Philly School District Caves

This article by Chris Freind is republished with his permission.

What’s wrong with this picture?
Teacher doesn’t like a possible school district decision. Teacher gives students SEPTA tokens, ostensibly allowing them to attend a protest rally at District headquarters — during the school day. Teacher doesn’t notify principal or parents that students were leaving school. Teacher was allegedly insubordinate by disclosing a document the District wanted kept confidential. Union boss fights efforts to fire teacher on First Amendment grounds.
Teacher wins.
That’s right. Despite an initial effort by the Philadelphia School District to terminate Hope Moffett, a teacher at Audenried High School, she is back at work, smug as ever. And why not?
The District completely caved. Instead of pursuing the right course of action, it settled for Moffett to read a non-descript one sentence letter to her class — a statement the District claims is an admission of wrongdoing, but which Moffett bluntly denies. “There’s no apology,” she said. “I think it’s very clear that they wanted an apology, but what they wanted an apology for was something that wasn’t true.”
The statement: “I acknowledge that I didn’t notify the principal on 2/14/2011 that students planned to leave the school building during the school day on 2/15/2011, even though no parental permission had been submitted to the school.”
Seems Moffett is right — no apology there.
The District’s take? They were pleased she was admitting wrongdoing.
“I think her acknowledging that she did something wrong was part of what we were looking for all along,” a District spokeswoman was quoted as saying. “Just that she had some sense of remorse that she put the students in harm’s way.”
Remorse? Where is the remorse when Moffett refused to apologize for placing students in possible danger without any parental or school notification? “It’s ridiculous, but it gets me back into the classroom,” she said, according to the Inquirer. “It is a statement that I’m fine with making because to them it will always be an apology, thereby justifying that I can return to the school.”
“Ridiculous” and “no apology.” Wow. What incredible remorse.
Most interesting was that even Moffett herself “didn’t anticipate being returned to the classroom.” So let’s get this straight. Moffett’s actions led the District to start the firing process, and despite Moffett believing she did nothing wrong, she thought she would lose.
So what happened?
The unions got involved. And since everyone in Philadelphia kowtows to the unions, the ballgame ended. Incomprehensible? Yes. Expected? Absolutely.
Moffett’s union, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), sued the District on free speech grounds, since Moffett opposed plans to convert Audenried to a charter school. That argument is so hollow that it would be laughed out of court anywhere but Philadelphia.
So a U.S. magistrate judge got involved, and helped broker a deal. (Moffett was also given a five-day suspension, but don’t count on that standing up, since the union is appealing that, too).
The biggest joke in this whole debacle is the notion that both sides can claim a semblance of victory.
Moffett won, and District made fools out of themselves. If that’s “victory” for the District, I’d hate to see what losing is.
The First Amendment has no role whatsoever in this case. Moffett is certainly free to disagree with the District’s charter school plans, and it’s well within her rights to advocate for her cause.
What is unacceptable is to knowingly allow students to leave the safe confines of school and venture unsupervised into the city (facilitated, the District claimed, by giving out the SEPTA tokens), with parents having absolutely no knowledge of their children’s whereabouts. What if a student was involved in an accident while on this unsanctioned field trip? Or mugged? Or raped?
(And let’s be honest — how many students, completely of their own volition, were really motivated to take up this cause as their own? It’s a fact that some teachers use students as pawns in political fights. Was this one of those cases? It certainly raises questions.)
To say the District — and in fact, taxpayers — would be liable for a massive lawsuit is a gross understatement.
And, if as the District contends, Moffett was insubordinate for disclosing a document that it had ordered kept private, they had even more grounds for firing.
Given the facts, Moffett should have been terminated. It’s a case the District should have pursued, because it would have sent the right message. Instead, the clear message is that the District can be bullied into submission, settling for nothing despite holding all the cards.
This is one of those rare cases when the union should have backed away. Loyalty above all, except honor. And there is no honor in what Moffett did.
But why should the union back away when it knows it won’t be challenged? These victories only add to the union’s mystique.
Of course, it’s a good bet this wouldn’t have played out the same way about ten miles east, across the Delaware River. Odds are that Governor Chris Christie would have come swooping in with his trademark thunder, pointing out how cowardly the District was being, aggressively taking on the union, and fighting for justice to be done.
And he would have won.
Too bad we don’t have the same kind of barnstorming leaders in Pennsylvania. If we did, this would have been the perfect opportunity to show that quality.
And little Miss “Moffett” would be eating her curds and whey somewhere other than Audenried High.

