The Green Lake School Board is hosting an important public meeting on Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30 PM to discuss options for a possible tax referendum.
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW TIME OF 6:30 INSTEAD OF 4:30.
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252 comments:
1 – 200 of 252 Newer› Newest»Why is this information not in the Green Lake newspaper?
School administrators want your money, not your input. They want to spend your money no questions asked, and they'll stop short of nothing to avoid accountability. Local newspapers are not reliable sources of information.
By your own account, school administrators are out to get us. And the local press is unreliable.
Paranoid. Get medicated dude.
4.30pm is too early for a meeting of this magnitude. It should be after 7pm so all the TAXPAYERS could attend.
This is true, 4:30 is too early. They should change it.
Maybe we need another tax referendum to pay for the $230,000 Sunnyside property that the Administration wants so badly.
Are we really going to address the request for a $2.1 million referendum for an 'operational shortfall' over the next 2 years!
This is ridiculous and the fact that the school would seek it shows their unbelievable arrogance. It is a slap in the face to this community when the wasteful spending at the school continues to go unabated (no pun intended) and they keep asking for more, more, more.
Here's a thought: 4 years of unnecessary administrative expense with Tracy and Kneser (add Jan Hauer if you'd like). Based on the salary/benefit information these two GLSD employees cost the district approximately $650,000 over the last 4 years.
Totally unnecessary positions in a school the size of Green Lake.
If you want to keep the school...you need to cut the fat.
If we only bought more land for "environmental education," maybe that would save our school from going in the red.
The school can sell the land they have now to pay for their referendum. The current administration has mismanaged the budget and spending to such an extreme for a tiny school, and now they want the taxpayers to pay MORE for their ineptness? CRAZY! No wonder they put the meeting for 4:30, they obviously don't want people to attend.
If the school does end up selling the ABA land, hopefully we'll get back at least the $23,650 we paid in legal fees to own it.
In my opinion, Ken Bates should have to pay back that money. He spent it without school board approval, from what I understand. By the way, when is Tracy's contract up? We need to combine the administrator position with the principal position. Princeton did it and it is time for us to do the same.
Angry as Heck
You can yell all you want but you need to get your facts straight. Kneser brought in way more in grant money than the $650,000 you are yelling about during that 4 years. She actually made money for the district and covered both salaries.
Right on "Angry as heck."
Bloggers who chronically criticize school administration are tired out, half-baked spuds who have zilch credibility.
We should all be grateful these hopeless chumps are not in school leadership positions, because they fail to know how much they don't know.
What a joke about Kneser bringing in that much money. Much of the grant money she got for the district could only be spent in certain areas, pet projects so to speak. The general budget did not really benefit from her grant writing. Think of it as pork-Ha!
Grant money was pork. Hmmmm...let me see. Grant money 100% pays for the at-risk program. The teacher's salary, the materials, the computer classes, etc. The general budget would have to pay for that. Grant money paid for thousands of dollars of professional development. Professional development would have to come out of the general budget otherwise. Professional development is required to receive your federal Title dollars. Grant money bought computers and smart boards for the district, these did not have to come out of the tech budget which would be the general budget. Grant money paid for the READ 180 reading program. This is just a list that I can come up with off the top of my head from what I know about the school. I am sure there are more. These don't sound like pork or pet projects! This money would have come out of the general budget. Again, research your facts before you just spout off.
Oh, I can think of a pet project. Kneser wrote a grant to buy all of the 4K-4 grade students books. Yup, I guess that is pork. It is a real luxury to put books in the hands of the district's kids.
Ok-let's set the record straight. Perhaps I should have stated "eliminate the 'unnecessary' positions presently filled by e.jon and Deb Kneser" by COMBINING them with existing positions within the district. There, does that make you feel better. By combining these 'positions' the school would have realized a major decrease ($600,000 plus) over the 4 years.
According to the Wisconsin Dept. of Instruction (DOI), each district is required to have a curriculum coordinator. HOWEVER, and this is the big kicker, it does not have to be an exclusive position within the district. In other words it can be bundled with another existing position as long as the person is qualified to do so. Ok, Deb is also an Instructional Coach (what does that mean) but anyone qualified can apply/write grants. So, it is a moot point to say Deb has brought in all this grant money. Take a look at the qualifications and requirements and it isn't brain science or rocket surgery.
Grants are important but you don't need an exclusive $80,000/plus position to write grants!
I'm not sure what e.jon does but it certainly doesn't justify him, his position, and more importantly the money wasted on the position. His position is an easy one to eliminate by bundling.
Green Lake needs to get over itself and become fiscally responsible. As an extremely small school district that is dwindling in size, it is on the verge of extinction if it doesn't change it's wasteful ways. If you don't think for one minute that those running the school aren't scrambling to save their own skin, you are sadly mistaken. They need to slash, not just cut, spending. And they need to do it now.
If you want to keep the school...
Eliminate the wasted moneys being spent for UNNECESSARY POSITIONS.
I suggest, combining the administrator and principal positions (Ken, you'll have to do more but not much since e. jon never seemed all that busy). Assign the grant writing (Ken, might have to do this also) to a teacher/instructor within the district. And, assign the curriculum coordinator tasks to another existing teacher/instructor within the district (qualifications aren't that difficult to attain if someone doesn't already have them).
We need people at the school who are multi-dimensional. Those who can instruct (Teach!) AND do administrative tasks.
I an hearing Deb Kneser is leaving the district for another job in education sometime this summer. Does anyone know is that true?
No loss there.
Kneser is moving to Washington DC. She accepted a position with Obama's Department of Education. According to an Internet article she is heading up a new position that will dismantle the No Child Left Behind law. Then, to reduce the education bedget, Washington has proposed sending American students abroad for their IB education.
Has anyone heard the latest about Mr. Tracy going into Mr. Ellis's classroom and yelling at him in front of all the students because he was feeding his snakes. The snakes, that he has had there for 18 years, will not be there anymore. Gee, it took Mr. Tracy 3 years to realize there snakes in the classroom and it now is a problem? One of the students began to cry because of Mr. Tracy yelling.
That is exactly what I heard, too. People at the school play today said that Tracy had the humane shelter from Oshkosh remove the snakes from Mr. Ellis' class on Saturday. Now what?
"Bloggers who chronically criticize the school administration are tired out, half-baked spuds who have zilch credibility."
That attitude is exactly the school's number one problem. Too many members of our School Board and Administration are in denial about what district residents want and don't want. These school officials think (or want to believe) that the public supports what they’ve been doing. Most of us don't. Just look at the three most recent elections, where School Board incumbents have been kicked out. In the most recent one, the incumbency was Harley Reabe and Celest King. Celest lost because she had voted to keep Ken Bates in the "closed session" meeting. The fact that voters rejected her but not Harley speaks volumes. Why else would she have come in last place? Maybe the rest of the Board should pay attention.
Also, what’s this I read about our School Board President campaigning for Celest but not Harley with a mass e-mail shortly before the election? It’s pretty tasteless. Actually, it borders on unethical behavior. A general e-mail about “getting out the vote” would be fine, but not one that specifically supports one incumbent but never mentions the other.
Yes, the school has expenses. Every school does. But Green Lake School does a sub-par job of making sure the public is informed. There’s no excuse for the Board not to tell the public what money is being spent where and why, each meeting. People shouldn’t have to make “open records requests” for simple information that should be shared willingly at School Board meetings for the benefit of both the Board and public. Maybe then there wouldn’t be so many rumors, because at the least, the public would know the facts straight from the source.
Our school officials have no business spending $23,650 in legal fees for ABA land without at least keeping the public in tune with what’s happening. It’s interesting that for as long as that situation dragged on, the School Board never mentioned in open session that (A) the school had hired a lawyer and (B) that the school was spending tens of thousands to demand Lindenwood’s prime land. The School Board furthermore has no business raving about the Discover Wisconsin TV program without at least publicly acknowledging the $15,000 cost. Finally, the School Board has no business secretly talking about buying a $345,000 piece of Sunnyside land without first making sure the public supports doing so. Local residents have every right to be suspicious of a referendum when certain members of the School Board and Administration have this dream of spending their way out of a dying school.
But apparently, district residents who are tired of the school’s curious spending habits and secrets are “tired out, half-baked spuds who have zilch credibility,” right? Once again, the school’s biggest problem is denial. Say what you will, but Harley Reabe, Amy Pipho and Dennis Deyo speak for the majority of area residents. Election results don’t lie.
Amen! I'm sure the previous writer will be accused of "micromanaging" the district's finances, but the fact is, people want to know where the school is spending money and why. Yet too often, the school conveniently doesn't share that information openly at School Board meetings. If the district is going to hold another referendum, we deserve to know how our tax dollars have been spent so far.
Interesting that until this week (May 6) the last school board meeting minutes published on the website were for the meeting on January 19, 2009. Now with all the talk about secrecy (and referendums) they are suddenly updated to the March 25, 2009, meeting - (but still listed under "2008"). But makes one wonder what was left out of the minutes. Sad
Check out Ripon and Oskosh. They're fighting same problems with city and school boards we are.
Please correct the time of the meeting to Weds. May 13 @ 6:30
Yes, this is a most important informational meeting which is critical for the public to attend.
If you do not attend these types of meetings...then do not be the one which complains in the future.
"Check out Ripon and Oshkosh. They're fighting same problems with city and school boards we are."
Not true. Ripon residents re-elect their School Board members.
Yes, according to the school website, the meeting is now 6:30 p.m. this Wednesday. Sure is nice of the school to tell the newspaper one thing and then do another.
"Grant money bought smart boards for the district."
Sorry, wrong again. The school itself paid for at least three of them, at $3,000 apiece. Guess where that money came from.
I guess smart boards aren't too smart when they cost $3000 each. I grew up with slate and chalk and they worked just fine.
Yes. Ripon and Oshkosh are going through same thing with their school districts making stupid purchases and school boards not listening to the people.
