"When the Slave-Catcher Came to Town"

From Daniel J Sharfstein's The Invisible Line, which chronicles the sometimes brutal history of three families as they journey, over the course of generations, across American color lines.

Following in the footsteps of Blogger Field Negro , who awards Field Negro and House Negro status to those whose behavior merits the special designation, Eye (pun intended) am going to start calling out Slave Catcher behavior for those who merit the distinction.

What is a Slave Catcher you ask?  I turn the floor over to Field Negro:

You see a house Negro simply stayed in the house with massa, and he liked the house and everything in it. He would do everything to stay in the house, and would protect the house at all cost because he had a stake in it. It was where he lived, and it was where he found comfort. He would never speak against massa like the field Negroes, because he didn't want to risk losing all of that. But, even worse than the house Negro, was the slave catcher. This was the Negro who searched hardest to find us when we ran away. It was the slave catcher who the master would give the whip to tear into us when we stepped out of line. It was the slave catcher who ran right behind the blood hounds and in front of the master, when he thought one of us was hiding in the woods. It was the slave catcher who always did the master's most barbarous and sadistic deeds that even the master would not do. The slave catcher hated us even more than the master did. Who knows why? Maybe some sick demented sh#t in his past, maybe some psychological sickness that prevented him from wanting to be a part of something he has no control over. Or, a sick desire to be accepted by only those who didn't look like he does. Only the slave catcher and his shrink knows for sure.

So, here are my picks for Local, State, and National  Slave Catcher(s) of the Week:



Reynard Jones was elected President, and Carlos Matthews  was elected Vice President of the J.O.Johnson PTSA by a vote of 21-2.  Neither of these persons has children attending J.O. Johnson,  nor are either J.O.Johnson Alums. Jones and Matthews are the Local Slave Catchers of the Week for enabling the  Coup d'etat of  the J.O.Johnson PTA.

Goldy(Trey) Brown III  earned the title of State Slave Catcher of the Week.  While we are fighting for the right for all children to have equal access to quality public schools, he is advocating for Charter Schools and privatizing public education. 

Charles Barkley Isn't Shedding  Light on the Black Communities Problems.  He is the Problem.  He is also the National Slave Catcher of the Week for enabling the media driven racial stereotyping of African Americans.

Eye HOPE all my readers have a happy and safe Halloween.

#ThrowbackThursday blast from the past re-post countdown to my BlogOversary #2

Regular readers know Friday, November 13, 2009, was indeed unlucky for me because it was the beginning of the end of my posting privileges at the  Informed. Involved. Progressive. democratic blog of record,  Left in Alabama,  supposedly because of the content of my comments and other posts.  EYE still think it was because of my non-support of a gubernatorial candidate (which EYE ended up being right about). So from now until November 13, 2014,  EYE will repost links to the posts EYE (pun intended) believe led to my being banned from Left in Alabama and let you decide.

Re-post #2 is a comment Eye made in response to this diary written by the founder and blog administrator, mooncat:  John Knight Backs Artur Davis

That's nice.  Seriously though, this statement made by Knight (no pun) exemplifies the quandary some black voters (moi included) and established African Americans organizations like the ADC face regarding Davis's candidacy;

Knight said he's also proud that he is alive at a time when the state has an opportunity to elect a black man to the office of governor.

"And he's not running because he's black," Knight said. "He's running because he's qualified."

On the one hand Knight says he' proud to be alive at a time when the state has an opportunity to elect a black man to the office of governor, but on the other hand he says "he's not running because he's black".  Davis does the same thing.  On the one hand he says the state has an opportunity to elect a black man as governor, but on the other hand he says it's not about race.

So what do black voters and African American political organizations do?  Do we vote for him out of racial loyalty?  Do we vote for him because he's qualified? Or,do we vote for him because he shares our political philosophy?

If black voters vote for him out of racial loyalty does that make us racist?  Should blacks vote for him because he's qualified or because he's more qualified than his opponent? Why would black voters vote against their self interest and for a candidate who doesn't share their political philosophy?

With all due respect to Representative John Knight, if you ask the average James (opposite of Joe) who John Knight is they wouldn't know.  If you ask the average James who the ADC is, they know.  Does that make the ADC a Kingmaker?  I don't know. But the ADC and voters like myself have to decide if we are going to back Artur Davis.  In a perfect world we could vote for the candidate who represents our self interest.

One thing I will say about Davis's candidacy, it is pitting democrat vs democrat, white vs black, conservative vs liberal, white progressives vs black progressives, pro choice vs anti choice, north AL vs south AL, rural voters vs urban voters.  And some call me "divisive"?  Go figure.

The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.~Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D. MA)

So, tell me what was wrong with the content of that comment?

From the files of "Stuck On Stoopid" pre-election papaplooza

The white supremacists are going all out this Halloween...smh http://t.co/uGLj2idPQP #StrangeFruit #Lynching pic.twitter.com/3wF16l97Fj
— BlackHistoryStudies (@BlkHistStudies) October 29, 2014

You can tell election day is near and republicans are not as confident as their media enablers tell us they are. Of course, this is the United States of America, and you can't predict what the majority of voters are going to do, despite what the polling pollsters and the polling pollsters who poll them say.  Republicans know they only way they can "win" is to cheat. So, between the GOP controlled  Supreme Court striking down section 5 of the voting rights act, which enabled wholesale voter suppression,  along with gerrymandering, they just might eke out a "win".  I might be one of the few people in America who hope republicans take over the Senate because sometimes you just have show people who don't believe fat meat is greasy how greasy it really is.