Why Pa.’s Anti-ObamaCare Bill Is Bottled Up

HB 42, a bill that would keep much of ObamaCare from being enforced in Pennsylvania, will be held in the State House Appropriations Committee until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on ObamaCare’s constitutionality according to the staff of Committee Chairman Bill Adolph (R) whose 165th District  includes much of Springfield and Marple townships.

ObamaCare has been found, in whole or part, to be unconstitutional by lower courts.

The Pennsylvania bill — which says “law or rule shall not compel, through penalties and fines, directly or indirectly, any individual, employer or health care provider to participate in any health care system” — specifically allows health care providers to accept direct payments for services from employers or individuals without penalty, and prohibits  state law enforcement and regulatory agencies from participating “in compliance with any Federal law, regulation or policy” that would compromise the “freedom of choice in health care” of any resident of the state.

The Adolph staffer —in returning a call placed a month ago — said keeping it in the Appropriations Committee will simplify tweaking it in accordance with any ruling, or, hopefully, making the bill unnecessary.

The bill was introduced Jan. 19 by Matthew Baker (R-68) and 61 other representatives. It has been reported out of the House Health Committee on Feb. 7 by a 14-9 vote and has since languished in Appropriations.

Adolph was called out for sitting on the bill at a Feb. 20 event of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Americans For Prosperity.

Pols Make Pitches For A Plug By Patriots

Pols Make Pitches For A Plug By Patriots — Seven seeking office made pitches at tonight’s, March 24, meeting of the Delaware County Patriots, an indication of the growing influence of this Pennsylvania Tea Party group.

The event was held before a near capacity crowd at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Newtown Township.

Introducing their candidacies were Lisa Esler and John Dougherty who are running for the Penn Delco School Board; Frank DiBernardino who is running for the Garnet Valley School Board; Ed Partridge, a Marple Newtown School Director who is running for a Republican nomination for Newtown Supervisor; Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Paul Panepinto who is running for a Republican nomination for state Commonwealth Court;  Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Paula Patrick who is running for state Superior Court; and Jay Russell who is running for a Republican nomination for Bucks County Commissioner.

School board candidates usually file on both tickets although Mrs. Esler, Dougherty and DiBernardino did not make it clear if they did. DiBernardino made an interesting point in his speech in which he promised a commitment to quality education and fiscal stewardship that the previous Garnet Valley superintendent had a salary of $275,000. He said he would endeavor to make the books of his district transparent.

The two seeking nominations to the state appellate courts noted they were the only ones on the ballot who are actually judges. Neither is supported by the state GOP establishment. Judge Panepinto said he is proudly pro life and does not believe in judicial activism. Judge Patrick described herself as a black woman with an Irish name. She said she is pro life, pro Second Amendment, pro traditional marriage and is a Born Again Christian.

The primary is May 17.

Also speaking was Paul Linkmeyer who won a committee seat in West Goshen Township in 2010. Linkmeyer explained the importance of committee seats and described how it is the committee people who pick the candidates. He encouraged all Tea Party people to either run for a committee seat in their district or get to know their committee person.

The Delco Patriots are having a Chat ‘N Chew Pizza Night, 6:30-9 at the Marple Public Library, 2599 Sproul Road, Broomall Pa. 19008. RSVP is required and can be made by calling 610-572-3442.

