Same As It Ever Was

By Jeff Simpson

One thing we know about our friends on the right, especially the folks at Wisconsin Law and Liberty (WILL) is that they love to file frivolous lawsuits.   Rick Esenberg, has to justify his $200,000 + year salary(running his "non profit") by using his law degree to sue anytime a Democrat in WI sneezes. 

Now we see on White Right Wisconsin( I read it so you don't have to), that a "teacher" is joining the lawsuit to keep ACT10 since the operating engineers are trying to have it ruled unconstitutional. 

The "teacher" name is Kristi Koschkee and her argument is:

“As a public school teacher who refused union membership, the lawsuit will restrict my freedoms in the classroom,” Koschkee said in a statement released Friday. “The public unions are once again trying to use the courts to handcuff all teachers, union or not, to collective bargaining agreements. If the unions are successful, it will hurt my ability to do what I love: teach students.”

Kristi Koschkee, was much more famously known as her maiden name during the ACT10 battles of Kristi Lacroix.  LaCroix who was a teacher, then left to try and start an alternative to teachers unions(irony alert), and now is apparently teaching again.   Along the way, Ms. Lacroix also had a stint with the Knot my Wisconsin goon squad, all the while complaining about the supposed vitriol spewed at her by union supporters.   She more than fulfills her daily dose of irony! 

Now Kristi Koschkee's argument, is that by restoring collective bargaining, it will hurt her ability to teach students.  Not exactly sure how that would happen but it makes for a great line to throw red meat out to the hard core right wing base that will never be able to understand the nuance or lack of logic in her statement.   The fact that WILL can base an argument on such loose logic explains what you need to know about them also.     That is why they are known for frivolous lawsuits, they have unlimited Michael Grebe money to clog the courts. 

While I do not know when or why Kristi returned to teaching, there is something I do know for certain about her contract.  Thanks to ACT 10 that she so vocally promoted, she (and all teachers in WI) make $2000 less in base pay than they did pre Act10.

Thanks to White Right Wisconsin we know that the attacks on public education are nevereneding with a certain, well funded group in WI and we need to continue to stay vigilant.

Our kids are depending on us! 

  

 

Kristi Can't Buy Love!

By Jeff Simpson

Knotsie member and former teacher Kristi LaCroix, has left her teaching job and has become an anti union union boss.  Kristi is now an unelected boss of Association for American Educators(AAE). 

AAE is a place where you can pay dues to Kristi and get absolutely nothing in return.  What a bargain.   Now though, according to the spam email she sent out to educators in WI, you actually do get something back - a $10 gift card to Amazon. 

When you can not people to buy your snake oil, then you need to try a different way..what better than bribery? 

SPECIAL DEAL FOR WI TEACHERS JOIN TODAY!

Dear XXXX, We’re giving away $10 Amazon e-Gift cards to every new teacher in WI who joins AAE. Plus you'll be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card just in time for the holidays.   Don't wait for this offer to expire! You've heard of the great professional protection and support that Association of American Educators (AAE) provides for a fraction of the cost of other organizations, right? Well don't wait to join any longer! AAE is offering a $10 Amazon e-gift card special to all new professional members in Wisconsin who sign up online between today and next Wednesday, December 10th, 2014. To get your free gift and to be entered to win our $100 raffle, enter the code TEACHER SAVINGS in the box that asks "How did you hear about AAE" Once you become an AAE member, you will receive a $10 Amazon e-gift card as part of your membership benefits!  It's like getting almost a whole month of membership FREE but more FUN because you get to go shopping on us! Join AAE today and don't forget to use the code TEACHER SAVINGS on your application!   Best of Luck! Kristi Lacroix Association of American Educators P.S. Find out if AAE Membership is right for you! Visit us at www.aaeteachers.org/membership Hey Kristi, If you cant beat 'em, buy "em!  Quite a product you have there, I would hate to be one of your vendors!

KUSD + AFPWI = WTF?

By Jeff Simpson

The other day we brought you the story of how the right wing extremist hate group, Knot My Wisconsin, is involved in the Kenosha Unified School District's School Board race.   They are so involved that one of the candidates, Dan Wade, is actually Kristi Lacroix's father-in-law(Kristy is one of the main "knotsies"). 

