Quacks from Across the Boro

While reviewing some previous postings, I ran across the comments that are being posted to the Courier Times website under Marlys Mihok's letter. I found them rather distasteful and if they are any indication of the caliber of people supporting the NSNs, Morrisville is in real trouble.

These are all posted anonymously and anyone can say anything. Keeping that in mind, a former board member is advocating book banning, someone else want to know where the good graft is for people on school boards, a third wishes Sandy Gibson well, and a fourth wants to know why a small school district has a small graduating class. I would like to think that these are made up, but....

Comments To This Article:
Overall Rating For This Article: ••••••••••

• phillyBurbs Reader - Marlys Mihok
  (11/27/2007 , Ratings: ••••• )
  Marlys - your election to the board is long overdue - congratulations!I know you will do your best, but keep your eyes open and review those textbooks- remember "The Bluest Eye?" Best wishes from a former board member.

• phillyBurbs Reader - That's where the money is
  (11/27/2007 )
  When I screened to run for the office of Township Supervisor as a slow growth advocate, I was advised by my committeeman to run for School Director because that's where the real money was. I told him I wasn't running to enrich myself, but to slow down the unrestricted growth that was occurring. I wonder if building a new school in Morrisville is where the real money is? BTW, a couple of years later several school board members and their solicitor went to jail for shaking down school developers and their engineers etc. G. Roger

• phillyBurbs Reader - Morrisville Majority Rules
  (11/27/2007 , Ratings: ••••• )
  Gibson and Company are in denial and they fail to accept the will of the people. The pro-new school people lost fair and square. Her false accusations of voter intimidation and vandalism are crap. She was desperate to justify a bad idea - an unwanted new school. Good riddance, Sandy, now leave the board and move to Yardley .

• phillyBurbs Reader - The people have spoken
  (11/27/2007 , Ratings: ••••• )
  Ever hear a politician say that? Apparently it is only appropriate when the people speak the way that the politician wanted them to speak. The Governor of New Jersey just claimed that the people who voted against his stem cell borrowing of 490 million dollars were misinformed and he would find another way to accomplish his goal. So much for "the people have spoken". BTW, how do you have a school district that graduates less than 50 High School Seniors?

QUACK!

Appreciation to our guest blogger today, courtesy of the Bucks County Courier Times.

Can you hear them now?

The Morrisville School Board said the exit survey taken at November 2006 Election Day polling places was not credible due to pro-new-school voters being intimidated by the pollsters and choosing not to voice their view. That silent majority, which is said to favor a new pre-K-through-12 school, apparently shared this with the school board president and the mayor.

The next occasion for the pro-new-school crowd to show their mandate was the May 2007 primary election. The six Stop the School candidates won the Republican slots by 74 percent of the vote and the Democrat nod by 77 percent. Still, the school board president insisted that the no-party, independents, Green Party and Libertarian voters who were turned away from the primary polling places would have carried the pro-school candidates to victory.

At the October school board meeting the board president stated that more independent voters were turned away from the primary than the total number of people who voted. This is true if voter turnout was 100 percent of registered voters.

And, finally, we arrived at the Nov. 6, 2007 general election to await the deciding vote for the three pro-new-school “Community Party” candidates.

The votes have been tallied and the overwhelming majority of voters have spoken again. The Stop the School candidates won by even more votes, 90 percent!

Madame school board president, have you heard the voters now?

Marlys Mihok

Morrisville

The Verdict of History

When he left the White House in 1953, Harry Truman was hated by the American public. I'm not sure "hated" is the correct word. "Loathed" or "despised" might even be better.

Today things are very different. If you want a quotation, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, or Harry Truman probably said it. If you want to look for an example of someone who saw "right" and did just that, Truman is the textbook example. The group "Chicago" even found a way in post-Watergate 1975 to plead with Harry to come home.

So what does HST have to do with the Morrisville schools? Two words: Sandy Gibson

Here is a woman who was elected initially as a NSN, along with Angry Al et al four years ago, and was ready to change the school board. But a funny thing happened along the way. She took a look at the evidence. And because she is a thoughtful and analytical person, the new evidence got her thinking. First mistake: thinking and considering.

