorical question, obviously, but keep in mind that this person works in a classroom with kids. Civility wasn't really an issue at all, was it? Why would they be so excited about having Willie gone from the board? Because they cannot tolerate ideas, and "their people" don't offer any. They cannot tolerate anyone who won't declare that all is well in D11, and they cannot tolerate anyone who was not purchased by the labor union. It is about power, pure and simple, and not about improving the district for the kids.The current crop of board members believe that simply being on the board makes them somehow important. While the lawful purpose of an elected board is to represent the interests of the citizens, these people believe that they are to run cover for inept administrators. It's easier that way and they feel popular in the school community. Willie's biggest mistake was believing that he could work with these anti-reformers on the board. It is impossible to legitimately work with people who possess no integrity. John Gudvangen said over and over again that, "You have your truth and I have mine." Go ahead and run a society on that mindset. Willie is an honorable man and he is better off not having to spend his days dealing with people who have no intention of doing anything positive for D11.
As for local control, let's see who is really running the D11 school board. If you visit the Progressive Majority web site at http://www.progressivemajority.org/candidates/all-2007/?all=all. , you will find Jan Tanner, Tom Strand, and Chyrese Exline as the Progressive endorsed candidates. The Progressive Majority is a Washington, D.C. organization. Why is it involved in electing local school board candidates? Here is the write-up about Tanner from that web page:
Jan has been the Executive Officer of the family business in Colorado Springs for 19 years. She served as PTA State Secretary, and she founded the Alliance for Quality Public Schools, a citizen activist organization. In 2005, Progressive Majority partnered with Jared Polis and the Colorado Education Association to create a power shift on a District 11 School Board that had long been dominated by conservatives. (Pause a second for the humor in that last sentence. D11 has never been dominated by conservatives. Karen Teja, Lyman Kaiser, Mary Wierman, Delia Busby - conservatives? That's just plain funny. As for the involvement of the CEA, I thought that they did not purchase school boards).
So the Progressive Majority, the CEA, and Jared Polis, the gay millionaire activist from Denver, have "created a power shift" on the school board. Where is the outrage in the community? Where is the "scandal" article in the Gazette? It is no surprise that Tanner and Strand are void of ideas on how to improve this school district. They aren't concerned about D11. They are concerned about pleasing their "teammates" in Washington and Denver. Tami Hasling and John Gudvangen are also on the Progressive Majority's list of "victories" in a conservative community that finds itself fast asleep to the liberal power play in town.
How about partisanship? Are our liberal friends on the school board remaining non-partisan? Obviously, the Progressive Majority is an arm of the Democrat Party, as is the labor union, so that fails the non-partisanship test. In addition, the financial filings of both Tanner and Strand indicate that they both connected with the Democrat Party headquarters in Denver to use the Democrat voter registration list in El Paso County for their campaign efforts. With Democrat ideals, Democrat donors, and Democrat organizations running D11, you can be sure that the education crisis that exists in the district will get much worse before it ever gets better.
While the outcry over the 2003 elections was said to be about personalities, it was really about ideas. Some think that I am being unfair when I declare that the current board is made up of people totally lacking in leadership or ideas. I challenge anyone to uncover a single specific idea, thought, or proposal to improve D11 that has ever been brought forward by any of the sitting or new board members. The key word is "specific." Phrases such as "caring about kids" or "protecting our public schools" are meaningless rhetoric. While the anti-reformers are celebrating their total control of the board, they face the reality that they own the continuing decline of the county's largest district. Remember how they claimed that reformers would shutter schools and destroy neighborhoods? The anti-reformers have closed their first school and they are preparing to close more. Remember how they claimed that we would run students out of the district? The exodus from D11 began in the mid-90's and has continued by the hundreds under their control. Remember how they claimed that we had a secret agenda? Who can honestly claim to know what the current board is working on? Who can honestly name one action taken by this board that placed the interests of the D11 students ahead of the interests of the D11 administration?
For those who actually care about education, it is a good thing that the labor union and Progressive Majority are in complete control of the school board. These people are good at making excuses and laying blame for their failures on other people. Now it will be perfectly clear that it is their empty ideology that is continuing to drive a once decent school district into the ground.
After the election, the anti-reform talking points revolved around the issue of Eric Christen. These people did not oppose new ideas, they said, but they just could not tolerate the uncivil behavior that Christen demonstrated. In fact, the 2005 slate of anti-reform candidates even borrowed our platform for their campaign. Their only other issue was that they would bring reform with civility to the board. Strangely, the local media did not object when these liberals also brought in over $1 million in outside funds into the race to purchase their seats.
