| Author | Post |
|---|
Apache Mom
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 99 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 08:15 pm |
|
Tell me Teddy, is that a family portrait, or your dream date?
|
AnneR
Member
| Joined: | Sat Mar 29th, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 38 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 08:12 pm |
|
Well, we all know how to spell douché bag: AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 07:14 pm |
|
Michael - Please tell us how we all feel about this recall now...
Last edited on Sat Mar 29th, 2008 07:17 pm by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 07:50 am |
|
PUSD Teacher wrote:
I have only left comments on this forum a few times, I find it better to just keep my mouth shut. But, after reading this string, I have a few things to say.
AYKM, it is obvious that you have never gathered signitures for a candidate or for a ballot measure. It is a true lesson in how uninformed people are, as our friend Adam has rightly pointed out. It's extraordinarliy difficult. Anyone wanting to run for an elective office will have a hard time gathering enough signitures with a full allotment of time. Those collecting signitures for the recall have half the time to gather twice the number of signitures than for a regular election. While I'm disappointed in the execution of this recall (I have signed a petition), the sentiments that lead to it in the first place have not dissappeared. You quote Erickson's blog, but you quote it out of context. He also points out that the entire structure of a recall election is gamed so that it fails. Funny how you leave that part out.
Dad, if you were aware of the history of what's been going on in this district the last few years, you would have a full understanding of why the nickname Sweetwater Bullies and Liars Club is accurate. This is a group that intimidates their neighbors into submission if they dare have an opinion other than the one shared by Diane Douglas and Debbie Lesko. They also try to intimidate teachers and administrators at their neighborhood school and the high school next door. They are a group that has run at least three campaigns against additional funding for the school district. That in and of itself is no big deal, but the fact that they lied throughout those elections is. An example: if the capital override passed the district was going to replace teachers with computers. That's just plain stupid. Another example: we need to use capital override dollars to pay teachers. The problem is that school can't use capital dollars for salaries. It's against the law. And there's plenty more lies from where those came from.
As for the Santimommies, just talk to one of them, should they deign to do so. If they do speak to you, you'll be able to cut their contempt for you with a knife. They claim to represent parents, but they don't. They truly believe their opinions are more important than yours or mine, despite the fact that they are probably less qualified to render an opinion than either one of us. They are responsible for the ugly divisiveness you see in our community, and frankly, they're the ones who taught the rest of us that in order to get anything done, you better be the loudest and play dirty. They have yet to be right on a single issue and their credibility is zero. Worst of all, now that they've splintered the school district, they have disappeared. They may be the most cowardly group to ever crawl out from under a rock.
How do I know? I've served on district committees with members from both groups. I attended one of the santimommy meetings a few years as a parent (unlike Rick Murphy, my two children attend Peoria schools). I had hoped to do some good as a member of what I thought was a legitimate parent group. I left the meeting after it was decided to bring up a topic at a school board meeting because it was "controversial" and because they could spin it to make the governing board "look bad." And then they did.
Critisize Erickson and Rohrig all you want, but they are only playing the game started by these two groups, and they are playing it better. What they have to say, while done tongue in cheek, resonates with far more members of this community than you may think (and especially among the faculty at the school where I teach, which is in the middle of the Sweetwater / Oakwood area).
I have seen these two small groups -- and they ARE small -- tear at the very fabric of this school district. I moved here over 30 years ago, before I even had children, because I wanted to teach in the Peoria school system. I wanted to be part of a group of people that takes education seriously, and to be part of a group that holds high standards for ourselves and the students we teach. By all measures this is one of the finest school districts in the state, yet to listen to those two groups (not to mention Mrs. Douglas, Mrs. Knecht and Mr. Murphy) you would think otherwise.
What many of us are fighting for is to make sure they don't ruin an excellent school system; to make sure that micro managers like Mrs. Douglas and Mrs. Knecht and their followers stay out of the way of the people who know what they're doing. We don't claim that the school district is perfect, or that things can't be improved, but we believe that the people paid to make those decisions should be able to do so absent the political agendas of these two small groups. We certainly believe in governing board oversight, but believe that they should stick to the duties for which they were elected, which according to the Arizona School Boards Association are: approve policy; approve a budget; hire/fire the superintendent.
