[Vision2020] Dr Weitz and school finance

Wed Nov 28 11:31:02 PST 2007

I'd like to comment on Jeff Harkin's final paragraph, wherein he suggests trying to find out why such a substantial number of people didn't support the last two (successful) levy votes.  I believe I have an answer.

We have a large, educated, motivated, affluent and driven population in Moscow that believes that part of their worship of God and a means to fulfilling His will on earth is to pray for the destruction -- not reformation, but the complete, utter, and final destruction -- of public schools.  They will act and have acted to further that cause, within legal bounds.  Some have acted more honorably in this dishonorable cause than others, but the fact remains, whether MSD or Moscow's "liberals" acknowledge it or not,  the carrying out of a fatwa  on public schools  is a pretty tough motivator to  beat.   You've got your  team-teaching for eighth graders or your on-site school nurse on one side; they've got  the will of God Almighty on the other.   No matter how much I  favor the pro-public schools side, not even the most earnest teacher, competent administrator, or winsome schoolkid is going to beat out God.  A failure to anticipate, acknowledge, and act on what we know is a sure thing -- the certain "no" vote of the Kirkers -- will put future levies at risk. 

Sadly, I'm afraid that there is a population of Moscow's so-called liberals whose "no" vote is also a sure thing in regards to any plan to build a new high school anywhere other than downtown.  Frankly, having heard before the reactions of some of Moscow's
"educated elite" and "progressives" to a new high school, I can only
shake my head at plans to develop one outside of downtown, whether on
Thompson or Trail land.  When neighborhoods, architecture, historicity and the warm
embrace of a bustling downtown trump the real needs of students, and
when people announce, as they have to me, that they will not ever
support a bond that would move Moscow High School out of town, the reasons behind their guaranteed "no" may be different from the "no" of the Kirk, but it's no less certain and no less damaging.  It is not, however, insurmountable.  Anticipating objections and forming reasoned answers to them is half the battle.  It's a battle I fought with vigor during my time on the board, and it's one I'm willing to fight again.  But let's not act as though it's a mystery why MSD funding will have a tough go of it with voters.  When people announce that they hate you and believe they have God on their side, it's probably a pretty good idea to assume that they mean it.   Further, it's not a good idea to spend enormous time and energy placating a group of people who tell you they don't want a new high school if they can't have it downtown -- even if it means committing a most un-neighborly act of eminent domain against the ugly houses around the current one.  Entitlement to that opinion is a given; fruitless efforts to "seek understanding" and ascertain "values" is not. 

It used to be assumed that no one hated public schools, even those who gripe about them a lot.  It used to be presumed that liberals were willing to sacrifice for the poor, the young, the disenfranchised.   But those things are not the case in Moscow now.  Plowing blithely ahead as if the situation were different might look tolerant and noble, but damned if it does much good.

Keely

> Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:51:42 -0800
> To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> From: jeffh at moscow.com
> Subject: [Vision2020] Dr Weitz and school finance
> 
> Facts - let's work from facts.
> 
>  From some online research, here are some of the activities that 
> substantiate Dr. Weitz's efforts on behalf of the Moscow School 
> District and public education:
> 
> >(1) Chair and founder of Moscow Rotary Youth Exchange (18 years).
> >
> >2) Chair Education Committee Moscow Chamber of Commerce 
> >(1993-1997).  Received member of the year award from the Chamber 
> >(1995),  Awarded Spirit of the Chamber (1996). Committe appears to 
> >have sponsored numerous focus groups and town hall meetings 
> >concerning school-to-work issues.
> >
> >3) Awarded Parent of the Year Moscow High School 1995
> >
> >4) Chair MHS Parent Advisory Committee (1993-95)
> >
> >5) Chair Palouse Partnership Council (School-to-Work)
> >
> >6) Co-Chair School-to-Work Region II, which partnered with 
> >Albertson's Foundation, UI College of Education and the federal 
> >School to work folks which brought into the district about $200,000 
> >worth of grants for the management of change.
> >
> >7) Member Moscow School Board 1997-2000
> >
> >8) Worked with the National Guard, Congress and State Officials to 
> >acquire a "free Skills center" - apparently not yet a reality.
> >
> >8)Airconditioned: Russell and MacDonald
> >
> >9) Provided the building, remodeled to the District's specs. and 
> >provided infrastructure, (desks, chairs, computers, lockers, 
> >furnishings, telephone system etc.)  for alternative HS.
> >
> >10) Offered to acquire Tidyman's for conversion to a skills center, 
> >went through architectural concept drawings.
> 
> I am sure there are more activities, but this is what I have been 
> able to document thus far.  If any of the above are incorrect, please 
> advise and I will edit as needed.  I think these "facts" speak for 
> themselves - Dr. Weitz has been a committed advocate for k-12 education.
> 
> It's interesting that Ms. Hovey chose to bring up the Billy Bob Teeth 
> project.  As I recall, the MSD teacher's union originally agreed to 
> participate in that project and later withdrew its support citing 
> "too busy" to help with that.  Perhaps Ms. Hovey can bring forward 
> some numbers to substantiate MSD personnel involvement in that activity.
> 
> The facts are that Dr. Weitz has been a solid advocate for MSD and 
> k-12 education.  The evidence suggests that Dr. Weitz is keenly 
> interested in education and in particular, vo-tech education - and he 
> has backed up his interest with effort and investment.  Frankly, his 
> decision to challenge the permanent levy seems to have legal 
> foundation and while there are some that question his decision to 
> pursue that course of action, it appears it was a valid 
> action.  While there appears to be a link between the legal action 
> and vo-tech education (Dr. Weitz has indicated that he would be 
> "pleased to see" additional investment of some of the levy proceeds 
> invested in Vo-tech) there is no requirement that these activities be 
> linked at all.  Frankly, if the district did not comply with the 
> "rules" for the levy, then the fault lies with the district, not with 
> the actions of the citizen who initiated the challenge.  It is in our 
> long-term best interests as taxpayers and citizens and in the 
> long-term best interests of governmental entities if governments and 
> citizens follow the rules.
> 
> Some want to advance the "tyranny of the majority" argument to 
> discredit Dr. Weitz's tactics; thankfully, even in our neck of the 
> woods, a minority position is allowed.
> 
> The real issues for me in all of this are integrity and by extension, 
> accountability.  Some questions beg to be addressed,  including (1) 
> can the taxpayers, patrons and other constituents trust the actions 
> of the MSD leadership?; (2) is it wise for governmental entities to 
> have "permanent" taxes, not requiring persistent periodic taxpayer 
> review? (3) is it wise for governments to rely on "permanent levies" 
> that can only be extended by support of a new "permanent levy"? and 
> (4) is it appropriate public policy to provide one local government 
> with a permanent levy while the other local governments must compete 
> with each other for their "right" to fund their activities, is public 
> education more important than health and safety, than dealing with 
> our water problem?
> 
> To encourage a rich discussion of these and other important issues, I 
> will attempt to offer facts and dialogue on these issues in the 
> coming weeks.  Hopefully many of you will join in the dialogue - 
> there are many questions to be considered and a thorough examination 
> of the facts could lead to a better school district for us all - and 
> a more knowledgeable voter base.
> 
> Please! Let's stop the fingerpointing and name calling - it gets us 
> nowhere.  Fact, there are a substantial number of folks in our area 
> that did not support the district's request for a permanent levy 
> increase.  Now is the time to deal with that.  The next levy is on 
> the horizon ...........
> 
> 
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