Embarrassing Extremists
Geauga County Planning Commission has issued what has to be one of the most bizarre extremist letters on record.
With foolish and specious reasoning, they’re encouraging the county commissioners to reject the return of transportation tax dollars already paid by Geauga citizens.
An organization called the Northeast Ohio Coordinating Agency (NOACA) distributes these already collected tax funds for projects. If Geauga County were to opt out, the money would not return to us in Geauga. The money would simply be distributed to the surrounding counties. We would lose thousands of dollars annually.
Sadly, an extreme group is willing to throw away our tax money because of a radical ideology. At a public meeting in Middlefield on Jan. 10, hosted by NOACA, one planning commission member jumped up at the beginning of the meeting and hollered “we need for NOACA to get the hell out of Geauga County.” The disruptive behaviors, including jeering and name-calling throughout the meeting made it impossible to listen to the presentation.
These behaviors were shameful. But the most shameful of all occurred at the end of the Middlefield meeting.
After the meeting, it was deemed necessary for law enforcement escort the NOACA presenters safely to their cars.
We can only hope that the county commissioners will ignore this group who embarrass Geauga County and throw away our tax dollars simply in service of their strange ideology.
David Partington
Munson Township
Inaccurate, Unsupported Statements
Mrs. Byler’s letter to the editor, “It’s Time for Parents to Fight,” from Jan. 5 raises a few issues that need a response.
First item: There is an “ongoing attack on . . . a schoolboard member because he was concerned about dress code not being followed.” This statement is simply inaccurate. The dress code is now and has always been enforced at Chardon Schools. That’s not to say that students don’t test the dress code — they always have — and sometimes they escape penalty for it, but that is far different from the assumption there is no enforcement.
Fortunately, our administration’s first priority is to keep kids in school, so a first response is to have students put on a flannel shirt or a pair of sweats and get back to class. If the infraction continues, the level of enforcement is increased. But, the dress code is — and has always been — enforced in Chardon Schools.
As far as the “ongoing attack” on the board member, that is also not accurate. The board member in question has created controversy and division, and people who disagree with his tactics have spoken up.
Next item: Byler’s assertion the school board is averse to upholding “good moral standards.” Are the personal morals of board members actually being questioned here? Or is it the morals of school personnel?
Later she argues that parents’ concerns are being “ridiculed.” By whom? When did this happen? Whose moral standards will we set as our guide? And how will these standards be enforced?
It seems that parents and schools would best benefit by working together to solve problems instead of making accusations and creating doubt. Mrs. Byler questions “morality,” but doesn’t give any concrete evidence of lack thereof, just vague references that lead to fears and further doubts.
At the end of her letter, Mrs. Byler says, “We all know adult children who no longer speak to their parents . . . Because there comes a time when parents stop placating every demand from their children. We need to get back to parenting.”
Is Mrs. Byler actually advocating that we “parent” our children to the point that they (as adults) no longer speak to us? Is that the way to avoid the moral decay she talks about? At best it’s a confusing argument.
Our schools are charged with our most precious possessions: the children of our community. They come from loving families, but also from families with all kinds of problems that can include illness, alcoholism and divorce, among many other things. Schools work to meet the needs of all of these students and all of their different problems. These are ongoing issues that are not easily solved, but have been dropped on public schools along with feeding hungry kids, providing transportation and counseling their mental health.
In the last 2-3 years, public schools have been bombarded with people suddenly questioning curriculum, books and teachers themselves. Most Chardon teachers have master’s degrees and all of them, by law, must continue their education.
Chardon Schools are educationally in the top 10% of all schools in Ohio. Yet, when they are called “experts” by a board member, their competence is called into question. Chardon has already lost excellent teachers who have simply had enough.
Teachers are exhausted and our state legislature is creating legislation that would take their licenses if they teach “divisive concepts.” Teachers are leaving the profession and college students are not entering the field. A real shortage is already here — and yet — instead of supporting our schools and teachers, too many people continue to attack them.
Board members who work to create trust and support of the educational community are what we need, not people who try to mandate their personal morals and create issues where there are none.
Children are born to love and be loved; as they grow, they will push boundaries. How else do they find the boundaries they need to live and be part of society as mature adults?
Children are born curious and want to learn; they need to explore.
Children are capable of making wise decisions; they need to be aware of options and choices.
Children need to know history, science and literature; as they grapple with complex issues, they learn to find answers not only for themselves, but hopefully for a better future for all of us.
Children need to explore controversial, age-appropriate topics; then they can come to their parents and educators for discussion and clarification.
Children need schools where they can learn from other children from different backgrounds and cultures; then they will learn to appreciate and respect differences.
Children need kind and gentle adults in their lives who teach them to understand the rules, but also — and most importantly — to follow their dreams.
Madelon Horvath, former Chardon teacher and board member
Rosalind Kvet, educator and proud mother of two PhD grads from Chardon
Carolyn Morrow LISW
Sally Yocum, former Chardon educator
New Board Members Needed
Did you catch the last West Geauga School Board meeting? After all the official business was completed, past board President Kathy Leavenworth brought up changing the meeting frequency to once per month and adding a “working session or what-have-you” in the second meeting’s place. She has already discussed it with Treasurer Karen Penler and current board President Ben Kotowski is eagerly on board.
While these working sessions are subject to the Ohio Open Meetings Act, they typically do not include public comment and historically have been held at 4 p.m. So here we a have a board that already has a reputation for being unresponsive, out-of-touch and secretive cutting the only public participation we have available to us in half, all while getting ready to ask us for two levies which includes $50 million to $80 million to build a new school.