Many of us don't feel that's too much to ask.
I'll work with you, Myarrogance, you're going to be a project, but I think with some hard work, you can become a high school equivalent speller and writer. Please tell me you don't teach English, even if you do teach English, please tell me you don't.Last edited on Sat Mar 29th, 2008 07:54 am by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 06:37 am |
|
Posted: Mon Jan 28th, 2008 03:28 pm
Edit
Quote
Reply
9,000 pretty tough hurdle to jump...
Only 120 days, TICK,TICK,TICK,TICK
Recall fails=Created a monster
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 05:50 am |
|
| Okay.
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 05:48 am |
|
| Because you have the stink of being involved in this silly recall and even sillier lunch issue.
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 05:45 am |
|
What makes you think I won't?
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 05:34 am |
|
| It's too bad you have the stink of being involved in this silly recall and even sillier lunch issue. You could have run as a healer.
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 05:11 am |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: You seem to be a bit testy tonight, Dad, have you been getting enough sleep?
Those Board meetings tend to run pretty long when nobody can get along...
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 04:38 am |
|
| Don't you think teachers should be held to higher standards when they put something in writing? Some of the things that come home sometimes just really make me wonder. Shouldn't a teacher know how to spell grammar? Isn't that a bit embarrassing to you? Last edited on Sat Mar 29th, 2008 04:39 am by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 04:32 am |
|
| You seem to be a bit testy tonight, Dad, have you been getting enough sleep?
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 04:29 am |
|
Perhaps you're referring to Michael Erickson?
I wouldn't go around criticizing people for spelling, grammar, and commas if you can't get peoples' names right.
Last edited on Sat Mar 29th, 2008 04:29 am by Adam Maras
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 04:19 am |
|
| I don't know, you tell me. He must be related to Gandhi the way these people talk about him.
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 04:13 am |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: this Robert Ericksen character
Who is Robert Ericksen?
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:55 am |
|
Dad-
I must say what I find so odd about many backers of the recall is they will quote this Robert Ericksen character like he is the final word. Even my teacher, Myarrogance, throws out his name like well, if Robert said so, it has to be true. Isn't this a bit odd in your eyes? Like a flock of sheep?
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:27 am |
|
You can tell me in private if you like, my contact information is in my forum profile. Of course, your emails may be subject to records searches... you could always instant message me!
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:25 am |
|
| That's all I can say at the moment. You see, I had this problem with the mail....I'd rather not get into it.
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:22 am |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: Theodore, but my friends call me Ted.
There's tons of people named Ted in Peoria and Glendale. You'll have to do a little better than that 
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:21 am |
|
| Theodore, but my friends call me Ted.
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:20 am |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: Sorry Dad, can't do that one, I think Kathy looks just heavenly right where she is. I bet she was quite a catch in her day, don't you think?
My public relations department advises me not to comment.
On an entirely different subject, I don't suppose there's any chance I could persuade you to step out from behind your anonymity? I've always been curious about the devious mind behind the capitalized moniker.
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:17 am |
|
| Sorry Dad, can't do that one, I think Kathy looks just heavenly right where she is. I bet she was quite a catch in her day, don't you think?
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:14 am |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: Dad -
What an excellent suggestion!!! Always love suggestions from my public....
Well, you got the text on one line, but you didn't put it under Mrs. Knecht's picture. Are you trying to be like Diane Douglas, how she released the emails but redacted the names? I don't particularly care for people that only half listen to the public.
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:10 am |
|
Dad -
What an excellent suggestion!!! Always love suggestions from my public....
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:05 am |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: Dad -
I'm glad you asked. Due to unprecedented response from my public who literally begged me not to miss a day of the countdown, I have cancelled my trip and will be continuing the countdown without missing a beat.
Gee, what would the public do without you?
Could you at least put "Only more xx" and "days" on the same line and below Mrs. Knecht's picture? It's just ugly the way you have it.
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 02:59 am |
|
 Only 11 more days
and Kathy Knecht's term in office will be fully validated. If you’re unable to back up your words with enough valid signatures, or win the election, you pretty much give the person you’re aiming at the right to claim they have the community’s support. And, after winning two elections, they can more than make the case that they do.
