SPRING TWP., Pa. - It seemed the Wilson School Board was taking a step back in time Monday night when it held its board meeting through a 100% virtual platform. School Board Watchlist is a project of Turning Point USA, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. As a parent of three boys in the district, I understand the high level of responsibility demanded of this position. The district issued another response Nov. 10, clarifying that all other board members and the district categorically rejects (Martins) statements as inappropriate, hurtful, and unacceptable.. I was a principal in the Wilson School District for six years before retiring due to vision loss. PDF Wilson School Board Committee Meetings 2021/2022 EFF senior staff attorney Adam Schwartz, said that automated license plate readers are a growing threat to everyones privacy that are out there by the thousands in California.. There are 11 candidates running for five seats on the Wilson School Board. 2023 Wilson School Board Individual Candidate Interview Its the elephant in the room.. The Sacramento sheriff's office has been illegally sharing license plate reader data with out-of-state law enforcement agencies that could use it to prosecute someone for seeking an abortion, according to records seen by The Sacramento Bee. Question 2: What is the most pressing issue facing your school district and how would you address it. support@rawstory.com. Martin said Thursday that he didnt take into consideration the racial element of the article he read at the meeting, instead focusing on some of the points it made about responsibility. Occupation: High school social studies teacher. Accusations of racist behavior.". "But when you said them, they became an embodiment of who you are. Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. No public comment requests will be honored after the start of the meeting. All attendees will be required to sign in and individuals wishing to make a public comment can sign up when they arrive at the meeting. The determination of the need for ESY Occupation: Retired CPA, international accountant, auditor and Real Estate director. I am 100% invested in Wilsons success because my children attend Wilson, I went to Wilson and my family, dad and friends pay taxes to Wilson. ", "I'm tired, and if I have to stand before your house, and if I have to stand when you come into this building and protest, I will do it," McCree said to Martin. Similar to my career, I have multiple layers of life experience. You didn't say, take this down. I think sometimes were afraid to discipline a group because of the recourse or their position or it might offend them, he said. Wilson SB votes 7-2 to adopt controversial equity policy . Parents are very concerned about students behavior. Kocher went on to apologize to anyone who was watching the meeting in person or on the districts YouTube page. We need to increase the pressure on our lawmakers and policy advocates to invest more resources in paying more competitive teacher salaries and create a supportive climate for all educators to provide quality instruction. Ive done more to help people of color over the last 40 years than most people probably realize. The school board needs to work with all stakeholders to ensure all facets of safety are identified and addressed within the district, including focusing on potential threats, student mental health, behaviors and discipline. Dear Patron: Please don't scroll past this. . Caledonia Superintendent Dedrick Martin stepping down, school board Occupation: Professor at Penn State Berks University. They applaud the choice the board made in the hiring of the superintendent, but say our leadership is poor. Interactive listening sessions with all stakeholders in the community invited would be a fresh approach to resolving some of the issues. Each has cross-filed, meaning they will appear on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. We really appreciate you!! Wilson School Board member under fire for, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Wilson School Board member under fire for racist statements [Video], Judges order limits government contact with social media operators, raises disinformation questions, Five dead in Philadelphia shooting thats nations worst violence around July 4, Study says drinking water from nearly half of US faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals, Philadelphia suspect left a will and was acting agitated days before shootings, prosecutors say, Fireworks in southeastern PA celebrate 4th of July 2023, Berks native and former Olympian convicted in $10 million pandemic loan fraud, Wyomissing's 4th of July Parade reinforces ties within community, Riot at juvenile detention facility in Berks draws law enforcement from 3 counties, Reading man arrested after series of domestic assaults reported, Christmas Tree Shops plans to close all of its stores, This popular Pa. convenience store chain is lowering gas prices to $1.776 on July 4, Lehigh County man dies after SUV crashes into parked trucks on I-78 in Berks, Philadelphia man arrested after West Reading resident reports attempted car break-ins, Berks man charged with vehicular homicide in crash that killed his 1-year-old son, Woman missing for a week found alive, was stuck in the mud for several days, Cooking with a gas stove in your home is like living with a smoker, new research conducted in Denver finds, North Dakota university leaders fear catastrophic implications of new Minnesota free tuition plan, The sargassum seaweed belt in the Atlantic is still shrinking good news for beach goers, A sweet slice of history: Florida Keys celebrate 200th birthday with giant Key lime pie, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. There was an error processing your request. I dont believe in that, I think its wrong and I stand by those words.. Looking at some of my peers that are also African American, I could