The group is also sponsoring U.S. Constitution Classes, starting April 27. Details can be found at DelcoPatriots.Com

Also, the group will have a flea market, May 1 at the Newtown Square Shopping Center, West Chester Pike and Route 252.

Its next general meeting is May 19.

Pols Make Pitches For A Plug By Patriots

Meehan Describes Debt Crisis During Marple Event

Meehan Describes Debt Crisis During Marple EventMeehan Describes Debt Crisis During Marple Event — Congressman Pat Meehan (R-Pa7) went  well over his allotted hour this afternoon, March 24, to field questions from a standing-room-only crowd of about 80 in the commissioners room at the Marple Township Building.

Meehan, sober and serious, in his introductory comments described the debt crisis illustrating it by noting how the Chinese, our biggest creditor, could build three of their latest strike fighter jets with $50 million left over every day on what we pay them in interest on our debt.

He noted that the arguments now in Washington about budget cuts exclusively concern discretionary spending which makes up but 20 percent of our federal government’s total spending.

Meehan said the Republican-controlled House had sent the Democrat-controlled Senate a budget which cut $60 billion in this discretionary spending and which was rejected by the Senate. He said that for the last 5 weeks the government has been funded via “continuing resolutions” written by the House which have equaled cuts in spending of $2 billion per week. He said that government spending was entirely funded by continuing resolutions in 2010 speculating that the then Democrat House majority did not want the nation’s debt to be fully revealed in an election year.

Why the Republicans sought only $60 billion in cuts initially when their new strategy extends to $104 billion in cuts was not something Meehan explained.

When Meehan mentioned government shutdown the room erupted in cheers. He made it clear in the course of the event, though, that was an avenue he was very reluctant to pursue.

The first person who asked a question was a woman who said her children were federal employees and her son-in-law was in the military just back from Afghanistan and said that they had told her that their superiors said they were not going to be paid if there wasn’t a budget.

Meehan said he didn’t see that happening and that there were a lot of people spreading scare stories.

One person demanded that foreign aid be investigated pointing out that we had been giving Libya billions of dollars and are now bombing them. Another, to loud cheers, said that if federal salaries are cut the ones going to congressmen must be the first.

Defunding Obamacare, a topic being broached on the web and on many radio talk shows, was brought up. Meehan said that its defunding could not be addressed via the continuing resolution process under the congressional rules to which all agreed at the beginning of the year.  He said he was not going to violate the rules as Nancy Pelosi did.

It was a similar answer to one he gave a young man about defunding Planned Parenthood of its annual $360 million taxpayer gift.

The young man, who said he was a federal employee, said he would rather lose his paycheck than see Planned Parenthood continue getting the money.

Meehan took a question from a woman who brought up a personal issue regarding what she said was a “corrupt” Delaware County judge. She said she brought the matter to Meehan’s attention 16 years before while he was Delaware County district attorney. He listened patiently and referred her to his staff.

Meehan noted that he had meet with a group of before the citizens’ town hall and revealed that unlegislated regulations are crushing them. He described how the Environmental Protection Agency has become a law unto itself. He said that it is now demanding the county’s oil refineries add $30 million cooling systems for the water they use for other cooling processes and which is recycled clean, eventually, into the Delaware to keep fish from getting confused.

He noted that the refineries employe 2,000 persons directly with another 4,000 more jobs connected to them. He feared the refinery owners might choose to shut them down rather than deal with the EPA’s overreach.

Meehan pointed out that the local refineries are dealing with unregulated competitors in places like Nigeria which can refine oil into gasoline for pennies on the barrel.

Lisa Esler of the Delaware County Patriots told Meehan that a perception is developing that Speaker of the House John Boehner is weak and too willing to cave-in to the entrenched bureaucracy and  that he had better do a better job of defending and explaining himself.

Several told Meehan that compromise was a bad word.

