Brownback throws his staff under the bus

Great news this Monday morning--Shawnee Mission East High School has announced it will not require Emma Sullivan to apologize to Kansas Governor Brownback for her Twitter tweet last week in which she said he "sucks." Good call, East. Hopefully this directive was from the Topeka Capitol itself. This should now just go away. It was unfortunate and silly to the point of nearly stupid. Governor Brownback to a huge, negative public opinion beating for it, too, for good or ill, depending on your stance and/or political party. The great thing is that the Governor apologized. The bad news is that he made his staff the scapegoats on the matter. From The Star: "In a statement issued by his office, Brownback offered his own apology, saying his staff had 'over-reacted' to the tweet. 'Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms,' the statement says. “I also want to thank the thousands of Kansas educators who remind us daily of our liberties, as well as the values of civility and decorum. Again, I apologize for our over-reaction.'” That rather stunk. He should have just said "I apologize," period, and left it at that but whatever. The Guv should now "lay low" for a few weeks--until Christmas, I'd say--and then come out with some magnanimous declaration or something about that holiday. Between being the only governor in the nation to kill his state's arts commission and now this--seemingly against First Amendment Rights of Free Speech--he needs a "win." Good luck on that one. Link: http://pvpost.com/2011/11/28/shawnee-mission-district-issues-response-to-sullivan-tweet-situation-says-it-wont-take-action-on-matter-7800; http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/28/3290553/kansas-teen-not-required-to-issue.html

Unsolicited advice to Kansas Governor Brownback

Governor, rescind any request--whether from your office or not--for Shawnee Mission East High School student Emma Williams to apologize to you and/or your office for what you apparently perceived as her slight with her "tweet" last week. Should she have shown more respect for you or the office of Kansas Governor? Sure, that could be argued. Does this student have and deserve protection under the First Amendment of our Constitution, the one that guards our Free Speech rights? You bet she does. Besides that very important point, you also look extremely petty and even foolish--you are taking a public relations beating for it, at least nationwide, if not, as I've learned, internationally. Even the State of Kansas has taken some hits because of this. Governor, for your own benefit, let this lie--let this die a quiet, ignominious death. Contact that same Shawnee Mission East High School principal you had contacted last week and tell her to let this go. It's for your own good as well as for Free Speech and the First Amendment. Do yourself the favor, Governor. The sooner it goes away for everyone, the better. You'll be glad you did. Link: http://news.yahoo.com/teen-tweeter-wont-apologize-kan-governor-230737888.html

Great article right now on the childish Kansas Governor Brownback

I love this. Kansas Governor Sam "I'm a baby" Brownback is getting national coverage now for "tattling"--their word--on the student from Shawnee Mission High School who tweeted about him from school earlier this week: Kansas governor tattles on teen's rude tweet "The governor of Kansas faced an online trashing Friday for tattling on a teenaged girl who sent out a critical tweet during a visit to the state capitol." A huge irony in it, to me, is that Brownback "said I had created this huge controversy and everyone was up in arms about it... and now he had to do damage control." The fact is, if the Guv hadn't said or done anything about this, the story wouldn't have the "legs" it does today--no one would be writing or talking about it, the git. Unfortunately, according to the article, the school's administrators are going to waste yet more time on this Monday, too, when school reopens. Check out this quote from a spokesperson for the school: "Students may express their personal beliefs, views, and opinions, as long as they do so appropriately and in accordance with school policies." That's like saying students can say anything they want and have free speech in America--or Kansas--as long as they don't say certain things, as long as they are censored. All I can say now is, enjoy your ignominious fame, Sam, you short-sighted, free-speech-hating old Scrooge. Besides hating the arts, we now know you for hating the First Amendment of the Constitution, too. You gave this young lady and student, as well as your constituents quite an education on all these issues and how you stand on them now, huh? You pea-brain. Links: http://news.yahoo.com/kansas-governor-tattles-teens-rude-tweet-232036307.html: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/26/1039899/-Gov-Sam-Brownbacks-staff-demands-apology-from-high-school-girl-who-correctly-noted-that-he-sucks?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29; If you'd like to support the student--on Facebook--go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Emma-Sullivan/143932555713090

Seems Gov. Brownback is very thin-skinned

Did you hear about this yet? From the Wichita Eagle-Beacon: "A Kansas teenager is in trouble after mocking Gov. Sam Brownback during a mock legislative assembly for high school students. Emma Sullivan, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, was in Topeka on Monday as part of Kansas Youth in Government, a program for students interested in politics and government. During the session, in which Brownback addressed the group, Sullivan posted on her personal Twitter page: “Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot” On Tuesday, Sullivan was called to her principal’s office and told that the tweet had been flagged by someone on Brownback’s staff and reported to organizers of the Youth in Government program. The principal “laid into me about how this was unacceptable and an embarrassment,” Sullivan said. “He said I had created this huge controversy and everyone was up in arms about it … and now he had to do damage control." A couple notes on this--First, the Governor comes out looking rather silly and petty, at minimum. Second, Shawnee Mission East was my daughter's school so I'm rather happy, frankly, that it happened there. In my own way, I'm proud of and happy for the girl and school. Third, I'm glad the young lady has enough presence of mind to not take this too seriously. I mean, come on, getting dressed-down by your high school principal for tweeting about the Governor. Get real, Gov. You have far more important things to be concerned about than tweets from this high schooler. I mean, really. Don't you? To everyone else (except the Gov.), happy Thanksgiving, y'all. Link: http://www.kansas.com/2011/11/24/2114760/disparaging-tweet-about-gov-sam.html

Shawnee Mission East's "Grapes of Wrath"

 

The last thing I want to be is mean.

(Yes, I swear).

But someone needs to tell high school drama teachers that the last thing they should have their students do is put on a performance of "The Grapes of Wrath." That is, unless you want the audience to willfully go out, get or buy a gun and shoot themselves.

While a well-done production (the kids do a great job), this is painful, dark stuff, in any economy, but particularly now.

If you're up and want to come down, go see it.

If you're down and want to go further down, again, this is for you.

God bless their pea-pickin' little hearts.