Last edited on Sat Mar 29th, 2008 03:09 am by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 02:54 am |
|
Dad -
I'm glad you asked. Due to unprecedented response from my public who literally begged me not to miss a day of the countdown, I have cancelled my trip and will be continuing the countdown without missing a beat.
Last edited on Sat Mar 29th, 2008 02:56 am by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 02:44 am |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: PUSD Teacher wrote:
. There are dozens of grammer and stylebooks that say the final comma isn't needed.
Grammer??? You can't even spell it, Myarrogance. Please tell me you're not an English teacher......It should be style books, there is no such word as stylebooks. By the way, is that the way you run your classroom - it's that way because I say so without backing up what you say??
Stick with me, Myarrogance, I'll have you writing up to standards in no time.
Aren't you supposed to be in Barbados right now?
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 29th, 2008 02:23 am |
|
PUSD Teacher wrote:
. There are dozens of grammer and stylebooks that say the final comma isn't needed.
Grammer??? You can't even spell it, Myarrogance. Please tell me you're not an English teacher......It should be style books, there is no such word as stylebooks. By the way, is that the way you run your classroom - it's that way because I say so without backing up what you say??
Stick with me, Myarrogance, I'll have your writing up to standards in no time.
Last edited on Sat Mar 29th, 2008 05:42 am by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
Peoria Dad
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 123 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 10:21 pm |
|
Teacher, thanks for your input.
Dad, when did anyone ever claimed that Raeder or "Galbraith were saints, let alone perfect? They aren't. Nevertheless, I'll take their body of work (their entire body) over what's going on now any day of the week and twice on Sunday. During their terms the school district did nothing but improve its level of student achievement and made things better for kids. They have a whole hellava lot more decisons on the good side than bad. Meanwhile, since Knecht and Murphy have joined the board, there's been no growth at all. Knecht ran claiming the governing board was "disfunctional." Her joining it has certainly made it that way.
|
PUSD Teacher
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 21 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 09:48 pm |
|
Dad, I agree that recalls should be difficult. I don't think Mr. Erickson argues otherwise, either. And I don't think the organizers had any idea of the difficulty they would be facing. One of them is a student of mine, and I hope this is teaching him an excellent lesson in civics.
Why I signed the recall petition is another matter. First, I signed it after watching Mrs. Knecht lose her wits when questioned by a 14-year-old girl who neither threatened her, nor implied a threat. In doing so she showed her complete contempt not just for students, but for all of us who might disagree with her (and for the record, I support closed campuses). By the way, if I had that kind of outburst as a teacher, I would have been fired.
Second, during budget negotiations last year the majority of the staff begged and pleaded with the governing board not to give us raises if it meant firing people. We were ingnored, and once again Mrs. Knecht showed her contempt toward the staff by claiming that we weren't experts, and that we didn't know what we were talking about.
Finally, she is ignoring the staff again in regard to our desire to retain the same health care benefit currently offered to us.
I can swallow and tolerate missteps, but I cannot tolerate anyone who holds our students, our staff and her own constituency in such low regard. Someone like that, like Mrs. Knecht, has no business serving on the governing board.
|
dadof3
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 26th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 139 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 09:31 pm |
|
| If everyone was so sure it wouldn't work, why did they make such a fuss about doing it? I don't think the process is "rigged", it seems to be rightly so made difficult for the very reason this one got started, to retaliate against an elected official that made a decision that p-o'd a small group of people. Give the lady a break, I'm sure every board member ever elected, including what appears to be "Saint Debra" or "Saint Patty" goofed up at one time or another.
|
PUSD Teacher
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 21 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 09:24 pm |
|
As a favor to the rest of us, I've provided a link to Mr. Erickson's comments regarding how recall elections are rigged to make sure they don't work that our bitter and angry friend refuses to acknowledge:
http://nohoneymoon.blogspot.com/2007/05/recall-rumblings.html
and
http://nohoneymoon.blogspot.com/2007/12/childrens-crusade.html
AYKM, no one ever claimed Knect's election was invalid. The claim here is that she's not qualified to hold that seat, and her actions have proven that to be true.
