Newly-elected West Bend School Board member, who ran as a conservative, is anti-choice.
“I am concerned that it is going to reduce the amount of programs and quality of the public schools,” said Tiffany Larson, West Bend School Board member. “I want public tax dollars used for public schools,” she said.
This is noteworthy because I don’t believe it is something she revealed when running for office. School Choice was addressed at more than one candidate forum. She did not indicate her opposition at the one I attended and I can’t find any indication that she did in the reports of the others. And when I interviewed her, I specifically asked her about School Choice. She said that School Choice worked for Milwaukee and didn’t express any opposition to it for West Bend.
Yet, here she is with a pretty standard liberal stance against School Choice.
On another note, the news story itself is quite skewed. It’s the story of a private grade school in Jackson joining the Wisconsin School Choice Program. In the article, the reporter manages to find three people to quote who oppose school choice (Larson, Tanya Lohr, and Paul Nelson), but not a single person who supports School Choice. That’s interesting in a community that has shown significant support for School Choice for years.
That’s disappointing.
Yet another liberal against choice.
Liberals only seem to support choice these days when it comes to exterminating the preborn.
Maybe liberals would change their mind if a free abortion coupon was attached to the school voucher.
These liberals should listen to this series:
http://newstalk1130.iheart.com/onair/common-sense-central-37717/blood-on-the-blackboard-violence-against-14779705/
If we actually cared about kids, public school would only be 1 choice among many schools with a voucher. Public schools should have to compete to get funding through a voucher.
Dear Owen,
Allow me to refresh your memory. Remember you commented on a KML notebook I carried to the Dunn’s Bros interview from a recent tour I took with my daughter? Remember how I said if we chose KML I would never expect the public to pay for my daughter’s private religious education? Remember how I said that as a Christian I could certainly rationalize school choice as I would like all children to know the love of Christ? You labeled me as a liberal in that article. Patty Strachota reassured me that you labeled her a liberal as well, and not to worry, you do that to all moderates. I took her advice to heart and am comfortable with my moderate beliefs. I won the election because I listened to all opinions, it is an honor to serve all. I won the election not as a conservative…not as a liberal….but as a mom, business owner, and supporter of our fantastic public schools. Cheers to you and your blog. Enjoy summer with your family. Tiffany
Thanks for commenting, Tiffany. I remember that exchange well. I also remember asking you if you supported school choice and you responding that it worked for Milwaukee and you didn’t see a problem with it. Your current position is contrary to that stance.
I appreciate that you are comfortable being a moderate. I’m less concerned with the label than I am with your newly-disclosed blanket opposition to school choice. That is not something you made clear during the campaign as Jenn Donath did. At least she was up front about her opposition. I respect her for that.
The good news is that, as a school board member, you don’t have any say in school choice or how it functions. It is merely an important education policy issue about which we are in stark disagreement.
Tiffany,
I appreciate your comments as well.
However, when you say:
“Remember how I said if we chose KML I would never expect the public to pay for my daughter’s private religious education.”
When it comes to public school we should then expect the public to pay for a godlesss, valueless, secular humanist education?
The part that falls through the cracks for me in your statement is: public school has an established religion. Secular humanism, which is a disasterous religion for many of our kids, and has many dire consequences, especially when it comes to morality.
The conservative position on school choice is the one I actually followed .
Want a private education for yourself or your kids , pay for it yourself !
Thank you for your comments and perspectives. I am grateful we live in a country that we can exchange ideas with ease and transparency, particularly ideas about a mutual value like education. Enjoy the weekend.
So thankful we finally have a school board member that is able to rise above! Thank YOU Tiffany Larson!!!
Mark,
I feel the same way about your secular humanist religion in public school, stop funding it!
…or fund all religious schools equally.
Kev,
Public schools should have no discussion of the magical thinking of any religions.
If you want them schooled in your version of the 10,000 religions that have been on the planet , pay for it .
Mark,
Evolution theory religion and Big Bang theory religion is magical thinking as well. The idea everything came from nothing without a divine being is far more magical than Christianity.
It means man must be a god. A very dangerous religion indeed.
So stop it with your magical thinking retort, when you hold the most magical beliefs among us.
Kev,
Your retort is called “the God of the Gaps ” theory
Science readily admits what it doesn’t understand , yet .
Religion begins with the magical thought that they know what their God thinks based upon Bronze Age writings and their own magical insights .
Religion is the definition of man made none sense
In your own case , you are an atheist when it comes to the other 9,999 + religions , beleiving Only your own finely tuned insights
That means that 99% of all the folks who ever lived on the planet were / are wrong and
End up in the hell that magically appeared in the NT ( not in the OT )
Science can’t define the first cause , but it will keep trying . When you start with the answers , the questions don’t really matter
Mark:
Great post. Keep his toes to the fire.
kev:
I agree with your statement: “fund all religious schools equally”, = $ 0..
Mark,
Your “gap” in understanding requires faith. In other word, religion.
I appreciate your admission of the public school religion.
I’m with Baldy. Let’s zero all public school funding. Give all kids voucher for any school, and public school religion can compete with all other religious schools for voucher.
kev:
That is not what I said. I say we do not publicly fund any religious school. Comprehension really is your weak point.
Shut your fucking bible thumping mouth Kevin.
Once again the cowardly name-stealers are out and about. I did not post the 12:57PM comment under my nom de plume.
Baldy,
So you are saying your bleak Nihilist view, we are all dust in end, life is absurd, should be what public schools should embrace?
Why is that NOT a religion?
How is it not an awful, discouraging, destructive religion to our youth?
kev:
You are making stuff up once again. You must have been up late reading more of “Kevins Book of Made-Up Stuff”.
The only thing I implied is that we all end up in the same place at the end of the day. You made the rest up. That is sad. And you want to teach our youth. That is tragic.
Baldy,
You said we are all “dust in end.” Are you not implying blink into nothingness, or are you implying some type of afterlife for your soul?
If you would be clear about your religious beliefs on death, we could have an actual discussion about it.
kev:
You and I will be in the same place at the end of the day. I don’t know how much clearer I can be without painting that on your forehead.
No one has a discussion with you, they receive a lecture.
So bible thumpers and child fuckers go to the same place when they die?
Doesn’t your Jeebus know that?
Baldy,
So Hitler and Mother Theresa are in same place?
What an awful, bleak thought. No wonder public schools are messed up, teaching this religion.
Shouldn’t we fund schools with a little more spiritual hope than public schools?
You only want to fund the lowest common denominator religion, public school Nihilism?
That’s a pretty narrow world view.
kev:
Yes. Prove otherwise. But since you don’t like Mother Theresa I’m surprised you brought her up.
The rest of your post is more exaggeration and make-believe.
Baldy,
If they both receive the same consequence on death, there is no divine justice for the unrelenting evil Hitler conducted on this earth?
That is a horrible thing to teach kids. Teaches kids that evil has no consequence beyond this life, and possibly no consequence in this life.
When we stripped the spiritual out of public school, this is the default life lesson. I can’t think of anything more destructive in education.
kev:
You are getting desperate with your argument.
I can think of numerous more destructive subjects to teach kids, starting with the cult that you espouse as religion that removes the need for any critical thought.
I can to. Liberalism for one.