Regarding the Mr.Tracy/Mr. Ellis story - it is absolutely true. My child is in Mr.Ellis' class and told me the whole story after school. My child was very upset by the incident snd was terrified that Mr. Ellis was going to be fired. Mr. Tracy was outraged that Mr.Ellis was feeding mice (dead and freeze-dried) to the snakes. Apparently this is cruel to the already dead mice and he doesn't approve of it. (Of course, we all know that letting the snake starve to death instead is much less cruel). It was completely inappropriate of him to voice his PETA opinions in the classroom in front of the students and embarrass Mr. Ellis in that way. Even if you believe so strongly in the sanctity of dead mice (and not in the food chain), do it on your own time and not on my taxpayer dollar. Mr. Tracy owes Mr. Ellis and his students an apology.
P.S. Ms. Schneider was in the classroom at the time and was just as appalled as the students were at the outburst.
The Shadow rules! The school board changed the time from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.
No surprise about the Tracy incident in Mr. Ellis' room. Tracy is a nasty, nasty person while at the same time being clueless as to what goes on at school. He has pretty much alienated former even former "supporters" who now see the light. What everyone should know is that Bates supported all his dumb moves right from the start.
As far as grant money for at-risk, how much did they have to pay out to teachers who were passed over illegally for the job--maybe something to the tune of $30,000?? Gee, that grant was a real plus...
This should be the next thought, why do grant authors always have the nicest cars, i.e Lexus, BMW and Volvo, live in the homes valued at $250,000+, travel abroad with ease, and the teachers who are EDUCATING OUR FUTURE struggle to get the needed books , supplies and equipment, in their classrooms? Why? Fraud and skimming. These teachers deserve so much more!
To the last blogger. You are inferring that our grant writer at our school has committed fraud and is skimming. Those are pretty powerful accusations. Can you be more specific now that you have put that out there, and even give just one concrete example, based on fact, exactly how she committed fraud and skimmed money from our school? I am hoping you can provide exact details.... which grant, where this happened, what was skimmed, and how the fraud was committed. Surely if you know these things, you would have by now, been a good citizen and reported her to the proper authorities so this fraud and skimming can be stopped.
It surely has to be based on more than just random comments thrown on this blog. You would not be part of assassinating someone's character, would you?
"Grant authors" was typed, "not grant authors of GL"
HUGE differance.
Is GL school still talking about buying the Sunnyside Farm? I haven't heard much about that in awhile. Anyone know what’s up with that?
Exactly when does Tracy's contract expire? Whenever it is, it is not soon enough. He should resign immediately.
Since I could not be at the school board meeting last night, could someone fill us in about the agenda and discussion?
Did anyone go to the meeting? What happened?
I see Deb K's bailing out. Now that she's got her PHD, heading for CESA. That cushy state employment gig; can’t blame her for that. What the heck, latest news out is govt employees continue to get raises, bonuses, vacation and health care that those of us in the private sector can only dream of.
Now the question… who’s in line for her job?
I’ve heard quite a bit about select School Board members badgering Dennis Deyo in closed session for something that nobody has any proof of. Maybe it’s time the school came clean. Are we spending legal fees on that, too?
Lot's of scuttlebutt on that one. Rumor has it that Deyo and a certain female PE teacher confessed to spreading malicious, sexually explicit rumors about an administrator and school board member.
But coming from Deyo and Krahn, that is not surprising. They owe the people they offended, the school and the community an apology. Then they can leave town for good.
Since you say "rumor has it" then you should keep it at that. A rumor is a rumor. A fact is a fact. Until a rumor becomes fact than keep your accusations to yourself.
Speaking of rumors, I hear that snakes are no longer allowed in Green Lake Public Schools. So why is e jon still around?
Oh, my! Aren't you a prig?
I blogged clear enough--"Rumor has it..." That is not accusatory.
Now, what was that about snakes?
Rumor also has it that school board presidents don't usually remark about what they are wearing, spend an inordinate amount of time at school (come on..what big business could there possibly be in this tiny district), spend time bicycling, etc. with someone they must evaluate. Inappropriate, unprofessional, but most of all probably just stupid because tongues will wag in little towns, sometimes because people bring it on themselves. To then act like a victim is just a bit too much. What is that line, "Me thinks thou dost protest too much"??
How do you manage? It is remarkable. I mean, you have your own life to contend with, and then the life of a school board president. Your knowledge of someone else's foibles is encyclopedic.
Get a life for once. And your rationale for why anyone is deserving of ill-tempered tongue-waggers like yourself is ridiculous.
What is remarkable is school superintendents now think they are public officials. They think they are an employee of a school district only inasmuch as taxpayers pay their salary, but they do not follow the rules they believe should not apply to them and will only get in the way of their agenda. This must be why dealing with superintendents nowadays is like dealing with a self serving politician.
This must be why school board priorities sound more like sales pitches for fast food and life insurance. Is it taxpayers who're paranoid about how their money is being spent? Or is the school board paranoid that taxpayers will find out the truth? Administrators and officials are not out to get people, they're only out to get taxpayers money and will use every resource available to discredit anyone who tries to hold them accountable.
Isn't there a saying about uniting and publicly defending your neighbor's rights before the day comes when no one is left to care about or defend your rights????
I'm proud to say many of us GLers want positive change and voted certain incumbents off our school board. It saddens me to read that Ripon re-elected incumbents to their school board. It's obvious more people there voted to protect personal/business interests instead of voting for the school districts and students best interests.
"Bloggers who chronically criticize the school administration are tired out, half-baked spuds who have zilch credibility."
"Paranoid. Get medicated dude."
Oh, quite the contrary, those who are intelligent and free thinkers go to the Internet and blogs for their news and information, not the obsolete newspapers and magazines.
You see folks, this is EXACTLY the type of attitude and personality that drives many of those in power at the administrative level in schools and elsewhere. It's also the attitude of many who hold political office...it's their air of superiority, and their ego that believes that they are above you and the law, and are not to be held accountable for their actions, and that we, the American taxpayers, are just 'idiots'.
Make sure to keep tremendous pressure on these people and support others who are pushing for openness and honesty in how your elected officials are spending YOUR tax dollars. Remember, they are SERVANTS of the public, not your overlords.
Is it taxpayers who're paranoid about how their money is being spent? Or is the school board paranoid that taxpayers will find out the truth?
Here, here. It is definitely the second of the two. Good post!
"Make sure to keep tremendous pressure on these people and support others who are pushing for openness and honesty in how your elected officials are spending YOUR tax dollars. Remember, they are SERVANTS of the public, not your overlords."
Excellent reminder to all those who've become complacent and found reasons why they shouldn't or couldn't publicly defend citizens' rights and fight against officials and school administrators dog-n-pony shows!
Oh, brother. One doesn't have to look far for dog-and-pony shows. It is the "I am a victim of Big Government spending" variety hour--starring, blog-dog.
It's a three-ring circus with blog-dogs yipping and yapping, soiling themselves.
Even my elementary kid knows that all information obtained from the Internet is suspect.
"Oh, brother. One doesn't have to look far for dog-and-pony shows. It is the "I am a victim of Big Government spending" variety hour--starring, blog-dog."No, no. You have it all wrong. It's the 'aware American taxpayer having a say in where their money is spent hour.' As usual, those who support secrecy and corruption, even in local gov't, stick with their name calling and defamation of character...old school and archaic tactics of political bullies and criminals. Yet in attacking the blogosphere like they do, one must wonder WHY ARE THEY HERE themselves? WHY DO THEY PROTEST so much against the taxpayer asking for gov't accountability? Why do they seek to subvert the very Internet blogs where free speech can be practiced along with the free exchange of ideas?
"It's a three-ring circus with blog-dogs yipping and yapping, soiling themselves.
"Even my elementary kid knows that all information obtained from the Internet is suspect."Once again, the same ineffective tactics...attack the free thinkers and free speech the Internet provides for ALL peoples, and paint it as an old archaic mode of communication when, in reality, it's brand new, fresh, and allows all people to freely express their opinions, despite what some anti-American, anti-free speech people here may think.
Diminish the American taxpayer to nothing more than dogs and people who can't think beyond elementary educated children. You see folks, this is the attitude of many of those holding public offices in your communities. This is how they see you through their own eyes..childish, stupid, uneducated dogs. Their very words, posted right here, speak for themselves.
If blogs are only filled with idiot paranoid blog-dogs soiling themselves in need of medication, why the effort to come here and call names in a hypocritical attempt to discredit what, by "their" own account, is not credible? What are the oversized egos and superior complexes so afraid of? We're idiots remember. So go away. Oh...you want our wallets first. Sorry Charlie. I'm putting up a fight first.
We should all be suspicious of self serving, egostical politics and what is reported by local media. We should be suspicious of name calling on this blog to discredit people's concerns. It is a perfect example of what politicians will do to get your money and shut you up.
Blog-dogs unite. (Yawn)
Interesting that we haven't heard a peep from the school about Sunnyside in months. Perhaps the school finally realized that our priorities should not be based on land acquisition and turning the school into a "green" academy.
There was a great article about the school/Sunnyside by Aaron Becker in last week's Ripon newspaper. He too is wondering why the school isn't talking about this oh-so-important issue. They never even had a public meeting to see if the public wanted the land! Seems that Bates and Schultz were getting rather excited and elated over something, perhaps the idea of buying land together. Once they realized that the people who live in the real world weren't as giddy as they were they quieted down.
Ripon already cut 4 teachers from next year's line up, this past January. Ripon is now cutting 22 additional teachers for next year's line up. Looking at about 50kids in math classes at least. GLers let's wake up and DO something before this has to happen to us and our kids!!! Learn from others mistakes! If we close our schools I'm not sending my kid to Ripon!
Green Lake must cut teachers to stay alive, there is no other option. More importantly, Green Lake must cut administrative staff! There is no reason why we should be paying for an administrator AND a principal for a teeny-tiny school like ours. This is gross mis-use of public funds and we as taxpayers should refuse to allow this type of flagrant spending in our school district to continue. It's far past time we "nip it in the bud".