 

Meehan Describes Debt Crisis During Marple Event

Endorsements Pile On For Pa. School Choice Bill

A number of respected organizations ranging from the Black Alliance For Educational Options to Citizens Against Higher Taxes to the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association to Eagle Forum have added their endorsements to SB 1, the school choice bill winding its way through the Pennsylvania legislature.

It is expected that many of the school choice proponents who have been giving the bill a cold shoulder will come aboard as amendments to their liking are made when the bill gets to the State House as indicted by State Rep. Curt Schroder (R-155) during a March 6 debate at Independence Visitors Center in Philadelphia.

Hopefully, those in the House who care about children can make the state reimbursement follow every child regardless of income and residence.

Also it should be noted that changes made to the bill in the Senate Education Committee as reflected in Printer Number 721 aren’t likely to please the Choice-Yes/SB1-No crowd. The new limit for the tax credits under the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program was lowered from $100 million to $92 million (the present limit is $75 million); the reimbursement to the school district for the pupil has been subtracted from the daily average revenue calculation for school districts, which will mean smaller scholarships;  and “nonpublic school” has been defined to mean “nonprofit entity exempt from federal taxation.

Less controversial changes include  expanding the eligibility for the scholarship in the second year of the phase-in  all “low-income children who will reside within the attendance boundary of a persistently lowest achieving school during the 2012-2013 school year” rather than just those  have already been enrolled in a non-public school.

Also a restriction has been added to prevent the recruiting of athletes.

Also a requirement that non-public schools make available its written polices upon request to those seeking enrollment has been added.

Also clarifications have been made about transportation reimbursement and how the scholarships can be used with other financial assistance to non-public schools.

Here is a list of the organizations whose endorsement of SB1 was announced March 22:

The American Council of Christian Churches, Pennsylvania Regionals
Advocates for Catholic Education in Pennsylvania (ACE-PA)
American Federation for Children (AFC)
American Grassroots Coalition
Association of Independent Baptist Churches of Western Pennsylvania
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
Association of Independent Baptist Churches of Western Pennsylvania
Baptist Bible Fellowship of Pennsylvania
Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO)
Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools (BLOCS)
Center for Education Reform
Central and North Central Pennsylvania Fundamental Pastors Association
Children’s Jubilee Fund
Christian Family & Children’s Center
Christian Schools International
Citizens Against Higher Taxes
Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania
Commonwealth Foundation
Concerned Citizens of Western PA
Council on American Private Education – National
Eagle Forum
Faith First Education Assistance
52nd Street Business Association
52nd Street Community Development Corporation
Freedom Works
Fundamental Baptist Fellowship of Pennsylvania
Harrisburg Area Independent Baptist Pastor’s Fellowship
Hebron Vision Human Resource Center
Interchurch Holiness Convention (Pennsylvania)
Keystone Christian Education Association
LaSalle Academy
Let Freedom Ring
Lincoln Institute
Orthodox Union
PA Family Institute
PA Manufacturers Association
Pastor’s Fellowship of North Eastern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Association of Regular Baptist Churches
Pennsylvania Catholic Conference
Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools (PCPCS)
Pennsylvania Council on American Private Education
Reach Foundation
Right To Work
Students First
Talk Magazine
The American Council of Christian Churches
The Foundation for Educational Choice
The Kitchen Table Patriots

Hat tip Bob Guzzardi.

U.S. Involvement In Libya Is All About Oil

Chris Freind has kindly given permission to republish this article.

Recently on “Good Morning America,” Congresswoman and presidential contender Michelle Bachmann was asked, “What is America’s number one vital interest in the Middle East?”
She answered, “…our safety and security of people in the United States is always number one.”

Not only was Bachmann’s response a non-descript talking-point, but it didn’t even answer the question. Unfortunately, Bachmann missed a softball that she could have, and should have, knocked out of the park, one that would have separated herself from her colleagues.

