http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_c...

I'm glad to see you're using some common sense Mr. E. I agree that regardless of our President's party, he is the leader of our nation and we all need to at least hear what he has to say. As Voltaire said, "I may not agree with what you say, but I'll defend your right to say it with my life".

I guess that I was fortunate in going through Parker when the "useful idiots" © Vladimir Lenin (might as well drop a little education into this blog) were destroying the Social Studies department, slopping the bonehead (er,... I mean basic) geography and American history courses (for students who hated social studies) in with the excellent advanced Humanities program (for students who loved social studies). "Integrated Social Studies" was such a cluster-flop they missed exposing us to President Nixon's speeches and we graduated before the Watergate mess was big news.

Pete: What does Jim Jones have to do with anything being discussed here?

Well said, John! As evidenced by many of these posts, the truth hurts! Many would obviously like to continue the same old same old rampage against the US Constitution as did George Bush. The Bill of Rights means very little to right wing nut jobs.

I simply CANNOT read THIS drivel ANY longer. Mr. E'S repeated RANTS in ALL caps AND apparently RANDOM use OF the SHIFT key IS just BIZARRE. It SEEMS to CAUSE dizziness, NAUSEA, and HEADACHES. Not SURE which IS harder TO follow - THE words OR the LOGIC behind THEM.

My apologies; thanks for the correction Mr. Sodemann.

Badgerboy: Technically, we are called "Commissioners" and that is our official title.

Just so you are aware.

Bill Sodemann

Eyster, Lori Stottler's title is not Commissioner. She is a member of the Janesville School Board. That would make her a Board Member. I must also agree with other who post about your overuse of upper case letters in your postings. Let the reader decide how to interpret the posts. This particular blog should be renamed "Eyster's Eyesores", it's so rough.

I personally think that it would have been best if the President would have taped his speech a month before the school year started. Teachers would then have been able to sit down, watch the speech, and create the curriculum that they felt best related to their students. I don't have an issue with a President trying to encourage all children. If he had made blatant statements about where to send donations, and go team blue, I could understand the uproar, but some people need to take a step back. We all want our kids to succeed, we all want them to feel encouragement. I'd like to believe that was the President's ultimate goal. I just think the situation could have been diffused by giving school districts more time to organize.

RichE95 is another cult victim. Send for the "deprogrammer".

The problem emerged when the White House sent out their suggestions for classroom participation after the speech. Sorry, but I don't want indoctrination such as "how President Obama inspires me" or putting his quotes on the wall. That can wait for the judgement of history along with quotes from Chairman Mao. The White House caused the problem.

As an educator, I fully agree with this statement: "It is NOT appropriate for EDUCATORS to cower in the corner or be MANIPULATED be a few." While I no longer teach in the Janesville district, I have seen how teachers have made curricular decisions based on fear of censorship, whether it's not showing the President's speech, refusing to veer from the canon, or not discussing perceived "controversial" topics. You know what? Some of the best moments in my class were those hard ones - when my students and I had the opportunity to see new perspectives and critically discuss an issue. While some readers are taken aback by John Eyster's anger or word choice, I totally understand where it's coming from.

I am APPALLED that a former teacher doesn't know how to use spell check.

Mr. Eyster, your use of upper-case words in your blog makes for a horrible read, and it distracts from the points you make. Don't rely on capitalization to emphasize your points. Instead, let your words and composition provide the emphasis.

This episode proves a glaring lack of sound judgement on the part of the school superintendent. If she did, indeed, receive threats, she should have immediately contacted the police. This causes me to wonder on what other issues she is likewise exercising such poor judgement.

John,
At the beginning of every School Board Meeting we say the Pledge of Allegiance: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all."

I really don't like far left any more than I like far right - we are ONE NATION...united we stand, divided we fall. My questioning how we handled the situation wasn't to divide, but to make sure that we have a protocol in which our Superintendent has to lean on should it happen again.

We shouldn't judge the Superintendent's actions if we haven't walked in her shoes...from all other accounts, she is doing a GREAT JOB. She is newer to the post and may do things differently as she gains experience - or not. Either way, Superintendent Schulte believed she was doing what was in the best interest of the students in our district. I simply disagree and I think that's okay - let's do it respectfully.

In my 40+ years of life, I have not lived this long with war; I have not seen this kind of joblessness (is that a word?); nor this kind of separation of people. If we stop listening with respect to each other - then we've defeated only ourselves.

Mr. Studer has asked the Board of Education to become a "NO EXCUSES" board, and encouraged us to move from being great thinkers into becoming great 'doers.' I merely voiced an opinion that I don't think we made the right choice so I chose to DO something about it by bringing it to the board for discussion(I am only one of nine). Let's discuss it with respect, grow from our discussion and move on!

TEAM=Together Everyone Achieves More:-)

LRS

John: The SDJ did not PREVENT ANYONE from hearing President Obama. They merely left it up to the parents to decide.

My point about President Bush was that he was PREVENTED from actually going to one of our schools (Parker) to give a speech in 2004. I think that decision was wrong. The SDJ should have welcomed the President and informed the parents so that they could decide whether or not they wanted their child to participate, just as what was done with Obama.

I hope you are not suggesting that anyone should have been FORCED to attend in either of the scenarios.

Personally, I thought that the message of President Obama's speech of things like "personal responsibilty" was excellent and could have been written by me, a conservative. Whether or not the original text of the speech contained anything that some might view objectionable is unknown. Either way it is ultimately up to the PARENTS to decide what they think is best for their children, not the JSD, not me, and not even JOHN EYSTER - even if you abuse the use of CAPITILIZED letters (LOL).

Sincerely,

Bill Sodemann

Someone please take away this man's shift key. I would love to read what he writes, but I refuse to drive my eyes crazy with the all-caps all the time.

I think the majority is silent because they're too busy buying guns and ammunition right now.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090923/ap_o...

John, you prefer a government solution to pretty much everything. Well, this is exactly what government does. You're always seeking the government to make official proclamations, observances, requirements to do or not do things, and "meaningful" penalties for those who don't follow through. You need to understand that the "seal of government approval" is not the answer. It's usually the problem. We can all live our lives, professional and personal, without the need for the government to pat our heads, rub our bellies, and tell us we're darn good folks. Just go about your life without seeking government recognition, do what you believe is the right thing to do, and just get it done.

Nice rant old man. Why don't you worry about renewing your AARP membership and let rationial people worry about educating our kids. If Obama wanted the respect of the "We the People," he wouldn't have spent the last 6 months lying, stealing from my kids, and placing thieves of tax dollars in his administration. Thank god i went to Craig!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrsl8o4Z...
2nd verse: What accomplishments?
Nuff said....

"Veiled threats" "pickets"--were two of the reasons the school supt. gave for 'erring on the side of safety'....PUH-LEASE!!! The only thing that was 'veiled' was her partisanship--and she didn't even do a good job with that. When people in leadership positions--especially the well-educated--act the way she did, she not only loses credibility, but trust as well. Both as an educator and an administrator, she should be ashamed.