McHenry County Blog

Aren't referendum activities on school time (at taxpayer expense)illegal?
 

YES!!! Such activities generally violate election interference statutes and the attorney general's model ethics ordinance. BUT, law enforcement will do nothing if no one complains. Someone from the district (ideally a parent whose kid is subjected to this) needs to complain to the Kane County state's attorney, and probably Lisa Madigan as well.
 

Where are the parents how come they are not up in arms about this? They should be demanding that District 300 and the school board stop using their children as political pawns.

Man this is a far cry from the 60's when people bucked the establishment. What does this tell you about what schools are teaching our children about the history of this country?

How can parents sit by and let a government control and manipulate them? I often wonder how the holocaust happened how come people did not speak up. Now I guess I can see why. Some people will just let the government and government schools walk all over them.
 

I am the one who sent that email. I am a student from H.D. Jacobs H.S. in Algonquin. I am a sophomore, a very dedicated sophomore, who has worked as hard as I can to get students organized in keeping their future a bright one.

That email was an email sent from my co-chair of the student effort. This message was written for the students, BY STUDENTS!!

I hold the meetings on the students free time, our flex period. During that time, students can do anything they would like. Anything they would like does not mean fights, it means just time to relax, eat, do homework, or attend meetings that I am holding.

I am a student that knows the truth, and is willing to fight for it. This action is MY CHOICE!!

I just thought that all of you should know that, since you all have misunderstood the email and it's origin.

The other thing I would like to clear up is the passes. Meetings for all the clubs are held during flex, and do you know why? Because it is the student's free time to do as they wish.(appropriately)

These other meetings have point systems, which you may lose points on if you are not at the meeting. For students who wish to attend my meetings on days of other meetings, I will write passes stating that they missed the other meeting for mine.

I hope this clears a lot of things up.
Please feel free to contact me!

bishofusa@netscape.net
(847) 426-8241

-Matt Bishop
Student Leader from Jacobs
 

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This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
 

I just got off the telephone with Mr.Bregy, Jacobs High School Principal. Clarification: The announcement was written by a sophomore student for students regarding meetings during their lunch break. Passes were given to students so they could attend the meeting so students would be excused from other club lunch meetings, not academic classes. There was no loss of instructional time at any time. THIS IS A STUDENT MOVEMENT FOR STUDENTS!!!
 

Our son is Matt Bishop, the H.D. Jacob's student who sent the e-mail to his fellow classmates about the referendum.

As his parents, we are best qualified to give our opinion in response to the Peschke's question as posted which was, "Where are the parents and how come they are not up in arms about this?"

I can tell you without any hesitation that his parents are right behind him supporting his efforts 110%. Matt is a person who is very strong in his convictions as it relates to education and his love of music. Matt has a genuine appreciation for his teachers and the programs that they work very hard on to share with all of us. In fact, if he decides to become a music teacher, it wouldn't surprise me at all due in part to the positive influence of all his teachers.

Just to clarify a very important point, he took it upon himself to rally together with other students to "do something" to save the programs they all love and benefit from, in spite of the fact that "adult organized anti-referendum groups" mock their teachers and attempt to diminish the value of their programs. Although we support him, Matt made the decision to define his mission to help save the programs and he alone deserves all the credit for his decision.

During a time when we read about teens killed in car crashes from driving drunk at the age of 16 and hearing stories about kids dropping out of school so they can attend drug rehab clinics - I'm certain that we are OK with our son rallying students together to save programs that offer a direct benefit to students and a direct benefit to our community. We gave Matt moral values, an introduction to music and taught him the difference between right and wrong - Matt is responsible for his own passion centered around what he believes in. We are both very proud of him.

