This Thursday is the “Deadline Day” for organizers of the city of St. George movement to turn in the remaining 2,694 signatures required for their petition to the EBR Parish Registrar of Voters office.
The petition needs 17,859 valid signatures to call an election. The organizers have already collected a historic number of signatures for petition drives in EBR, which indicates the intense and long-standing frustration by many with the EBR public schools.
There is feverish last-minute activity by both proponents and opponents, who are trying to get signees to remove their names.
We have talked about fixing our public schools for decades while we have watched the school population in the EBR system go from 67,000 (1979) to around 42,000—while the number of parish residents grew by 25%. While thousands just moved to neighboring parishes, this petition represents one group’s attempt to stay and take matters into their own hands.
One wonders, if the opponents of St. George—and our community leaders for decades—had put this much time, money and effort into improving schools long ago and challenging the status quo, would this situation even exist?
CAMPUS FREE SPEECH
You would think a college campus would be the ideal place to show the controversial movie American Sniper, based on the autobiography of the late Chris Kyle—a U.S. Navy Seal who was a sniper in Iraq. But that was originally not the case at The University of Michigan, which initially canceled the screening scheduled for last week after 300 students signed a petition. (The school has 43,000 total students.)
The petition by sophomore Lamees Mekkaoui said the movie “condones a lot of anti-Middle Eastern and North African propaganda” and said Chris Kyle was a racist. It also said, “Although we respect the right to freedom of speech, we believe that with this right comes responsibility: responsibility of action, intention, and outcome.” Did the faculty support that view?
So the Center for Campus Involvement said, “We deeply regret causing harm to members of our community, and appreciate the thoughtful feedback provided to us by students. Student reactions have clearly articulated that this is neither the venue nor the time to show this movie.” This is political correctness run amok because 0.7% of students object to the content of a movie. Why not show the movie and follow it with a panel discussion? This is a college.
But after the cancellation, others fired back, including new Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh, who tweeted, “Michigan Football will watch “American Sniper”! Proud of Chris Kyle & Proud to be an American & if that offends anybody then so be it!”
The movie screening was re-instated. Royster Harper, the school’s vice president for student life said, “It was a mistake. … The initial decision to cancel the movie was not consistent with the high value the University of Michigan places on freedom of expression and our respect for the right of students to make their own choices in such matters.”
Rachel Jankowski, a law student at Michigan, had her own petition in support of the movie and gathered 600 signatures. After the movie aired she said, “the moral of the story is freedom of expression should reign on campuses, especially public universities.” She noted that Michigan prides itself on dialogue and diversity and all should want dialogue to learn and engage.
I saw American Sniper. It may not have won the Oscar, but it was the top grossing film of 2014. It is riveting and makes one realize the sacrifice that our soldiers—and their families—make to serve and to protect our freedom.
Chris Kyle was a hero who saved the lives of hundreds of our soldiers, doing his duty for his brothers and our country.
It is ironic, but one of the freedoms he protected was our free speech. That includes the free speech of students at The University of Michigan—and of a few in Hollywood who used that freedom to criticize Kyle and the movie. I am referring to folks like Bill Maher, Seth Rogen and Michael Moore.
I just wonder, if their butts were sent to the front lines, would they want an “American sniper” to cover them as they patrolled the streets of Iraq? I suspect they would all be talking out of the other side of their mouths.
BAD SIGN
Rep. John Bel Edwards wants to be governor, but it is clear to me that he is either an enemy of school choice for parents and children or simply is a fan of the status quo, school boards and unions. I had hoped his two bills, HB 21 and HB 340, would die in the House Education Committee—and they did. Kudos to those members who put children first.
HB 21 would have prohibited the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from authorizing charters in districts rated A or B. First, there can still be children trapped in failing schools in those districts. And, secondly, why limit competition? If the schools are that good, then what do they have to fear from charters? And why would a charter open if there is no demand and no one would come? No students, no funding, then no school.
The latter bill, HB 340, limited kindergarten student eligibility for the voucher program to only those children who would be going to a D or F school. This would just be another way of having one’s choices determined by one’s ZIP code. And it dictated a parent must be satisfied with a C school for their child. Would Edwards settle for an “average” school for his child?
Why does Edwards, who hopes to lead our state into the future, want to turn the clock back on giving families options to get a good education for their children? Is he interested in protecting children and their futures—or just the adult jobs of union members and school boards? Voters need to know, and actions speak louder than words.
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
Charles Dudley Warner was a novelist who penned the line, “Politics makes strange bedfellows,” 145 years ago. It appears to be still true today. I thought of this quote when I read a recent column by Woody Jenkins, who most would describe as an ultraconservative or even “right wing” Republican. Jenkins was giving accolades to two liberal democrats: Edwards and state Rep. Alfred Williams.
After hearing Edwards speak at an event, Jenkins described him as “reasonable and conservative” on certain issues like abortion and the Second Amendment, which could get him votes. What about taxes or school choice or many other issues? He said Edwards was a “non-Harry Reid.” Big deal.
Then Jenkins “applauded” Williams for his bill to keep special city court districts based on racial make-up versus open citywide elections. Jenkins did mention this was a “strange alliance.” I agree. Just when I think I have seen it all …
STILL TIME TO SPEAK UP
This Thursday, the BREC Commission will vote on raising your taxes by “rolling forward” the millages. You don’t get a vote but you can still speak out by attending their public meeting at 5:15 p.m. at 6201 Florida Blvd. or emailing them at commission@brec.org.