That is fine, in our democratic republic, anyone with enough signatures is allowed to run and the more people who participate the better.  I just think it is important to know who these people are, since the pattern is the farther right someone is the more they tout their "independence".   However it is up to the people of Kenosha to do their homework and research and NOT vote people like this into office. 

However, no we have a very very troubling trend in Kenosha that will soon be spilling over to other districts  -  outside money!   This is not just any outside money, or outside money from a college roommate, etc...  This dirty money comes right from the despicable Koch Brothers and comes in the form of their incredibly dishonest and morally bankrupt front group - Americans for Prosperity! 

Americans for Prosperity — the conservative group funded by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch — is getting involved with the Kenosha Unified School Board race.
David Fladeboe, state director of Americans for Prosperity, said the organization has a field team working on the race, doing phone banks and canvassing in the district.
“We’re getting a feel for what the people in Kenosha are thinking and doing,” Fladeboe said. “Right now we’re doing phone surveys to figure out where people are on a number of issues.”
Four candidates are running for two seats on the School Board. Incumbent Jo Ann Taube hopes to return to the board. Also running are Mike Falkofske, Gary Kunich and Dan Wade.
Fladeboe said Americans for Prosperity is not specifically supporting any candidate. But he said the group decided to become involved in the race due to the board’s approval of new union contracts.
Taube voted to approve the contracts and is endorsed by the Kenosha Education Association, as is Falkofske. Kunich and Wade have been vocal in their opposition to the contracts and have been endorsed by the local Republican Party.
“We’ll have a team working to get out the vote,” Fladeboe said.

We know that "not specifically supporting any candidates" is a flat out LIE from Mr. Fladboe.  When Vicki Mckenna runs a fundraiser for you it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out who the candidates are that AFP-WI is campaigning for.  

As Jay Heck of Common cause says:

Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause, a Wisconsin campaign spending watchdog group, said Americans for Prosperity and other political organizations have become increasingly involved in local elections in the state, specifically in northern Wisconsin where the group has gone after opponents of a proposed iron ore mine.

But he said he had not heard of the group being involved in school board races in the state.

He called the development “very, very alarming.”

Mr. Heck goes on to add:

He said it appears to be part of an arms race in campaign spending that is seeking to have a greater influence on public policy.
“It’s a new trend. It’s now in virtually every competitive congressional and legislative race, but now it’s county supervisors and city council members. And now school board members down in Kenosha,” Heck said. “It’s the nationalization of state and local politics in Wisconsin.

Want to know more about the Charles and David Koch, the out of state billionaires that want to influence your election?   check them out here, here and here! 

As for their front group - Americans for Prosperity - They just got busted for lying about Obamacare. 

Is this the kind of group you want picking candidates for you?  Is allowing people this deceptive and morally bankrupt to influence your elections, what kind of message does this send to your children?    I also promise you that if you allow groups like AFP to start picking your School board candidates, they will NOT stop there.  They will work on influencing other school board races, and local elections, etc... 

Stop them NOW!!    Tell the out of state billionaire's to stay out of our schools.   You know they do not care a bit about your children! 

Vote FOR  Jo Ann Taube and Mike Falkofske!  

Kenosha Apocalypse

By Jeff Simpson

The Kenosha Unified School District has an important school board election coming up. 

One of the candidates is actually unelected union boss, Kristy LaCroix's father(Dan Wade)  and to make matters worse, they recently had a fundraiser where they brought in Hate radio's own shock jock Vicki Mckenna.

Who in the world would think it is a good idea to have one of the Knotsies as a school board member?   Who are the knotsies?  A very small fringe of unintelligent hate mongering hard core Scott Walker supporters.   They have no interest what so ever in making Wisconsin a better place or the Kenosha District a better school district.   They care about breaking the unions, pushing an agenda and growing their crush on Scott Walker.    The other thing about them, they are also cowards because no one will claim membership.

Luckily for us, and the people of Kenosha, they are not that smart so we can help show who these cowards are. 

       









To the people of the Kenosha Unified School District, I promise you, that if you mess around and elect one of these people you will instantly regret it.  The damage they will do will be serious, long lasting and devastating to the kids.  