Anyhoo, here is a rundown of Stuck On Stoopid

Mark Bray filed for bankruptcy in 2008, vote for Mo "do anything short of shooting illegals" Brooks, despite the fact Brooks is a liability to the district.

Let me make this clear for you Laura Ingram,  unlike you,  Democrats believe that blacks do have a choice.

Today in Black History:  Supreme Court  Issues a SmackDown to Die Heart Segregationist.  Only they didn't.

So let me see if I have this right (pun intended), we sent our troops and treasure to Iraq so they could have fair and free elections, but we block the youth vote in America?  Oh, OK.

Remember when the media used to inform voters and keep elected officials from lying to the public?  Where is that media?

RedEye Reports What You Decide.

The Coup d'etat of the J.O. Johnson High School PTSA

 

Huntsville Superintendent Casey Wardynski, center, and school board president Laurie McCaulley, right, listen Monday afternoon as Huntsville resident Carlos Mathews talks about the choosing of possible names for a new northwest Huntsville high school to replace Johnson High. Behind Mathews are pictures of astronauts Ronald McNair and Mae Carol Jemison, whose names may grace the new high school and a new junior high to be built on the same campus. (Crystal Bonvillian/cbonvillian@al.com)

Cue in music to The Harper Valley PTA

I want to tell you all a story about the Coup d'etat of  the J.O.Johnson PTA

After a prayer vigil to pray for peace and equality in the school district

Mending fences is the last thing on the mind of superintendent Casey Wardynski,

Well the next day, he and district 1 BOE representative  , and the president of the Huntsville Council of PTSA's went  over to the  J.O.Johnson PTSA  elections.

As Wardynski and  McCaulley, looked on  Elisa Ferrall told members of the J.O. Johnson Alumni Association they were not members of the PTSA because there was no record of their membership.  Imagine that!

They were also informed the application fees they paid were a donation.

So, they had a record of the donation but not the membership? Un Huh

Two members of the JOJ Alumni Association were allowed to vote, but here's the kicker, ballots were not secret, names had to be printed and signed or their vote wouldn't count.

Reynard Jones was elected President, and Carlos Matthews was elected Vice President of the J.O.Johnson PTSA by a vote of 21-2.  Neither of these persons have children attending J.O. Johnson,  nor are either J.O.Johnson Alums.  Hmmm...  I smell a Slave Catcher of the Week Award coming...

Both were members of the hand picked members of the so called naming committee.

Why did Wardynski  need to gain  control of the J.O.Johnson  PTSA? 

Possibly for the same reason he the BOE violated their own naming policy.

If the woman you see standing and speaking in this video looks familiar it's because she was just elected to the Huntsville City Schools Board of Mis-Education.

Boo!

Re-Post countdown to my being banned from the pages of Left in Alabama in honor of my 5th Blog-O-versery

 

Regular readers know Friday, November 13, 2009 was indeed unlucky for me because it was the beginning of the end of my posting privileges at the  Informed. Involved. Progressive. democratic blog of record,  Left in Alabama,  supposedly because of the content of my comments and other posts.  EYE still think it was because of my non support of a gubernatorial candidate (which EYE ended up being right about). So from now until November 13, 2014,  EYE will re post links to the posts EYE (pun intended) believe led to my being banned from Left in Alabama and let you decide.

Blast from the Past Re-Post #1:  Cynthia Tucker Looks at the Alabama Governors Race

Artur Davis has to walk the fine line in this campaign: convince the big middle of the electorate to judge him on the issues -- he's a fairly moderate reformer with broad appeal -- without turning off voters who may have followed Joe Reed's advice in the past.  He needs to convince those voters to judge him on the issues instead of listening to Reed's advice. 
There's a generational power struggle going on in Alabama that has nothing to do with race.  It's all about whether the current gatekeepers and power brokers in the Democratic party can maintain their hold on the party -- and whether they get to exercise veto power over candidates.  Davis stands largely outside the current party structure and a win for him will signal diminished influence for the folks currently running the show. 
Gatekeepers like Reed and AEA Executive Secretary Paul Hubbert (both of whom are vice-chairs of the state party) probably don't have enough power to deny Davis the nomination outright, but they might have enough power to throw the general election to a Republican.  The November election will be that close and the rift between Davis and Reed appears deep enough that such extreme action is imaginable  -- check the examples of John Tyson or Patricia Todd if you don't believe it.  While denying Davis the governorship because he didn't come, hat in hand, to ask permissions and make deals would probably feel good for a few nanoseconds, it's squarely in the category of "cutting off your nose to spite your face."  The aftermath of such a strategy would certainly bring the Old Guard down in a wave of resentment. 

Be sure and read the comments (please excuse the typos and grammatical errors).

I respect Cynthia Tucker as a a Nobel prize winning journalist and Alabama native, but she doesn't know what she's talking about.  She is playing the old tried and true race baiting card from the bottom of the race deck of cards and saying what white folks say privately but can't say out loud.

RedEye Reports what You decide.