In a world where "flip-flopping" is a national disgrace and consideration of an item later on with new information and rational thought is labeled as failure, Sandy truly is a flip-flopping failure. But only mindless Republibot-like apologists actually believe that. And maybe die-hard NSN supporters too.

So she went with her amended convictions. There was her second mistake: Action. But be comforted by the words of that noted shrinking violet, Theodore Roosevelt

"...the man who really counts in the world is the doer, not the mere critic-the man who actually does the work, even if roughly and imperfectly, not the man who only talks or writes about how it ought to be done." (1891)

Leadership is an art form. It has been likened to working with cooked spaghetti: You can only push it, not pull it, because pulling will break it. Did she make some mistakes in the way she handled the school board. She certainly did. So did a lot of other board members. So do a lot of other living, breathing humans. Teddy mentioned that as well

"The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything."

So now, all of those who find it easier to criticize proposed solutions to tough problems than to offer up solutions of their own for criticism are now lining up to give Sandy one more uninformed swift kick before her departure. Let's be happy for Sandy...it's her Independence Day from Angry Al, Ducky, and the rest of the No Sports League. Now they can all line up and gossip about the house she's selling, and why she's leaving town, and how she's just like (insert name of other excoriated ex-Morrisvillian who diasgreed with the NSN's - Ken Junkins comes to mind), she moved into town just long enough to mess things up, then left town with us holding the bag.

What it comes down to is that a very talented, articulate, and dedicated, person gave her all for the children of Morrisville, and we are losing a valuable public servant. She is not the first board member to have received threats against herself and her family. I hope that she is the last.

And what of the NSNs? Our second president, John Adams had a thought about that...

On March 4, 1797, America's first orderly transferal of power occurred in Philadelphia when George Washington stepped down and John Adams took the oath as the second president of the United States. Many spectators were moved to tears during this emotional affair, not only because Washington's departure brought an era to a close, but because the ceremony represented a triumph for the republic. ...He also noted Washington's joy at surrendering the burdens of the presidency. In fact, Adams believed that Washington's countenance seemed to say: "Ay! I am fairly out and you fairly in! See which of us will be the happiest."

Accountability, Part II

How can the NSNs claim with a straight face that the schools are structurally sound and well maintained. They vote against repairs. How is this being accountable or responsible?

Issue: Capital reserve expenditures for maintenance costs for air conditioning, electrical panel and related equipment at M.R. Reiter Elementary School's upper level, school property sidewalks and for bid to air condition multi-purpose room at Grandview Elementary School

Vote: Approved 6-3 with Heater, Radosti and Worob opposed

Impact: Air conditioning, electrical panel cost: $22,500; sidewalk repair: $16,500

Comments! Get Your Comments Here!

At the request of several readers, I have changed the commenting from requiring a Blogger ID to being anonymous. This means that anyone can post a comment. However, I have placed all comments on moderate pending review and approval for publication with the usual rules of cyber-posting applying. So sharpen up those keyboards and comment away!

Accountability

Yesterday, while we were going over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house for a gigantic turkey dinner, my children began fighting with each other. As this is a rare (daily) occurrence, we took very little notice of the commotion and name calling. Until one of them broke the cardinal rule. The response to something one said was, "That's stupid!"

To explain, we have instituted a pretty rigid rule in our family. We especially encourage debate of ideas and we require opinions. Critical thinking is a required course, and since I have not yet received a passing grade from MY parents, why would my kids even dream that they could obtain one from me? Within reason, you can say pretty much what you want, but uninformed opinion, without some sort of backup, is not tolerated. Something can be stupid, but you better be ready to show where the stupidity is. No one has a monopoly on truth or virtue.

My spouse's radar screen went wild when "That's stupid!" was uttered and looked at me with rolling eyes, knowing full well what was coming next, while wishing there was a place inside the car to duck and cover. "Why is that stupid?" What evidence do you have to support that view?" The questions started rolling off my tongue. After a few stammering half hearted attempts at blustering past the point, I obtained a full confession and apology from the offending offspring. Needless to say, there was a sulky silence from the offending offspring for the remainder of the drive.