Its up to you Kenosha to do the right thing!  

Wisconsin Free (of facts)

By Jeff Simpson

A new parody website just went up and its called Wisconsin Free(of facts).  Its started by Ed Willing who started some RWNJ group called Founders Intent, where he mistakenly thinks that the Tories founded America. 

Where Willing preaches "independent reporting"  besides Ed himself,  there is a collection of "knotsies" , kooks  and clowns -  like this guy - Josiah Cantrall:

Josiah Cantrall

Josiah Cantrall is publisher of The Wisconsin Free. As a writer and consultant he has worked in both politics and the entertainment industry. Previously he served as Rick Santorum’s National Coalitions Director and later worked with Webster & Associates to design and implement the RNC’s celebrity surrogate program.

With those kind of credentials, you would think that he would be writing a republican puff piece.  Mr Cantrall, did not disappoint. 

Mr Cantrall did a complete rewriting of the history of United Sportsmen, one where Scott Walker comes out of it the hero. 

The fallout continues over a controversial $500,000 grant given to the United Sportsmen, a group affiliated with big money GOP donors. Scott Suder, former GOP Assembly Majority leader originally left the Assembly on Sept. 3 to take a high-paying position with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. This week, however, Suder abruptly announced his resignation and acceptance of a private sector position with the Wisconsin Paper Council.

Even conservatives have voiced their embarrassment over the situation. Led by Suder, the GOP Assembly designed the grant specifications to uniquely favor the United Sportsmen. The group received the state hunting recruitment grant despite lacking any previous experience in this area.

We all know that Scott Walker thought so much of United Sportsmen, that he promoted Suder!

 "Representative Suder has long served the residents of Wisconsin," Walker said in a statement. "The Public Service Commission will benefit from his talents and experience."

Not so much! 

Then the independent journalist who did not grow up in WI, then went back to his memory of the Doyle Administration:

While conservatives concede the United Sportsmen should never have received the grant, they are also quick to call foul over the Democrat's double standard. During Jim Doyle's tenure as governor his administration illegally raided the state's medical victim malpractice and transportation funds. Acts like this led his opponent to label him, “Diamond Jim Bingo Doyle.”

The only problem of course, by this "independent" "journalist" is that (with the exception of Maciver) no one ever used that label.   If his opponent did, no wonder he lost!  

 

Yes, just what this state needs, another extremist website that caters to the fringe?  It is very telling that sharing the banner of "Wisconsin Free" is the anti teacher union, silly org Association of American Educators(who everyone's favorite Knot works for ). At least Willing is smart enough to disguise it in "independent" clothes.   However there is not enough humor in the world, so this new site definitely helps fill that!   

Seriously though, there are two ways to govern.  

1.  Govern for and by the people and they will keep electing you! 

2.  Ram through an extreme agenda, and muddy the waters so bad that no one will know what to believe when they look to the "news".   


Guess which one we are living in WI!   

Kristi Litella

Our favorite well paid tea party teacher , Kristi LaCroix, is at it again.   This time instead of showing up in Beloit pushing stale propaganda, she is sending out her "newsletter"* (* = news in this context, used VERY loosely).  


In her latest version of her "newsletter"* tells us the story of Jason David Barker, a special education teacher at La Crescent Montessori Academy.  Mr Barker was recently arrested and charged with molesting young girls.   This tragic story, gave "Kristi and the teapers"all the opening they needed.  First she copied someone's post named Tracie Ann(emphasis mine):

Yes, this TEACHER has a FELONY record. Can someone please tell me how he can get a job as a teacher with a record like that?! School officials won’t comment on their hiring process. Well, I can. I can tell you that their process needs to be seriously revised. All teachers are supposed to go through a criminal background check. Guess they forgot to ask about this man’s past.

Interestingly, Barker teaches in Minnesota. Minnesota is a union state. Heck, the unions have been in charge of MN since the day they learned they could legally extort money from any and all teachers. I am betting they’re going to protect this jerk and get him his job back. This is what unions do – they protect the teacher over the students.

 Kristi then writes at the end of this irrational rant:

•  Every so often I come across someone or something that makes me say, “Yes! I could not have said it better myself.”

