Schools getting tough on deadbeat parents

About one month ago we received a note home in our Friday Folder from the lunch lady. The note read something like this:

“We will now be giving cheese sandwiches to children who have an outstanding lunch bill.”

The lunch lady never sends notes home. The situation must have been pretty bad, because she even put her signature on it. Since it didn’t concern us, I filed it away with all of the other papers that come home from school and forgot about it.

About two weeks ago, I was eating lunch at school, when I needed to step out to make a phone call. On my way, I passed the cafeteria, where I saw a little girl I knew crying at one of the lunch tables. The girl’s teacher was talking with her and everything appeared to be under control.

Our class was having a special event over the lunch hour, so we were eating as a group in the classroom. Shortly after I returned from my phone call, the little girl and her teacher were at the classroom door. They spoke briefly with our teacher before coming in and asking if the little girl could please have some lunch, as she was hungry and too upset to eat in the cafeteria.

Several students in the classroom heard the commotion, came over and hugged the girl and started offering her food. She was overwhelmed, she was embarrassed, she stopped crying and she ate. I didn’t think anymore about it until I saw this article today in USA Today: “No more free lunch: Schools get tough on deadbeats”.

Apparently, schools across the country are having a hard time, because parents are not paying for school lunches. In an effort to get parents to pay, the schools are now giving children a cheese sandwich until their parents pay their bill. The problem is, the children don’t know their parents haven’t paid for lunch and they are finding out for the first time from cafeteria staff, in front of their friends.

I know schools are facing mounting unpaid lunch charges and I imagine the parents get plenty of notice before the cheese sandwich cometh, but damn, it sure is a hard lesson for the kids.

Now, this chimp cartoon IS funny

For the New York Post to run this political cartoon and be surprised that people see it as racist is disingenuous. I have tried to ignore the existence of this failed attempt at political satire, but it won't go away.

It's wrong, it's stupid, it's racist, it's not funny, it's been said (ad nauseam). Hopefully today the main stream media will be able to move on.

Meet Tiana, Disney's newest Princess

For Coco Mommies everywhere, I would like to personally thank Disney for FINALLY creating an African-American Princess.

From USA Today:

For the first time, Disney is creating a film with an African-American princess whose doll will make its debut Monday at the American International Toy Fair in New York City.

For Disney, it's not just about being culturally and politically correct, it's also about growing its lucrative — but aging — Disney Princess franchise in a tough economy. Created in 1999, Disney Princesses had $4 billion in global retail sales last year.

The cocoa-colored doll, which sports a tiara and a flowing blue gown, and is roughly the size of a Barbie, is expected to sell for about the same $10 to $15 as Barbie. Disney hopes it will boost the franchise through rough times. The $22 billion toy industry saw sales fall about 3% last year, and sales of dolls dropped a hefty 8%, according to the Toy Industry Association.

Though Princess Tiana was on the drawing board long before Barack Obama was elected the nation's first black president, marketing experts say she signals a growing awareness by industries from toymakers to cosmetic companies that diversity is critical in a nation where people of color will be the majority in little more than 30 years.

"It's very significant," says Lisa Skriloff, president of Multicultural Marketing Resources. "It's like a stamp of approval for one of the most outstanding family (entertainment) companies to say this is important."

Tiana, whose story will come to the big screen later this year in the animated musical The Princess and the Frog, is the first princess introduced by Disney since Mulan in 1998.

Disney executives say that they did not set out to make a social statement."It was much more about the storytelling," says Kathy Franklin, vice president, global studio franchise development for Disney Consumer Products. "This was not about a conscious decision to say we need an African-American princess." Yet, industry watchers say that when Princess Tiana dolls hit stores in the fall, they will bring diversity to a marketplace where it's been sorely lacking.

Mattel, which has the license to create the Princess Tiana dolls, is planning to release its own line of black dolls in September. Part of the Barbie family, the So In Style dolls are being touted as having a more authentic appearance, from their hair to their varying skin tones.

Disney, which has had great success with its Princess franchise, predicts that sales will surge with the arrival of Tiana. "We expect our sales of Princess Tiana products to be significant, and not just to African-American households," says Franklin.

As with her fellow princesses, Tiana merchandise will range from Halloween costumes to backpacks. There are plans for Tiana-theme MP3 players and digital cameras to be in stores by the end of the year, and a line of Princess Tiana and The Princess and the Frog books will go on sale this fall.