All attempts at obtaining accountability from the NSNs through the primaries and election have been successfully beaten back and/or deflected, mainly because there is no one in charge threatening to pull the car over and demand explanations. And, indeed, as a candidate, while there was some moral imperative to providing campaign promises with specifics, there was no real obligation to provide anything more than a successful case to "Vote for Me!"

On December 3, 2007, that grace period ends. For better or for worse, the NSNs are no longer candidates: they are board members, with the responsibility to answer to all of the citizens of Morrisville, not just the ones who voted for them. Since Biblical times, it has been the practice for leaders, as well as other citizens, to be accountable to each other. Indeed, the framers even wrote this into the US Constitution in the checks and balances between the three branches of government, requiring interdependent accountability.

Think for a moment about the service you require from your employees. Before you protest you don't have employees, think about your plumber, contractor, mechanic, and even your doctor. Haven't you employed them by engaging their services? Don't you have strict expectations and requirements for their performance? And don't you hold them to that standard?

I encourage all Morrisville citizens, yes, even those who supported the NSNs, to require accountable progress from these elected servants of the people. They are now our employees. Ask them what they are doing. And think about the response you get. Evaluate for yourself if progress is being made.

And Now For Something Completely Different..

Many, many thanks to the person who emailed this to me. Laughter is a wonderful thing, even while standing on the deck of the Titanic.

WARNING: The link does contain some mild NSFW language.

Town Hall Meeting

Perhaps the writer lives in Morrisville. They have apparently been at some of the public meeetngs.

It's Deja Vu All Over Again!

I have to admit, I'm not sure how I feel about this particular idea, but reading this writer's commentary, all I could hear pounding inside my head was "Morrisville...Morrisville.." I underlined the lines that I thought most resembled what the NSNs did.

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- Score one for the knee-jerk naysayers. You know the type: those who find it easier to criticize proposed solutions to tough problems than to propose solutions of their own, which then could be criticized.

Faced with the problem of what to do with thousands of illegal immigrants who drive on state roadways every day to go to work for people who insist with a straight face that they want nothing to do with illegal immigrants, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer proposed a controversial, yet terribly sensible, plan to give the undocumented a state-issued driver's license that would be easily discernible from licenses carried by U.S. citizens and legal residents.

The plan hit roadblocks with the extremes, on the right and the left -- which is always a good sign. But the criticism kept mounting. And now Spitzer has put the brakes on the plan after a brief but intense debate.

Correction. It wasn't really a debate. It was the rhetorical equivalent of a food fight in which pragmatism and common sense took a back seat to name-calling, fear-mongering and misrepresentation of fact -- with a dash of racism.

Yes, racism. That word is sometimes overused in the immigration debate. And yet the concept isn't exactly obsolete. Sometimes the sheet fits.

In this case, racism is the word that Spitzer used to describe some of the more toxic feedback his office received from angry constituents and onlookers from around the country after the driver's license plan was pilloried by everyone from presidential candidates to cable talk-show hosts.

Here's the problem. The naysayers once again let their fear of what could happen blind them to the fact that, well, it already has happened.

When lawmakers proposed a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants, the naysayers reflexively called it "amnesty" -- which is, in essence, what we have now.

When lawmakers proposed offering that path to young people who pursue higher education, the naysayers called it -- wait for it -- "amnesty" -- and imagined a scenario where illegal immigrants would attend U.S. colleges and universities, which is what happens now.

And when a handful of governors, including Spitzer, proposed giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, the naysayers objected lest we end up with a situation where motorists share the highways with illegal immigrants, which is what happens now.

These folks have a simple approach to problems: Ignore them, and they'll go away. Or better yet, portray those who come up with solutions as the problem. That's the game that GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was playing recently when he told CNN Headline News host Glenn Beck that he would punish states that give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

When it comes to the immigration issue, we really are two Americas. There are those who sometimes have to make unpleasant choices because they live in states that are home to illegal immigrants, and then there are those who are just as comfortable living in a state of denial.

Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a member of the editorial board of the San Diego Union-Tribune and a nationally syndicated columnist.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer.

At least, it's nice to see it ain't just us.

You Don't Know Morrisville

Thank you to our recently joining readers. I appreciate the good wishes as much as I laugh at and subsequently delete the flame emails.

I've seen a recurring theme coming through recently, "You Don't Know Morrisville", and perhaps it might be a good idea to explore it.

