Not slander by definition. But think of what is happening to the names and reputations of the people that are being gossiped about. People need to realize that they can never be too sure about who is listening when out in public places. When the truth breaks, and eventually it will, the facts will be more unbelievable than any of the rumors floating around. Trust me.

shannonj

You can not make claims third hand that someone has been "slandered" just because people are discussing it in the community. Nice of you to defend your friend, we all do that for our friends.

Sounds like someone commenting on here knows exactly the true reason why he is on "approved leave." Hopefully the entire truth comes out sooner rather than later because if he's being paid my tax dollars are being wasted.

wislady
I agree....my statements do apply to everyone. People seem to feel entitled to talk about others and be negative. Sorry to disappoint, but I will not participate in the blog about Governor Walker. Keep in mind, just because a person is a teacher, it doesn't mean they don't support Walker or protested for the past two years. I chose to blog here because I know this person, Mike Garrow, and to say he hasn't been slandered is inaccurate. In other blogs, it is stated to just go around town, to coffee shops and restaurants, and you can hear the accusations. That is slander--oral defamation of character, and untruths are being told, apparently, which very well could harm his reputation. Again, the facts will emerge and answers may never be clear, but I can conclude one thing....if he had done some immoral, inethical, or illegal activity, he would have been fired not placed on leave, plain and simple.

Maybe they need to call it a sabbatical. That isn't all that unusual and would generally include pay. Here is a link if you don't know what that is:
http://meetplango.com/sabbatical/

shannonj

You bring out some good points, and even though you do not live my school district/community (Milton), I would think the statements you made should apply to everyone.

"He is a good man who deserves some respect"

"someone's friend, a husband, and a father"

"Wanting clarification is natural, making accusations and being rude is just a shame".
......

If you read the blogs, other than this one for the first time (since you are a new poster), I would like to see your indignation and comments posted on the blogs which comment on Governor Walker. Does the family deserve the same courtesy and respect, or is your righteous indignation reserved only for teachers?

No one has "slandered" this teacher, and no one cares what his personal life is. The issue...is he getting paid for the continued leave. I don't know about others, but that is the only answer remaining that I want to know.

I will assume I can look forward to seeing you issue the same scolding when you read comments about Governor Walker and his family (unless you also participated in the protesting for the past two years).

FYI
Slander - Legal Dictionary - The Free Dictionary
legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/slander

slander n. oral defamation, in which someone tells one or more persons an untruth about another which untruth will harm the reputation of the person defamed.

wislady
I understand taxpayers are wanting to know the details. I don't know the details but I am sure they will emerge someday and I hope you get the answers you are searching for. One thing I do know....there is a reason for everything and there must be a reason for this too. As for no slander....I am not just referring to this blog, I just wrote on this one because it was most recent. Look back at all these articles. In this very blog, JoyM wrote "I want us to be thoroughly done with this guy" and "this guy is not so good he is worth keeping" and you agreed. I agree with mgcarguy when he wrote "one day the truth will appear." Until then, knowing this person, Dr. Michael Garrow, and knowing the impressive career he has had, I just feel he deserves some respect. I was trying to hit home that this person is someone's former teacher, someone's friend, a husband, and a father. Whatever is going on right now must be extremely stressful and I just wish people could show a bit more respect. Wanting clarfication is natural, making accusations and being rude is just a shame.

shannonj
Taxpayers want to know....is he on getting paid leave. That is not too much to ask, anything else is his business. I do not see anyone "slandering" this person.

Wow! I am shocked and really dishearted reading some of these blogs. I am wondering where a sense of humanity has gone? It seems so easy to write negative comments, point fingers, make jokes, and slander a person. I was alerted to these negative blogs by a friend. They couldn't believe what was being said about a person we both know, Mike Garrow. Some history...I worked in the same district that Mike worked for in the past. We are all entitled to our own opinions, but I think it is only fair to all those who have been positively affected by Dr. Michael Garrow, to share a side of him that clearly isn't being fairly represented right now. He has been a talented and inspiring teacher, a phenomenal coach of many sports, a mentor to many, an assistant and head principal who helped take schools to the next level, and most importantly a person who has positively affected the lives of thousands of students during his seventeen years of working in the public school system. I owe a lot to him because he inspired me to go back to earn a teaching degree. Though I am teaching at a different school district now, I still have such a strong appreciation and respect for him. I am not alone in feeling this respect. I know of another person who entered the teaching profession due to the inspiration she received from having Mike as a teacher and coach while she was in middle school. Space is limited, but I am going to challenge all of you opinionated and negative bloggers out there to consider that this is a person who has devoted his life to the profession of teaching that you are slandering. He has a loving wife and children that reside in this district. He is a good man who deserves some respect. I CAN'T WAIT for the facts to come out about this case. Details will emerge and I am sure we will all learn that if Mike chooses not to return to his position in this school district, there is a good and valid reason for his decision. Until then, I can sleep at night knowing that I build people up rather than tearing them down. What a shame that people take pleasure in another's hardships.

i dont have enough money to pay my property tax this year and you have the nerve to pay this employee the rest of the school year not to do his job, this is outrageous.

JoyM

I agree.

mgcarguy - that was a private sector company not funded by the taxpayers. That is not the same as this circumstance. I want to know if (and why) I should be funding Dr. Garrow's ethereal pursuit of his "dreams" especially after he was quoted in the Milton Courier as calling our children "commodities" as though they were items to be bought and sold. I want us to be thoroughly done with this guy. (And trust me, this guy is not so good he is worth keeping, at least not in my book.)

I live in the Milton School District....we have the right to know if he is being paid while on leave.

mls: In my opinion, sometimes you have to trust the people you elect to public office. This issue could well be of a very sensitive nature. Were I living in Milton, I would not object to what the school board is doing. I would not pressure them because one day the truth will appear.

I do not believe it is fair to the citizens in the Milton school district to be left out of this discussion. They do have the right to know if they are paying the cost of the school board's decision. I do not live in the Milton school district.

Many years ago a company in Janesville gave an employee a year off, with pay, to live in Colorado to see if living in a dry climate would help his asthma. He was a valued employee and came back after a year and worked for several years as a press man for what was then The Janesville Daily Gazette. Some employees are so good, it is worth spending some money to keep them. This might be the case. True, there are a lot of unanswered questions, but perhaps the answer is a good one.