They may have killed the Dreamer, but the dream for equality and justice lives on.

Dr. MLK Jr Instructions after Bus Boycott His advice for protesters and activists is still relevant and wise today pic.twitter.com/WGkNVqndVF
— Joyce Jeffries (@MsRock4Ever) October 26, 2014

This is how you do it.  Thank you Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for leaving instructions.

Update~Blind Ambition has Lead District 1 HCS Board Mis-Representative Laurie McCaully to a Deserted Island

Huntsville Superintendent Casey Wardynski, center, and school board president Laurie McCaulley, right, listen Monday afternoon as Huntsville resident Carlos Mathews talks about the choosing of possible names for a new northwest Huntsville high school to replace Johnson High. Behind Mathews are pictures of astronauts Ronald McNair and Mae Carol Jemison, whose names may grace the new high school and a new junior high to be built on the same campus. (Crystal Bonvillian/cbonvillian@al.com)

In order to justify giving her constituents the middle finger again, District 1 school board misrepresentative Laurie McCaulley claimed she received 3 emails against and 30 emails in favor of extending Warydnski's contract.  None of which she produced.  What she did produce was an email she claims she received from the Huntsville Madison County Chapter of the Alabama New South Coalition the night before the vote, but AL.com reports the press release is dated the day of the vote. 

That support continued Thursday, when the Alabama New South Coalition issued a news release stating its case for Wardynski to remain at the head of Huntsville's school district. Wilbert Brownlow, president of the organization, cited improved test scores and attendance and graduation rates, the financial turnaround of the district, the massive ongoing capital plan, the Summer Feeding Program and efforts to achieve unitary status as accomplishments Wardynski has achieved since coming to Huntsville in 2011.
Click here to see the release from the Alabama New South Coalition. The coalition calls itself "Alabama's largest black political organization."

Note:  The link to the press release from the Alabama New South Coalitions works sometimes, and sometimes it doesn't.....

Watch and listen as McCaulley addresses claims of threats against the Superintendent and the Board.  (beginning at the 56-minute mark)

Oh, and if the letter sounds familiar it's because it's a version of the Chamber of Commerce/PTSA letter to the Federal Judge in the desegregation case calling black elected officials and community leaders liars.

Perhaps the strongest portion of the Chamber letter is a bullet point list of recent school programs, including: breakfasts for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches; increase pre-kindergarten for low-income families; centralized teacher assignment to racially balance faculties; laptops for every student in third grade or higher; extended school year for Title I schools.
"Committed 47% of capital programs to minority schools," asserts the Chamber.
"These actions demonstrate a commitment to equity and ultimately equality of education outcomes," concludes the letter, asserting support for the school board and Superintendent Casey Wardynski.

I wonder if the same person wrote Mayor Tommy Battle's letter to Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala?

Battle touts the hiring of Superintendent Casey Wardynski, new academic and testing initiatives, expanded after school programs, student meal programs and the building of new campuses.
"The turnaround I witnessed from four years ago is dramatic," he wrote. "Across the board, in every school for every child, Huntsville is offering a sound education."
Battle notes that the one-to-one computer initiative introduced new technology to families who had been without. He asserts that as a result of the digital initiative test scores are up, discipline problems are down and attendance is up.
"We believe our local School Board and Superintendent has the knowledge and expertise to know what is right for our community and what is best for our children," writes Battle.

Oh, and we can't leave out the motion filed by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund  (not to be confused with the Huntsville Madison County Chapter of the NAACP).

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund -- a plaintiff in the long-running suit -- split with the Justice Department on this issue and does not oppose Huntsville's plan.

"Especially in light of the growth of the City of Huntsville and its population, the mobility of its citizens and the enlargement of its territory, as well as the passage of more than four decades since effective system-wide desegregation was required by this Court and implemented, there is nothing about the Student Assignment Plan that could remotely be characterized as taking even the tiniest step toward effecting "the recurrence of the dual school structure," reads the March 10 motion from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

 Oh, what a tangled web we weave....

 What's happening outside of court? This dispute has tapped into all sorts of local hostilities. Madison County Commissioner Bob Harrison has blasted Superintendent Casey Wardynski for not meeting with black officials. Wardysnki ordered an audit of Harrisons' non-profit. Mayor Tommy Battle and the Chamber of Commerce and the PTA have written letters on behalf of the school board. Black ministers and all the elected black officials, save school board member Laurie McCaulley, have written in support of the Justice Department.

It is not wise to sell your constituents down the river.....

#hsvboe gives north Huntsville students, principals, teachers, elected officials, clergy, community leaders, and taxpayers the middle finger...again

The educational quality of Huntsville City Schools has not improved over the past two years. All that has improved is Wardynski’s ability to pretend that it has.~geekpavaler

OK, so I think I've calmed down enough to blog about the latest developments in the ongoing saga of the Huntsville City School system, and the desire of the Board of Education, City of Huntsville, the Chamber of Commerce, the PTSA, the board of Realtors, the media, and the business community to gain unitary status in name only, so they can self segregate without impunity.  Ironically this is a school system that used to have a reputation for diversity and academic excellence.  Being employed by Huntsville City Schools used to be a sought after privilege.

