Individual Liberty — Individual Responsibility 

Excerpts from a recent Superior Court Ruling

I believe I noted a few days ago that the Kent Education Association is a criminal organization. They, and the teachers that are their members, are in fact teaching an important lesson to the children of the Kent School District.

“It is undisputed that the teachers each signed contracts with the Kent School District for the 2009-2010 school year that required them to begin teaching on Aug 31, 2009. The strike is in violation of those contracts.”
– Case No. 09-2-32419-1 KNT
   MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER

So, if you live in the Kent area and you’ve seen the signs being carried by the teachers that are striking… you know the ones – the ones that say “No Contract, No School,” then you know you’re being fed a shovelful of crap by the teachers. They have a contract, and they’re violating it. The lesson for students in the Kent School District is “It’s OK to lie to the public to get what you want.”

It’s no wonder so many of today’s youth cannot be trusted. They were taught by their teachers to lie.

“The court has lawful jurisdiction over the parties. The parties do not dispute that the defendants have willfully refused to comply with the court’s September 3, 2009 Order, and that Order placed defendants on notice that failure to comply may subject them to sanctions under RCW 7.21. The defendants now are in willful violation of a court order.”

It’s no wonder the youth of today appear to respect nothing. The lesson they’re being taught seems to be “When the court tells you you must do something, it’s OK to show contempt for the law.” Judge Darvas disagrees with that lesson.

“Refusal to obey a court order is a sign of disrespect for our free institutions. It is a sign of disrespect for the Court – the very institution of government that exists to protect rights, liberties and access to justice for all people, regardless of their wealth, status or background. It is a poor example to set for the young people who are looking to their teachers as role models for how to behave in a society that is founded on the rule of law.”

Well, if there's one thing our courts have, it's the power to punish violations of law. Judge Darvas is teaching the teachers and their criminal organization an important lesson. “Mess with the courts, and it will cost you.”

“The KEA hereby is fined $1,500 per day and the teachers who have refused to comply with this Court’s September 3, 2009 Order are fined $200 per day each, for each day they fail to comply with the September 3, 2009 Order, from September 8, 2009 onward.”

“Imposition of these fines shall be suspended until Monday, September 14, and shall not take effect if the defendant teachers are prepared, available, present, and ready to teach school during regularly scheduled school hours on September 14, 2009 and on each regularly scheduled school day thereafter, and provided also that the defendants are fully in compliance with this Court’s September 3, 2009 Order as of September 14, 2009.”

Even more important than teaching that lesson, the court’s order re-emphasizes some important points. These are things I’ve said about how much concern teachers and the Kent Education Association are showing for students.

“The law is clear that teachers do not have a right to strike under Washington law. That is why this court granted the School District's request for an injunction – the strike is unlawful, and it is harming children and their families. Some 26,000 children who should be getting an education in the schools are not being educated. Children and families who rely on the schools for special services are not getting those services. Families who depend on the schools for child care during regular school hours are being forced to scramble to make alternative arrangements care and supervision of their children. High School seniors who plan to graduate next summer, and who have made or are in the process of making plans for college, have concerns over being able to graduate on time. Classified (non-teacher) employees of the District are not being paid while school is not in session. The longer the strike continues, the greater the degree of harm that is occurring.”

Perhaps this will help to make clear that these so-called “education associations” only exist to serve a political agenda and to extort more moneys from taxpayers. Is the next step jail time?

The lesson I want to teach with this post is that we need to take control of our children’s education. Leaving our children’s developing minds in the hands of criminals is not a good idea. Especially since it seems that our current educational system provides so little benefit in producing aware citizens.

Perhaps my memory fails me

It’s been known to happen. I seem to recall quite vividly the events that took place eight years ago today. I still seethe with anger when I think about them.

One thing I don’t remember is during the first seven years after that horrific act of war against our nation – on our soil – an attack similar in scope and vicious cowardice to the attack on Pearl Harbor – is a single television news network airing a replay of the events during their regular broadcast. We were told that the footage would be too “traumatic.”

Today though, eight years after, I am watching a “live” replay of the broadcast from that day on MSNBC. What’s different about this year as opposed to those other years?

One thing – the political party of “the man in power.” That hated “neo-conservative” leader of the “right” is gone and cannot benefit now from re-airing this footage. The “O” is in command now.

No, the networks and the “mainstream” cable news channels aren’t partisan at all, are they? Maybe I’m just a cynic.

It’s about time that we remember September 11, 2001 for what it was – a cowardly act of murder and war against innocent civilians. This should strengthen our resolve to fight terror with military action rather than with lawyers and judges. The business end of a gun is a much more effective deterrent to terrorism than a commuted life sentence.

The “system” only holds people for a limited time. Just look at the Lockerbie bomber. A bullet is forever. I know which one terrorists deserve. And politics has nothing to do with it.

Oh, and even as I wrote this news flashed. It seems that the U.S. Coast Guard conducted a “training exercise” in the waters near the Pentagon today. The network was careful to note that President Obama “was not in the area” at the time. Now the crawl on the screen says that the Coast Guard will “look into” the timing of this incident.

At the risk of looking like a “truther” nutjob I'll throw my two cents into the mix. We know that the media has been “in the tank” for Obama. We know that the Obama organization are masters of perceptual manipulation. Perhaps the timing of this particular event, coupled with willing allies in the media was designed to arouse public sympathy for the President at a time when his numbers are tanking – and to trivialize the events that took place eight years ago?

Perhaps I AM too cynical after all. After all, after the left’s continued accusations about the Bush administration manipulating the media and news for political ends they wouldn’t stoop that low themselves would they? Of course they would.

But then, I'm not fond of conspiracy theories. So I think I'll just attribute it all to bad timing. There’s probably no real connection between the airing of the 9/11 footage and the “training exercise” at all.

Besides, the men and women that died during the attacks on September 11, 2001 deserve better than that. We should remember them with sadness and with honor. We should remember them with a firm resolve – “Never Again!”

[Update: Appearances can be deceiving. Now it looks like the intent wasn't to replay the events “as they happened” but to replay highlights. Don't you just hate it when you draw connections too quickly? I'm sure my point was made though. After the attacks the accusations of “politicization” flew freely – and the nutjobs came out of the woodwork to accuse the government of having a hand in events. I'm certainly not making that kind of accusation – just illustrating the type that could be made were I of a similar mind.]