My parents recently moved from our hometown after 45 years of living there. They were STILL outsiders, because they were not part of the intermarried Polish and Italian immigrant families of the late 19th and early 20th centuries that are still represented there today. I remember being absolutely amazed to find out how *incestuously* intermarried the town was and that everyone was related to everyone else, with only two or three degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon. You could walk through the town cemetery and see the names of the founding families were the same names on the street signs, and were the same names in the phone book. THEY were the town, and everyone else was an outsider.

So what is different here in Morrisville? Not much apparently. Different names, but apparently similar thinking. Even after the decades I've spent here, I'm still finding out that X is related to Y who is related to Z and being amazed by the connections. The only minor difference is that I'm amazed to find out that A was a classmate of B at the high school and that both their kids are in the same class today. You especially find out items like that at Gym Night, another long tradition.

So just what is the YDKM mindset? And could Morrisville potentially be a wonderful successor to Castle Rock, Maine for Stephen King's next set of intricately interwoven small town horror stories? I've come up with two opposing but similar themes:

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons. You're not one of the power families, and you are crunchy and delicious with ketchup".
"Morrisville is a dreary unchanging place and the sooner you outsiders leave and let us return to our dreary unchanging lifestyle, we'll all be happier. Pass the ketchup".

Do you have another view? And what are some of the stories that someone who says YDKM would know? How would this understanding help us to better understand how Angry Al, Captain Algebra, the No Sports League, and Ducky were able to pull this off?

Resignation Scuttlebutt, Part II

While discussing this rumored resignation ballet with some friends, two interesting points were brought up. Realizing that this is all speculation:

1) If either Mr. Radosti or Mrs. Heater are resigning, could they be accused of having run false campaigns, thereby defrauding the voting public, or

2) If they take the oath of office and then resign, could they be accused of taking a false oath?

I mean, if the accursed one, Sandy Gibson, were going to be doing something like this, wouldn't the NSNs already be sharpening up the pitchforks and lighting the torches for the midnight raid to drive the infidel from our midst?

Resignation Scuttlebutt

Two separate sources tell me that two current NSN school board members are contemplating resigning once the new majority is seated. Can anyone confirm anything along these lines?

Look into the Crystal Ball

One of the things I love about history is how it repeats. George Santayana said, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." George Bernard Shaw wryly noted in his corollary, "We learn from history that we learn nothing from history."

We see that it's not the exact occurrences that keep repeating: JFK will never be president again, but there are presidents like Clinton (Bill, not Hillary) who are Kennedyesque, evoking memories of JFK. Napoleon will never again be defeated by the Russian winter, but Hitler went and tried just to be sure.

So where am I going with this? Well, I'm going to apply my crystal ball and soothsaying skills to see how the next four years are going to turn out.

A) Paging Dr. Yonson: I apologize that you came to work in a school district with erratic elected officials. Like several of your predecessors, I see the superintendent's chair again being vacant. Note for the new board: There is a reason why George Steinbrenner has not written a book on management. Repeated firing and hiring is not an accepted way to foster faith and trust. The John Gould witch hunt was farcical and I can hardly wait to see who is going to spearhead the jihad against Dr. Yonson. (BTW: Anyone know the outcome of the John Gould lawsuit against Councilman and school board spouse Worob?) UPDATED Nov 25: Sorry for the delay, but this was obtained from a cracked crystal ball. Dr Yonson received a new five year contract, despite the opposition from the NSNs.

Issue: Superintendent's new contract

Vote: Approved 6-3 with Heater, Radosti and Worob opposed

Impact: Salary will be $130,000 for the first year of the new, five-year contract, effective July 1.

B) Karma: What goes around, comes around. You reap what you sow. Do you remember how Sandy Gibson ran on a ticket with the NSNs four years ago? When she looked at the facts and the studies, and came to the realization that building a new school was a regrettable, but necessary move, the NSNs began a virtual jihad against her. And now the bogey-woman is gone. She and all her "minions" have been removed. (Sounds like all the Jedi Knights have just been killed, doesn't it? Should we cue the Vader march?)