When I say the status quo wants a unitary school district in name only, it's because they think it's perfectly natural for schools to be identifiably white/black/brown/poor.  It's not their fault parents live in districts with failing schools.  If they want their child to attend a good school they should move into a district with good schools.  It's them there housing patterns (they created) in the name in urban renewal that are the cause of the self segregation.

The schools in north Huntsville are failing because of crime, and that's what the black clergy, elected officials and community leaders need to concentrate on instead of demanding equity and worrying about names of buildings, and rock quarries.  Typed with much sarcasm.

The children in north Huntsville don't want to learn, they are all aspiring gang members and thugs, whose parents want free stuff from the government so they use their money to  buy beer, guns, get their hair and nails done, and make babies out of wedlock.  It's makes no sense to throw good money after bad trying to educate them.  Snark

This is who they are and what they do.

The ACLU and a State Senator request information regarding the school districts monitoring of some students social media accounts and expulsions, they tell them to shove it.

The community organizes a march and a petition to keep the name and legacy of J.O.Johnson High School, they violate their own naming policy and rename the school, despite the fact they let other new schools keep their names after protests.

Black elected officials write a letter to the federal desegregation judge complaining about not being heard, they accused them of stealing money and trying to hurt the children.

Black ministers organize a mass community meeting in support of the  of the justice department, they stage a stand in the school house door, and a coup d'etat of the J.O.Johnson PTSA.

Parents and citizens try to address the board with their concerns, or generate a petition calling for the resignation of the superintendent,  they deny parents that right (pun intended) unless they live in Huntsville proper because it interferes with board business, and citizens have to write down their questions on index cards and have them read (if they are lucky) by the Director of Community Engagement, whose job it is to not only read the questions, but to write speeches for Board members, and send out mass emails ordering teachers and principals to attend a rally on the school house steps


North Huntsville Clergy and Community Leaders demand the resignation of Dr. Casey WARdynski and demand equity for north Huntsville schools, they extend his contract, make it ever green , without public comment.

Who the heck do north Huntsville elected officials, clergy, community leaders, and citizens think they are?  Taxpayers?  What gives them the right to demand anything?  Don't they know they need to government to take care of them?

About that Director of Community Spying.....
In a previous post, The Composer made a  tongue in cheek referral to David Driscoll as the Director of Community Spying, but when you look a little closer you find the characterization has a ring of truth.

Let's recap:

Who is David Driscoll?  According to his LinkedIn profile he is a former radio personality/sales director and President of the The Driscoll Group  consulting/business services. According to AL.com his firm does consulting work for Huntsville City Schools.

McGinnis, Wilder and Ferrell on Thursday issued a statement through the Driscoll Group, which does consulting work for Huntsville City Schools, in support of extending Wardynski's contract. 
"We believe extending Dr. Wardynski's contract an extra year is the right thing to do for the school system," the statement read. "With the ongoing court case, the construction of multiple schools and rapid changes being made to better educate our children, we feel that keeping the same team together is critical.

The Driscoll Group Facebook invites readers to check out the website they designed for soon to be former school board member/President, and failed State Senate candidate, David Blair. 

The counter protest in support of Casey Wardynski was organized and led by James Lomax,  whose LinkedIn profile says he was previously employed by the Driscoll Group.

Lomax, a young politically-active Huntsville resident who, until August, worked for the Driscoll Group, said he organized the rally because he worries that all of the negativity toward the superintendent will "scare him away."
"Casey Wardynski coming here has really changed the landscape of the school system," Lomax said. He said Wardynski has done an excellent job since becoming superintendent. 
"You don't fire someone doing a good job," Lomax said.

Back to the Director of Community Spying....remember when Casey Wardynski was invited to attend a town hall meeting in north Huntsville organized by Councilman Richard Showers, which he refused to attend, but said he knew everything that was said because he said "he had people there"?  Don't know about people, but I know one person that was there, and at all other community meetings.....
David Driscoll.

Enter the New South Slave Catchers, I mean, Coalition

In order to justify giving her constituents the middle finger again, District 1 school board member Laurie McCaulley claimed she received 3 emails against, and 30 emails in favor of extending Warydnski's contract.  None of which she produced.  What she did produce was an email she claims she received from the Huntsville Madison County Chapter of the Alabama New South Coalition the night before the vote, but AL.com reports the press release is dated the day of the vote.  Oh what a tangled web we weave....

Fellow blogger Field Negro awards Field Negro and House Negro status for behavior that merits the special designation.  Eye (pun intended) am going to start calling out Slave Catcher behavior.  What is a slave catcher you ask?  I turn the floor over to Field Negro:

You see a house Negro simply stayed in the house with massa, and he liked the house and everything in it. He would do everything to stay in the house, and would protect the house at all cost because he had a stake in it. It was where he lived, and it was where he found comfort. He would never speak against massa like the field Negroes, because he didn't want to risk losing all of that. But, even worse than the house Negro, was the slave catcher. This was the Negro who searched hardest to find us when we ran away. It was the slave catcher who the master would give the whip to tear into us when we stepped out of line. It was the slave catcher who ran right behind the blood hounds and in front of the master, when he thought one of us was hiding in the woods. It was the slave catcher who always did the master's most barbarous and sadistic deeds that even the master would not do. The slave catcher hated us even more than the master did. Who knows why? Maybe some sick demented sh#t in his past, maybe some psychological sickness that prevented him from wanting to be a part of something he has no control over. Or, a sick desire to be accepted by only those who didn't look like he does. Only the slave catcher and his shrink knows for sure.