Jim and Cathy Peschke - I have been to the meetings where you and others present anti-referendum information. I have heard your group make negative remarks about teachers. I have heard your group threaten to have people removed from meetings who don't agree with the things you say. I have seen the data that your group presents to "attempt" to support your claims. With all due respect, you should all be ashamed of yourselves for the analogies you use and the inflamatory comments that you make. You may have had good intentions at one point, but I can assure you they are not evident at all in your presentations. (As I understand it, the meetings were recorded on audio tape so if anyone doesn't believe what I am saying, I would suggest you contact Jack Roeser who sponsored the meetings at Otto Engineering to get copies of the entire tapes - not bits and pieces of selected quotes. While you are at it, ask why they had their lawyer at the meetings.)

What amazes me so much about the anti-referendum groups is that there are so many other fights out there to fight as it relates to rising costs instead of driving a wedge into education related referendums. Why don't you lobby health care insurance carriers - our insurance premiums went up and I didn't even get a chance to vote on that. Why don't you lobby Springfield so that school districts get a bigger piece of the tax pie - we wouldn't even need a referendum then. Why don't you go to corporations like Sears and ask them to pay property taxes like everyone else - I never agreed to any TIF program giving them a multi-million dollar tax break for years to come. But, I think I know the reason why you don't fight those battles. With those fights you would have to "take on" big grown ups who don't send e-mails out during their lunch hour at school to stand up for what they believe in. They might actually force you to participate in a moderated forum where people actually have to present facts that can be disputed by reliable sources. You are right, you and your fellow business tycoons have a much better chance of winning fights against kids, their teachers and other supporting parents. That must make you proud.

The simple fact that you and your groups always forget to realize is this: No matter how much the referendum costs and whether it should be 55 cents or 5.5 cents - the purpose is to maintain and improve the education offered in District 300 - plain and simple. The money is to be used for education within the district.

Our community will vote on March 21st as it relates to the referendum. As adults living in District 300, we will have a chance to vote at the polls. Our son, daughter and many other kids who want all the programs we promised them as part of their education in the district will not have a vote, but that doesn't mean they have to be slient. What else can they do but send out e-mails at lunch time, put up posters, knock on doors and rally kids together to help support what they believe in?

With all due respect, if you live in District 300, maybe you should just stick to casting your vote of Yes or No for the referendum and leave the students alone. I have seen their passion and believe me - you are no match for them at all.
Dave & Christine Bishop
"Matt Bishop's Parents"
 

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Mr. & Mrs. Bishop,

You certainly have a son you can be proud of. Matt sets a fine example of taking an articulate stand on an issue that is important to him. You need to lighten up though. It seemed to me as well that a teacher or staff member wrote the note in question. Things are certainly different in schools nowadays, but I remember writing passes was the privilege of teachers, not students.

The concern of most no vote advocates though, is that D300 has not proven to be good stewards of the public funds. While few can deny the recognition of the reaching of critical mass, simply throwing more money into a dysfunctional mess encourages nothing but more of the same.

Here are just a few examples:

1) Chart 21 in D300's Q&A shows that even with a successful referendum, they will return to deficit spending in FY09. Why is that?
2) As publicly stated, D300 will go to split shifts at some schools if the ed. fund referendum fails. How will this save anything if, once again by D300’s own admission, transportation costs will increase $1 million because of this?
3) Dr. Crates admitted publicly that the original financial projections that the referendum was based upon were flawed. As such, the projections were revised adding approximately $3 millon. This is nearly 3 times the amount cutting extracurriculars will save. If this were truly "for the kids" the D300 administration/BOE would have immediately reinstated these programs and they would still be approximately $1.75 million ahead of their original forecast.
4) Why did D300 just announce they will immediately be borrowing $10 million (at a cost of $100,000 plus interest)to cover expenses through the end of the year when the very existence of the $38 million working cash fund is to provide funds for that very purpose? In the words of Benjamin Franklin, "...He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing."

Unfortunately, such actions do not instill much confidence in the competency of D300's leadership. It is indeed unfortunate that our children and the good teachers in D300 may potentially pay the price for the lack of fiscal discipline on the part of their leadership.
 

