The La Mesa-Spring Valley School Board in San Diego’s East County caused somewhat of a stir last week when they held a special meeting on Labor Day, voting 3-2 against a live airing of President Barack Obama’s address to school-kids the next day. It appears that since then some if not all of those in the majority have had second thoughts about the decision, but you can understand how this sort of thing could still be a tad controversial.
As I write tonight, the board is holding a regular meeting where they will consider officially apologizing. I won’t even touch that decision. Additionally, however, Trustee Rick Winet is asking his colleagues to support a staff recommended resolution condemning threats against school officials, to wit (excerpted):
WHEREAS, all school officials, as part of their duties, made decisions that, at times, may be unpopular;
\WHEREAS, all people are entitled to a safe and healthy community;
WHEREAS, in today’s society individuals may respond to unpopular decisions with threats and personal attacks;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District hereby states that all legal means will be used to protect the safety and well-being of the Board and all school district employees.
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board condemns personal attacks and threats to any individual.
That may be some nice, meaningless language on a piece of paper. But, Winet provided exclusively to the FlashReport some additional information that he will read tonight in the form of a statement. It piqued my interest:
September 15, 2010
In the course of public debate, emotions can run high on some issues. The Board Members who voted in the majority on September 7th can attest to this fact.
Many of those with an opposing view have lowered themselves to name calling and ugly, uncivil language. While this behavior is demeaning and irresponsible at best, I have an example to share with you this evening that crosses the line.
This is an e-mail that was authored by Paul Schnaubelt, President of the La Mesa-Spring Valley Teachers Association. On September 8th, Mr. Schnaubelt was addressing members of the teachers association when he wrote the following:
"Some people asked what they could do to the three school board members who voted in favor of this…are the three school board members up for election in November? We were unsuccessful removing a board member last time simply because people would not come to the phone banks. If you are going to challenge the King you’d better kill the King."
I believe that we must discourage this type of language, where someone refers to "killing" a School Board Member.
These words, taken figuratively or literally, have no place in our education or school setting.
This is why I have brought this item to the our Board this evening.
I move that we approve resolution 09-10-11, Threats to School Officials.
Rick Winet
It’s pretty clear that Mr. Schnaubelt was using the phrase "you’d better kill the King" euphemistically…and politically. Some may say that Winet is overreacting to at best a poor choice of words, or at worst bad judgment on the part of the union head. You decide.
Yet, it’s also pretty clear that if anyone used such language, even figuratively, about the President of the United States — any President of the United States — authorities would be knocking on, and likely busting down a door the next day.
Lowly local school board members aren’t afforded such door-busting protections.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Of course, he should have said, “if you’re going to challenge the King, you’d better phone bank against the King so that they loose the next election.” Yes, that has a very nice ring to it. Me thinks the King doth protest too much.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I think we should spend a lot of school district money on Secret Service/Body Guard protection for Board Members. By redirecting funds that could otherwise be spent on educating students towards protecting our exalted school board members, we contribute to the ultimate goal of dismantling the public school system by “starving the beast.” And, isn’t that board member Winet really wants, namely, to dismantle the public school system?
September 16th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I live in Poway and Regarding Obama’s speech to the schools, I still wonder why my 1st grade daughter got to listen to it, but my 8th grade son (Who was in a social science class at the time) did not.