The behavior of district 1 Board Representative Laurie McCaulley, and Wilbert Brownlow, incoming President of the Huntsville Madison County Chapter of the New South Coalition, have earned them the title of  Slave Catchers of the Week.  Just because you like being in bondage doesn't mean the rest of us want to remain in bondage.

#FergusonOctober "One Perfect Tweet Calls Out the Hypocrisy of How the Media Talks About Black Violence"

Your media guide to the differences between #Ferguson and #pumpkinfest pic.twitter.com/XfRjlhgei0
— Matt Weinecke (@MattTW) October 19, 2014

Some will brush off what happened in Keene as kids being kids or as representative of a small minority of the white population — fringe behavior. But the black community doesn't have that luxury. When violence happens in the black community, it's seen as symbolic and part of a larger pattern; a disruptive few somehow represent the black community. Black people are lumped into one homogenous category, one that leaves no room for the nuance and complexity of how communities grow and thrive. In the case of New Hampshire, the media wrote off the incident as annual autumnal bacchanalia.

Ways the Media and Police Justify the Killing of Unarmed Black People

There is a prevailing notion in this country that when an unarmed black person is shot by the police, there must have been a valid reason. In the spirit of fairness, it doesn't even have to be at the hands of the police. Black victims are routinely put on trial in the media with an unspoken but clear suggestion that they deserved what they got.

Read on for a rundown of some of the reasons unarmed black people deserved to die.

There are pictures of him making "gang signs"

There is more than a whiff of hypocrisy.

It's the Media Stupid

RT @theonlyadult: Angry white people are very very angry, and they control every part of the media. pic.twitter.com/XgunfKhEcn
— Sam Puzzo (@sampuzzo) October 20, 2014

Now THIS right here is what a riot looks like....#FergusonOctober

Hours of unrest at #pumpkinfest results in far more property damage than months of protests in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/2iNRgnmMsb
— Khaled Bey (@KhaledBeydoun) October 19, 2014

And not one tank, tear gas, assault rifle, or police in riot gear in sight.

@bassem_masri so when the no bill comes down on #DarrenWilson remember this is not rioters #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/S90uV1hosJ
— PamS (@PamSchep) October 19, 2014

I wonder why?

Well Well Well! So trolls are these thugs? #Ferguson #FergusonOctober pic.twitter.com/8b2v7EgNoK
— Mrs B (@Iam_LadyB) October 19, 2014

#FergusonOctober#
#JusticeForMikeBrown
#ArrestDarrenWilson

Update: If the The South Huntsville Civic (sic) Association is turning against you..#SpyGate

Copied and pasted verbatim from the  South Huntsville Civic Association Facebook Page

Nearly three weeks ago, citizens were informed by local media that the Huntsville City School System has operated a secret program for the past 18 months, designed to monitor student’s online activity. It was reported that this program began as a result of a tip from the NSA. After it became reasonably clear that the NSA did not contact the Huntsville City Schools security officer, Dr. Wardynski resorted to asking, “What does it matter who the call was from?” It does matter. It seems that the public was misinformed with a statement that would have shaped public opinion if it had been blindly accepted. There are several similar statements pertaining to this program, but no documentation is being provided.

Why does this matter? According to Superintendent Casey Wardynski, it shouldn’t. Our only concern should be for the safety of students. While this argument, launched after most citizens took umbrage to the program, is an effective diversion, (who would disagree that student safety is important?), it is also a means by which the conversation has been halted. We still have not heard straight answers regarding the parameters of the program, the source and amount of funding, the reason for its inception, or what elected official, responsible to citizens, knows the answers to these questions.
SHCA has spoken with the reporter who broke the story, who maintains that he reported what he was told by HCS administration. Follow-up interviews included details which differed from the information first provided.

While it was reported that students social media accounts were being monitored, later statements indicated that accounts are only looked at if school officials are alerted by a tip. The specialist hired to run this program works for T&W Operations, Inc. Upon learning about the program, we checked and found that T&W Operations, Inc had “liked” the facebook page of SHCA and was therefore receiving notifications of our activity. At last check, no member of the SHCA Board of Directors either is enrolled in or would have been reported as a threat to any school. Were we being monitored, or is this a coincidence?

Dr. Wardynski - "When we look on You Tube you'll see something go on there that some kid put up there some beat down somewhere on school property, that’s our job to make sure that doesn’t happen. We see that then we go looking for the kid. So it’s a matter of using the resources we have, looking in public places which is social media. If we get a tip that a kid is going to do something, we'll go look at their facebook page."
School board member, Topper Birney also spoke with one of our board members. He emphatically states that he was not aware that a program of this nature was in place. When asked by the media whether he knew about the program, the name, SAFe, was not mentioned. The activity was described and he maintains that he was never made aware of its existence.
Dr. Wardynski "They didn't know the acronym, but they knew about the program because we brief them on some of the specific cases rarely and more generally on the trends."
David Blair - " I have known about that for a while as well as my fellow board members. . . “
In an attempt to get answers regarding the program’s parameters, Senator Paul Sanford sent the following request to all Huntsville City School Board Members –
Senator Paul Sanford would like to request a detailed explanation for all
expulsions related to the SAFe program. No personal information is
requested, just the facts surrounding each reported threat and subsequent
facts that lead to expulsion or disciplinary measures.
He received the following reply from Board President, David Blair –
“I am uncomfortable with this request due to the sensitive nature of the
expulsions. There is a process in place to deal with discipline issues in the schools
which we will be glad to share if so desired.”