see how they felt hurt and disrespected beyond belief, Cooper said. I think this would allow more time for teachers to individually support students when they are able to work exclusively with a group that is learning at a similar pace. School Board Members Steph Kocher, President kocste@wilsonsd.org Robert Schneider, Vice President schrob@wilsonsd.org Sean McCrae, Treasurer mccsea@wilsonsd.org Ed Case casedw@wilsonsd.org Brad Hart harbra@wilsonsd.org Guadalupe Kasper kasgua@wilsonsd.org Dr. Amy Kennedy kenamy@wilsonsd.org Mike Martin marmic@wilsonsd.org Jay Nigrini As horrible as it sounds, it wasnt meant to be a horrible statement and I need to fix it.. I say that and I stand by that.. "Overall, I think I can really say that I'm processing a lot of the information," Martin said. Newcomer Bernard McCree also earned a nomination with 1,779 votes. All meetings are also archived at this link. Wilson board hears arguments to ban critical race theory Illinois State Museum returns nearly 40 sacred wooden artifacts to Kenya, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. Martin, who previously made news by refusing to wear a mask to a board meeting in May 2021, said he understands the outrage and apologized. To watch the meeting, you can access the link, Website by The vote came after two hours of public comment from community members, teachers, and students who called for Martin's resignation. PDF Board of Education In comments Nov. 10 to the Reading Eagle, Martin said hes sorry for his remarks. ", "He wanted some honest conversation about whether people felt intimidated and afraid to address it," Crump added. Most people that really know me know that I dont have a racist bone in my body. There was no objective response about whether he was correct or incorrect in his concern, only a complete shutdown of the conversation, Crump said. They were directed at this board, administrators and teachers for inconsistency and confronting inappropriate student behaviors," Crump said. Wilson school board member censured for racist, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Wilson school board member censured for racist comments [Update], Judges order limits government contact with social media operators, raises disinformation questions, Five dead in Philadelphia shooting thats nations worst violence around July 4, Study says drinking water from nearly half of US faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals, Philadelphia suspect left a will and was acting agitated days before shootings, prosecutors say, Fireworks in southeastern PA celebrate 4th of July 2023, Berks native and former Olympian convicted in $10 million pandemic loan fraud, Wyomissing's 4th of July Parade reinforces ties within community, Riot at juvenile detention facility in Berks draws law enforcement from 3 counties, Reading man arrested after series of domestic assaults reported, Christmas Tree Shops plans to close all of its stores, This popular Pa. convenience store chain is lowering gas prices to $1.776 on July 4, Lehigh County man dies after SUV crashes into parked trucks on I-78 in Berks, Philadelphia man arrested after West Reading resident reports attempted car break-ins, Berks man charged with vehicular homicide in crash that killed his 1-year-old son, Woman missing for a week found alive, was stuck in the mud for several days, Cooking with a gas stove in your home is like living with a smoker, new research conducted in Denver finds, North Dakota university leaders fear catastrophic implications of new Minnesota free tuition plan, The sargassum seaweed belt in the Atlantic is still shrinking good news for beach goers, A sweet slice of history: Florida Keys celebrate 200th birthday with giant Key lime pie, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. "And I can guarantee you that if you do not resign, I will not allow my grandchildren to be dehumanized, and I will not allow Black and brown-skinned young men to be put in a box anymore. The Wilson School Board meets in public session on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. in the Administration Buildings Board Room, unless otherwise noted. Nothing that came out of Mr. Martins mouth is representative of the Wilson School District or the feelings of, Im going to say, of the rest of the board.. Following Tuesdays voting, 10 of those candidates remain. Kudos to you and your staff. John Hauser I know some people think Im a closet racist and I have to live with that.. West Lawn, PA 19609, Steph Kocher, President "I do respect everybody's opinions. But there are a lot of folks here who are offended. Newcomer Jennifer Denny received the most votes with 2,205, followed by incumbents Brad E. Hart with 2,041 votes, Guadalupe Kasper with 1,996 and Bob Schneider with 1,883. Mike Martin, who is white, said he didn't realize an article he read. If elected, I will always be working for Wilson. 610-670-0180 Martin said Thursday that he does not plan to resign. Nov 15, 2021 Updated Dec 29, 2021 0 SPRING TWP., Pa. After months of hearing concerns and objections from parents, the Wilson School Board voted 7-2 Monday night to adopt an equity policy.. At the end of the Wilson School Board meeting held on Monday, November 7, 2022, a board member made a series of comments that were not representative of the views of our other eight board members, our superintendent and our district leadership team, it reads. "The views he has espoused are not only mean-spirited, but they are also wrong and potentially very dangerous," Buckley said. At the June Regular Session Board of Education meeting, the 2023 Spring Sports Athletes were recognized by the Board. The reorganization meeting of the Wilson School Board was called to order at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, December 5, 2016 in the Board/Staff Development Room of the Administration Building by . I didnt get a chance to really explain that because it kind of turned