[Vision2020] A Lack of Empathy

[Sue Hovey]

Gary,  Is my letter inappropriate because it is not a legal treatise on the merits of the case?   Is my letter inappropriate because it comes from someone who is a former teacher?  Is my letter inappropriate because it contains a bias (not without merit, I believe) which comes from my own contact with a man for whom I used to have great respect, but who I believe would destroy that which he has help build in order to make a point?  

And lastly:  Is a letter from me inappropriate because it contains my opinion?  If that is true, then just what makes your comment below appropriate?

Sue 


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: g. crabtree 
  To: Tom Hansen ; Vision 2020 
  Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 4:21 PM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A Lack of Empathy


  How come the explanation offered up to the precocious little inquisitors isn't "the school district may have made an error when they ran the supplemental levy and a concerned patron called us on it?" or the pleasantly terse and even more neutral,  "procedural questions need to be resolved." Injecting opinion and invective into the answer only serves to rile the tots. Of course there can be no question but what that was, and is, the desired outcome.

  So far I have seen no argument from levy supporters on this topic that speaks to the merits of the case. What I have seen in spades is the vilification of a man who has done much for the students of the Moscow School District. From what quarter does the castigation come? Why surprise surprise, it appears to be board members, (past & present) teachers, (former, current and hopeful) and an ever expanding administration, surely they couldn't have any personal bias regarding this issue, could they?  A letter such as the response to Mr. Neff & Co. is simply more of the same.

  g
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
  To: "Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
  Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 2:30 PM
  Subject: [Vision2020] A Lack of Empathy


  > >From today's (May 18, 2007) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks to Sue
  > Hovey -
  > 
  > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
  > 
  > A lack of empathy
  > 
  > To John Neff, et. al.
  > 
  > When students ask new teachers if the Gerald Weitz lawsuit means they are
  > losing their jobs, how should they respond (Opinion, May 10)? How do they
  > demonize him when they tell the truth? All supplies teachers need until
  > school is out must be purchased from their own personal funds. How, then, do
  > their words of frustration vilify Weitz? He is, after all, the source of the
  > problem. 
  > 
  > The teachers being released won't be here next year even if this mess is
  > settled in 30 days. Why? Because they can't afford to sit around to see what
  > happens, and they won't have to. Good teachers can always get jobs. Then
  > when the lawsuit is settled in the district's favor, as I believe it will
  > be, Moscow will be scrounging for bodies who haven't already been hired to
  > fill those vacancies. And that assumes a settlement before September. After
  > that, who knows? 
  > 
  > Weitz says he is doing this for kids. Yeah, right.
  > 
  > Those who know Weitz never underestimate his will to control at any cost,
  > his cunning, and his enormous driving ego. He knows exactly what he is
  > doing. He even appears willing to destroy the programs he claims to support
  > if that's part of the cost.
  > 
  > Weitz knows it really doesn't matter whether he wins the lawsuit or not; I
  > suspect he may not even care that much, for by filing it he has already won
  > the critical first round inflicting punishment not only on those who dared
  > to disobey, but on the children they teach. He's validating the threat he
  > made to a district employee to take this district down.
  > 
  > Teachers must be careful when they deal with emotional issues, but given the
  > circumstances, I really do not understand your complete lack of empathy for
  > their plight.
  > 
  > Sue Hovey, Moscow
  > 
  > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
  > 
  > Seeya round town, Moscow.
  > 
  > Tom Hansen
  > Moscow, Idaho
  > 
  > **************************************************************
  > 
  > "A bad cause will ever be supported by bad means and bad men." 
  > 
  > - Thomas Paine (English Writer, 1737-1809)
  > 
  > **************************************************************
  > 
  > 
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  >               http://www.fsr.net                       
  >          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
  > =======================================================
  > 


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