Nice paint job on the ugly house that that the school should't have purchased on North Lawson. Hope you can sell it for at least
half what you paid for it.
OMG! When will this nightmare on Mill Street ever end??? Maybe when we (finally) get rid of Ken Bates and find an administrator/principal who is fiscally responsible and has a standard-sized ego.
Time to close the gates on Green Lake. Your community is a joke! From an outsideer looking in, there is no reason to visit, much less move to Green Lake. No sense of Community at all. For such a small town, you should be united not as divided and cliquee as you are. WOW. I could go on, but I will not to stoop to your level.
Anonymous said...
"Time to close the gates on Green Lake. Your community is a joke! From an outsideer looking in, there is no reason to visit, much less move to Green Lake. No sense of Community at all. For such a small town, you should be united not as divided and cliquee as you are. WOW. I could go on, but I will not to stoop to your level."
19.5.09
Don't move here then, blog-dog, and soil up our community.
2008/2009 enrollment:
Green Lake - 303
Princeton - 371
Now, guess which school has more administrative overhead?
Green Lake - 303
Princeton - 371
Now, guess which school has more administrative overhead?Green Lake
"Don't move here then, blog-dog, and soil up our community."
This is the best ol' Green Lake has got? If this person is an example of Green Lake's finest, then I'd have to say that you all ARE finished. With comments like this, I'd say you personally have done all the soiling of Green Lake yourself. No need to pin your idiocy and soiling onto the rest of educated folks.
We moved our kids to Ripon years ago. Moved ourselves too. Best thing we ever did. Our kids are gradutaed now and off to college.
Always interesting to hear and read about you lakers fighting amongst yourselves and knowing it's not our problem at anymore.
You'll never figure it out, but good luck to you all anyway!
The student body population (enrollment) at Green Lake schools went from 375 in 2005/06 to 307 for 09/10. The projections show that the number will continue to decline to 281 by 2012/13. This is a drop of 94 students in seven years! This is a 25% decrease.
The total cost (revenue) for operating the school has gone from $4,356,091 in 2005/06 to $5,361,937 in 2009. Yes, you are reading this correctly, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. This is an increase of $1,005,846 in a mere four years! That is almost a 25% INCREASE. Why are the costs going way UP when the student enrollment is going way DOWN? This is the question we should all be asking.
Mr. Ken Bates has done such a piss poor job of running our school, and now he wants to go to REFERENDUM to fund his extravagant spending sprees? NO WAY!
What we need is a new administration that understands how to budget and plan. This is beyond ridiculous. The school board was extremely irresponsible in renewing Ken Bates contract when he has done such a rotten job. Reminds me of the big-wig bank executives who received huge bonuses for running their banks into the ground. Enough already!
I heard Ripon is cutting 1/5 of the teachers and their school superintendent claimed administrators couldn't be cut because of some contract deadline. Anyone that moved to Ripon years ago and their kids are now grown they enjoyed the last of the good years and good teachers. I'd like to see GL's good years live on.
Anyone not liking what they read here can easily go away (start your own blog). I appreciate knowing GLers can come and learn from other GLers that we have the same concerns about our schools.
"Outrageous" --
This blog isn't working for you. Try ranting/venting at the TV or the telephone solicitors.
It doesn't matter who is administrator at Green Lake--there will have to be a referendum if the school continues to operate.
Your explaination for increased education costs leaves much to desire. Can you explain state and national mandates that public schools are required to implement (with no government funding)? How about special education costs for special needs kids? Stratospheric health insurance costs for school employees? Fuel and utility costs? These are just some of the expenditures beyond local school controls.
One has to wonder what motivates people like yourself to blame school officials, while turning a blind eye to the complexity of funding public education.
"One has to wonder what motivates people like yourself to blame school officials, while turning a blind eye to the complexity of funding public education."
Pleeeezzz. Nobody is saying there aren't complexities. School administrators have made complexities worse with their greed. One has to wonder what motivates people like yourself to blame residents for being angry at incompetence and turn a blind eye to the best interests of children's education.
This is exactly the point. The administrator should run the school as needed, as dictated by the economy, the enrollment and the government. Don't even try to justify this because it doesn't work. We do not need a huge administrative staff here in Green Lake with our tiny school! This is absolutely LUDICROUS! To have a seperate administrator, principal, curriculum coordinator AND full-time guidance counselor is in no uncertain terms: FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE. If measures had been taken much earlier, the school would not be in the financial state that is has come to that it needs a referendum! What part of this don't you understand???
Green Lake schools cannot continue to operate with 6+ kids to a classroom. Green Lake schools must consolidate within itself to survive, combining early grade classrooms and omitting certain programs, INCLUDING THE IB which is now costing our school money.
The public has had enough of this wasteful spending. Everyone that I know opposes any referendum for the school. Bates has twiddled away enough money with his pet projects. To say otherwise would be pointless.
1/5 of teacher cuts and 50 kids per class in Ripon???? Maybe some Ripon students will enroll in GL schools. Got milk?
Rant all you want, but unless we get some affordable housing here and more families, the school is soon to be extinct, just like the downtown.
I'd like to hear ideas about how to develop that kind of housing. Let's get practical.
To Anonymous posting complaining about special education - special education costs for special needs kids ARE state AND federally funded.
If school leaders were truly interested in more local housing, perhaps the school shouldn't have delayed the Lindenwood project for months with greedy land demands. Lindenwood's Ted Dominowski has stated publicly that the school’s land games cost the development some housing reservations because the home-buyers got fed up and took their plans elsewhere.
This blog is a great example of why we are so screwed up in this town. Ignorance, denial and lack of leadership have gotten us into this mess. We bitch and moan on this blog and amongest ourselves, but never take any action what so ever. If you don't like the leadership at the school/town CHANGE IT! Get involved! You voted for the school board, you voted for the Mayor, your peers voted for the Chamber board. Instead of belly aching, why not throw the bums out, get involved yourself and make a difference. Whether you choose to believe it or not, Green Lake is going down. It probably will never recover. Look at our schools, our downtown, our businesses our leadership. It's a mess! It's embarrassing to see how far we have fallen in a short few years. Blame whatever you want, the economy, the people from Illinois, the full moon at night. The fact is, if WE don't change our ways, we are done.
The population of Green Lake county has barely grown in ten years. Houses sit on the market for years with no buyers. The problem is not a lack of housing. The problem is lack of jobs. People do not want to buy a house in Green Lake, pay high property taxes and then pay to commute to the Fox Valley where there are typically jobs.
My point is that there is affordable housing here if people want to move here. There are several homes in my neighborhood for sale in the $100,000 range. That is a great price for a starter home in Green Lake, with nice yards etc. In my opinion, homes here are undervalued compared to other cities in Wisconsin.
Families are not moving to Green Lake because there are no jobs. Most of my neighbors are elderly or Illinoisans. The birth rate is down because the world has turned into a pretty nasty place to live and bring up children. The bad economy doesn't help. More "affordable" housing is not going to help one bit except to bring down everyone's standard of living. The locals don't want "affordable housing" and neither do the summer residents. We sure don't need to attract low-life's here by putting up low cost housing just so that our school will have a few more students.
It would be nice to keep our school for the few families with children that do live here, but chances are that enrollment will continue to decline and the school will have to consolidate. All of the current administrations feeble attempts to make our school look appealing are a joke when it was this administration itself that drove away students to attend other schools. We need a new administration that will do what is necessary to see the school survive as long as it can, and that means staff cuts in a big way. I know quite a few folks who attended a one-room schoolhouse and got a great education. It's not how much money you have, but what you do with the money you have. Knowledge itself is free and readily available to the public. Leave it to the government (and administration) to allow our tax dollars to be squandered away with big spending and mediocre results.
THEY have lawyers working for them (paid for by taxpayers) to work against taxpayers. Going to meetings doesn't change anything. Submitting records requests doesn't do anything. DA and AG make excuses and pass the buck. Police won't do anything to hurt the school district. Taxpayers have no choice but to get off these blogs, organize resident meetings, and physically do something. Believe me, there is no other way than to hire our own lawyer willing to fight for justice and education, and set precedent when everyone else is afraid to.
It won't be easy. Nothing ever is. Isn't it better to take risks and put up a good fight than get beat sitting down? Tired of crooked politics and misappropriation of your money? YOUR'RE NOT ALONE!!!!
"I know quite a few folks who attended a one-room schoolhouse and got a great education. It's not how much money you have, but what you do with the money you have. Knowledge itself is free and readily available to the public. Leave it to the government (and administration) to allow our tax dollars to be squandered away with big spending and mediocre results."
Well said! Very well said!
According to the ever so incorrect Jim Wolfe and his dandy column of dribble he writes every week in the useless local rag, you are all now being watched by the Department of Homeland Security. I think you all classify as Right Wing Extremists.
Hiring lawyers, trying to change things, going against the establishment, attempting to organize, insinuating there has been a misappropriation of funds, trying to make your school better. YOU people must have all come of age in the 60's!
Oh, Ya gotta Love it... roll me another one!
"This blog is a great example of why we are so screwed up in this town. Ignorance, denial and lack of leadership have gotten us into this mess. We bitch and moan on this blog and amongest ourselves, but never take any action what so ever. If you don't like the leadership at the school/town CHANGE IT!"
Public officials and administrators change their answers to taxpayers questions as often as one changes their underwear.
Instead of griping and moaning about people expressing concern on this blog maybe you should do something to CHANGE IT.
Go ahead. Give it a try. Try really hard for years. Put lots of time and effort into it. See how far you get receiving honest answers from the ones you elected/trusted to protect your children's educational best interests. Stick your neck out and experience the pleasure of character assassination and "abuse with smile" care of the controllers of your money.
"Oh, Ya gotta Love it... roll me another one!"
Ole "high" one. We're not smokin what you're sellin.
..."More "affordable" housing is not going to help one bit except to bring down everyone's standard of living."
Wow. So if you aren't driving an SUV, etc., etc., you aren't worthy of being in precious Green Lake? Wow.
I remember going to school here when the farm kids came in with shit on their shoes, but we had a community.
