BASD Morphed Into Another Gubmint Run Institution!

The above letters to the editor, School Tax Increase Makes Case for Voucher School Expansion by Wayne Raisleger and Walker's Budget is a Slap in the Face to Wisconsin, appeared in the June 27, 2013 Burlington Standard Press and are reposted here, with analysis, as follows below.

Local Mad Hatter Wayne Raisleger is worried about my hard earned money. Bless his heart. He blames our ELECTED Officials for not toeing Gubnah Smug Walkers' Divide and Conquer line by allowing employees of the Burlington Area School District (BASD) to receive a modest pay increase. He goes on to observe that, "Because of their inability to wisely spend your money and make good management decisions, the district has morphed into another government-run institution." Let's see, democratically elected representatives with rule-making and taxing authority, hmmm sounds like the very definition of government to me. But then I admit to being completely incapable of applying Tea Party "logic" to any subject. He probably also wants the Gubmint to keep their hands off his Medicare!


Mr. Raisleger is apparently also short sighted enough to believe it would have been a good idea to put out of business a locally owned small business that has served our community well, in favor of short-term savings from a large low-balling predator corporation. Mr. Raisleger, I work for a non-government organization and we don't re-bid our vendors when we know were getting good services and neither do our clients when they receive the same.

Similarly, we're getting good service from our public schools and only a separate-but-equal fool would believe we're going to get better service and quality while saving money by adding profit for vultures on top of the price we pay to educate all of our children. But I guess from the examples above, one cannot expect Wayne to have the foresight to understand that if we allow the profiteers to fracture our community schools we'll end up with a fractured community, incapable of responding to the needs of it's members like Ms. Kirchner above.

E pluribus pluribus!

But there's hope of recovery! Critical thinking can be learned as exemplified by former WeVote Burlington Tea Party associate Jordan Debbink who has realized that the budget enacted by walker and the Republicons is a slap in the face. And thank you Jordan for considering the interests of those on both sides of the political spectrum. 

If only Walker and the GOP Gerrymanders would have done the same, we wouldn't be living in a house divided against itself. Keep up the thoughtfulness! Perhaps one day you'll come to a Burlington area Progressives event as a skeptical attendee instead of reflexive protester. You'll be welcomed when you do!