Some positive news about Manual High School

From Sharon Crews:

Congratulations to the MANUAL HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH TEAM!!!

Captain Jordan Brown and Alisha Williams both qualified for the STATE MEET!!!

Seniors Jordan and Alisha are the first Manual High School SPEECH TEAM students to qualify for STATE in more than 15 years. Alisha and Jordan will perform a duet titled "Domestic Violence."

Jordan also represents Manual in a second event: a poem dedicated to Jazz musician John Coltrane. Best wishes to Alisha and Jordan at STATE this weekend!!!

The team is coached by Karen Adkins-Dutro.

It's rough out there Peoria - be safe

I remember when I was younger, I would hear my brothers talk about how hurtful it was whenever white women saw them they would do the following: cross the street (so they didn't have to walk by them); start locking their car doors (just as they were walking by); grab their kids (when they happened to be in the same room); clutch their purses close to their bodies (when they saw them approaching). My brothers are good guys and carry their selves as such, these women were stereotyping based on the color of their skin.

Last night, on the way home from dance class, my daughter was fiending for her regular Thursday night Chicken McNugget meal. We pulled into the McDonald's on Prospect, it was packed inside and in the drive thru. I left, she got mad. I didn't want to hear it, so I proceeded to the McDonald's on Knoxville, just across McClure.

As we pull into McDonald's, the drive-thru is backed up. Guess we will have to run in. As we get out of the car, I notice two young men in urban gear come out of the back (like from the bathroom). I hesitate, I kick myself for what I am thinking. We went in. Whoa, there were three other young men in urban gear already there. I didn't see them before walking in. Then as we were standing at the counter, another young man came in from another door. Now there were six in all.

They were affable and stood back behind us after they ordered. I playfully pulled my daughter close and hugged her while we ordered. I put on a smile and made a point to look around, other people were there eating. Good. I swear, you could cut the tension in the place with a knife. The cashier and the other employees were visibly fumbling. They were actually bumping into each other as they rushed back and forth with empty bags in their hands.

Eventually, the manager came to the front to see what the hold up was (no pun intended). "Why are y'all so slow..." she stopped mid sentence, turned her back to the customers and started fumbling too.

The guys in the urban gear noticed the comedy going on with everybody fumbling. One of them laughed and said "relax, we ain't gon rob y'all I just want my chicken sandwich". Finally that damn happy meal came. I held my purse tightly, still hugging my daughter, we got a half of cup of soda and rushed out the door.

Home safe. After our little ballerina eats her McNuggets, shower, reads and get to bed, I sit down to watch the news.

One of my brothers is a news buff. Every time something interesting comes on, I know he's watching it and talking smack to the TV. I thought about him, because I knew we were doing the same thing at the same time. The Mario McGee story comes on. Then I remembered how I felt when I saw those young men in urban gear. Then I thought about how hurt my brother was when people visibly reacted to him in that way. I started to fell ashamed for what I felt.

Stereotyping is wrong. I won't live like that, I won't raise my children like that, but I will take care. You do the same.

From today's PJStar:

Suspect held in stabbing in Walgreen's parking lot

Masked men rob Peoria woman at her front door

Don't try this in Peoria

Get your urban news at DimeWars.Com

Was it the Vulcan Nerve Pinch or the Sleeper Hold?

Community Meeting Tonight

CALL TO ACTION


Please join me at 6:30 PM Thursday evening at Higher Dimensions Worship Ctr. at 2610 W. Nebraska Peoria, IL. (Pastor Bob Randle).

Please pass this urgent request on to associates and other pastors who may also be interested in taking strong action against this (these) community terrorist group(s).

Thank you and God bless you greatly.

Pastor Harvey Burnett, Peoria Assn. Of Pastors For Community & Spiritual Renewal
Peoria, IL. 61615

(309)688.6599ofc.
(309)648.8659cell

No more Cahill?

Curious as to how the Budget Committee will work without Guy Cahill, the District's Controller. Do they have full access to all of District 150's financials? Will they be able to rely on administration employees to supply them with information?

In a recent TimesObserver article Mr. Cahill stated "the district has no choice but to make cuts if it hopes to maintain the A+ bond rating it now has from Standard & Poor’s." I don't know a lot about bonds, but I do know you want an A+ rating if you need to finance long term projects (i.e., construction). If this Committee validates the cuts that Superintendent Hinton proposes, what is the window on preservation of the A+ bond rating?