After the November 6th election, I received this post to my blog:
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Tom Strand, Charlie Bobbitt, and Steve Schuck!":
Bye bye Willie
Bye bye Willie
Bye bye Willie
We're glad to see you go.......
First of all, was this post sent by a child or by a labor union mouthpiece? A rhetorical question, obviously, but keep in mind that this person works in a classroom with kids. Civility wasn't really an issue at all, was it? Why would they be so excited about having Willie gone from the board? Because they cannot tolerate ideas, and "their people" don't offer any. They cannot tolerate anyone who won't declare that all is well in D11, and they cannot tolerate anyone who was not purchased by the labor union. It is about power, pure and simple, and not about improving the district for the kids.The current crop of board members believe that simply being on the board makes them somehow important. While the lawful purpose of an elected board is to represent the interests of the citizens, these people believe that they are to run cover for inept administrators. It's easier that way and they feel popular in the school community. Willie's biggest mistake was believing that he could work with these anti-reformers on the board. It is impossible to legitimately work with people who possess no integrity. John Gudvangen said over and over again that, "You have your truth and I have mine." Go ahead and run a society on that mindset. Willie is an honorable man and he is better off not having to spend his days dealing with people who have no intention of doing anything positive for D11.
As for local control, let's see who is really running the D11 school board. If you visit the Progressive Majority web site at http://www.progressivemajority.org/candidates/all-2007/?all=all. , you will find Jan Tanner, Tom Strand, and Chyrese Exline as the Progressive endorsed candidates. The Progressive Majority is a Washington, D.C. organization. Why is it involved in electing local school board candidates? Here is the write-up about Tanner from that web page:
Jan has been the Executive Officer of the family business in Colorado Springs for 19 years. She served as PTA State Secretary, and she founded the Alliance for Quality Public Schools, a citizen activist organization. In 2005, Progressive Majority partnered with Jared Polis and the Colorado Education Association to create a power shift on a District 11 School Board that had long been dominated by conservatives. (Pause a second for the humor in that last sentence. D11 has never been dominated by conservatives. Karen Teja, Lyman Kaiser, Mary Wierman, Delia Busby - conservatives? That's just plain funny. As for the involvement of the CEA, I thought that they did not purchase school boards).
So the Progressive Majority, the CEA, and Jared Polis, the gay millionaire activist from Denver, have "created a power shift" on the school board. Where is the outrage in the community? Where is the "scandal" article in the Gazette? It is no surprise that Tanner and Strand are void of ideas on how to improve this school district. They aren't concerned about D11. They are concerned about pleasing their "teammates" in Washington and Denver. Tami Hasling and John Gudvangen are also on the Progressive Majority's list of "victories" in a conservative community that finds itself fast asleep to the liberal power play in town.
How about partisanship? Are our liberal friends on the school board remaining non-partisan? Obviously, the Progressive Majority is an arm of the Democrat Party, as is the labor union, so that fails the non-partisanship test. In addition, the financial filings of both Tanner and Strand indicate that they both connected with the Democrat Party headquarters in Denver to use the Democrat voter registration list in El Paso County for their campaign efforts. With Democrat ideals, Democrat donors, and Democrat organizations running D11, you can be sure that the education crisis that exists in the district will get much worse before it ever gets better.
While the outcry over the 2003 elections was said to be about personalities, it was really about ideas. Some think that I am being unfair when I declare that the current board is made up of people totally lacking in leadership or ideas. I challenge anyone to uncover a single specific idea, thought, or proposal to improve D11 that has ever been brought forward by any of the sitting or new board members. The key word is "specific." Phrases such as "caring about kids" or "protecting our public schools" are meaningless rhetoric. While the anti-reformers are celebrating their total control of the board, they face the reality that they own the continuing decline of the county's largest district. Remember how they claimed that reformers would shutter schools and destroy neighborhoods? The anti-reformers have closed their first school and they are preparing to close more. Remember how they claimed that we would run students out of the district? The exodus from D11 began in the mid-90's and has continued by the hundreds under their control. Remember how they claimed that we had a secret agenda? Who can honestly claim to know what the current board is working on? Who can honestly name one action taken by this board that placed the interests of the D11 students ahead of the interests of the D11 administration?
