Posted By: Gary Baird
Leigh,
Please refer to my previous posting: "The Case for Anonymity", on 4/19.
In your posting you say you "do not see any names" within the web site. You can see mine. Feel better? There are others. Perhaps you missed them.
I've talked to a lot of people regarding the tech bond, both pro and con. Let me tell you, the fear of retaliation is real, more so among parents with kids still in the school system. This is my first experience in local politics, and so far the only flak that has come my way has been a couple of negative comments directed at my middle school son from fellow students. If that's as bad as it gets, I think my family and I can handle it, but for some even this may be too much to risk. I've heard from others that things can get very ugly, with personal attacks, etc. I hope it doesn't, but maybe I'm being naive. Ask me again in a week, especially if the bond fails for the second time.
Can you imagine a teacher in the OSD coming out against the tech bond? How do you think that would go over, with essentially the entire administration and large number of fellow teachers being VERY public about their support for it? That teacher would keep his opinions to himself/herself, absolutely! I've talked to a fair number of teachers, although mostly out of district and/or retired, just trying to get a feel for the educator's side of the issue, and I found that the majority were not all that excited about the current direction of technology in the schools. They did not think of it as the "necessity" which is being promoted by the pro-bond crowd, however you will NOT see that opinion posted ANYWHERE with a teacher's name attached to it. Any guesses as to why?
Respectfully,
Gary Baird