UPDATE: From the Peoria Journal Star - District 150 treasurer reportedly leaving.

24 armed robberies since the end of December!

click image to get a better view

UPDATE 2 Thursday, February 12: Robbery at Spottted Cow
Police still are investigating the armed robbery of a local restaurant. At about 8:40 p.m. Monday, two men armed with guns robbed the Spotted Cow at 718 W. Glen Ave. and escaped on foot with an undetermined amount of cash. A description of the robbers was not available from police Monday night. No one in the restaurant was injured. Police have not made any arrests.

_____________________________

Journal Star
Posted Feb 11, 2009 @ 09:20 AM

Two armed gunmen rob Central Peoria gas station

For the second time in about as many weeks, masked gunmen robbed a Central Peoria gas station. About 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, two males entered Circle K, 2416 N. University St., and demanded money from the clerk.

One of the males, armed with two guns, ordered a lone customer to lie face down on the floor while he yanked the victim's wallet out of his pocket, reports stated. The other robber, also armed, turned his attention on the clerk, stealing an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register.

Witnesses reported seeing the men run south on University toward MacQueen Avenue after the robbery.

On Jan. 26, three men robbed the same gas station, pilfering cigarettes and taking money from the safe.

That crime, like Tuesday's, remains unsolved and comes on the heels of more than two dozen similar robberies plaguing the city since the end of December.

____________________________

WHAT two dozen (24) robberies since the "end of December". This is February 11th, so that means that there are armed robberies occurring in Peoria at the rate of 1 (one) every other day. Therefore, this last robbery, which happened on Tuesday afternoon (yesterday), means we are due for another armed robbery either this evening (Wednesday) or by end of day Thursday.

Damn, Peoria this is messed up! No wonder PJStar.com has disabled comments. Just in case you missed the info in the PJStar about the other robberies that have retailers so concerned, go here.

_________________________

UPDATE 1: Crime maps are being updated as you read this by the blogger at A Dark Quiet Room, if you would like a copy of his map, you can get one by contacting him. However, I will post it as soon as he sends me a copy.

Additionally, Reverend Harvey Burnett, who was Mario McGee's godfather has the following CALL TO ACTION on his blog:

Please join me at 6:30 PM Thursday evening at Higher Dimensions Worship Ctr. at 2610 W. Nebraska Peoria, IL. (Pastor Bob Randle).

Please pass this urgent request on to associates and other pastors who may also be interested in taking strong action against this (these) community terrorist group(s). Thank you and God bless you greatly.

Pastor Harvey BurnettPeoria Assn. Of Pastors For Community & Spiritual Renewal Peoria, IL. 61615 (309)688.6599ofc. (309)648.8659cell

_________________________________

Check out Pastor Burnett's entry on his past and current efforts to help fight crime here in Peoria on the blog for the Peoria Association of Pastors for Community and Spiritual Renewal.

How does Guy Cahill fit in?

From the District 150 Website
Planning and Budget Committee Members

As announced at the February 2 meeting, the Board of Education is establishing a special committee to assist with the school district's budgeting issues. Below is a list of the appointed members to the Planning and Budget Committee:

Mr. Pat Roesler, Chief Financial Officer, G & D. Integrated

Mrs. Lois Boaz, Retired Caterpillar Executive with experience in accounting, business analysis and Six Sigma

Mr. Erik Bush, Chief Financial Officer, Peoria County

Mr. David Underwood, Vice President of Finance & Chief Financial Officer Proctor Hospital

Mr. Charles Randle, President, Illinois Business Financial Services

Dr. Bernie Goitien, Professor of Business Management & Administration at Bradley University

Mr. Ken Casper, Retired Banker

Mr. Larry Williams, Retired Superintendent and Business Manager of Illinois Valley Community School District

The main functions of the committee include:

* develop financial templates for presenting and outlining the district budget; allowing easy assessment and financial impact of proposals, suggestions and changes

* establish a "district finances" section on the district website

* create one-page documents explaining school district financial terms and how these issues impact Peoria Public Schools. Examples include: Title I, Special Education Funding, Corporate and Property Taxes, Public Building Commission Funding and TIF Districts.