Here’s the correct answer:
America’s vital interest in the Middle East can be summed up in three words: oil, oil and oil. That’s it. If that region wasn’t sitting on such huge reserves, America wouldn’t give it a second thought, with the exception of its security guarantee to Israel.

As a Republican and Tea Party leader, Bachmann should have instinctively talked of America’s unholy reliance on foreign oil, much of it from hostile nations in the Middle East, and aggressively pushed for energy-independence.

She could have talked about how the largest natural gas deposits in the world remain virtually untapped (the Marcellus and Utica Shale); the vast oil reserves in Alaska that are closed to drilling; the Bakken Formation in North Dakota that holds more than four billion barrels; the petroleum reserves under the Rockies that could well be the largest on the planet; the fact that we’re not drilling offshore , and that production has not yet resumed in the Gulf.

She could have then explained that, if we focused on these domestic sources, we wouldn’t be paying $4/gallon and watching inflation rise, nor would we be fretting about the Middle Eastern uprisings, and who we should be supporting.

But she didn’t. And that’s too bad, because otherwise, Bachmann’s voice on the national stage is an important one.

The fact is that if a leader doesn’t understand, or can’t articulate, solutions to the single-biggest problem facing America—being bent over a barrel because of our energy dependence—then their effectiveness is extremely limited.

And because neither Party, nor current and past Administrations, have done anything to achieve energy independence, America is now involved in yet another Middle Eastern conflict with no clear objectives. The only things being accomplished are creating more uncertainty in world markets and placing American military personnel in danger. And for what?

Several points to consider:

  • There is no question why the U.S. is involved. It’s not about stopping a brutal dictator, nor is it about civilian deaths. And it’s not about democracy and freedom for the Libyans. It’s simply because Libya produces a lot of oil. If it was really about any of the aforementioned reasons, we’d be forcefully engaged in most countries around the globe, since democracies are the exception. Just look at the Rwandan conflict: 20 percent of the population was slaughtered, but it had no oil. Result: no intervention. A little truth for why we are in Libya would go a long way.
  • So much for Obama’s campaign pledges of “no more wars of choice,” and “no blood for oil.”
  • Gaddafi, while certainly no angel, has not been the thorn in America’s side he once was. He admitted complicity in the Pan Am 103 bombing and paid reparations, dismantled his nuclear weapons program and, understanding the new world order after the 9/11 attacks, stopped harboring terrorists. As a result, Libya was taken off the U.S. government’s State Sponsor of Terrorism list by the Bush Administration, with then- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stating Libya was being rewarded for its “renunciation of terrorism and the excellent cooperation Libya has provided to the United States” in the war on terror. And the flow of Libyan oil has been unimpeded. So much for the brutal dictator theory.
  • Who exactly are the rebels we are supporting by bombing the country and establishing the No Fly Zone? Are they all James Madison-types looking to establish a democratic Republic? Or are they the Muslim Brotherhood—or worse? Given many Middle Easterners’ track record of viewing the United States as the Great Satan, the odds probably aren’t favorable that we’ll be singing Kumbaya with them a few months from now. UPDATE: Reports now state that eastern Libya (home of the rebels) sent more fighters to engage the U.S. in Iraq than anywhere else.
  • A No-Fly Zone does not make a democracy. Okay, we are preventing Gaddafi from using his aircraft. But what happens when he starts whipping the rebels anyway? Do we bomb his troops and tanks? Do we send in Special Forces? What happens when a pilot is shot down? More important, what happens when a similar situation arises in Saudi Arabia, and civilians get mowed down — as they will, since the King isn’t going quietly. Do we establish a No Fly Zone over The Kingdom? Do we bomb them, too? Not a chance in the world. Despite all the questions, there are no answers, and the coalition, if you can call it that, has already begun splitting apart.


