UGGG.
We all know that Scott Walker is in trouble. His poll numbers are tanking. His absolute love of cronyism at the expense of the Wisconsin taxpayer was perfectly defined recently. Add to that, almost daily we get stories of how Scott Walker is spending unlimited Wisconsin taxpayers money on his presidential run.
This slow descent into Scott Walker’s unemployment demanded action. So in steps one of the right wings “news”(term used loosely) divisions – Wisconsin Reporter. Of course not being very creative on the right, they went back to their old stand by — They attacked a teacher!
See while trolling left leaning blogs(hey guys :)) they came upon troll gold! They found Art teacher Kati Walsh’s blog. Someone actually dared to criticize Scott Walker.
The problem is Ms. Walsh perfectly explained the situation and context so end of story.
So the rest of the class started drawing their own cartoons and they turned very political. They have very strong feelings about Scott Walker. The cartoons started getting a little inappropriate so at this point, we stopped drawing and discussed what a political cartoon was. We also talked about how you can disagree with someone and not wish them harm. It was also important for them to understand the role art plays in sharing one’s opinion and ideas! Wow, I did not plan for THIS intense lesson with kinders through 2nd graders!
Unless you are desperate.
The Walker crew ARE desperate, so they had to create a story. This from Ryan Ekvall the original “reporter” (term used loosely).
Kati Walsh, an elementary art teacher at the Madison Metropolitan School District in July posted some of her students’ drawings of Gov. Scott Walker in jail. Walsh suggests her young Rembrandts’ ideas for their sketches popped up out of thin air.
Woodward and Bernstein he isnt.
The sad thing in today’s Wisconsin, attacking our public school teachers by the well funded Bradley machine is to be expected. What followed next is not.
Apparently deciding that a 1st grader’s artwork is newsworthy, WKOW’s Tony Galli jumped on the story!
Tony Galli, picked up on a non story to the great glee of the far right Wisconsin Reporter, and then if that was not bad enough, the ONE person that Galli opted to talk to about this was even farther to the right, former Scott Walker staffer, now communications director for Maciver Institute – Nick Novak. Apparently no one from PETA was available to give a balanced view to Macivers.
A quick look at Novak’s resume and we see that apparently , the former intern for “friends of scott walker” and regional field director for the Republican party is what passes as an education expert in Galli’s world!
Apparently looking at MMSD policy was too much of a task for Mr. Galli:
Controversial Issues
In the study of controversial issues, provision is made in the Madison Metropolitan School District for the pupil to study under competent instruction in an atmosphere as free as possible from bias and prejudice.
In the teaching of controversial issues in the Madison Metropolitan School District, the teacher:
Develops a classroom atmosphere in which pupils feel free to express opinions and to challenge ideas;
Teaches respect for the opinions of others and develops skills of critical thinking;
Chooses suitable instructional materials presenting data on varying points of view on issues being discussed;
Demonstrates through interpretations and actions rational methods of arriving at decisions;
Maintains at all times a decent respect for the dignity and worth of each individual;
Undertakes the presentation of a controversial issue to pupils only after careful study and planning;
Confers with the principal or staff specialist if there is doubt regarding the appropriateness of discussing a controversial issue;
Determines whether or not an issue raised by pupils is to be considered at the moment it arises;
Guides discussion toward constructive courses of action available within our framework of values;
Keeps in mind that the teacher’s position is as a moderator and participant in the classroom forum; and
Withholds the expression of personal opinion unless asked a direct question.
Then of course continue to read the policy and you come upon this.
The BUILDING PRINCIPAL shall:
Approve the use of resource persons in the school;
Handle complaints concerning controversial issues; and
Consult with other PRINCIPALS in an effort to be consistent.
Apparently they left line item d. out of their policy
Mr. Galli, I am sure you are busy checking Breitbardt’s site for your next story, and too busy to do any actual reporting here, so let me help you.
Here is the contact information for the members of the Madison Metropolitan School District, who would have been much ore relevant to talk to than Brian Fraley’s cabana boy.
One last piece of advice. Saying she signed the recall petition is relevant how? You might as well add what color shirt she was wearing that day because it holds the same relevance!