into a not so good meeting, he said. In his . I did a horrible job trying to explain it. He said he also plans to meet with a Black family from the district, saying he needs them to tell him what to do to fix the situation. After reading the article at the Nov. 7 board meeting, Martin said Wilson staff are afraid to discipline a group because it might offend them, and attempted to tie the article in with a call for more accountability toward student discipline. I am a proponent of transparency and seek to welcome all to the table for a viable conversation about the future of our students in our district and how we can all be partners in their future success. That means showing the taxpayers who fund us that we will make smart decisions with their money. I have volunteered extensively within Wilson and have personal relationships with teachers, staff and administrators. Thank you.". Uploaded by web pages We are dedicated to keeping the Wilson School Board accountable to the parents of the district by providing current updates to the activities of the board that affect your student(s). Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Response 2: School safety and security is one challenge facing the school district, which involves not only the physical environment of the schools but also the safety and security of students and staff. I feel a responsibility to be a part of creating an excellent educational experience for them and all of the children in our community, so that they may graduate feeling confident and prepared to enter the workforce or continue to enhance their skills at the collegiate level. Grades 11-12: 395 Lyme Street, Hartford CT 06112 - (860)695-1011. We reject the comments that were made as inappropriate, hurtful and unacceptable, the statement said in part. Over the last few years, I have observed an increasing divide in our community. "Do the right thing for this district and its students so that all may begin to heal from the harm he caused.". We are all part of the same community and should seek consensus on the majority of educational goals. Martin read the article, which complained that Black people got unreasonably offended when asked to pull up their pants or turn down their music, among other things, when asked for additional comments after he was asked by another board member, who was also white, to apologize for threatening to beat up the parents of transgender children at a previous meeting. Translation services are available at each school and at the Central Office. burlau@wilsonsd.org, John Miravich Esq., Solicitor, (non-voting) Keith Dmochowski started at the Reading Eagle in 2017 as a freelancer covering local government. "I know some people think Im a closet racist and I have to live with that. The most pressing issue, though, would have to be controlling spending and fiscal responsibility. schrob@wilsonsd.org, Sean McCrae, Treasurer I really did not think I was being racist, Martin told the newspaper. I apologize for how it came across. In fact, they came immediately following a discussion over comments Martin made at a meeting last month that some board members found to be anti-transgender and threatening. Here's what Wilson School Board member Mike Martin said, as reported by Reading Eagle: He begins by reading from an article he says he found online, making clear they are not his own words.. Sep 7, 2021 Updated Dec 29, 2021 0 SPRING TWP., Pa. The Wilson School Board on Tuesday night heard from several community members who asked for a resolution to be adopted to eliminate. Another board member questioned why Martin would bring the article to a board meeting to read, and the superintendent pushed back on Martins overall argument that bad behavior is rampant in the schools and that nothing is being done about it. Im really sorry that this thing blossomed into what it manifested into. Bernard McCree rejected Martins apology, saying he was alarmed, incensed, outraged and quite livid, when his grandchildren, who attend Wilson, told him about the article Martin read. Im sure Im not going to get through this unscathed.. "We categorically reject the statements made last week as inappropriate, hurtful and unacceptable, and we are committed to creating a community where everyone feels safe, valued and appreciated for their unique contributions.". I have been involved in education for the past 26 years, serving as a teacher, principal and school board member. "I should tell you when I was at the FBI and the general counsel, you did not lightly make a call to a tech company to alert them to an issue," he explained. It violates a law passed in 2015 in California that bars law enforcement from sharing automated license plate reader (ALPR) data with out-of-state authorities. I really did not think I was being racist, he said in a phone interview Thursday. LaunchDM Prior to public comments, Martin was permitted to make a statement. That condemnation was made official with the school boards 8-0 vote Monday to censure Martin and request his resignation. The data could be used by states seeking to prosecute people for crossing state lines to seek the procedure. Inquiries concerning the American with Disabilities Act, Title VI or Title IX of the Civil Rights Acts, Section 504 and IDEA should be directed to Rebecca Owens at (615) 444-3282. We need to do a better job in allocating resources to support more in-class assistance that directly impacts and supports the teacher in the classroom. There was a problem saving your notification. IN OTHER NEWS: Cranky Trump lying low at Mar-a-Lago as guests arrive for his daughters wedding: report, "I think sometimes we're afraid to discipline a group because of the recourse or their position or it might offend them, and I think that brings problems that I know that we've been talking about, you know, rowdiness in classrooms and discipline in classrooms because we're afraid to take that next step," he said, after