We lose no matter how you slice it. The majority of Libyan oil is sold to Italy and France, yet America has been roped in to do their heavy lifting. Why? And as more Libyans die from allied airstrikes, America will get blamed on the Arab Street. Gaddafi’s claim of another “Crusade ” against a Muslim nation will hit home to millions of Muslims across the world, vastly undermining any goodwill that may have been generated over the last several years and bolstering terrorist recruitment. And the support of the worthless Arab League, whose officials are already back-tracking, means nothing. It’s not their planes doing the bombing, but ours. We get all the negatives and none of the positives while the Arab League gets the best of both worlds.

The United States’ involvement in Libya, a nation that in no manner attacked America or caused it harm, sets an extremely dangerous precedent. Ironically, this effort, executed with no foresight and one that has absolutely no endgame, further endangers our national security. Playing into the mentality of millions of Muslims that the U.S. seeks to dominate their countries will only enflame anti-American feelings.

George Washington could not have been more right when he advised against foreign entanglements and intervening in the internal affairs of sovereign nations. That wisdom is proof that modern advances will never be a substitute for old-fashioned common sense.

Delco Patriots To Meet March 24

The Delaware County Patriots, the county’s Tea Party group, will meet 7 p.m., Thursday, March 24 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 327 N. Newtown Street Road (Route 252), Newtown Square 19073.

Speaker is Paul Linkmeyer who will explain the importance of committee seats.

Bring a friend. Reservations are not necessary.

Education Revolution In Pa?

Education Revolution In Pa? — Tea Party activist Bob Guzzardi reports that the Pennsylvania State Senate Education Committee is preparing to consider, tomorrow, a revolutionary education reform package that could very well make the recent shrieking in Wisconsin by the special-interest child haters sound like whispers.

Among the reforms that Bob says will be addressed in a series of bills will be:

–Empowering school districts to furlough teachers if the economic conditions should warrant it

— Allowing districts to suspend non-essential reports to the state Department of Education in years state education funding declines

— Requiring a two-thirds vote by school boards to raise property taxes

–Allowing districts to hire registered nurses rather than school certified nurses

–Changing public advertising requirements to allow the use of the internet

–Allowing school districts to bid single prime on construction projects. (It has been estimated that this will cut construction costs by 10 percent)

–Allowing districts to hire those who have graduate degrees in business or finance as superintendents ending the incestuous education certification requirement.

–Ending the state mandate for 10 paid sick days and paid sabbatical leave for teachers.

The big one not on the table is once again empowering school boards to replace striking teachers but if the report is accurate tomorrow will be the start of something good.

 

Education Revolution In Pa?

IAEA: Jap Nuke Event Not ‘Serious Accident’

Much was made of the matter when the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was raised to level 5 on the The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

According to the scale Level 5 is considered to be an “accident with wider consequences”.

It’s a Level 6 it becomes a “serious accident”.

Level 7 is a “major accident”.

The casualty rate as per Wikipedia as of the morning of March 21 is 37 injured (none due to radiation) and two missing.

It seems it is much better to be in an old nuclear plant during a 9 magnitude earthquake followed by a 30-foot tsunami than. say, deep in a coal mine.

Enviro-Loons Force End To Lone OTC Asthma Inhaler

The federal government is forcing Primatene Mist, the sole  asthma inhaler that is available over-the-counter, off the market.

The announcement was made March 15.

Is it because it doesn’t work? No.

Is it because it is dangerous to health? No.

So why?

It’s because it uses chlorofluorocarbons to propel the medicine into one’s throat and as any mis-educated twit fast-tracked in the federal bureaucracy knows chlorofluorocarbons, even in the small amount used by asthma inhalers, offends Gaia.

The last day  the inhaler may be sold is Dec. 31, so if you suffer from asthma start stockpiling.

Pimatene Mist is made by Armstrong Pharmaceuticals which is a subsidiary of Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc. which, unfortunately, is a privately held company in case one was so inclined to place a bet that the run on the market was going to drive the stock price up.