But let's look six months down the line. What happens to one of the more thoughtful NSNs (I'm assuming a lot, but work with me, OK?) when they reach the realization that Sandy was right! After recovering from the faint on the floor, how will they approach the Evil Empire? What happens when the promised tax savings do not materialize and the people revolt? How will the "new" board react when someone hands THEM stuffed lame ducks? (I imagine the duck woman will be the first to speak out against it!) The reprehensible tactics used by the QSRE group and the Stop the School people against opponents will come back to haunt them. Can you imagine these board NSNs month after month being harangued from the floor by the people who elected them? How long before Angry Al cracks under pressure?

C) The Hubbert Peak: What does something about oil depletion have to do with the school board? Plenty. Simply stated, this theory charts oil depletion saying that the first 50% of oil extracted from the ground is the easiest to take and the best quality available. We can debate the merits of the argument of oil reserves, but the theory itself is fairly reasonable.

I am sure that they can find something to cut that will be able to be endured and/or accepted without major hardship to students, staff, or physical plant. I'm guesstimating that most of the cuts that can be made "painlessly" have been made, or will be made shortly by the new regime. That's the first 50%, the "easy" 50%...But then comes the question:

"What's Next?" ™

Here is where Captain Algebra and the No Sports League come to the rescue, slashing the math department, gutting the history department, eradicating the athletics department, doubling the price of lunches, and whatever else they can do to cut costs and raise money. Maybe charge the kids for each hall pass? "Sorry, Bobby. You were absent yesterday. Thank you for your note, but you forgot the five dollar fee to process it." Yes, this is an absurd list of things, but let's ask what actually IS on their list?

I have this fantasy wish, that I could be in the room when the seven NSN board members are sitting there and the Oh-No Second hits. That's been variously described as the infinitesimal fraction of time between slamming the door and remembering the car keys are inside, or the time you hit "send" on the private message but realise you really hit "reply all." This will be the time that they realise that governing is harder than campaigning and that they are in a very deep swamp of doo-doo. Which leads to...

D) Depletion. Before the year 2008 is over, at least one of these NSNs will resign because they couldn't take it. It will mean nothing because a willing lackey will be put in their place. But it's on my list of predictions.

Anyone out there care to add to the list?

Anger Management Control Classes ARE Available

It's really interesting to see how the internet has changes the world. In the old days, you had to trudge down to the office to obtain a copy of the minutes opf previous meetings. Now...all you do is press a button and they appear.

Apparently Mr. Radosti has anger problems and the Morrisville Police refused to act, citing Mr. Radosti's involvement with the department. Aren't you NSNs proud of this?

Check out the minutes from the October 24 2007 meeting.

Dr. Gibson wanted to take this opportunity to respond to Mrs. Worob’s statement made last month. She
stated this was a very angry letter and she was not going to take on this anger. I don’t want to have anger at
you in my heart. I’m not going to take on your 7-page character attack. I pray that you find some goodness
in your heart so that you don’t do this to other people.
Mrs. Worob responded it was just business, Sandy. Not having a meeting was kind of serious to me.
Dr. Gibson I understand that and I am sharing my response with you.
Dr. Gibson advised that the Board met in executive session on October 3, 10, and 17 in regard to the
Superintendent’s contract. On Oct. 3 my children were in attendance. Everyone was kind, said how nice it
was to see them and welcomed them into the room. During the meeting Mrs. Heater and Mr. Radosti
became enraged talking about the school issue, which is not an executive session item and should have not
been discussed. They stood up, started screaming and personally attacking my character in front of my
children.
Mrs. Heater stated that’s not true. What happened was that Dr. Gibson jumped out of her seat and ran
toward Mr. Radosti with her hand exposed like a child.
Dr. Gibson advised she is filing charges against Mrs. Heater and Mr. Radosti for their behavior. She
verbalized examples of how terrified her children are since this incident.
Mrs. Heater stated that Dr. Gibson is not credible.
Dr. Gibson we will see what the police have to say about it. Chief Jones has decided it will be
investigated by the county detectives because of Mr. Radosti’s relationship with the local police. When the
officers arrived he told them nothing is going on; don’t worry about it. When Mrs. Manning tried to give
them her statement they told her they didn’t need it because they had Al’s and that’s all they needed. I can
not even express the trauma that was caused to my children. They are afraid that you are going to come to
our house and kill them. That is the rage that these individuals displayed in this meeting. We had to call
911 in order for us to safely leave the building. Mr. Radosti has in the past informed me that he keeps a gun
in his car. He has repeatedly told me that if I do not stop with the new school people are going to start to
attack me physically. Mrs. Heater has told me that people might kidnap my children. Mrs. Heater denied
this statement. My family has felt incredibly threatened by these behaviors. Mr. Radosti offered to fight
Mr. Kemp in the parking lot afterwards. Mrs. Heater stated that is so false. Unfortunately, this Board has
become accustomed to these types of behaviors. Mr. Radosti repeatedly has screamed in our executive
sessions. Mrs. Heater stated you shouldn’t have been screaming at us; we just defended ourselves.
She said she was repulsed at me. She attacked me first. Dr. Gibson I was repulsed by what you were doing
to my children. We live in a civilized society and I certainly hope as Board members we can behave civillaly with each other in the future.
Mr. Radosti stated what she says is not true – period.
Mr. Kemp stated what she says is true.
Mrs. Worob I was there as well and I will talk to the investigator