The doors are closed here. No wonder the school is dying.
I knew when I wrote that statement that some mindless liberal would jump all over it. I love farm kids with shit on their shoes. Farmers are hardworking families that contribute to society. What I am sick of is lazy slackers who mooch off the government and don't do anything to make their communities better. They are on the take and the world owes them everything. Thanks to Obama, we will have more people like this than ever, after all, us hard-working folks have to take care of the poor and underprivileged. We don't need low cost housing. We need a productive society.
My young son asked his young friend why his parents had an Obama sign in their yard. The little boy replied that his parents were voting for Obama because Obama was going to give them things.
I heard a Mother speak of her son's challenges in meeting academic requirements in time for graduation. She said her son was learning in certain classes but "for what", she says, "he still won't graduate in time."
1. For what??? To LEARN and EARN the diploma - that's what!
2. Many people blindly voted for Obama thinking he will GIVE them things, and they didn't care much about what would be taken away from others to get them those things.
Obama is giving us change. When has our government ever been as screwed up as it is now? The Federal government can't run Amtrak, Postal Service, Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare. Now they think they can run the auto manufacturers, banks and investment houses. God help us all. Remember what O.B.A.M.A stands for! One Big Ass Mistake America!
Now thats change you can believe in.
Amen! Preach it Brother Ricky!
Parents need to form a Green Lake/Ripon Area Homeschooling - might as well close the schools doors. Worried about bad side of low income housing? What does the bad side of low income education and very low standards look like?
What we really need is a national voucher system for schools so that there is competition between public and private schools. Public education would change it's tune in a hurry if they realized they didn't own the monopoly any longer. It has worked in many cities, including Milwaukee and DC. Why should we pay our tax dollars towards education and then also have to pay for private/parochial school tuition. We should have choices, it is only fair!
Typical Republican trash-talk. Sorry and pitiful losers. Go elsewhere to peddle your nincompoop nonesense.
Your (Pseudo)president Bush and henchmen lied, dragging this country to war.
It was the Bush administration and Republican cohorts who have despoiled this country's good name and good standing among other world nations.
It was the previous Republican administration that crippled our economy. The Republicans doled out over $700 billion to the banks, while turning a blind eye from working class people as they are evicted from their homes.
What a vain farce that Bush would build a library--it would be more fitting if it were a Western saloon.
Thank goodness the tide has turned and we have a real President.
Obama has accomplished more admirable deeds in 100 days than Bush did in eight years.
If you want to blog your Republican drivel, then do it elsewhere:
http://www.wisgop.org/greenlakegop.aspx
I'm not a Republican. I don't like Obama. I recognize when someone's peeing on my leg and trying to convince me it's raining.
"Obama has accomplished more admirable deeds in 100 days than Bush did in eight years."
Only way to make Obama look good is to bash Bush. Admirable deeds? Is that a nice way of saying he really hasn't accomplished anything but the sheep still love their messiah for giving it the old college try? Okay.
You got that right! Don't forget that the world mostly lost respect for the USA when Bill Clinton was caught committing adultery in the Oval Office and joked about it and denied what we now know was true. Thanks Bill.
Both sides have been talking trash for years. Democrats finally caught on, got back in the game, sunk to new lows, and gave new definition to crooked politi-trash!
Doyle is telling schools they will get even less than they thought they were getting. More budget cuts on top of the bad spending decisions. They'll push this referendum. When it doesn't pass, school administrators will cut teachers (not top heavy administration) and then blame the voters for not caring enough to spend money taxpayers don't have.
Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies closer.
PEOPLE, PEOPLE. These local issues, and those right up the food chain to the federal level, have NOTHING to do with liberal/conservative or left/right. This has to do with good vs. evil, and those in government and high places abusing their power in order to usurp power from YOU, the American citizen. Obama, Bush, Clinton ad nauseum are all cut off the same vine. Bought and paid for by big money, wealth, greed and power. You think you really have a choice in who is president anymore? Haha! If you think so, then you are indeed deaf, dumb and blind. You didn't learn anything in history class, did you, when your teacher taught you about the rise and fall of nations, and how men of treachery will always trample on the people to rule over them with iron fists?
Criminals are openly looting BILLIONS AND TRILLIONS of YOUR tax dollars right in front of your eyes, and handing out it to their cronies on Wall Street, Washington D.C. and right on down to the administrative levels at your local schools, lining their pockets with YOUR tax money! They openly commit crimes and suffer no consequences for their criminal actions. Most will go unprosecuted. They laugh in your face and ridicule you when you speak up to defend your country and speak against their evil ways! LIES, GREED, and OPEN ABUSE OF POWER is reigning supreme. Leave your right/left arguments behind and focus on the EVIL being perpetrated on YOU, the American citizen. They are taking your MONEY, your JOBS, and your RIGHTS, and they think they are going to get away with it! We will prove them wrong!
America is under attack FROM WITHIN while they want us to look to the Middle East for the next boogie man to scare us into submission to their authority and unconstitutional laws. WE ARE UNDER ATTACK FROM WITHIN right within your school boards, your local government, your state government, the courts, and the federal government, and there are criminals on both the left and right. They prey on your fears and resort to intimidation and coercion. Spread the word...we will no longer put up with their evil, whether it be on the left or right. Hate evil and the evil they are perpetrating on you, literally stealing your way of life, your freedom, and your liberty.
Pick your side and stick. Soon there will be day in which you will have to chose which side you are on. It won't matter whether you are left or right, liberal or conservative. It will be whether you choose to do what is good and right and stand with the people, or whether you choose to stand for what is evil and stand with those who are committing evil against the American people.
Sad to see the guard house at the ABA ripped down, it was kind of a land mark. I hope they recycled the brick into a path or flowerbed or something useful, not just trash it, or donated the windows to Habitat or re-used them somewhere else on the property.
Excellent post. I agree that politicians, from either side, whether local, state, or federal, ARE cut from the same cloth. And don't think the politics aren't happening in small towns, where the politicians talk the neighborly talk and walk the local walk.
Do the people comfortably taking part in the "regime" or "legal crimes" actually think they're safe from the damage they helped perpetuate? It's all about greed and control, and it always has been.
About the ABA Gate House - does anyone know why it's being torn down?
I think they are tearing it down because Lindenwood developers had a party interested in the property for a new house...its only about a 10ft x 10ft parcel but I'm sure they can 'bully' their way around the comprehensive plan for minimum size lots!
With the last TOB re-assessment the Gate House assessment changed from $4,000 to $400,000.
It’s just pitiful how the Lindenwood haters continue to rail against the 1/2 acre lots. News flash: The town's own zoning ordinance ALLOWS half-acre lots. True, the comprehensive plan currently does not, but it is not effective until 2010, rendering it basically useless until next year.
The town has admitted publicly that it was wrong to deny Lindenwood’s plat based on half-acre lots. Tonight (Thursday) the Town Board is going to amend the comprehensive plan so that the two documents are consistent once and for all. Then you Lindenwood haters can shut up and go back to your million dollar homes on Carpenter Lane.
The gate house was torn down because they can't afford to staff it.
Don't Tread on Me has it right, actually, whether you want to believe it or not. Our biggest enemy is the federal government. The people need to take it back before it is too late. There are huge tea parties being planned for July 4th. Please don't discount these organized free-speech rallies as being extremist or a waste of time. The government needs to know that we are mad as hell, and we aren't going to take it anymore. There is hope if we act together peacefully but with strong intentions. For anyone reading this who thinks that Obama is doing a good job, you are apparently uniformed or refuse to believe the truth. Sadly, most of what he is doing has serious long term consequences and won't be easily un-done. He has sworn to protect our country and our constitution and had done neither, quite the opposite. Are you really that mindless to follow this megalomaniac with school girl adoration? How sad for you. This really is good vs. evil.
Oh, shut up already.
Dig a freaking bomb shelter, go in and never come out again.
"Our biggest enemy is the federal government. The people need to take it back before it is too late."
I agree! I have no problem with authority and would have no problem with a government that worked for the people and not for itself. We're just now begun to get fighting mad over what politicians have been helping themselves to for years, our money and our sense of peace and happiness.
They've been at the secrecy so long, they're plans have already carefully been put in motion, and we're just chasing our tails trying to untangle the web of lies trying to figure out exactly how to hold them accountable. They have been and are, in a sense, laughing at the sheeple.
i agree. its not about left or right, thats just a distraction. its good versus evil. cut and dried.
Unfortunately with the monster that we've created by sanctioning their actions it is not really good -vs- evil but more "the lesser of two evils".
"when you choose the lesser of two evils, always remember that it is still an evil."
My Mama always said 'evil is as evil does'! To this day I don't know what the hell she was talking about.
Speaking of evil... According to the WI Circuit Court page, the Carpenter Lane gang and the now infamous "Development Done Right" group, has filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari against the Town of Brooklyn for their decision to approve Lindenwood’s plat. Isn't that great? Now we have a group of part time residents, suing our Town, which really means they'll be suing all of us and making us spend our tax dollars in legal fees. The court page doesn't say, but I would assume they are seeking some cost in damages.
Just like the school spending thousands in legal fees to buy land they didn’t need, we’ll now be spending thousands in legal fees to defend ourselves from our wonderful weekend residents.
They obviously believe they are right. I can't blame them for standing by their convictions.
Spending taxpayers' money to hide the truth about spending taxpayers money. Taxpayers have been given no choice but to spend their own money to hire lawyers to protect taxpayers' money from further misappropriation.
I think the ABA should have to pay the legal fees the Town of Brooklyn will this new Petition for Writ of Certiorari that was filed recently, tied to the Lindenwood Development.
Basically this is an appeal to a higher court to review all that is happened to see if the development plans can be changed. Something like this can take many months or maybe even a year or more to resolve.
The ABA leadership are the ones that wanted this poor excuse for a development. They are the ones who wasted all that time and money for the City of Green Lake when they went down the annexation path as a bluff to try to scare the Town of Brooklyn. They are the ones who have not done their homework on lot sizes. They failed to find some compromise with the homeowners on the property there. The word out now is that this petition filed and granted will yet hold off development for at least another year.