_____________________________

Curious as to how this group works with Guy Cahill, the District's Controller. Do they have full access to all of District 150's financials? Will they be able to rely on administration employees to supply them with information? In a recent TimesObserver article Mr. Cahill stated "the district has no choice but to make cuts if it hopes to maintain the A+ bond rating it now has from Standard & Poor’s." I don't know a lot about bonds, but I do know you want an A+ rating if you need to finance long term projects (i.e., construction). If this Committee validates the cuts that Superintendent Hinton proposes, what is the window on preservation of the A+ bond rating?

A question about Black and white

From DiversityInc.
Question:
Could you explain why the "b" in "black Americans" is not capitalized? I've noticed that other ethnic groups all are capitalized. But not Black people. Why is this?

Answer:
Most mainstream print publications in the United States use what is known as "AP style," or the style dictated by The Associated Press Stylebook. This book and web site describes what to capitalize and what not to capitalize (among other rules of grammar).

I made the decision not to follow AP style in the case of "Black" and "white" when it applies to describing people. AP style is to capitalize neither; however, terms such as African American, Negro, Caucasian, Italian American or Asian are all capitalized.

Regardless of whether there is adequate representation among the decision makers at the AP, I felt DiversityInc needed to be more accurate.

The word "Black" is used around the world to describe people who have "racial" features indicating African ancestry. Please keep in mind that the convention of race has been discarded by science--genetically, we are all one race, and the human-genome project proves we are all from Africa.

"Black" is also accepted by many Black people as an inoffensive description. It is a generalized description and can be supplemented by another description such as Black Canadian, Black African American, Nigerian American or Black Latino. However, many Black people describe themselves simply as being "Black," and this reality is reflected in a body of literature, music and academic study.

I do not believe "white" needs to be capitalized because people in the white majority don't think of themselves in that way. I don't think there's anything wrong with this--it's just how it is. The exception is white supremacists who have a definite vision for what "white" means. Most American white people describe themselves in more defined terms, such as Irish American or Jewish. I will make the point that African Americans (descendents of slaves) cannot define themselves more accurately than an entire continent because their ancestry was obliterated by the practices of enslavers, which included breaking apart tribal and family bonds.

I don't think there will ever be a time in our country where "white" becomes "White." Nor do I think white people will accept the term "minority" when we become less than 50 percent of our population by roughly 2045. I think that's a good thing--people should be allowed to describe themselves, not have descriptions forced on them. I also think that the term "minority" is a pejorative and has no place in describing people.

At DiversityInc, our capitalization of "Black" is both a reflection of reality and of respect.

Isn't blogging a community service?

Emerge recently questioned Board of Education member, Jim Stowell on why he continues to blog and exactly how he remains motivated in such a hostile atmosphere. After checking to make sure Emerge wasn't some randomized avatar Mr. Stowell responded (in part) as follows:

... A lot of wrong information is shared on the blogs and it helps to keep the perceptions of the district mired in negativity. Responding to all questions is difficult, so I now take the tract someone suggested - sign your name and I'll take it in - don't and it rolls on... We have great kids in our district who deserve more opportunities than what they perceive. That is why I challenge the community to step up to help, not just be
content to sit down and blog...

I like that Mr. Stowell is conscious of the perception the community has of the District. But shouldn't the District PR person and/or her assistant be handling that?

Besides, we need Mr. Stowell's finance expertise (BS in Finance and Economics in 1983 and his MBA in 1985 from Bradley University) focused on District 150's finances, the dollars, the money, the budget. When can we see who is on that Budget and Planning Committee?

Salary search: What do Illinois teachers get paid?

For the 2007-2008 school year.

From the Chicago Sun Times: This searchable database contains job and salary information for teachers and administrators at every public school in Illinois from the 2007-2008 school year, according to records kept by the Illinois State Board of Education. Salary reflects total compensation, including benefits, unused sick days and vacation. In addition to searching by name, you can also look at all the salaries for a certain job title or department. Go here to search.

Definition of a gang banger

The Peoria Journal Star reports that Peoria's first homicide of 2009, is 19 year old Mario McGee. The McGee family, very nice, caring people, have had their lives turned up side down. Not only did intruders come into the McGee's home and beat one family member (Mario's mother), they proceeded to kill another (Mario).