Mr. Bishop at some point put the following comment on the BLOG than removed the comment.

"Dave Bishop - West Dundee said...
Price of a raffle ticket at a H.D. Jacobs football game....$1

Cost of a ticket to a District 300 musical concert....$5

Value of voting YES-YES for the referenda on March 21st and hopefully raising the property taxes Jack Roeser of Otto Engineering pays...PRICELESS

Sorry for the arrogance, but that's what the "anti-referendum" groups are all about - money. So, I thought I would express one of my thoughts in terms they can understand.

Dave Bishop
dkjbishop@sbcglobal.net"

The question is why did he remove the response?

Could it be that he's just figuring this out now - that it's just about money? That's progress. Too many of these people seem to think it has something to
do with improving the D300 schools.

How many times have we been told that Jack Roeser doesn't live in D-300 and thus has no financial consequence from a passed referendum?
Brilliant logic. Pass the referendum to screw someone you don't like because he owns property in the district. This shows how a "yes" voter uses his yes vote to harm a D-300 property owner.

This referendum is not about the children. It is about using the children and parents by threatening them with program cuts, reduce school day and split shifts. The threat whether they follow through or not is still a threat. The school district should not be using the children or their programs as political leverage. The worse part is this group is to educate and protect the children while not in parents care. Instead they use them as political leverage.

All parents whether for or against the referendum should confront the school board and say do not cut any programs even if the referendum fails. People forget that government schools exist to serve the people the people do not exist to serve government employees.

If these referenda fail and duplicate the results of February 2003 it could fail as much as 70% no and 30% yes, canceling of the programs falls squarely on the board. It is the board not the voters who will decide to cancel programs. The teacher's contract expires this year. There is no reason to balance the budget on the backs of the very children these people are to educate and protect. If they cancel the programs and cut teachers, elect a new board who will be fiscally responsible with your tax dollars. A no vote does not mean cancel programs, a no vote means you have plenty of money use it wisely.

If the school board follows through they have decided to put the interests of the employees ahead of the children they are to educate.

I will leave with this final quote. "That is the biggest lie in America. They waste money." Ben Chavis, Principal, response to public schools' complaints about money.
 

This is in response to the Bugbuster post at 12:04pm. I would certainly appreciate it if Bugbuster provided his/her real name and indicated whether or not he/she is in fact a D300 resident. I thought anonymous posts were not allowed in this blog?

In any case, here is the way I see it and why I am voting YES-YES for the referenda.

Let me start with this - I can't name a single person I know who is happy about paying taxes. Certainly, I don't know anyone who is going to the polls thinking, "I can't wait until the referenda pass so that we can pay more in taxes." The simple truth is, many people like you are clearly looking for reasons to justify a no vote for the referenda.

Well, there are plenty of groups out there headed by people who claim to be experts who don't even live in our district and who will give you an entire slide show of reasons why you shouldn't vote for the referenda. They bring in high power attorneys, CPA's, business tycoons, political party leaders and other "outsiders" to give you all the reasons that you need to vote no. They will go on and on about how there is a million dollars here and another million there. They pound their fists when they describe how they believe teachers at the top end of the scale make too much and claim that they work too little. They will get you all upset and ready to blame the school district and teachers because you aren't getting a good raise at work. It's all orchestrated to get people to find "just one" reason to vote no - and some people fall for it. Why? Because they are looking for a reason to vote no to go against what they know is the right thing to do.

Would you like to know what they don't tell you at their meetings - they don't tell you that they are NOT in a management position of running a school district. They are accountable to no entity at all except themselves. They can say what they want as long as their attorney is in the room. They express their views from the "cheap seats" as what I would classify as "arm chair quarterbacks". When they are challenged "head on" they ask you to "sit down" or "shut up and leave" (once again - all on audio tape for your listening pleasure). But that's the advantage you have when you own the building that sponsors the meeting - you get to tell people to leave if they don't agree with you.