Senator Sanford sent the following response and has not received another reply.
“Mr. Blair,
I see no reason why the board cannot provide information regarding the expulsions or disciplinary measures taken in relation to the SAFe Program. I do not need any personal information about the incidents, but I feel info regarding the tips received, the action taken, and the situations that necessitated the board taking action are an appropriate and reasonable request.
Again I ask that the board provide the previously requested information surrounding the incidents relating to the SAFe Program and the details leading to corrective action by the board.“
While opinions may differ regarding the appropriateness of this type of program, we have a more immediate issue. Our local school board is withholding information from the public. Are you willing to accept being denied information by those you elect and pay? If so, please let us know that we should close our eyes and pretend that our local government is not being run by fiat.

Note from RedEye: Are the rattlesnakes beginning to turn on the Mighty Casey Wardynski........

I attended this Republican cheer leading event at Grissom last evening. It was sickening. I’ve never seen so many Republicans in my life. There were 7 elected Repugs on the stage. Could well have been the Republican convention. They used these “civic” meetings to win the election for Mo Brooks, and it is absolutely the bailiwick of school board member, president, head honcho, Jennie Robinson. I have asked the school attorney how they could use a public building for political meetings, and he said "anybody could use it if they paid for it".

Time will tell the truth.... 

"Folks here are keenly interested in property value," Wardynski told the crowd. "I am also keenly interested in value."
Wardynski said that focusing too much on price could cause the system to lose many programs of value. He reiterated that he intends to take schools' success into account when deciding which schools to close.
He added that he does not like using the words "school closures."

Yet he closed schools.....

This non-responsiveness to public comments and opinions is becoming a pattern. As public interest increases, their willingness to allow public participation in the process has decreased. But that’s a posting for another day.

To be continued.....

#VestorVote

Post by Dream Defenders.

Update~ On Columbus Day- A Brief History of the USA

Why are we still celebrating Columbus Day?

With Columbus Day upon us once again, we must ask the question: Why, exactly, are we still celebrating Columbus Day?

Seattle votes to celebrate 'Indigenous People Day" on Columbus Day

The resolution that passed unanimously Monday honors the contributions and culture of Native Americans and the indigenous community in Seattle. Indigenous Peoples’ Day will be celebrated on the second Monday in October.
Tribal members and other supporters say the move recognizes the rich history of people who have inhabited the area for centuries.
“This action will allow us to bring into current present day our valuable and rich history, and it’s there for future generations to learn,” said Fawn Sharp, president of the Quinault Indian Nation on the Olympic Peninsula, who is also president of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians.

A darker side of Columbus emerges in US classrooms

Columbus’ stature in U.S. classrooms has declined somewhat through the years, and many districts will not observe his namesake holiday on Monday. Although lessons vary, many teachers are trying to present a more balanced perspective of what happened after Columbus reached the Caribbean and the suffering of indigenous populations.
“The whole terminology has changed,” said James Kracht, executive associate dean for academic affairs in the Texas A&M College of Education and Human Development. “You don’t hear people using the world ‘discovery’ anymore like they used to. ‘Columbus discovers America.’ Because how could he discover America if there were already people living here?”

 No post about guns and black people would be complete without this:

#hsvboe #SpyGate Redux

"@PoliticsPeach: @Bidenshairplugs u RACIST PROUDLY wave guns ... but AA's it's a crime! #FergusonOctober #tcot pic.twitter.com/FecmQNaIHj"
— Ms. L. (@SouthernLady328) October 11, 2014

In order to combat gun violence, and to keep schools SAFe (pun intended), Huntsville City Schools Superintendent Casey Wardynski called the passage of strict gun control laws .

 NOPE.  He invoked the Sandy Hook tragedy and instituted a scheme, I mean, an  off the books spying program after being alerted of a potential (not to be confused with actual) threat via Twitter,  against a teacher with a cough cough foreign connection, via the National Security Agency, via Al Langford, of the need to monitor some (not to be confused with ALL) students  social media accounts , including, but not limited to, brazen students posting pictures of themselves with submachine (sic) guns, fist full of $100.00 bills, and flashing "gang" signs, not to be confused with students posting pictures of themselves with guns for hunting .

NOTICE: Due to Huntsville City School Superintendent Casey Warydynski's  Executive Orders, the school district may have read your social media accounts without warning, warrant, or notice. You have no recourse nor protection but to call for the resignation of the Superintendent and the Board of Education who enabled him.

Join us as we rally for the future of our children and the immediate resignation of HCS superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski,  Annie Merts Building, 200 White Street, Thursday, October 16,2014, @3:30 PM.  "The future of our children, community, and our city, requires your support and your presence.

BOO!