For those who actually care about education, it is a good thing that the labor union and Progressive Majority are in complete control of the school board. These people are good at making excuses and laying blame for their failures on other people. Now it will be perfectly clear that it is their empty ideology that is continuing to drive a once decent school district into the ground.
posted by Craig Cox | 7:07 PM
11 Comments:
My version of the anonymous post:
Bye bye ideas
Bye bye integrity
Bye bye quality education
Bye bye the only one who cared
That sums it up nicely.
What, that isn't just as childish? No, it squares ith your world view, so it's OK, right, Cox?
Don't think that what happens here is reflective of what happens in classrooms. Teachers have a lot more respect for their students than they have for the likes of you. When addressing an adult who steadfastly insists on acting like an ass, you just have to give in and treat them as such.
P.S. What does Tim Gill's sexual orientation have to do with education? Or are you just trotting out the old homo boogieman again for your klan to snuggle up next to?
The glee at removing one individual, from a board of six bobbleheads, is really kind of sick.
Thanks again for connecting some more dots...........the question begs to be answered: why was this stuff news in 03/04 and not since? I think it's because the Gazette knows it played a very serious, recurrent role in the whole chaos debacle. By chance or.............???
Up to each's interpretation. Mr. Gudvangen: that's my truth. What's yours about your connection to Polis, Gill, Stryker and all the rest of the RISERs?
Anony, I'm a what? Could you please be more specific with your particular issue? Almost sounds as if you are simply lashing out. I certainly hope that you don't speak that way in front of your kindergarteners. Maybe it is time to take my advice and reach for that paper bag.
Do you really have respect for your students? Show me one sentence in your labor union agreement where students are a priority. Do you really respect your students? Name one specific issue that any of your purchased board members has brought forward that positively impacts the education of students. Do you really respect your students? Then why does your labor union give teachers "credits" for participating in labor union functions, but then deny them "credits" for taking extra time to grade their students' papers or for doing an outstanding job in their classrooms?
Great question about Tim Gill, although I don't see his name anywhere in my post. Obviously you are lumping Gill and Polis together, which is the correct connection. But you make a great point. Why are these two, plus Pat Stryker, spending millions of dollars buying school boards? What on earth do any of them have to do with education? Is this boogieman the same one that I only bring forward in my "end of world scenarios," as you put it? The same one, in fact, that is found on the Progressive Majority web page?
Before you reply, breathe in, breathe out...
I would disagree that some of these teachers act differently in the classrooms. In fact, I could pick out several of my kids' teachers who demonstrate that type of attitude in the classroom. Once your kids reach middle and high school in this district, apparently anything goes for some of these teachers. Not the majority, but anonymous needs to stop pretending that everyone is a "professional." It ain't true.
In fact, remember this comment by a D11 parent back in March in the Gazette:
"My son is brilliant, and he was bored — forced to sit in class after class with teachers expounding on their politics and what they did last summer."
How about this email from a D11 parent about a D11 labor union leader/teacher:
"Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 8:49 PM
Subject: Math and Political Issues
...In addition, my husband has had letters to the editor published over the last several months stating his political views regarding educational choice/anti-union. Approximately three weeks ago after his letter was published, Mr Tom Watson, who as you know is the union representative in Doherty HS, asked our son who his father was. Our son knowing that the letter was published, stated he didn't know what he was talking about. Mr Watson went back through previous letters to the editor and apparently checked records and told my son that it was his father. I feel that for this to have occurred in the classroom borders on intimidation and bullying...
A concerned parent hoping for change!"
You are correct that the majority of teachers are of a higher caliber than Anony. It is generally the labor union leaders who are the most thuggish and are more interested in their political issues than in education.
Why does that troubled person, my guess is it's Tom Watson, always chime in on your blog with such hate and illinformed views? Guy needs to get a life and focus on how D11 is going to screw another 27,000 kids out of a good education.
Any takers on how well Cesar Chavez does this year compared to other D11 schools? What will the excuse brigade claim is the reason for such a trouncing? One can only guess.
Also, when do the new attendance numbers come out? Anyone want to bet on how many kids D11 has lost this year? The 7 dwarfs on the board now have total control and soon it will be of a district that has no kids left in it. Congrats status quo, you won the battle and lost the war.
Just wondering if you knew that Mary Wierman died this weekend. She was a wonderful lady who devoted her time to helping students and making D-11 a better place.
I heard about her death shortly after she died on Monday. What a trajedy for her husband and family to lose her at such a young age.
Sad to hear about Mary.
Sad how many kids she failed as well while she was on the board.
Post a Comment
<< Home