It is absolutely true that this is their property and they can develop if they want to. But poor planning, poor relationship building with the homeowners and the community is their doing in this project. This latest move by the homeowners is another result that the ABA owns for not thinking all of this through with the different stake holders. The taxpayers in the town of Brooklyn will now have to foot legal bills because of being caught in the middle of this mess that seems to have no end.
And with all of this, another year will go by with no lots sold, no development and the hole the ABA leadership has dug itself into is getting deeper and deeper.
Finding this blog on the Internet is the best thing since white bread was invented. It is the next best thing since our hogs ate my little brother. And I feel like a kid in a candy shop. An alcoholic at an ethanol biofuel plant.
This blog is like Christmas! It is chock-full of fruitcakes!
Yippee!
Welcome to the nuthouse...enjoy your stay -it's one of the best entertainment values Green Lake has to offer...When people from Lake Geneva read the blather on this blog sight they share one common thought...
Thank God we are not like Green Lake!
(Sorry, inside joke for us local "fruitcakes"...some even come with nuts!)
Enough already with the lot size lies!
Lindenwood DID do their homework. The town's own subdivision ordinance allows half-acre lots. It’s not a difficult concept, but the part-time residents from the ABA have been stretching the truth for over two years, trying to deceive the public into thinking Lindenwood somehow broke the rule. These rich, part-time “not in my backyard” residents have been harping on the town’s Comprehensive Plan since it says one to two acres. But that plan is not effective until 2010, which the opponents always conveniently fail to mention. That means the regular ordinance that allows half-acre lots is the official rule. Maybe it's time Steve Sorenson and his band of clowns came clean.
Is it Steve Sorenson representing the half time, "not in my backyard" residents?
How can John and Kate blame the tabloids? Hollywood is Hollywood and always will be. You can not tell me they just fell off the apple cart. My Gawd people, get a life!!!!!
I believe Kate and John have a website you could vent your frustration about their ignorance on. Your frustration on this blog, however, is irrelevant and annoying. Makes one wonder if your presence here is due to fear of the people's anger against politicians because a) you are a politician trying to protect personal interest, b) you think you are a politician anyone is interested in, c) you are blinded by your love for a politician, or d) you are in love with yourself.
Quote of the Day from the Absurd Report (website):
“At some point someone is going to file a suit in Federal court asking for clarity as to just where in the U.S. Constitution it is provided that the Executive Branch can buy a bankrupt car company.” - political analyst Rich Galen
It was meant to lighten the mood. Tired of people talking in circles. And I am in love with myself :)
"My Gawd people, get a life!!!!!"
Making fun of Kate and John's blame on Hollywood for their marital "indiscretions" to highlight ridiculous demands and finger pointing was fair.
But telling good people on this blog (who are justifiably angry with the local politics and money grubbing) to "get a life" is an insult. Hence, the unsuccessful attempt to lighten the mood. :)
You're not tired of politicians circling around your wallet and talking circles as they pick pocket your money? Service with a smile. You're directing your mood lightening insults at the wrong people.
Theme for politicians and school boards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROZMlfELtII
Amy Pipho is the new School Board President. Congratulations. And what was Madame Presidents' first official act in her new role of
"change for the better", for the constituents who elected her a year ago?
Appointing Dennis to the prestigious Caestecker Scholarship Committee, which involves the assignment of helping give away major donated dollars to a student each year for college. All this while Dennis ( who ran as a team with Amy in last years' election), is in the middle of back peddling and trying to shove under the mattress his recent unethical behavior and spreading of lies,
( along with a teacher), which no one seems to want to be getting out into the open except for the two bloggers of 15-05-09.
I imagine Amy will have the interesting task of trying to explain to the community and the newspaper why she has to authorize the spending of precious dollars on legal advice for dealing with this board members' behavior, while, instead of asking for his resignation, she is rewarding him with this appointment.
Perhaps this is a good time for Harley to do some questioning at the next board meeting, on expenses for legal fees to deal with board member behavior problems, instead of his usual focus on raising student activity fees, or questioning the spending of dollars that are already budgeted.
Aaahhh,,, politics. What would the blog be if we didn't have interesting things like this to wonder about?
What is this about legal fees and Dennis Deyo? Why are we paying for MORE legal expenses??? What unethical behavior are you referring to?
I voted for Amy and Dennis because they promised accountability. Now what the heck is this all about?
People, don't blow this into something that it isn't. These allegations (on this blog) that Dennis Deyo spread a rumor about Ken and Wendy are silly. For one thing I live in Green Lake and never heard these wild rumors about this supposed misconduct between our (former) school board president and the school administrator. How big a rumor could it have been?
Regarding the fact that Dennis Deyo has been appointed to the "prestigious" Caestecker Scholarship Committee, this is great news! Maybe now this scholarship will go to the most deserving student and not be given out based on favoritism as has occurred in the past.
How funny that the previous two bloggers are concerned about money being spent up at the school! How ironic! If we want to open that can of worms all over again, bloggers warm up your keyboards!
I am thrilled that Amy Pipho is the new school board president. This is a huge move in the right direction to get our school back on the right track.
Hopefully, next year's school board election will remove Wendy Schultz from the board all together, and then our community can move forward in unity to serve our youth with a solid, quality education. Green Lake schools are going to have to make some staff cuts, and we need sensible board members who will do what they must in order to be financially responsible and accountable.
Green Lake voters have elected a new School Board majority, one that isn’t likely to put up with the shenanigans of the past. Here’s a news flash: President Wendy didn’t “step down,” as she pretended to do last night. She knew she was toast if she tried to stay on as President. Either way, the School Board had no interest in keeping her as their leader. The voters have spoken but clearly not in her favor or Ken Bates’ favor.
A new day has dawned over Green Lake! Celebration!
“I imagine Amy will have the interesting task of trying to explain to the community and the newspaper why she has to authorize the spending of precious dollars on legal advice for dealing with this board member’s behavior, while, instead of asking for his resignation, she is rewarding him with this appointment.”
Sour grapes. That statement was most certainly written by someone from the brand new (and obviously bitter) School Board minority: Wendy, Gordy and Jodine.
First of all, it was the Wendy Schultz administration that initiated the giddy spending of legal fees for the Dennis Deyo situation and the Lindenwood land fiasco. Let’s not blame Amy for a mess the previous leaders started.
Second, to say that Amy should ask for Dennis’ resignation suggests that that’s what Wendy had been doing. Interesting.
Third, what does Dennis being appointed to a scholarship committee have to do with some silly “investigation” about him? He’s still a School Board member and has the right to be appointed to various committees and duties until he is proven to have broken the law.
Fourth, there still hasn’t been any proof of Dennis’ alleged “wrongdoing.” What’s being investigated was a private conversation. It’s hearsay at best, not proof. The man is innocent until proven guilty. Good luck with that.
Lastly, maybe the new Board minority shouldn’t throw too many stones just yet. Their rear ends are still smarting from the spring election and last night’s Board officer elections. The tide has turned, people.
I have also heard that the "problem" regarding Dennis involved a private conversation. Why on earth is our school wasting time and resources on such a trivial matter? Mr. Deyo obviously did not commit a "crime" by partaking in a private conversation. How ludicrous that certain board members are making an issue out of this. I personally would like to see Wendy Schultz step down from the board all together, before her term is up.
It seems that we are talking about an alleged case of slander here. In order to prove slander, you must prove that that the statement was false and that it damaged your reputation. Since Mr. Bates reputation has already been damaged by his own actions in countless any myriad ways, this allegation against Mr. Deyo is a big joke. Besides that, do Wendy Schultz and Ken Bates truly want to provide proof (via lie detector) tests that these alleged statements are indeed false? All a waste of time and money.
I'm sorry but the following equation has become the norm:
Waste of Money = GLSD
What I am trying to understand is that last night a vote was taken to eliminate some Cesa 6 expenses for services that the state says must be provided. An example I heard about that was discussed was the cost of a part time speech pathologist needed for kids who have speech issues. So the vote was taken to eliminate the program costs, and pushed forward by the "lets cut costs" faction. And then, after the vote, came questions from them?
Then they find out that it would cost more to have these services hired by the school indivdually, instead of using CESA. So a new vote had to be taken and then they voted everything back in once they realized their rush to cut costs would really end up costing the school more.
Why were the questions about the implications of the cuts not asked by these board members before the first vote?
I am all for cutting expenses where it makes sense, but this sounds like some board members hurrying up a vote, all in the name of cutting costs, for cutting costs sake.
I would hope this group will be more thoughtful in the future about doing their homework on issues, before jumping to a vote they then have to take back. That does not build confidence in the community.
I'm surprised the board asked questions at all. Many board members don't do extensive research and follow the "brainiest" of the bunch without questioning, and without standing by their convictions for fear of being ostracized by their peers. Boards don't seem to work for the people who elected them anymore, they work for their friends and their friends' politicial interests or personal gains.
I will keep records of all of this destructive and negative rhetoric about the Wendy Schultz board and post the issues people have against this sitting board, a year from now, because the experience I have had with boards (especially in Green Lake) is that people who do not really understand how school budgets work, or public school systems or a school board functions by law or complicity, will blame the sitting President and Superintendent for issues that they really do not understand. Ignorance seems to run rampant in this community and I mean ignorance in the way that "Group think" takes over rationality. It is too bad that people do not take the time to educate themselves on the actual legal and functional business of a public school system. It is probably the most complicated system in our democracy that we have, but the most incredible at the same time. As the "new" board takes on its' job, it too will run up against negativity and ignorant people (and groups of people) throwing ugly accusations their way. It is the cycle of this district. If our desire is to have a healthy, thriving and well educated citizenry and town, we need to begin by supporting our school. Often, each of our own children can feel to us as parents, as though every thing that happens to them will either scar or help them in their life. Sometimes our hearts make us poor judges of the big picture, and that is what a public school must look at first and foremost, what is good for all of the children. In doing this it can feel like we, as individuals are not getting exactly what we want and so we get angry. The problem is we just can't have everything we want. We have all (or most I presume) gone through school ourselves and our parents let us fall and supported us when we succeeded, but not everything was perfect. Ask your self, "what is it that I really want for my child out of school?" For most of us, it is a good education, a safe environment and a happy experience. At Green Lake the state tests show our students to be doing very well. Check! There has been little to no violence. Check! And most children seem to walk down the halls fairly happy-this may be an area that there can always be problems no matter where you are, but all in all the over arching goal of our school is being achieved, and that is pretty great! We have fun extracurriculars, good teachers, all in all pretty high marks. Is it perfect? no, but the truth is no school is. So, next year at this time I will post these issues again and see if you all have forgotten how all of this anger and ugly rhetoric just seems to never be at peace no matter who is in charge. Maybe we should take a good look at ourselves before we judge and throw stones at others.