Mario was an attractive and hard working young man. He dressed well and cared about his friends. Many in the hood hated him for what he was. What was he you ask? A young man with an adoring family and friends; a young man with a job; a young man who carried himself well.

The Peoria Pundit has pointed to Mario's Myspace page as an indication that he was a gang banger. I went to the page, the Peoria Pundit is wrong. He should take another look.

Mario's messages on his MySpace page are riddled with the "n" word. Now, the average Peoria Pundit reader may not appreciate the way Mario communicated his thoughts, that's their prerogative. However, Mario's words to his friends, who he endearingly called "my n****a" are words of encouragement. There were reports of gang signs on his MySpace page. I must not know what a gang sign is - because I didn't see one.

In reading through Mario's page, in more than one instance Mario is telling his friends to continue to be the best they can be, continue to shine. For example:

" U B ON YO OWN SHIT AND I LIKE DAT ABOUT U! STAY LIKE DAT! CUZ NIGGAS IZ SNAKES OUT HERE 4REAL. U KNOW HOW IT IZ. WE DEN BEEN THRU SHIT TOGETHER! BUT IM JUS SHOWIN SUM LOVE SAYIN I LOVE YOU BRUH AND TO KEEP SHININ ON DEZ FUCK BOYS! MAKE HIM HATE U EVEN MORE DEN DEY ALREADY DO!

Mario even gave the following advice to young men who are jealous of him and his friends because they are not in jail:

"Quit cuffn em den goofy stupids!!!"

He consistently references "(no homo)". It appears to me Mario is outing these young men who are in and out of jail. Further, he appears to be telling his peers to stay out of jail.

Sounds to me like Mario stood for something, something he may have been killed for. Gang banger indeed.

Bush themed ice cream

from livingliberally.org

The following is a list of flavor names supposedly submitted to Ben & Jerry's for a Bush themed ice cream. Comment with your favorite one or name your own!

- Grape Depression
- The Housing Crunch
- Abu Grape
- Cluster Fudge
- Nut'n Accomplished
- Good Riddance You Lousy Motherfu***r... Swirl
- Iraqi Road (Emerge's fave)
- Chock 'n Awe
- WireTapioca
- Impeach Cobbler
- Guantanmallow
- imPeachmint
- Heck of a Job, Brownie!
- Neocon Politan
- RockyRoad to Fascism
- The Reese's-cession
- Cookie D'oh!
- Nougalar Proliferation
- Death by Chocolate... and Torture
- Freedom Vanilla Ice Cream
- Chocolate Chip On My Shoulder
- Credit Crunch (Emerge's fave)
- Mission Pecanplished
- Country Pumpkin
- Chunky Monkey in Chief
- WMDelicious
- Chocolate Chimp
- Bloody Sundae
- Caramel Preemptive Stripe
- I broke the law and am responsible for the deaths of thousands . . . with nuts

Blogging and the Board of Education

Whether you’re out front stumping or behind the scenes running a political campaign, blogs can connect the candidate with the people. They can communicate your message to the most influential business professionals and at the same time trigger conversations that mobilize grassroots support.

It’s good for the public when elected officials blog, especially when what they write is a good source of information. But when a public official blogs about pertinent issues or the controversial stuff, does the back-and-forth conversations on contentious issues help? Or does such transparency just give people more reasons to dislike you?

One of District 150’s most vocal Board of Education (BOE) members, Jim Stowell, is a regular commenter on a couple of the local blogs. Noted for its strong opinions on all things District 150, the Peoria Chronicle blog is one of the most popular in the Peoria area, and the main place you can find Mr. Stowell’s comments.

BOE blogger(s)

As we know around these parts, people are passionate about school district issues. As a result, Mr. Stowell has been taking some serious heat on the blogs. It has been interesting to watch, because he can give as good as he can take. However, considering the regular ass kicking he continues to get from angry bloggers, I often wonder why he bothers. If Mr. Stowell were ever to consider slumming on a local blog, that does not get 20,000 hits a day (EmergePeoria), this blogger would ask him a few questions:

1. Wouldn’t it be better if you had your own blog and put out a consistent, coherent message showing your research?
2. Why doesn’t the public relations person for the District try to put out fires, and build consensus on the blogs?
3. What does the District public relations person think about BOE members commenting on blogs?
4. What is your main goal when you blog?
5. What does the other BOE members think about you commenting on blogs?
6. What does the President of the BOE think about you commenting on blogs?
7. Is it your intention to mobilize support for your self as an elected official, or to mobilize support for the BOE as a whole?
8. Do you discuss your opinions as expressed on blogs with your board members?