And, finally, not ALL authorities (American or otherwise) agree abut the serial comma. There are dozens of grammer and stylebooks that say the final comma isn't needed. Do you ever tire of being wrong?
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 04:56 am |
|
A note to my public:
I will be in Barbados for next five days and I will not be able to do the countdown in that span. Please be assured I will resume upon return and will gladly be back on this forum for that final seven days before that fateful time of April 9 at 5:00 PM.
By the way, I encourage anyone with a lameass excuse why the recall is about to fail to write in and I will add you to the list of lameass excuses that has been compiled already.
Last edited on Fri Mar 28th, 2008 05:58 am by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 04:43 am |
|
Only 12 more
days
and Kathy Knecht's term in office will be fully validated. If you’re unable to back up your words with enough valid signatures, or win the election, you pretty much give the person you’re aiming at the right to claim they have the community’s support. And, after winning two elections, they can more than make the case that they do.
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 04:42 am |
|
I wouldn't talk; your grammar isn't always A+ quality, AREYOUKIDDING ME.
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 04:19 am |
|
By the way PUSD, a real pet peeve of mine, papers that come home from my kids' teachers with words spelled wrong, incorrect punctuation, and incorrect grammar. Here's one rule you may want to heed:
all American authorities say to use the final serial comma: "He went to the store to buy milk, butter, and eggs."
Last edited on Fri Mar 28th, 2008 04:22 am by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
PUSD Teacher
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 21 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 03:01 am |
|
AYKM, that's exactly the type of low brow, inaccurate and intellectually weak comment we've all come to expect of you.
And yes, those of us on the "inside" do know more about running a classroom, a school and a school district than the five people sitting on the stage. We'd better, or we shouldn't have our jobs.
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 02:17 am |
|
onefedupkiddie wrote: Adam, he did the exact same thing to me. What I alledgedly said is completely different from what he has any of us numbered as. It's ridiculous.
Yeah Adam life really sucks, first they take away our lunches, then they misquote me, what's going to happen to me next
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 01:07 am |
|
- Kiddie-Kiddie - The public doesn't understand. (Really has anyone ever understood anything Kiddie-Kiddie has ever written in this forum????)
- Miss Kitty - People don't have the time to get the signatures (Sorry Miss Kitty, truly pathetic)
- Dad - Small group of rogues knows better than uninformed voters. We will take care of masses since they can't take care of themselves.
- PUSD TEACHER - Ignore the vote of the people who voted these people in and did not choose to recall them. They are uninformed and we on the inside know best. We do not care how this appeared to the people who don't have the time to keep on every single issue. They should have known better because we are so obviously right. I think only those superior beings who are insiders (teachers, administrators, etc.) should be able to vote for school board elections because we know what's best for your children. We do not believe in the check and balance of a school board at all. We think all board members should have the same rubber stamps that Galbraith and Raeder possess.
Last edited on Fri Mar 28th, 2008 05:12 am by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
onefedupkiddie
Member
| Joined: | Tue Oct 30th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 65 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 01:00 am |
|
Adam Maras wrote: AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote:
Dad - Small group of rogues knows better than uninformed voters. We will take care of masses since they can't take care of themselves
Where on earth did you get that crazy idea from? Certainly not from my post, if you took the time to read it...
Adam, he did the exact same thing to me. What I alledgedly said is completely different from what he has any of us numbered as. It's ridiculous.
|
PUSD Teacher
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 21 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 12:04 am |
|
Well put Adam and Dadof3.
I have only left comments on this forum a few times, I find it better to just keep my mouth shut. But, after reading this string, I have a few things to say.
AYKM, it is obvious that you have never gathered signitures for a candidate or for a ballot measure. It is a true lesson in how uninformed people are, as our friend Adam has rightly pointed out. It's extraordinarliy difficult. Anyone wanting to run for an elective office will have a hard time gathering enough signitures with a full allotment of time. Those collecting signitures for the recall have half the time to gather twice the number of signitures than for a regular election. While I'm disappointed in the execution of this recall (I have signed a petition), the sentiments that lead to it in the first place have not dissappeared. You quote Erickson's blog, but you quote it out of context. He also points out that the entire structure of a recall election is gamed so that it fails. Funny how you leave that part out.