One gets the distinctive impression that some of the bloggers here want to sweep Deyo's rumor mongering under the rug.
Those same bloggers are swift to attack Bates and company, but refuse to hold Deyo accountable.
Isn't it time that local news reporters made some inquiries into this?
Come clean, Deyo.
Right on, last blogger. Very quick to dismiss the issue. How interesting someone suggests a few blogs back, that Wendy and Ken take lie detector tests, when the issue is not what they said or did, but what Dennis and Marsha made up that is slander and hurtful to careers and families, and then tried to hush up when it got out there. Don't kid yourselves, it's all over the school with the staff. I've heard it from several faculty, all the same version. Dennis ran on accountability and people voted him in on that. So now Dennis, stand up and be accountable as an elected official. And Marsha as a teacher to our kids in this community. Something needs to be addressed publicly. Be good examples and do it.
You don't get it, it is a waste of time. It is a mute point. Any version of proof is meaningless. Allegations such as these are nearly impossible to prove, even if they are true. Why are Ken and Wendy so bothered by all this? It simply does not matter. End.
If nothing wrong or unethical has been done...then who cares. What is with all of the Peyton Place BS that constantly surrounds this school? Why can't people just get on with job one, aka: running an effective education program without all the fiscal irresponsibility? It seems relatively simple.
I just can't wrap my mind around this simple fact - why does it cost $20,000 annually for each student in the GLSD!! This is not a private school. I don't spend this much per year to send my kids to either a private or public college/university. How can a grade school/high school justify spending $20,000 per student annually.
You do the math...you ask the questions and please, if someone comes up with a logical answer please share it with the rest of us who don't quite get it.
(Hint: Excessive Administrative Expense...way too top heavy in the non-instructional staffing.)
Re: Dennis Deyo
“Isn't it time that local news reporters made some inquiries into this?”
It’s time somebody set the record straight. I am well aware of this situation … the alleged incident itself and the closed-session meetings where it’s been discussed. I have asked certain district officials about this situation multiple times and have gotten nowhere. Instead, I’ve been told, “I’ll get back to you,” and then it doesn’t happen. It’s not the newspaper that’s keeping this story quiet.
I don’t print “off the record” comments or statements I cannot prove, which is why so far you’ve seen nothing in print.
Why not ask Deyo about this, newspaper man? Afraid of what you will find out?
Aaron Becker published an excellent article in this weeks Ripon newspaper about rude people. Maybe you should read it.
I don’t think you’re hearing me. The reason I haven’t been able to obtain “official” information about this matter has nothing to do with Mr. Deyo. I think people should understand that before a select few ignorantly jump on a newspaper for not reporting the story.
"Aaron Becker published an excellent article in this weeks Ripon newspaper about rude people. Maybe you should read it."
People called blacks "rude" when blacks were angry and fought to end the enslavement and horrific treatment of them. People called women rude b****** for fighting tooth and nail to win rights that should never have been denied them.
I certainly understand how a "torches and pitchfork" mentality does little for positive change and better communications. However, when nobody is listening and politicians are blatantly disregarding the people's best interests, should it be the people that are expected to play "nice nice"?
If a thief or rapist is making pleasant conversation or smiling at you while stealing your money and your dignity, are you obligated to politely hand over your wallet, open your legs, and nary say a bad word simply because it is RUDE not to? If one has been harmed or physically abuse and yet keeps a smile on their face, the public assumes no harm has been done and no pain is suffered.
I think it is immeasurably RUDE to devastate or trick people, regardless if it is done with polite wordsmithing and cunning sweet talk. I think it is extremely rude when newspapers print one side of the story but don't bother to investigate the other side of the facts. I think it is rude to be told by a police department (sworn to uphold the law) that a situation has become petty and that (without investigating a taxpayer's request) the PD would do nothing to hurt the alleged assailant (the school district).
Service with a smile..BYOV (bring your own vaseline).
The above post was not direct at Mr. Becker. I can appreciate his article about being polite. I was just trying to illustrate the ridiculousness of expecting people to quietly stand by and not express anger (not mere frustration). People are past being frustrated...they are darn mad. So, if the shoe fits...
Hi again everyone! I agree with so many of my fellow citizens! The newspapers are supposed to cover the news of the area. Get with it reporters and report about the terrible frustration and unrest in this city and town. Start interviewing citizens and mention this blog. We need support from the papers that we don't get most of the time. There is a crisis going on in this area on many fronts!
Wendy was the one who so badly wanted to buy that house on N. Lawson and waste the school money. Why hasn't she been kicked off for that alone. There it sits empty and for sale. She has never been held accountable for that gross waste of taxpayers money! I was at that meeting several years ago. She was adamant about buying it and was openly rude to the citizens against it. It was shamefull. The neighbors against the purchase were absolutely right. How much has that house cost the school? I think with insurance, legal, the purchase, renovations etc...it has got to be close to $200,000.!!!! Why can't our reporters find out and do a story. It is an important piece in the puzzle as to why the school has mismanaged funds! We need information. I would like to know the total cost to us taxpayers and have never gotten a straight answer.
Speaking of police. Why does our little city of Green Lake need 4 policemen? Do we need them all? We have more than most small cities. What are they costing the city and what are they doing? They aren't catching the speeders going by my place! The GL county police drive by more that the city police. What do you all think? Keep up the debates. It is good and makes me happy that we care about what is going on.
I was at the meeting when the school bought the house on N. Lawson. It was an absolute waste of money.
I was at that meeting as well. However, as I recall, the neighbors who were against it were worried about parking issues and what the school might be buying over time in the future. Not because they were concerned citizens about taxpayer money. A study had been done by an architectural firm before that time by a school board that Wendy had very little to do with. It had to do with trying to determine what the future needs of the school might be, and whether the current spot was the best location. The study also considered what the current facilities condition issues were, and what it would cost to upgrade the existing facilities and perhaps add onto someday, if that is what would be needed, compared to moving from that site and building a whole new school. The addition and remodel, I believe, including adding a new gym, dealing with more parking, better play spaces, putting in a new boiler system and more. This was at a time before there were population declines in the communities.
One of the recommendations from that study was that if the school district was going to stay in the current location, as available adjacent property came available, the school district should buy those properties, for possible future use, which would ultimately be cheaper than trying to buy them when they were not for sale. This property happened to become available, so the school bought it with reserve surplus funds to cover the mortgage, knowing that the property could be rented, torn down for future land use, or sold again if it was considered surplus and that money put back into reserve. I don't remember Wendy Schultz leading any charge any more than any other board member. I also don't remember any rudeness in any part of that meeting. The previous blogger may be describing the word rudeness as their opinion because Wendy did not side with those who were opposed to the purchase. Maybe they thought she was rude because they couldn't get their way?
There was opinion for and against the purchase, and opportunity for community input, but ultimately it was a citizens meeting and the majority vote ruled in favor of purchase, not the school board or Wendy as an individual, because property purchased is the decision of the citizens, not the board.
So what do you do.... fire the community for deciding to buy the property? Just want to make sure the facts are out there and not some half version of what happened.
"If a thief or rapist is making pleasant conversation or smiling at you while stealing your money and your dignity, are you obligated to politely hand over your wallet, open your legs, and nary say a bad word simply because it is RUDE not to?"
"Service with a smile..BYOV (bring your own vaseline)."
Rather crude but very effective and dead on! Can't argue with these metaphors!
How long ago was the decision made to purchase the house on N. Lawson? Unless it was over 5 years ago the blogger who states "the decision was made when populations weren't declining", is completely off-base. The population of the school has been in steady decline over a long period...look at the numbers. So if a decision was made based on skewed numbers then there is an accountability issue. There was no need to purchase the house if there was no need to expand the school. Less students = no expansion.
However, let's get over what has happened in the past and start dealing with things AS THEY ARE TODAY. So the school owns the house and now a decision has to be made on what to do with it in a down economy. Let the school board decide with the communities input and SUPPORT.
We most certainly need to remember things that have transpired under the past/present administrative regimes and utilize that information in future situations (ie: continued employment; performance evaluations; etc).
By the same token, it is time to get over it and move on for the sake of the school, the students, the parents and the community as a whole. Let's start becoming more educated about what is happening at the school (and no, not the edumacation one receives on this blog sight) and lend support and communal direction to those whom we've elected to represent us. We owe it to them.
In turn, hopefully with our support and well thought out, non-partisan decision making, we can save what truly is a cornerstone of our community. It's vital to our long term viability as a city.
I think the school board has decided. ( The board led by Wendy). The house is for sale and that push to sell the house was brought forward by Ken Bates, some time back, when he brought to the board's attention at a regular board meeting, that the house was difficult to rent, needed work and had to have upkeep by school maintenance staff. Ken also used the house as a project for students this past winter to learn building skills, to prepare the house for sale. The decision to sell was based, as I understand it, that it would not be needed in the future.
So I think that group was accountable and did the right thing.
I agree with the previous blogger.
And about purchase of house originally--in the past, hasn't it been the practice of schools to acquire adjacent properties for expansion purposes?