- Elisa Ferrell took the District 3 seat on the Huntsville school board Tuesday night with 54 percent, or 2,668, of the votes, completing the changes that will usher in a 60 percent new school board next month.
The longtime PTA mom and volunteer beat out tax accountant Anson Knowles, who earned 46 percent (2,260 votes), to replace Jennie Robinson as south Huntsville's board representative. Robinson on Tuesday won the District 3 seat on the Huntsville City Council.
Ferrell will be sworn in on Nov. 3 along with Beth Wilder, who will replace David Blair in District 2, and Walker McGinnis, who will replace Topper Birney in District 4.

 

After electing Jennie Robinson to the Huntsville City school board three times, south Huntsville is now sending her to the Huntsville city council.
Robinson defeated Walt Hennessee on Tuesday night to win the runoff for the District 3 seat on the city council.
Another difference-maker in the campaign, Hennessee said, was a mailing Robinson sent out to residents in south Huntsville linking him with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Parker Griffith.
The mailing recited Hennessee's history in working on past Griffith campaigns and that Griffith made a $2,000 campaign contribution to Hennessee, according to Hennessee.
"The big thing, the 800-pound gorilla, was the two peas in a pod mailing that went out that basically said that Parker Griffith was the one who showed me how to manipulate data and deceive the public," Hennessee said. "When I saw that in the mail, that was like a kick in the stomach. I would never do anything like that. For somebody to even think that I would was just disgusting.

North Huntsville students and taxpayers may as well bend over and prepare for the high heel pumps.......

This young man better be glad he is not a student enrolled in Huntsville City Schools #SpyGate

.@Keith_Dailey @Kroger  I've been a customer for 27 years. You'd rather have this guy? #GroceriesNotGuns #MomsDemand pic.twitter.com/NeNqggPDbS
— Cornelia (@PaladinCornelia) October 10, 2014

The Devil is in the Al.com comment section, I mean, the details #HsvBoe

 

Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski answers questions from the press following Thursday night's Huntsville school board meeting. (The Huntsville Times/Michael Mercier)

Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski is doing the job he was hired to do.

Casey you have to break the mold and prove you're not afraid of minorities, democrats, liberals, aclu (sic) types and the entire entitlement crowd! Do that, and you'll be doing the job you were hired to do! Oh yeah, not to mention striking down all racial transfers. And that includes allowing not allowing whites to racially transfer either. If you don't like where your child goes to school, move to where they can be zoned into a school of your preference, that's what I had to do!

If you want to take the pulse of Huntsville, and find out what's really going on, who the people in positions of power and influence cater and pander to, and how they really feel about an issue, look no further than the comment section of Al.com.

NW needs to stop complaining and start setting a good example for their students. Kids don't learn well if their parents spend evenings at the club and not helping with homework. Learning starts at home. This is what southeast parents have always done. Northwest preachers need to stop the whining.

 Leaders of the ENTITLEMENT generation is what I see in the picture with this story. What a joke !!

And what exactly are Northwest preachers and Leaders of the ENTITLEMENT generation whining about?

"We want our middle schools to offer a curriculum that prepares students for honors and advanced level classes in their high schools. High school students in north Huntsville must be offered all Advancement courses that are offered to students in south Huntsville," Montgomery said.  "We want teachers who are highly qualified, formally trained in their respective content areas and prepared for the reality of teaching in the classroom."
The group also expressed concerns similar to those of the American Civil Liberties Union, questioning the district's social media monitoring system and if it disproportionately punishes students of color. Wardynski told AL.com that students focused on by the program have been more racially balanced and that the program has identified students in every high school that could pose a safety threat.
"He has earned our distrust," Montgomery said.

But, but, the previous superintendent.....

Don't hire a minority, and it's racist. Fire a minority, and it's racist.
Is anyone else confused here? How is a white guy like me supposed to get a job when the minorities will get hired over me and they can't ever get fired? 

Why would anyone hire a superintendent knowing that if it didn't work out and she had to be replaced they would be labeled racist? Just hire a white person and you can fire them when ever you get ready.

Richard Showers is a racist! If you look at the schools in our city that are failing, guess what, they are all in his district! If this were truly about the children and our school system, Showers should be leading the charge demanding a change in school leadership because HIS district is the one that has suffered the most!

I heard him telling some of the pastors last night that Tommy Battle called Ann Roy Moore and asked for her resignation. If he did, GOOD! She and the school system have gone unchecked for far too long.

Put a pipe in it, Richard.

And how does Mayor Tommy Battle respond to calls for the resignation of Casey Wardynski?

The City of Huntsville, The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce and the Huntsville Council of PTAs and the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee all responded to Wednesday morning's remarks with letters of support praising the district's leadership and its efforts to provide every child with a high quality education.
"Every child must emerge from our schools college or career ready and well-prepared for active and meaningful lives as thoughtful, engaged and productive citizens," Mayor Tommy Battle said in a statement. "We believe our Board of Education and Dr. Wardynski are working to meet that challenge, and we have confidence in the job they are doing for our children."

There you have it, they have confidence in the job Casey Wardynski and the Lame Duck Board of Education are doing on, I mean, for our children.

"Let me make this very clear," board President David Blair said, "this small group is basing their complaints on outdated misinformation. This school board will not ask for Dr. Wardynski's resignation. We in fact will vote on a contract extension at the next board meeting.
For 50 years our school system hasn't performed like it should. Many of these same people who are making inaccurate accusations were the same people neglecting the schools till we started making changes. I challenge these people to start being part of the solution. Everything we do as a school board is first and foremost for our children, not what is best for a political agenda."