Dad, if you were aware of the history of what's been going on in this district the last few years, you would have a full understanding of why the nickname Sweetwater Bullies and Liars Club is accurate. This is a group that intimidates their neighbors into submission if they dare have an opinion other than the one shared by Diane Douglas and Debbie Lesko. They also try to intimidate teachers and administrators at their neighborhood school and the high school next door. They are a group that has run at least three campaigns against additional funding for the school district. That in and of itself is no big deal, but the fact that they lied throughout those elections is. An example: if the capital override passed the district was going to replace teachers with computers. That's just plain stupid. Another example: we need to use capital override dollars to pay teachers. The problem is that school can't use capital dollars for salaries. It's against the law. And there's plenty more lies from where those came from.
As for the Santimommies, just talk to one of them, should they deign to do so. If they do speak to you, you'll be able to cut their contempt for you with a knife. They claim to represent parents, but they don't. They truly believe their opinions are more important than yours or mine, despite the fact that they are probably less qualified to render an opinion than either one of us. They are responsible for the ugly divisiveness you see in our community, and frankly, they're the ones who taught the rest of us that in order to get anything done, you better be the loudest and play dirty. They have yet to be right on a single issue and their credibility is zero. Worst of all, now that they've splintered the school district, they have disappeared. They may be the most cowardly group to ever crawl out from under a rock.
How do I know? I've served on district committees with members from both groups. I attended one of the santimommy meetings a few years as a parent (unlike Rick Murphy, my two children attend Peoria schools). I had hoped to do some good as a member of what I thought was a legitimate parent group. I left the meeting after it was decided to bring up a topic at a school board meeting because it was "controversial" and because they could spin it to make the governing board "look bad." And then they did.
Critisize Erickson and Rohrig all you want, but they are only playing the game started by these two groups, and they are playing it better. What they have to say, while done tongue in cheek, resonates with far more members of this community than you may think (and especially among the faculty at the school where I teach, which is in the middle of the Sweetwater / Oakwood area).
I have seen these two small groups -- and they ARE small -- tear at the very fabric of this school district. I moved here over 30 years ago, before I even had children, because I wanted to teach in the Peoria school system. I wanted to be part of a group of people that takes education seriously, and to be part of a group that holds high standards for ourselves and the students we teach. By all measures this is one of the finest school districts in the state, yet to listen to those two groups (not to mention Mrs. Douglas, Mrs. Knecht and Mr. Murphy) you would think otherwise.
What many of us are fighting for is to make sure they don't ruin an excellent school system; to make sure that micro managers like Mrs. Douglas and Mrs. Knecht and their followers stay out of the way of the people who know what they're doing. We don't claim that the school district is perfect, or that things can't be improved, but we believe that the people paid to make those decisions should be able to do so absent the political agendas of these two small groups. We certainly believe in governing board oversight, but believe that they should stick to the duties for which they were elected, which according to the Arizona School Boards Association are: approve policy; approve a budget; hire/fire the superintendent.
Many of us don't feel that's too much to ask.Last edited on Fri Mar 28th, 2008 12:07 am by PUSD Teacher
|
dadof3
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 26th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 139 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27th, 2008 11:55 pm |
|
| Where's Joe these days?
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27th, 2008 11:48 pm |
|
- Dad - Small group of rogues knows better than uninformed voters. We will take care of masses since they can't take care of themselves
Dad - I really think you may have some socialist leanings - not that there's anything wrong with that.
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27th, 2008 10:37 pm |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote:
Dad - Small group of rogues knows better than uninformed voters. We will take care of masses since they can't take care of themselves
Where on earth did you get that crazy idea from? Certainly not from my post, if you took the time to read it...
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27th, 2008 10:31 pm |
|
- Kiddie-Kiddie - The public doesn't understand. (Really has anyone ever understood anything Kiddie-Kiddie has ever written in this forum????)