Additionally, a 4 p.m. meeting will limit public attendance since so many of us work or have young children at home. One has to ask themselves, “Why now?” Would it not be prudent to keep the public involved when such important decisions are being made?
Could this change have been suggested because they don’t want our input or so they can operate without public oversight? This would not be surprising, since most rarely answer emails and never have discussions with the public during meetings, unlike other school board meetings I have attended.
This is just more proof that we need a new board. These members don’t value those who elected them. They could not care less what we have to say or what we want. If they did, they would at least keep the status quo. If they really did, they would respond to commenters directly during meetings.
Remember this come May when they ask you to vote for a levy and again in November when three members are up for re-election.
Please take a moment and contact the board and superintendent to let them know that we want to be heard and to keep the meeting schedule as is:
Ben Kotowski, ben.kotowski@westg.org
Christina Sherwood, christina.sherwood@westg.org
Dr. William Beers, william.beers@westg.org
Mary-Michelle Coleman Walsh, mcolemanwalsh@westg.org
Kathy Leavenworth, kathy.leavenworth@westg.org
Richard Markwardt, richard.markwardt@westg.org
Anthony Zaffiro
Chester Township
Safe & Effective. Or is it?
It’s not just medical treatments. Safe & Effective might be applied to any number of today’s major issues. Public schools, the U.S. border with Mexico, Arizona elections, D.C. politics, and yet, we find ourselves broken into two camps; skeptics and those who oppose the skepticism. Analysis of such issues is taboo, if you listen to the Left, media and establishment Republicans.
We now fall into two distinct categories of people. One routinely says things like, “I’ve done my research and here are my sources, I’m open to debate.” And the other side steadfastly and adamantly refuses to discuss or debate, insisting instead that the Critical Thinker is a horrible person for challenging a person, issue or doctrine.
People who challenge school boards over lurch-to-the-left practices are billed as “domestic terrorists.” Anyone questioning Covid-19 shots, the shuttering of small businesses or mask mandates is billed as a threat to society. Trying to get to a family wedding or visit grandparents became “a danger to society” at some point. Anyone not buying into the Green New Deal are called “climate deniers.” People opposed to the antagonistic division of Critical Race Theory now called “white supremacist.” Concern over Environmental, Social, & Governance (“ESG”) became “hateful and exclusionary.” A review of the manipulative origins and foundation of Social Emotional Learning (“SEL”) makes the speaker a terrible person. Not wanting cross-dressing men reading to children became “anti-LGBTQ.” And the list goes on. Those who apprise themselves of facts and circumstances, and their rights are now fair game, it seems, for attacks of all sorts.
This trend is not Democrat or Republican, it is a fundamental doctrine of what I call “Leftism,” and it’s not contained in any one country or region. This sudden onset dumbing-down has hit the world in virtually all walks of life, roughly overnight. Questioning what we are told is Strictly Forbidden!
On my way into a Geauga County Republican Party Central Committee meeting yesterday, 7 Jan. 2023, an established member of the Republican Party loudly criticized me for suggesting that she should think for herself. She is my elder, by probably 30 years, yet her purpose in scolding me was clear; we should not expect our colleagues to apply Critical Thinking or challenge whatever we may be told. Free will and individual accountability should be shunned, was the message I got from her. We should, she was prepared to insist, not apply ourselves. Do not learn the rules or laws, don’t study the bylaws, don’t assert your rights, just follow orders and someone will tell you when you should rubber-stamp. Do not, in other words, trust your eyes and ears, but instead proceed in unthinking fashion.
I’ve seen this before — school boards, where truth and investigation seem to have no place.
But a great and interesting thing is happening. That trend is reversing. Caring people are signing up for school boards and Critical Thinking is making a resurgence in places like your local Central Committee.
Jonathan Broadbent
Newbury Township
On The Job
Chesterland Police Chief Craig Young is on the job.
This is a really tough time to serve in law enforcement. I’m proud of Chesterland residents and the support they give to our first responders, police, fire, EMS and the service department.
And I want to commend Chief Young for the above and beyond job he is doing for us. This past year, he made a really great move by hiring Jeffrey A. Sherwood. Law enforcement professionals tell me it takes two years, sometimes longer, to hire seasoned, highly skilled police officers. Sherwood is a great and welcomed addition to the Chester Township Police Department.
Not many communities enjoy the safety and support that we receive from Chief Young and his team. We appreciate them and feel truly blessed.
Judy K. Zamlen-Spotts
Chester Township
Get Out of NOACA
RE: NOACA meeting at Middlefield Library. I did not see our County Commissioners at the meeting last night (Jan. 10). This was disappointing.
Geauga residents were openly dismissive toward NOACA, as we should be. They are operating way outside their mandate. They are supposed to make decisions about how to apply our tax money to transportation projects. But their climate action plan is nothing but redistribution of our tax money into Cuyahoga nonsense projects.
Our county is woefully underrepresented on the NOACA board. With only three voting members on a board of four dozen people, there is no hope of effective representation.
I hope our Commissioners understand we want out of NOACA. Geauga residents do not accept unscientific climate panic and “equity” as an excuse for NOACA to usurp the duties of our duly elected representatives.
Commissioners need to stand up for Geauga and pursue a plan to untether us from the money-sucking greed of the Cuyahoga Equity Endeavor known as NOACA.
Tiffanie Broadbent
Newbury Township