Here is the one thing they absolutely do not present in their meetings, in print or anywhere that I know of. They have never once presented a crystal clear solution based on a sound plan. They throw out numbers here and there, but when challenged, they say "the details would have to be worked out but in general the approach would work." Although, I must admit with all honesty - I did get an answer at the first meeting that you all should be aware of.

I was at the first meeting with our son Matt. We sat through the inflamatory remarks given by Jack Roeser about teachers and then listened to a few other speakers who seemed to want to reveal the facts and interestingly distanced themselves from Jack Roeser as much as possible when confronted. However, the last person was the person who gave a solution to all our problems, his name is Jim Peschke.

After his presentation of what I would call "Teacher's Pay According To Peschke", I asked a very direct question to Jim Peschke. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. I thought it out my question very well. I reduced it to one simple statement. I gave him his one chance to "shine" and bring all his glorious wisdom to the room. I thought to myself - truly, with all the salary bashing, number crunching and lessons on national trade, surely there is a treasured secret of wisdom that would give us all a new direction with a well thought out plan. I asked this simple question (and I'll paraphrase it because I don't have the audio recording as they do). I asked, 'Then what is the solution for our district?' The room calmed waiting for an answer - and then the glorious moment came. The angels were ready to sing. The ground itself was ready to part. Then he replied: "Private Schools." (No kidding folks - if they recorded the meeting as I was told they did, it's all on tape.) That's his proposed solution for our district.

That's something everyone needs to think about very clearly before making their voting decision based on flawed, inflamatory and icomplete information distributed by anti-referendum groups who sneak in to our district, enter our homes by sending a tri-color brochure of a kid crying, sponsor meetings to try and cast doubt into the wind and hope something sticks, and then they sneak out.

Simply put, you have to decide who you are going to believe - a group of anti-referendum business tycoons who get their way in the businesses that they run, but who in many instances don't live in our district OR the people who run our district who are working very hard to improve and maintain the quality of the education our children receive in the district.

I will go on record as saying this: Although there are things that I hope change in our district during the next few years for the better - overall, I trust the District 300 Board and our administration to do the right thing for our district. As I said before, whether it's 55 cents or 5.5 cents - it's all for our district no matter how you evaluate it.

Bugbuster - as a brief response to the four questions you posed, I'll simply respond as follows since I'm simply not qualified to answer all of your questions (but I know people who are if you want to know):

If you look for bad - you will find bad.

If you look for good - you will find good.

If you listen to the anti-referendum groups, you will be mis-informed.

So, everyone (living in District 300 that is) has to ask one very simple question: Does the bad out weigh the good so much so that you are willing to interrupt the quality programs that we as a community promised to our kids?

March 21st is a very important day. I hope everyone who understands that the referenda are designed to serve one purpose only - the education of the students in our district. It's an investment that pays off in dividends that no anti-referendum group can even comprehend let alone mesaure for one very important reason - they simply can't see past their wallets.

Dave Bishop
West Dundee
dkjbishop@sbcglobal.net
 

Everyone who comments must pick a "screen name." I read other blogs where the "anons" have to be differentiated from each other by the time they post. That is what I am trying to avoid.

You will note that on every blog on which I have ever left a comment, my name is attached to the comment.

If others do not feel comfortable revealing their identity, I do not want to siffle their participation by requiring they reveal their name.
 

Mr. Bishop,

In reading both your posts, your son's and bugbusters, I offer you the following.

In contrast to your assertion that "...They have never once presented a crystal clear solution based on a sound plan...," during a December 2005 D300 Board meeting, an alternative referendum option was presented to the Board. It was recommended that they ask for 20 cents over several years rather than 55 cents all at once. D300's financial advisor agreed it was a win/win scenario for all involved. The district would collect all the funds they were looking for locally, state aid would not be reduced and property tax would not rise as steeply. Despite the endorsement of their own financial advisor, this recommendation was rejected by the D300 Board because they wanted all the money immediately.