- Miss Kitty - People don't have the time to get the signatures (Sorry Miss Kitty, truly pathetic)
- Dad - Small group of rogues knows better than uninformed voters. We will take care of masses since they can't take care of themselves
Last edited on Thu Mar 27th, 2008 10:33 pm by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
dadof3
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 26th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 139 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27th, 2008 10:07 pm |
|
Hi Adam, Nicely stated even if I don't agree with all your premises. Since the other random blogs have been mentioned here more than once, one thing I found interesting that you said is when you described your small group of people as being thought of as rogues or something like that. Have you read those other blogs? they refer to people as a bullies and liars club and 'sanctimommies' or something like that and it appears just because they don't agree with them. I guess my point is, don't feel like the lone ranger, if that helps, or the shoe's on the other foot or someething like that. I do like your logic though.
|
Adam Maras
Member
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27th, 2008 09:50 pm |
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: ...I would appreciate it very much if you keep your personal attacks and insults to yourself.
AREYOUKIDDING ME wrote: By the way Dad, you were one of the ringleaders of this ill-fated lunch program, can I add your lame reason to the list why this recall is about to fail?
Even though you've shown blatent hypocrisy in these two posts of yours, I feel I'm obligated to respond to this statement. You call me a ringleader; this statement alone is implying that the efforts of this community to reverse political wrongdoings of the Governing Board are akin to some sort of gang activity or organized crime. If you honestly believe that the people who are supposed to be represented by the public officials we've elected to these public offices are rogues or wrongdoers because they disagree with decisions that are being made for misguided or purely political reasons, you're sorely mistaken. Only a small group of people spoke up about an issue that was affecting tens of thousands of families; that group was bound to be looked upon by the naysayers as a crazy, misguided group. However, if you would actually look at what they're doing, I'm sure you would notice that they're simply upholding the essence of the governmental structure adopted by the entire country hundreds of years ago; they are exercising government by the people, for the people. The laws this country holds dearest, at their essence, state that the people should govern themselves as per the structure of the government. That is what the "openers" have been doing. That's what the teachers and staff did when the Employee Benefit Trust/VSIT issue came up on the agenda. That's what Peoria residents did when construction on Peoria High School became jeapordized. The PUSD Governing Board should be governing this school district with the best interests of the students, the teachers, and the community as their primary concern, and they are not doing so. Unfortunately for the recall, the community, and the welfare of the students, the large media outlets are turning a blind eye to the goings-on of this district. Everyone always sees the Arizona Republic articles about how PUSD is an incredible school district with an incredible Governing Board. Remember their article about Cheyenne Bernier's letter? It told a tragic tale of how a Sunrise Mountain student's letter threatened the school district and personally hurt one of the Governing Board members. I know the real story. You probably know the real story too. But if you went to any random parent of a PUSD student and asked them about Kathy Knecht, the recall petition, or the politics of their own students' school district, you would most likely get a blank look. The greater part of this community is all but clueless regarding what's happening here. The recall isn't failing because people don't want Knecht out of office, it's failing because people simply don't know what's happening. If every parent in the district read Cheyenne's letter and saw the footage of the Board Meeting where Knecht lost her temper, or if they all knew about the items coming across the agenda and how Knecht voted on them, I would strongly wager that anyone running a recall petition wouldn't have any trouble getting 9,072 signatures. In fact, if the latter were the case, I'm sure any petitioner could get that amount of signature to recall any of the three Board members that voted to close down the campuses. The members of the community who are displeased with those members of the Board have two fights on their hands: the fight with the Board, and the fight with the lack of knowledge and interest in the community.
If it takes a full-on election to show that the PUSD community won't have the Governing Board toying with their district's students' futures, then so be it. 222 days until the general election.
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27th, 2008 07:55 pm |
|
| By the way Dad, you were one of the ringleaders of this ill-fated lunch program, can I add your lame reason to the list why this recall is about to fail?
|
AREYOUKIDDING ME
Member
| Joined: | Sun Oct 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 347 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 27th, 2008 07:37 pm |
|
Dad
This is only a forum to exchange views on important issues of the day and I would appreciate it very much if you keep your personal attacks and insults to yourself. I am a very sensitive individual.
Thank you.
TedLast edited on Thu Mar 27th, 2008 07:50 pm by AREYOUKIDDING ME
|
Current time is 08:38 pm | Page:   ... 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10   |
|