Should newspapers follow-up on leads from blogs?

What if a public official makes a comment on a blog that hasn’t been reported on before? What if pertinent information is uncovered that the public has a right to know (see Elaine Hopkins report on accounting discrepancies at District 150)? Aren’t the issues raised on the blog “fair game” for reporters to follow-up on and bring the story to the public at large?

IMO, if it is the newsroom’s job to question certain issues, the information uncovered on blogs should be eligible for vigilant coverage. As long as the reporter can verify that the information came from a valid source, the information on the blog should be considered fair game?

I have a plan, he has a plan, she has a plan…

Wednesday, the Peoria Chronicle reported that BOE member, Martha Ross has a plan. Mrs. Ross, who has been brutalized on local blogs, has managed to earn some points with the release of her proposal to the Chronicle. Even Emtronics (the Peoria Anti-Pundit), who has made it clear he detests many of Mrs. Ross’ decisions, has said that he likes her plan better. As a matter of fact, several bloggers gave Mrs. Ross props for her plan.

But wait, what should the Community do about Mr. Stowell’s plan and the Superintendent's’s plan? Does Mrs. Parker have her own plan? How about Mrs. Wolfmeyer, Mrs. Spangler or Mrs. Butler, do they have a separate plan? What about discrepancies, is the Content in the plans presented valid? I’m confused, there is no Consistency, there is no Clarity, how is this supposed to work?

Wouldn’t it be in the best interest of the community for the BOE to present one cohesive plan? Wouldn’t that build more trust with the public if we got the impression that they are actually on the same page and are a united front, before showing up at a School Board meeting to make life altering decisions for our children? Absent one cohesive plan presented by the BOE, how do we decide who has the winning Plan?

What, pray tell, is the plan for deciding on the Plan?

Fatherhood comes first
Commentary By Mike Tomlin, Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers

Coach Tomlin with Dino

When I am asked for my advice on how to succeed in life, I often answer: dream … dream big. And it will be a dream come true Sunday when I walk onto the field to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl. It is a dream made possible by the incredible effort of my players; the unwavering support of the owners, the Rooney family, and Steelers fans; and the steadfast love of my family — my wife, Kiya; my mother, Julia; and especially the man I call Dad.

Leslie Copeland came into my life as my stepfather when I was 6 years old. He was a postal worker; I had a passion for sports. He took the overnight shift so he could coach my baseball team. I worked hard so he'd be pleased with me. Over time, I began to see he was teaching me much more than how to throw a baseball or catch a pass. He was teaching me how to be a man. He was teaching me how to be a father.

I had big dreams when I was a child. But without my dad, those dreams might not have come true. He brought stability to my life. He made my world a safe place in which to think and to learn. And though not every boy may aspire to become a football coach, every father can aspire to become the dad of his child's dreams. But to make that a reality, fathers must choose daily to work toward that goal.

In my own home, that means I make my wife and our children — Dino, Mason and Harlyn Quinn — my No. 1 priority. I try to start my day by eating breakfast with my children. In those minutes, I learn what's going on in their lives, and have the opportunity to share the values my wife and I want to pass on to them.

I also try to make my life fit into theirs. When I can, I drive them to school, coach their sports teams and go over their homework. If they're proud of me for coaching the Steelers, that's great, but I want them to know that my primary purpose in life is to be their dad.

Dreams can take us far; they can take our children far. But our children need our help. They need dads who believe in those dreams as strongly as they do, men with the maturity and wisdom to guide them to the place where their dreams are within their grasp. Children need a father like my own, who day by day and year by year lifted me higher and higher, until the possibility of my dreams was well within my reach.

I would not be coaching the Steelers in the Super Bowl now if it weren't for the man who walked into my life when I was a young boy and became my dad. I've always dreamed of being a champion, but it was my dad who championed my dreams.

Mike Tomlin, the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach, is also a spokesman for the fatherhood program All Pro Dad.

District 150 is schizophrenic
The PJStar is reporting that school closings have been put on hold because we are expecting a windfall from the stimulus package. For real? Just when people (Elaine Hopkins) began asking the real questions and following the money.