Let's be honest. The NSNs are going to see Heater, Worob, and Radosti as the victims, and the PSPs are going to see Gibson, Kemp, and Manning as the victims. Perception colors what we see today, but time will tell who are the real victims here. It's going to be the taxpayers of Morrisville Borough.

Don't you feel safer though knowing that a man with anger problems travels around with a gun in his car and at his advanced age is still challenging other kids to fight in the schoolyard at recess?

This blog is going away...NOT

Several people have emailed me to ask if this blog is disappearing now that the school has been given a big fat "F" by the borough council and the incoming school board.

Not on your life!

There are too many characters involved here to ignore them and their shenanigans. It would be like passing up free money.

What's Next?

Does anyone remember President Josiah Bartlet from "The West Wing"? We got to watch how the sausage was actually made from the inside. Each time this swiftly moving show reached a conclusion on one issue, Bartlet would always ask, "What's Next?"

Well, next month, Morrisville is going to be putting six new sausage makers in office, under the leadership of President-elect Radosti. (At least, that's my guesstimate.) All of these months of secret planning and late night cram sessions complete with thick briefing books will finally come to fruition. "Stop The School"™ is over. The school is stopped. The question that the PSPs have been asking should now also be the question that the NSN supporters should be asking.

"What's Next?" ™

Because we don't know what's next. You, the NSN supporters, bought a pig in a poke and didn't look the horse in the mouth and obligingly swallowed the claims of a group of snake oil salesmen. You voted very shortsightedly with your wallets without asking how the miraculous lower taxes and better schools claims could be achieved. You saw video of board member-elect Mihok dodging questions at a community forum and also saw a candidate avoiding the tough questions in a previous post here.

At least you knew what you were getting from the PSPs--they were open and up front with the need (the deteriorating buildings and the inadequate upkeep), the solution (a new school) and the cost ($30 million). The need still exists. The solution is now unknown, and the cost is anyone's guess. When the sausage grinder begins operating next month, what's going to come out? Don't blame me: I voted for Gore. I also voted for the Community Candidates.

The school is dead. Long live the school.

Congratulations to the NSNs. As I said before, they ran a great campaign. Here's the results.

School District - Morrisville SD

School Director - 2 Year		Vote for 1	View Results by District
Democrat
Bill Farrell		1004		55.3%
Republican
Bill Farrell		496		27.3%
Community
Jessica Fox		314		17.3%

School Director - 4 Year		Vote for 5	View Results by District
Democrat
Robin Reithmeyer		1080		13.2%
Bill Hellmann		1033		12.6%
Alfred A. Radosti		1016		12.4%
Marlys Mihok		1027		12.5%
Gloria Heater		985		12%
Republican
Robin Reithmeyer		486		5.9%
Bill Hellmann		467		5.7%
Alfred A. Radosti		457		5.6%
Marlys Mihok		474		5.8%
Gloria Heater		460		5.6%
Community
Felice Fava		355		4.3%
Gregory Gunzelman		345		4.2%

VOTE!!