Speaking of doing what is best for a political agenda.....

United For Action can't seem to get anything done, including getting a handle on the criminal activity which plagues their own backyards. Seems to me that they are long on talk and short on action. Besides, Wardynski is exactly what Huntsville City Schools needs right now. AND... yesterday's runoff appears to be an additional vote of confidence for Wardynski.
Perhaps they aren't so United after all...

Or perhaps the WARdynski machine conducted a successful palace coup....

Dr. Casey Wardynski, the school superintendent, should be fired or resign, so said the more than two dozen representatives of the North Huntsville Community United for Action.
We'll not be holding our breath for that to happen.

"Let them define themselves, let them reveal who they are. The American public needs to see that."~ Rep. Maxine Waters, D. CA

Eye report.  You decide.

Guest Editorial by The Composer: "Earned distrust" a call for change

Welcome to RedEye's front page The Composer!  I look forward to your continued informed, intelligent, involvement in the debate/discussion.  This post is submitted as a guest commentary, with links and graphics inserted for emphasis and clarity.  Future post will be under The Composer's byline.~RedEye

 

Amidst a completed prelude of rolling thunder and pouring showers, a scene of calmness covered the atmosphere of 200 White Street, as the central office for Huntsville City Schools served as host for a press conference organized and administered by the North Huntsville Community United for Action (NHCUA).

This group consists of local ministers, elected officials, community leaders and concerned citizens of the Huntsville community. The press conference was called to bring awareness to the  issues that continue to plague the local school system, particularly in north Huntsville where the population is majority African-American.

About 30 individuals, not including representatives of HCS: Rena Anderson (Director of Community Engagement) , David Driscoll (Director of Community Spying?), and local media were in attendance.

The initial gathering was typical as people reconnected with one another and discussed the various issues relative to the community, including newly elected school board members, the SAFe initiative, the untimely and tragic death of Julian Jones, and the fact the group was not allowed to assemble on the steps of the central office.  What happened to the right to assemble on public property?  Our tax dollars fund the Annie Merts Building, right? Help me out here if I am wrong! If we were standing in any of the front yards of private residences near central office, then maybe I would entertain the request, but I digress.

The demeanor was serious as a focused listened to a prepared statement delivered by Rev. Montgomery, pastor of Union Hill PB Church after opening remarks by Rev. T.C. Johnson, pastor of St.Luke Christian Center.  Rev. Montgomery highlighted factual data showing African American students are 41% of the student population, slightly over 70% of out of school suspensions, and more than 60% of school expulsions.  This indeed is alarming, and leads to the conclusion that racial profiling is at an all-time high in Huntsville, AL. This gave notion to the most recent scandal which Rev. Montgomery referred to as a "scheme".

It’s sad that we have to resort to the Internet and to the press to air our issues instead of sitting down at the table of fellowship and work out our problems/grievances like civilized adults. District 1 school board member Laurie McCaulley was not present, as she probably saw no purpose in dealing with her former allies of NHCUA,  or maybe she was enjoying fall break.  The question then becomes, what incident will garnish the magnitude of revelation that will force all parties to compromise and embrace one another as children of God?

Overall, the press conference called for the resignation of Superintendent Wardynski. If not obliged, his termination at the hands of the BOE was also requested. It is my personal opinion Casey Wardynski is regarded as he is, simply because he is of his military background. Think about it, the military is designed by ranks; therefore you have a certain rank to be addressed by those in command. The Superintendent probably believes that his board members will serve with the best interest of their respective communities in mind. This means that he would be able to trust those that represent the various districts to provide the necessary information that will lead to his ongoing decision making. He probably would pose the notion that if the board member says the district wants it like that then I can move forward with my proposal. But when the board member is not transparent and is working behind the backs of the constituency you can expect inaccuracy will be at the forefront of all parliamentary procedure. Inaccuracy in curriculum implementation, funding, and general planning has been the Achilles heel of HCS. We now face probably the biggest divide since the Hereford prime days!

Some of the following questions were asked by members of the media: What is your next move? Do you believe that the situation is unfair for Black kids? What specific actions have you done to improve the community?  What do black students in north Huntsville want.   Al.com reporter Mark McCarter asked “Have you met with Wardysnski face to face?” to which the audience responded by laughing  hysterically.

Transparency and communication are not now, nor have they ever been, one of this Superintendents strong suits. When asked if all board members had been contacted. Rev. Scruggs, pastor of First Missionary Baptist church, and immediate past President of the National Baptist Convention, reminded them of the Prayer Vigil held earlier this year, at which Mayor Battle, Superintendent Wardynski, and all school board members were in attendance.

If you missed the press conference, you missed a special moment! Surely some people will attempt to label this as a race card movement, but facts don’t lie. We live in a dual society, and we have a dual school system. I challenge members of the community to visit all schools and learn the educational arena that trains our students for the real world.  I also encourage all citizens to participate in the political system, as your eyes will be opened up to new discoveries and certainly new ideas.

To the brave men and women who continue to fight for justice, thank you for your persistence and perseverance. Keep fighting. I encourage you to go even further beyond your consistent efforts as the urgency of now is like never before.

-          The Composer