finishing the piece purportedly written by a Black man. I think we need to start addressing those issues in a more formidable way versus just trying to accommodate because of the certain situations or their upbringing, he said. Kocher, the board president, speaking calmly and clearly, rebuffed Martins comments immediately after he finished speaking, calling them utterly offensive and racist.. "Your site is amazing. Question 1: Why are you the best candidate for this position? To watch the meeting, you can access the link here. (Watch video of last week's meeting, where the remarks in question begin at 2:31:45.). Response 2: Daily, our district faces challenges, and I believe that one item found lacking and in need of change is a willingness to look at all ideas, opinions and data from a variety of sources, including all those who make up the district community. Things have not been the same at Wilson, but how would Mr. Martin know this? Hoffman said. Wilson needs directors with diverse experience, strong leadership skills and the ability to advocate locally and in Harrisburg. From struggles with transparency between the district and the community to addressing discipline problems in our schools, there is no shortage of challenges that require attention. ", Copyright 2023 Raw Story Media, Inc. PO Box 21050, Washington, D.C. 20009 | This is a way for me to give back to a community of which I value being a long-time member. SPRING TWP., Pa. The Wilson School Board voted 8-0 at a special meeting Monday night to censure board member Michael Martin and request his resignation. The board then voted to censure Martin, removing him from his position as treasurer and barring him from participating in board committees. Politics have no place on the school board and I am running to keep it that way. We do not accept or condone any hateful or discriminatory comments about any individual or group, it reads. LaunchDM, 2022-2023 Wilson School Board Meeting and Board Work Session Schedule. Wood is not the only Trump lawyer facing potential disbarment, as attorney John Eastman, the author of the infamous so-called "coup memo" that outlined how Vice President Mike Pence could block the certification of President Joe Biden's victory, is currently facing the prospect of disbarment in California. Other students and parents shared tearful accounts of their own struggles against harmful racial or gender stereotypes and said Martins statements damaged their pride in the Wilson community. The District 1 . It is also our responsibility to show our children what fiscal responsibility looks like. Martin, an incumbent, was the only candidate not to receive a nomination on either Democratic or Republican side. Wilson School Board Committee Meetings 2021/2022 . It violates the 2015 law. Error! It applies to everybody. "So they just take that information, and they make their independent decision about what to do," Weissmann explained. He hasnt walked the halls to see students walking with their heads down or sat in class to hear (students say), Why does it matter anymore, Im just a thug., During a public comment period that lasted over two hours, Hoffman and other students, along with school officials, teachers, parents and community members forcefully rejected the contents of an article read by Martin at a previous school board meeting claiming Black people react ignorantly and act primitively.. I assess risks and rewards, analyze complex information and determine a course of action driven by results. Not only did it feel like an attack on me, it felt like an attack on everyone who is African American in the school district, said Makih Cooper, a high school student. Hoffman was one of dozens who spoke powerfully at a special school board meeting Monday night when a crowd of hundreds met in an outpouring of condemnation against racist comments made last week by Wilson School Board member Mike Martin. School board members serve four-year terms, unless otherwise denoted. What about those that simply got offended and made conscious choices to work against their own people?, The article goes on to claim that Blacks get offended for petty reasons, and respond poorly when they get called out for what they did wrong., If you dont believe me, ask a young thug politely to pull up his pants and watch how he looks in response, Martin read. No public comment requests will be honored after the start of the meeting. If I was a Black person, I dont know how I would feel (about the article), Martin said. I think I deserve discipline, Martin said. My background in compliance in the financial industry has prepared me to look at things in a logical objective way. Response 1: During my first term serving this district (2019-2023), I have come to learn the many challenges public education has to navigate. We learned how critical the educational system is to our community. 69 News Nov 14, 2022 SPRING TWP., Pa. The Wilson School Board in Berks County will hold a special meeting Monday night to address a member's race-related comments. A major challenge facing Wilson and other districts is the influence of highly partisan national groups giving large donations to local candidates to push agendas. Track and Field: Clayton High. Incumbents are denoted with an asterisk. "You also didn't ask them to do anything. I am a quick learner with the necessary level-headed mindset to be a school board director. Here are their responses: Occupation: Director of financial aid services at Kutztown University. Finally, great teachers know what it takes to make their classrooms successful. Editors note: This story was updated on June 7 to reflect the certified election results. Thank you thank you Mike Martin!!! And it comes to discipline within our schools.. You don't have the power to do that. This week a student-created petition requesting that Martin resign has been passed around the school.
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