Today's the day: Election Day! Do not take your right to vote for granted. There are veterans buried at Concord, Gettysburg, Manila Bay, Pointe du Hoc, Bataan, and Inchon, who died to keep you free. Honor their sacrifice with a sacrifice of your own. Brave the rain and VOTE.

Ward Location and Address
1st Morrisville Senior Citizens Center, 31 E Cleveland Ave
2nd Morrisville Library Building, 300 N Pennsylvania Ave
3rd Capitol View Fire Company, 528 N Pennsylvania Ave
4th Grandview Elementary School, Grandview Ave

Problems in voting?

Bucks County Board of Elections
55 E. Court St.
Doylestown, PA 18901
Board of Elections - 215-348-6154
elections@co.bucks.pa.us

Some services are also available at the
Government Services Centers:

Lower Bucks County
7321 New Falls Road
Levittown, PA 19055
Phone: 215-949-5800

Thank You!

Apparently I've been hiding my light under a bushel a little too well. I received several thank you emails from people who have stumbled over this blog. I appreciate your well wishes!

See the Stop the School people in action!

Al Radosti wants to cut sports.
Robin Reithmeyer agrees
Bill Farrell wants to eliminate algebra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCxKstSPw-g

Marlys Mihok says the Stop the Schoolers are too busy to tell what they will do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=990iDVUF8aU

YOU GO GIRL!!!

Who needs to write when there's talented people out there who see the light and see these grumpy and embittered old NSNs for what they are. See today's Courier Times for this excellent guest editorial.

Also visit the great http://www.independentleadership.com/ site to see what can be done with visionary leaders. See the footage of the NSNs in action ignoring the electorate!

Mean-spirited tactics don’t produce healing

BY ANN PERRY

The great thing about opinions, especially in this great land of ours, is that everyone can have one. Ed Bailey wrote in his Oct. 23 letter that Morrisville’s “Stop the School” candidates don’t “hate kids,” do “care about education,” and have not used “threats and intimidation.”
While Bailey is entitled to his opinions, the above statements are not supported by fact. From personal experience, I have grave concerns about the character and ideology of the “Stop the School” candidates and their ardent supporters, such as Bailey. And as their mean-spirited antics continue, others are beginning to catch on, and wonder whether they’re the right people for the job.
My experience with the “Stop the Schoolers” has been nothing but negative: from insulting and stonewalling parents at meetings, to picketing people’s homes, to the vitriol directed at past and current school board members who voted for the new school project.
Bailey claims the “Stop the School” candidates promise to heal the community and that they speak for three quarters of the town. Fact is the number of independent and other minor voters greatly outnumber the total number of people who voted in May’s primary election. Bailey’s candidates do not speak for most parents and others concerned about the tactics of the “Stop the School” campaign.
As for our association with outgoing school board President Sandy Gibson, let’s review. Four years ago, Gibson ran with four others, two of whom (Radosti and Heater) now appear on the “Stop the School” ticket. I didn’t vote for any of them. But they, with the support of people who are now rabid “Stop the Schoolers,” prevailed and elected Sandy Gibson as board president. When their dream of merging with Pennsbury failed once again, the board commissioned yet another study on how to address deteriorated conditions in the existing school buildings, carefully weighed its options, and made a tough decision to build a new school.
Unfortunately, Bailey and the “Stop the School” candidates are masters at slamming anyone who disagrees with them, then acting like innocent victims, denying things they’ve said and done. But don’t take my word for it. Please visit the Web site www.independentleadership.com for further information.
The Community Party candidates Felice Fava, Jessica Fox, and Greg Gunzelman are running as an alternative to the egregious behavior that has characterized the “Stop the School” campaign. Like the many other registered independents in town, they weren’t able to vote for school board candidates in the May primary election. The Community Party candidates have not endorsed the new school project either. They do, however, want to move away from the extremism and negativity that have pervaded the educational debate in Morrisville, and towards reasonable and moderate leadership.
If you’re as appalled by the “Stop the School” candidates’ words and deeds as I am, please give Fava, Fox, and Gunzelman a chance on Nov. 6. Otherwise, we have no one to blame but ourselves for what’s to come.
Ann Perry, Morrisville, is the parent of a kindergartener in Morrisville Schools