So now under the present ballot measure, D300 will only get 35 cents/dollar collected because of the loss of 65 cents/dollar in state aid due to higher revenue collected at the local level, our children will not get as much education money in the long run and taxpayers get stuck with higher taxes than necessary. Because of D300's intent to grab the cash right away, it has now become a contentious lose/lose proposition. Such actions clearly demonstrate to me the lack of stewardship bugbuster was referring to. In fact, I found his/her examples quite thought-provoking.

I am a D300 resident who attended all three of FTN's meetings. I recall you and your son being at both the first and third meetings, not just the first as you stated. Despite your claim to the contrary, this “crystal clear solution based on a sound plan” was presented by Mr. Snow at the first meeting and available as handouts during the last two.

Unlike the D300 meetings I attended which were tightly controlled and no one from the audience was allowed to question a presenter directly, FTN's meetings allowed direct questioning after the completion of each presentation. Being at the several meetings, you will have to agree that the audience was peppered with pro-referendum backers intent on disruption and portraying FTN's speakers in a bad light--including both Doug Sibery and Nancy Zettler of Advance300. When people were told to be quiet it was because they were causing a commotion and interrupting the presentations. Despite their doing so, I do not recall anyone being asked to leave.

Lamentably, your latest post falls into a typical pattern of pro-referendum supporters when posed with questions that make sense--deny, decry, dismiss and insult. Vote as you will, but to me this is a no-brainer.
 

John ?,

I'll respond to your post directed to me.

First of all and to set the record straight, my son and I attended two of the three anti-referendum meetings sponsored by Jack Roeser at Otto Engineering. (The first meeting and the third meeting.) I never indicated that I only attended one meeting and have no reason to suggest that. I do not understand your point?

I am also aware of alternate referendums proposed by Larry Snow and I believe by Tony Quagliano. But that is not a crystal clear solution - that is simply a referendum of a different configuration. When I asked my question, 'Then what is the solution for our district?' This was after the presenters from the anti-referendum group showed all their slides trying to show why the district supposedly doesn't need money. So after a presentation like that to show no money is needed, they evolve into an alternate referendum configuration showing how the district can get the money they need with a referendum? It was very contradictory and it was certainly not a crystal clear solution by any stretch. Does the anti-referendum group believe that the district needs money or not?

I admit that the D300 meetings were in fact more tightly controlled so that questions were submitted in writing. However, I believe there was a very good reason they took that approach. The anti-referendum meetings I attended probably had around 40-50 people. I was at the Jacob's D300 meeting and there were probably at least 300 people there. I thought it was handled in a professional way based on the size of the group. There were "break out" groups as well so people could ask specific questions. Which by the way, a room was made available for Jack Roeser's group based on their request, but not a single member showed up as a leader to answer questions. I would suspect they were at the meeting and left quietly after - not sure. Just out of curiosity, in what way do you think a room filled with hundreds of people should be managed when everyone has different questions?

With all due respect John, you may not have stayed for all of the meetings as late as I did. At the third meeting there was a teacher who stood up and wanted to make a point about teacher's salaries. She was asking her question and making a statement as well. She was specifically told by Jack Roeser from the front of the room to 'sit down and shut up or she would have to leave.' This was not the first time that statement was made to someone supporting the referendum and/or disputing facts. As I mentioned, I am not making this up since I have no reason to - if the tapes exist, you can hear it for yourself. The one I specifically remember happened at the third meeting after the last anti-referendum presenter if you are looking for a time line.

The people at Jack Roeser's meeting from Advance300 disputed claims that were made based on information that was presented as fact. They had a right to be there and contest false data. They received there invitation in the mail at their home address just like I did I assume. It was not promoted as a private event - it was a public invitation without restriction. If someone falsely presented information to the group, regardless of whether they are pro/con as it relates to the referendum, wouldn't you want it to be disputed, questioned and corrected? Wasn't the purpose of those meetings to review and question the facts?