Didn't they know about the stimulus package before the announcement to shutter schools? I did, it's been all over the news. Couldn't the stimulus money also be used to continue with the *consolidation of schools and building new campuses?

So, Peoria does need four high schools now? Wow.

*p.c. for shuttering schools

District 150 - definition of a train wreck
you want to look away, but you just can't.

As I was out and about this weekend, running errands and doing a little shopping, I could not help but notice that every where I went, EVERY WHERE, people were discussing District 150. The interesting thing about these conversations people were having (no I am not an eavesdropper), is that they seemed to be about nostalgia and not about the children.

What about the children, who are once again, by no fault of their own, embroiled in a hatefully negative tug of war, that at it's core, has very little to do with what is best for the education of every child.

Recall when District 150 wanted to shorten the school day. The opposition was throwing every thing they could find at the School Board to get them to vote no. The last item they pulled out was General Parker and the NAACP. They were concerned that fifth graders South of War Memorial were in primary school, while fifth graders North of War Memorial were in middle schools. As a result, the poor kids South of War Memorial would be even more at a loss because of shortened school days.

The shortened school days decision came and went. Fifth graders South of War Memorial still attend primary schools. The opposition has not inquired further.

Now District 150 is closing all of the primary schools in the Valley. Surely this will create a void in these neighborhoods for the children and their families. They are changing the make-up of Hines and Von Stueben, yet Washington Gifted sits pristine and untouched. What of these students? The opposition has not inquired. Are they above the mire? Is their situation so perfect that the economy and the deficit doesn't impact them? If so, it is past time for the District to implement the Washington Gifted model throughout the District.

Citizens/parents/jokers (the opposition) are once again demanding answers, and rightfully so. Is it possible to get answers by sitting down at a table and negotiating calmly in the best interest of the children? If only. I think it's going to be about political maneuvering that in the long run will hurt this already damaged community.

The opposition has made it clear they consider the Boards action (or inaction) on several issues, malfeasance. They want the Board gone. What a recall you say? Not so fast, in Illinois you can't recall a School Board. The opposition continues to hint that there is something to come. What is it?

For an idea of what having recall power can do to a community, go here, here and here.

Thank you Lily Ledbetter...

Because of your perseverance we have seen the Restoration of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Thank you to President Barack Obama for restoring this most fundamental principal in proving discrimination (be it pay, age, racial, or sexual). Discrimination occurs in increments over periods of time and as such it is not always possible to report it within a 180 day statutory charging period.

Background on Lily Ledbetter - In 1979 Lilly Ledbetter, began work at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, a union plant. During her years at the factory as a salaried worker, raises were given and denied based on evaluations and recommendations regarding worker performance. All merit increases had to be substantiated by a formal evaluation. In March 1998, Lily inquired into the possible sexual discrimination of the Goodyear Tire Company. In July she filed formal charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In November 1998, after early retirement, Lily sued claiming pay discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963. She started with the same pay but by retirement, she was earning $3,727 per month compared to 15 men who earned from $4,286 per month (lowest paid man) to $5,236 per month (highest paid man). So very not cool.

Fast forward to the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice Alito held for the five-justice majority that employers are protected from lawsuits over race or gender pay discrimination if the claims are based on decisions made by the employer 180 days ago or more. Justice Ginsburg dissented.

In rejecting Lily’s appeal, the Supreme Court said that "she could have, and should have, sued" when the pay decisions were made, instead of waiting beyond the 180-day statutory charging period.
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The effect of the Court's holding was reversed by the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was signed into law on January 29, 2009 by President Barack Obama. While signing the bill, with Lily Ledbetter standing to his right, President Obama stated the following:

It is fitting that with the very first bill I sign - the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act - we are upholding one of this nation's first principles: that we are all created equal and each deserve a chance to pursue our own version of happiness.[…]So in signing this bill today, I intend to send a clear message: That making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone.

That there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it's not just unfair and illegal - but bad for business - to pay someone less because of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability. And that justice isn't about some abstract legal theory, or footnote in a casebook - it's about how our laws affect the daily realities of people's lives: their ability to make a living and care for their families and achieve their goals.

To see the full statement, check out the Washington Post.

Thank you Lily Ledbetter for fighting the good fight. You may not get your money, but your perseverance will assure that many others will have a real chance. Oh, by the way ladies, our Congressman “Hot Aaron Schock” voted no.