[Vision2020] Lawsuit Could Be a Disastrous Legal Action That is Not Pro-Ed or Pro-Kids

[Tom Hansen]

>From the Letters section of today's (May 8, 2007) Moscow-Pullman Daily News
with special thanks to Mark Shipley and Bob Celebrezze, both of Moscow -

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Lawsuit could be a disaster

I'm writing as a concerned parent of a child in the Moscow School District
and as a biology teacher here in Moscow. Gerald Weitz is quoted in
Saturday's Lewiston Tribune as saying his lawsuit is "for the kids
seriously. And for their parents." 

How is this for the kids and parents? If he wins his lawsuit, 38 percent of
our school district's operating budget will be gone. Those teachers who have
been in the district three years or less, up to 45 of them, will be
summarily fired. 

Excellent teachers at Lena Whitmore, the junior high, high school and others
will have to go. Elective programs, programs not directly tied to
high-stakes testing (like vocational programs), will be seriously affected
if not removed altogether. Class sizes will have to increase and forget
about classroom operating budgets. 

There will be very little to buy resources for implementing curriculum
within the classroom - something about which I know firsthand. Since a
hiring and spending freeze was called-for districtwide last Thursday, Monday
I will be sending notes home for the kids and their parents explaining why I
can't buy the necessary supplies I need to implement the rest of my school
year in biology and physics. 

Mark Shipley, Moscow

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Legal action not pro-ed or pro-kids

This past week, Gerald Weitz made a decision that would have immense
negative effect on the children of our community and in the long run, the
community of Moscow as a whole. He chose to be the sole member of the
community to contest the Moscow School District levies from 1992 to the
present. 

This lawsuit against our community public school system totals more than
$7.6 million, more than one-third of the operating budget of the school
district. It would dramatically hurt the quality of the education provided
to all children from kindergarten through 12th grade in our community public
school system. Weitz claims to be pro-public education, yet in my view with
his lawsuit is most certainly nothing more than a bully. 

Weitz was a member of the Moscow School District Board of Trustees that
annually approved budgets utilizing funds approved by the community
including supplemental monies to the indefinite levy. Weitz stated publicly
his support for this past March's supplement to the indefinite levy. 

In my view Weitz is bringing this lawsuit forward because he believes the
school district does not offer enough classes in the trades, such as
plumbing. This is nothing more than bullying by Weitz. I implore the
community to study this issue and express opinions regarding this matter. 

I implore Weitz to look into the eyes of the more than 2,300 students from
ages 5 through 19 in our schools and decide if he is acting in a way that is
pro-education and pro-kids. 

I implore Weitz to drop this lawsuit.

Bob Celebrezze, Moscow

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"I think one of the best ways to support education is to make successful
private schools like Logos prosper through tax exemption."

- Donovan Arnold (July 11, 2005)