I think you are right about that practice. You can see in many districts where they either picked up property as it became available or else built on property larger than immediate needs with the thought of future expansion. That is because too many schools, businesses, etc. over the years in our country have found themselves in the awkward position of having to relocate as their business, school or organization grew,
wishing they had bought more land originally. But that would mean forethought and some risk taking,
and planning ahead, clearly not anything some of the blogger mentality here could appreciate or endorse. Much better for them to watch everything stay the same, try nothing different, take no risks and whine and complain because the school leadership is trying to move in new directions, whether it be the purchase of property, adding a different program such as a charter school. Doesn't matter that in other towns and cities there are successful examples where communities have risked and changed and grown. Nope. They just want everything just like it was when they went to school here. No computers, air raid drills, suspenders on trousers, and girls in skirts at PE classes. And they keep moving administrators and board members in and out, while stores close, nothing expands, and our kids move away after graduating.
Yes, mistakes have been made and will be made again. That is part of trying. Green Lake cannot survive being the good ole days. I was very proud of our school and community during Memorial Day activities. The music, the parade, the program in the school gym, the music program that has been developed over the years, respecting our veterans, and remembering those who gave their lives for our freedoms here.
We need to keep trying new and different, challenging our students, and helping our faculty and staff to teach our young people, as a community.
"We need to keep trying new and different, challenging our students, and helping our faculty and staff to teach our young people, as a community."
Very true. But use logic and fairness, and balance the options and risks with inevitable consequences.
"But that would mean forethought and some risk taking,
and planning ahead, clearly not anything some of the blogger mentality here could appreciate or endorse. Much better for them to watch everything stay the same, try nothing different, take no risks and whine..."
Not true and extremely unfair. You fingerpoint and accuse others of doing the same thing you are doing now.
"However, let's get over what has happened in the past and start dealing with things AS THEY ARE TODAY." and "...lend support and communal direction to those whom we've elected to represent us. We owe it to them."
Taxpayers have been continually lied to and you advising for them to "get over it"? No. Politicians and school administrators/board members need to get over themselves and the power they think they own because people once trusted them to represent the people who elected them. I don't owe school board members anything, but I have ever reason to expect high standards and accountability from them. They owe us the dedication, honesty, transparency, and protection they promised us.
If what the last blogger says is true in their last paragraph,,,,
" I don't owe school board members anything, but I have ever reason to expect high standards and accountability from them. They owe us the dedication, honesty, transparency, and protection they promised us.",,,
It all sounds good and I would like to see that as well. I will believe that when Dennis Deyo and Marsha Krahn step forward and publicly admit what they did and how they hurt the school, staff and board, not just their conversations with other staff, but their attempts to stop it from being reported, at the next board meeting, and then step down. That.... would be "honesty, transparency and protection we are promised."
You have got to be kidding. On a scale of 1 - 100, this Deyo thing is about a 4. It has no bearing on anything. It especially has no importance when you compare it to all the mega-irresponsibility that has been taking place in the Schultz/Bates reign at the school.
Quit trying to shift the focus and blame. We should be examining the important issues and not be distracted by this teeny-bopper rumor mentality. Grow the hell up.
69
I for one am not kidding, "Scale of 1 - 100."
There are a growing number of people like me who are disgusted with Deyo and Krahn's cheap and vulgar character assasination of school officials--and their pitiful attempts to cover it up with lies and double-speak.
Tell us, "Scale of 1 - 100", how do you justify a demand for accountability by some tax-supported employees, but not all? You just are not credible.
On a scale of 1 - 100, Deyo and Krahn are below sub-standard when it comes to honesty and integrity. I do not want my tax dollars supporting them.
I agree with an earlier blogger. Deyo and Krahn must accept responsibility for smearing the reputation of school officials and deceiving the community.
This isn't going to blow over and go away.
To above poster: EXACTLY! Taxpayers are being told to accept substandard values and morals just because the people with substandard values and morals are only "human". Well then, the humans better come clean, build virtue, and don't run for office if they can't handle the scrutinization.
If you pay $30 for a haircut and it turns out horribly, it is not acceptable for the hair stylist to whine that her sniffles kept her from giving a good haircut. He/She promised a good haircut, he/she received payment to do the job he/she promised, and he/she better deliver with the highest of standards (and reasonable communications with the client). There's no "you got a bad haircut for your money, live with it and shut up" here. Get real.
Does anyone know why the school board voted last week against a cooperative track and field program with Princeton for our High School students? It makes no sense when we are already have the Princeton track coach working with our team this season and practicing with their kids. And we already have cooperative relationships with other schools in other sports.
What could be gained by that vote?
Why didn't Amy Pipho as President, ask for input from our Athletic Director or Superintendent for information to help them make a good decision rather than a hurried up decision, based on not knowing the facts?
I hope this is not another situation like the CESA 6 program, where they voted last week to take it away, then found out more info that they should have asked for up front, and then have to vote to put it back.
Probably because the NEW board wants to offer the same kind of programs and extracurriculars that were offered when Eisenhower was president.
Deyo and Krahn? Their bad-mouthing of their employer, the school and taxpayers, has been going on for years and years. The earlier blogs are right on target. Get rid of those two pieces of scrap.
Clearly, the brand new School Board minority and their waning supporters are working overtime to badmouth Amy Pipho and the new majority after five minutes in office. Read the previous posts carefully. It’s a game of “Let’s blame the new majority for everything the old majority did.”
The old board majority is still red-faced from last week’s officer elections, where the votes consistently went 4-3 against them. It was a welcome spanking. That’s why we’re suddenly seeing all this negativism about the new board.
Example: “Why didn't Amy Pipho as President, ask for input from our Athletic Director or Superintendent for information to help them make a good decision rather than a hurried up decision, based on not knowing the facts?”
Fact: It was the old School Board majority that ignored this issue until the last minute, just the football co-op. The School Board’s first discussion of the track co-op was last week, when Amy took over. Input should have been sought from Princeton and the Green Lake athletic director long ago. In fact, Meade had asked Wendy to put this on the agenda before, a request that apparently went ignored. Also, let’s get the facts correct. There was no “hurried up” decision last week. The School Board voted to send the matter to committee for more study.
Also, there’s the Deyo/Krahn situation. Somebody claimed Deyo and Krahn are trying to “stop it from being reported.” Not exactly. Think about who that rumor was supposedly about. Now ask yourself, who are the people who wouldn’t want that rumor to surface? Bingo. Don’t be fooled by the attempt to make it look like Deyo and Krahn are the ones keeping it under the mattress.
Also, ask yourselves, who are the people who want to get rid of Deyo? It sure seems like a select group of people. Think real hard about who those people might be.
Then someone wrote, “There are a growing number of people like me who are disgusted with Deyo and Krahn's cheap and vulgar character assassination of school officials.” This is a stretch. It’s one of those random statements people write to make it seem as though there are more people on one side of an issue. Regarding Deyo and Krahn, the truth is, we’ve heard nothing but hearsay and conjecture so far, not facts, evidence or proof. Be sure, a very select group of people are the ones pushing the Deyo/Krahn matter on this blog. Don’t be fooled. The ones suddenly forcing the issue have an agenda. They are simply latching onto this one strand of hope to get rid of him. Most of us are getting mighty tired of it because we’ve yet to see any proof.
Finally, someone wrote, “The NEW board wants to offer the same kind of programs and extracurriculars that were offered when Eisenhower was president.” That’s funny. Seems to me the OLD board pushed through a certain district-wide program that few taxpayers were supportive of or even know anything about to this day (cough … IB). No public hearing on that one, either. Just like the lack of public hearing about Sunnyside land. Just like the lack of public hearing about the ABA land......
At last, a fair and balanced blog! What a fun little burst of pseudo-power that was from the Bates/Schultz team. Do you realize how absoulutely stupid this all is sounding? Get over it and move on, everybody. In the end, everyone should be accountable for their own actions, an inevitably will be.
I am elated that we finally have a "real" school board that is morally responsible and financially accountable. It might not be what everyone in our community wants, but change must occur in Green Lake schools in order to survive.
To "I am elated that we finally have a "real" school board that is morally responsible and financially accountable."
What's that you say? You have some swampland for sell?
What a joke. What a hypocrite.
I only wish you were a pinata at the kids birthday party.
It's nice to see that the blog sight allows for present/past school board members, teachers, administrators, spouses of administrators/board members to anonymously blast each other with insults/innuendos.
Please stop the BS and move on. The timing of these remarks is not a coincidence. A new president is elected, other board members are put into new positions and the hatred starts flowing. Give us all a break and let go of it...knock it off with the sour grapes attitude and stop trying to bash the "new blood" that hasn't even been given a chance to make necessary changes. The little factoids that are thrown-in for credibility make it even more transparent.
Once again...give it a break, leave it alone, move on with real business.
If someone is selling "swampland" I'd let Ken and Wendy know...I'm sure there are grants available that will pay "for almost" the whole purchase! If not, what the heck...we taxpayers can cover the balance for the sake of the students. They could have their own woods, their own lake, and their own swamp.
Can we hang a pinata in the swamp? Can I get a bad haircut there? These blogs are so feeble, the Pipho/Deyo bashers are making utter fools of themselves. Go ahead and do all the blog bashing you want, you are only hurting yourselves.
My Momma always said, stupid is as stupid does.
Did any of you look at the Downtown Green Lake renewal project website? The web address listed in last week's paper was incorrect, it is www.greenlakerenewal.com (not org).
There is a PowerPoint demo that you can view, showing the type of thing the group has in mind for downtown Green Lake. While I am all in favor of sprucing up our eclectic downtown shopping area, painting every building a different color is hardy what I had in mind! In the "what Green Lake could look like" photos, they show example of pink and blue buildings with contrasting trims. Like the pink eyesore we have in town isn't enough??? They actually show a photo of the Hairitage painted bright yellow with gaudy red, white and blue banners! It is horrifying!