The one point that sticks out the most in my mind was the way teacher's salaries were presented. The anti-referendum team presented their "selectively enhanced" data trying to make the claim that teachers make an average of $75K as I recall. When someone from Advance300 asked for clarification, Jim Peschke indicated something about teachers with less than four years in the school system were removed and other teachers were removed from the high end within a four year time frame. I'm sure they thought everyone would just sit still and accept that as fact. Of course the average salary would be inflated in that scenario since there are such a high count of teachers in the lower paid four year salary range. What was so interesting about his data is that right before the meeting, I had just visited Jack Roeser's site based on the web address on his invitation. His own data showed the average salary at around $46K-$48K as I recall. Of course that is false as well since that is composed of gross salary data which includes special pay for additional work such as band, sports, etc. Simply put, the data was falsely represented and it's simply a true shame that the anti-referendum teamd have to resort to such deception.

As for your comments about being a "typical pro-referendum supporter" I will accept it and I'll celebrate it on March 21st.

Dave Bishop
West Dundee
dkjbishop@sbcglobal.net
 

Mr. Bugbuster,

It seems you do not understand the whole "writing passes" ordeal. Maybe if I put it into easier terms, ones that everyone would not get confused about.

These passes are written by me to verify that a student who missed another meeting for my specified meeting, would not lose points. These meetings take place, once again, during our flex period, student free-time to do as they wish, appropriately. Let me change the word passes, to maybe notes, or a brief letter.

This "note" or "brief letter" would state the students name, the date, the reason for missing the other meeting,(in this case, it would be to attend my meeting), and then my signature showing that it was signed by me, the head of the student organization for the referendum at Jacobs H.S. I hope this clears things up for you, and others who are misreading and misunderstanding these FACTS.

These meetings I hold and passes I write DO NOT TAKE AWAY FROM CLASSTIME!!! I hope that all of you now understand what is really going on, and just back away from these stupid assumptions. You all do know the saying that goes with the word "assume", and all it's different tenses, right?

Well, I hope that you contact me if you feel you want to discuss some more on issues such as this.

Matt Bishop
Jacobs student leader
(847) 426-8241
bishofusa@netscape.net
 

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Chris _____,


To the statement that you had posted earlier, about the parents of the students to go and complain about what I am doing, which is not illegal by the way. The "kids" who are supposedly "subjected" to what I am doing, have done this out of their own free will.

Are you telling me that a parent of one of these students should complain about what their kid is involved in, and not support their decisions? What we students are involved in is not illegal, so why try to stop what your kid stands up for? Take a look at my dad, he supports me to the highest extreme, and I can't thank him enough for that.

Sadly, there are parents out there, maybe including yourself, who does not support their child unless it is something that they would do or be involved in.

What you are asking is to have a parent betray their child, and what they believe in. All that for what? So that Chris_____ can sleep better at night. No, parents should be stupportive of their kids, plain and simple.

If any of you have a problem with what I am doing, then contact me and tell me about it. Do not just post it on the blog, contact me.

From the way I read your statement, you are not even in the district. What is it about others coming into other district and trying to supposedly "fix" our "problems"?

If these so called "problems", mainly stating the referendum, are occurring all over the state, then why don't you focus on your own problems first! I am not coming into your district, trying to do things that you do want. I would like the same respect for our district.

Well, I hope this was insightful, and a lesson of what to say and what not to say.

I am not trying to sound or act disrespectful, it is that I do not like it when people try to do something that has no effect on them what-so-ever. I have had people be rude to me, and I do what I can to clarify things without sinking to that level.



Well, don't forget to vote YES-YES on March 21st, 2006.

-Matt Bishop
Jacobs student leader
(847) 426-8241
bishofusa@netscape.net