Isthmus once called Tony Galli – “Far and away, Tony Galli is the best investigative journalist in town,”. O how the might have fallen.
Finally Mr. Galli, if you want to cover some more work done by elementary kids let me know. I will offer up my kids homework for you to report on. She just got a “super job” on her math sheet and if you look real close, the Apple sticker her teacher placed on her sheet kind of looks like Andre Jacque. You have my permission to run it to Nick Novak and get his expert opinion!
Someone is certainly all wee wee’d up. Hey brainiac – take a poll and see how many 5 – 7 year olds draw with quotation marks, or exclamation points. Really honey – who are you trying to fool here?
You like the teachers explanation but it’s evident by the drawings she is a liar. Sorry to be so blunt. While I don’t begrudge her political views – I take exception with the cowardice it would take to hang her trash on the shoulders of such young children. You really shouldn’t let your anger and bitterness blind you to the abuse of our young people.
On the up side – all reports indicate that WI is on the road to recovery so I’m not quite sure what you’re crying about.
A word of advice … never say “we all know” unless of course you know everyone included in the “we”. and it would appear that the teacher attacked the children. No one asked her to lie.
It appears her supposedly politically activist students don’t stop with jailing and torturing Scott Walker. Apparently they are Anti-war, pro-obamacare, 99%ers, gun control advocates, anti voter ID and more. It appears she has been indoctrinating her students for well over a year based on the date stamps on these photos of artwork she tweeted. http://twitpic.com/photos/WIartteacher?page=1
Thanks for teeing me up, because I am assuming you arent serious.
1. No one anywhere said a thing about torturing Scott Walker, just wanting him unemployed. I would say though, that the biggest way to torture walker, would be to have him stay in Wi and actually work instead of touring the country fundraising. No one wants that!
2. Do you really think that the only place a kid would get a an “anti -war” message would be from their art teacher? that assumes that they do not have parents, other influencers, clergy or common sense on their side.
You might be teaching your kids “pro” war but im guessing your one of the few.
3. thanks for admitting that wanting people to have healthcare is the same as being pro obamacare and on the flip side, against obamacare is against people having healthcare.
4. im guessing you are also a 99% er
5. See #1 .
6. anti voter id. common sense reigns.
7. please come back with something of substance in your next comment. Thanks!
I was referring to the fact that she has led her students into drawing politically biased drawings previously…systematically as the time stamps on the drawings from her students clearly show. She had stated that THIS occasion was an impromptu one and it clearly is not. I never said that you said you wanted to torture Scott Walker although your coming to that conclusion was a torturous interpretation of the English language.
As far as substance? I presented some factual evidence for people to peruse and come to their own conclusions. Just because you agree with the teachers leftist political proclivities does not make what she is doing right. In fact what she is doing is breaking the rules in nearly every school district in the nation…outside of Madistan and quite possibly even there. We shall see.
Her drawings that the Captain Ekvall highlighted were not crossing the line, nor were they wrong, Nor were they anyones business but hers, her students and their parents.
You did NOT present factual evidence you provided a very weak version of hearsay.
In reality, if you read the post instead of came here to spread propaganda, shows that she is very much following policy.
I get that its so much easier to attack an elementary teacher than defend your own actions, but these arent the old days where no one fought back.
your wrong here, your wrong in your other post and your “evidence” is NOTHING.
Follow this story it has abetter chance of succeeding:
if you want to cover some more work done by elementary kids let me know.
I will offer up my kids homework for you to report on. She just got a
“super job” on her math sheet and if you look real close, the Apple
sticker her teacher placed on her sheet kind of looks like Andre Jacque. You have my permission to run it to Nick Novak and get his expert opinion!
Grammar, Jeff. It is “You’re wrong here, you’re wrong in your other post … ” You’re a school board member? BTW: merely citing school district policy is not exculpatory — it is not proof that the policy wasn’t violated.
Actually, she did follow policy to a T, so there is no story here. However, we need to ask Nick Novak, since he seems to be the final authority.
She should be removed. She has no business coming near young children. It’s a sick mind that does this sort of thing. She will only get worse with age.