The problem?  Jason David Barker is NOT a union member.  The union had absolutely nothing to do with getting him hired, nothing to do with his lack of background checks, lack of training or the fact that he is charged with molesting students!  None, nada, zip zero!  

So nice try but what your really showing here is why we can not have private schools teaching our children who have no accountability to the taxpayers.     Thanks for that!

The AFP Steal Our Kids Money Tour!

The Americans for Prosperity Poverty recently did a little tour around the state telling us why they wanted to take our children's education money.  Here is a recap of their stop in Beloit, WI.  Unfortunately it was written by a stenographer who either didn't want to ask questions, or wasn't allowed.   Since this reporter dropped the ball....allow us here @cog_dis to pick it up and run with it!  

* Kristi Lacroix makes $74,000 a year which is more than anyone in our district or Janesville's district.  What is she in the top 5% of teachers paid in the state? i guess the union really screwed her over!    

* I wonder how much @afp-wisconsin pays her to run around to these things. 

*  More from Kristi:

She said schools afraid of competition should get it together or get out of the business of education. And she doesn’t accept excuses of kids not performing well because they are poor or come from bad homes.

 - Schools are NOT a business, there is no profit margin, Schools are an INVESTMENT!  

 -  Secondly, to dismiss poverty as a factor in learning  shows you do not know how to google, or you are being paid to not Google.  

* more Kristi:   "Stressing that the best teachers won’t lose their jobs in the event of expanded school choice,..."  
               - Without Collective bargaining agreements and the redefinition of "just cause", what do you base that on? 

* finally with Kristi;   “I’ll save you tons of money. Let me watch the best teachers in the state,” LaCroix said. “When school choice really opens up in Wisconsin, it’s not going to be to suburban schools, it’s going to be to successful schools who invested in their teachers.”

                  -Well one thing Kristi, we as a school district are only able to "invest in the teachers" up to the CPI and not a penny more!  I will give you a break on that one as I am sure that economics is not your strong suit and you obviously have no idea what ACT 10 says.  

*   Next comes Tony Katz, who they flew in from out of state(for some reason) then put together a false video for him to show and get the blame for(with friends like @AFPWI , who needs enemies?).

  Katz played a video presenting statistics, including a claim that “51 percent of Beloit schools were failing,” which prompted Beloit Superintendent Steve McNeal to interject that the claim was false.

* We only get a few glimpses of AFP director Luke Hulgemann;

 - “We believe that competition drives innovation and results for all children,” Wisconsin State Director of AFP Luke Hilgemann said. “We need better results. We are falling behind other states and other countries.”

-  (speaking to the false video)  Hilgemann said the statement comes from reading the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) report card. In October the report cards indicated that School District of Beloit has seven of its 14 schools meeting or exceeding expectations, and half of the schools in the district meeting fewer expectations.

Yet we get enough to know that Hilgemann is NOT the sharpest pencil in the box, but probably plays the role of stooge for his Masters very well!  

Kudos to those who showed up to bring sanity to this parade of propaganda, but it appears that people actually spoke up and said "thanks but no thanks" to the AFP snake oil!

Some attendees voiced concern over the images shown, and what they considered to be exaggerated claims.
Parent Rick McGrath noted the images shown weren’t from Beloit.
“Images can be very powerful. Those were very dour and provocative photos. You’re casting the wrong impression of my community,” McGrath said.
McGrath said Beloit just passed its $70 million referendum and hasn’t had time to act out its plan yet.
Teacher Kathleen Woodman said she felt hurt by the video, and said it implied the School District of Beloit is failing, which she rejected.
“I want choices for our kids, but we also must speak about public education with honest facts,” Woodman said.

Finally, local rep Amy Loudenbeck showed up and realized that this is a losing proposition distanced her self from it(also obviously trying to pretend that the mess the republicans made when they rammed through the 18 of ACT10, which she proudly voted for): :

Loudenbeck said she would like to see a parental choice debate focused on the children and families that could benefit from school choice and private school vouchers, without targeting individual school or district performance.
“I realize that may be difficult, but I am willing to work with community members to continue a respectful and open discussion on this issue,” Loudenbeck said.

With such a false and sloppy presentation, do we really want these people in charge of educating our children???