Please people, let's use some common sense. We want downtown Green Lake to look classy and beautiful, not like a crayola explosion. UNIFORMITY means a limited color selection of eye-pleasing colors. The new awnings on the paint shop look great, they are similar to the ones on the next corner. Restoring some of these shops to their former glory will hardly mean painting them silly colors.
I actually thought that a lot of the "before" pictures from 1978 look better than what we have now. Why don't you ladies go to Cedarburg and take a look around?
Yes, let's spruce up downtown and get rid of the eyesores, not make more of them. Included in that should be the Little Corporal which is the most visible of all buildings and uniquely ugly with it's coloring book soldier painted on the side. That would be a great place to start.
Other than that, keep up the good work ladies. In spite of my criticism, I think you are off to a great start.
That's rich.
"These blogs are so feeble, the Pipho/Deyo bashers are making utter fools of themselves. Go ahead and do all the blog bashing you want, you are only hurting yourselves."
You and bloggers of like mind haven't a leg to stand on when it comes to bashing. The personal attacks of people you disagree with or can't control (school administration, board members, bloggers) is your style.
To expect integrity and honesty for board members is a given. Deyo doesn't have it. That's not bashing. That is relating an opinion based on his actions.
Continued defense at any cost of school employees and board members you deem "on your side" speaks volumes about you and like minded bloggers--mental sods.
Excellent blog Mrs. Bates, excellent blog!
Gee, where was Ken Bates when e john tracy was berating art students because their art wasn't good enough? Or where he threw a a tantrum in Mr. Ellis's classroom and scared the children to tears with his yelling and inappropriate actions? Where is the discipline for these types of things? Where is the accountability? These actions were witnessed by many, not an alleged rumor from a private conversation. What type of disciplinary action was taken with Mr. Tracy?
Let's talk about integrity. How about spending $25,000 for attorneys without school board approval? Whose interest were you serving exactly? Where is YOUR honesty and integrity? Why don't you just resign so we can save our school. You have driven away teachers and families like a plague. They will continue to leave until you are gone. Go back to Columbus because nobody wants you here.
You have it wrong again. As always.
Gee, where was Ken Bates when e john tracy was berating art students because their art wasn't good enough? Or where he threw a a tantrum in Mr. Ellis's classroom and scared the children to tears with his yelling and inappropriate actions?
I agree! I'm still waiting for some sort of explanation and apology from Mr. Tracy to the kids in Mr. Ellis' room. My child was there when it happened and is still upset and angry at the whole situation. It is getting harder and harder to teach my child to respect adults(especially the Principal of your school)when they behave in such an unprofessional manner. At this point, my child has no respect for Mr. Tracy and unfortunately it's getting awfully hard to contradict these feelings. I'll say it again, Mr. Tracy needs to apologize to everyone involved for the fiasco in Mr. Ellis' room. Do your PETA business on your own time-not on my tax dollar!
Quote from previous blogger... "Why don't you just resign so we can save our school. You have driven away teachers and families like a plague. They will continue to leave until you are gone. Go back to Columbus because nobody wants you here."
Your insidious venom and hatefulness are sadly representative of one of the reasons that keeps people from moving here and investing here. They worry they could end up with someone like you as a neighbor.
If you feel that strongly, what about just asking for an appointment with Mr. Bates, and go have a private conversation with him about your concerns and the problems you have with his administration of the school.
It may get you nowhere, but on the other hand, it might help to talk things out.
You may not agree with him and vice versa, but at least you would be setting a good example of problem solving and working to build the community.
For the record, I am a great neighbor. My neighbors and I get along wonderfully.
We've all had enough of Ken Bates (except for maybe one person I can think of) and if you can think of a nicer way of letting him know that his job performance is sub-par and his actions on behalf of the school (or whatever) are unacceptable, then please go ahead and rephrase this so it doesn't sound so venomous. I thought I said it very well.
There is no disciplinary action being taken. People aren't being held accountable and that is why they act as they do. When taxpayers decide to oil the gears of accountability, they are falsely accused of being venomous and their character assassinated. Ridiculous.
Full circle said " We've all had enough of Ken Bates (except for maybe one person I can think of)".
Anonymous 01-06-09 said, "Go back to Columbus because nobody wants you here."
That simply cannot be true. Maybe everyone in a person's circle might think that, but really, to try to make this global to our community is just not so. I've spoken with many people who are pleased or satisfied with Ken Bates and his role as Administrator. They've agreed with some of his changes and initiatives at school. They've been happy that he is involved in the community. I've also heard those same people say things that they don't like that Ken has done or led.
Same thing with teachers. I've heard positive and negative comments tied to Ken's leadership.
I think that is probably a more balanced perspective then to try to state that a particular view on this blog represents the whole community. There obviously are people for and against some of the issues at school. Most communities have two sides of issues. That cannot be unique to Green Lake.
While everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion, perhaps all of us could be more
thoughtful before we make global statements, whether it is about our administrator, board members or others in our community.
Low and behold, there is that one person of which you speak.
Do ya think?
"There obviously are people for and against some of the issues at school. Most communities have two sides of issues."
There are usually more than two sides and one must stand for something or fall for anything. Unfortunately, it becomes the Hatfield & McCoy "sides" because, for their own personal reasons, people jump to a side (usually the one that has better chance of winning, not necessarily the right one), and start fighting for their own cause that isn't even congruent with the purpose of the "side" they chose.
Unfortunately, because of human nature, the truth does not always prevail until it's too late, positive change is not always possible without great cost to everyone in general, and not enough can or will be learned from the whole experience except profiling and preconcieved notions. Round and round we go.
"Local newspapers are not reliable sources of information."
Neither are local radio stations or cable channels. Businesses protecting business interests, monetary gain, and political favor. Media protects the White House and politicians protect one another, and so it happens even in small towns.
"When taxpayers decide to oil the gears of accountability, they are falsely accused of being venomous and their character assassinated. Ridiculous."
I agree. Great leaders and soldiers who fought for positive change were personally and professionally attacked every which way but Sunday, and in countless numbers many of them lost their lives. Love your neighbors, be honest with yourself and others, and do the right thing...even when no one else but yourself would know you're exercising these virtues. It's called personal honor.
And when all else fails, hit the streets together with a plan for effective defense of your rights and honest communication. It takes practice. It takes courage. It takes stamina and moral fiber. It takes endless doses of faith and hope. We should've done a better job watching each others' backs before it came to this.
Yes, we should have. But now we know.
Hang in there and fight the good fight, folks. Time to wake up.
Right. Jaw on some more moral fiber. Onward Christian soldier. Praise God and pass the bullets.
"Anonymous said...
Right. Jaw on some more moral fiber. Onward Christian soldier. Praise God and pass the bullets."
An ass braying at the moon again. EeeAwwww!
I thought the same thing. What an ass. Nothing was said about religion or God but there's always a hate-monger ready to lob grenades and shrapnel a system of communication.
Pay no mind to the lost donkey making fun of faith and spreading hate.
Hate monger? What a clutch of hypocrites and lickspittles we have here.
Wow...somebody is really intelligent and uses big, multisyllabic words. They must have gotten one hell of an education, or use the thesaurus way too much!
Lickspittles...c'mon, give us a break and go back to your civil war encampment...the reenactment is about to begin (PS: you'll all be firing 'blank' ammunition just like you do in these blogs).
Unfortunately, the school board just upped Kenny's contract so we have to live with him (or buy him out) for a couple of years. Next year we can be done with Wendy, and undoubtedly little 'e'...and then Mr. Bates the year after.
While we still have to pay their ridiculous wages and deal with their fantasy worlds, at least we have some balance on the school board to help keep these free-lancers in check. Hopefully we can make it to that point before the school goes belly up...scary how it mirrors what is happening to our country as a whole with the whacked administration we have in Washington. I guess the motto, "think globally - act locally" really holds water between our little situation and that in the rest of the world. Going to hell in a hand basket is more appropriate.
You've got that right, Abe! And speaking of contracts, I have heard it through the GLapevine that there might be lawsuits brought against the school on behalf of little e john tracy and his wild antics in the classrooms. There is talk of buying out his contract and letting him go to the tune of $75,000 or so. While I sure would like to see his departure from our school system, the idea of paying him off for his inappropriate, unprofessional behavior REALLY irks me.
Why is it not written into the contracts of anyone who works at the school that inappropriate, unprofessional behavior will result in termination WITHOUT PAY? This is just ridiculous. I sincerely hope that in the future, the school board will word these contracts so that if someone is justifiably fired because of their own actions, then no financial compensation will be coming to them. Of course, this would make perfect common sense, so perhaps it will never happen at our school.
"Abe Lincolnlog said...
Wow...somebody is really intelligent and uses big, multisyllabic words. They must have gotten one hell of an education, or use the thesaurus way too much!"
One's level of education doesn't teach common sense or prevent one's embarassing misappropriation of cute words.
"Why is it not written into the contracts of anyone who works at the school that inappropriate, unprofessional behavior will result in termination WITHOUT PAY? This is just ridiculous. I sincerely hope that in the future, the school board will word these contracts so that if someone is justifiably fired because of their own actions, then no financial compensation will be coming to them. Of course, this would make perfect common sense, so perhaps it will never happen at our school.
4.6.09
The Green Lake School Board is hosting an important public meeting on Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30 PM to discuss options for a possible tax referendum.
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW TIME OF 6:30 INSTEAD OF 4:30.
posted by Chief Highknocker at 9:10 AM on May 7, 2009
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"Abe Lincolnlog said...
Wow...somebody is really intelligent and uses big, multisyllabic words. They must have gotten one hell of an education, or use the thesaurus way too much!"
I didn't read intelligence. Only arrogance, ignorance, a false sense of superiority, and the misuse of a cute, outdated word.
"Abe Lincolnlog said...
Wow...somebody is really intelligent and uses big, multisyllabic words. They must have gotten one hell of an education, or use the thesaurus way too much!"
I didn't read intelligence. Only arrogance, ignorance, a false sense of superiority, and the misuse of a cute, outdated word.
**I'm reposting this because I messed up with the above post. Sorry about that.
You didn't really say anything worth reading anyway.
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