Teacher!

By Jeff Simpson

Today we lost another real American Hero -  Michael Landsberry! 

Today, Mr. Michael Landsberry died, in what is slowly, and sadly, becoming a conventional way to die as a teacher.  In yet another school shooting, protecting his(and our) kids!   

 It came as no surprise to Michael Landsberry’s family that the Sparks Middle School math teacher is being called a hero for trying to get a student to put his gun down before being shot and killed.

“To hear he was trying to protect those kids, that he stepped up and tried to stop the situation, doesn’t surprise me at all,” said Chanda Landsberry, who is married to Michael’s younger brother, Reggie. “He could have ducked and hid, but he didn’t. That’s not who he is.”


“He was trained to help.”


A former Marine, 45-year-old was also a member of the Nevada Air National Guard. He leaves behind his wife and two step-daughters.


Tom Robinson, deputy chief with the Reno Police Department told reporters at a news conference Monday “in my estimation, he is a hero. We do know he was trying to intervene.”


Chanda Landsberry said her brother-in-law, who received bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2001, loved teaching.

Once again, a child was bullied.  Once again, a child felt he had no other option, but to punish those who had been bullying him.    Once again, someone who had no business having a gun was able to get a gun.  Once again, the wrong person brought the gun to the wrong place and the gun did exactly what it was made to do.  Once again, someone brought this gun to school and used it.  Once again, a teacher died trying to intervene and protect his students.  Once again, people will say its too early to discuss sensible gun control.  Once again, people will wait and then forget all about Mr. Landsberry when the next school shooting happens.   Once again, people will try and arm teachers, as if that is the cure all.   Once again, there is a teacher who will not be home for supper tonight, who will not be able to tuck their children into bed and who will not be in the classroom tomorrow to greet his students with a friendly "Good Morning".   Once again, we will bury this teacher and pretend we care what happened today.  Once again, we will do nothing as a society to stop this.  Once again, sometime soon, this same story will play out - Once again. 

RIP Mr. Landsberry -  You truly are a -   



        Teacher!    

Wisconsin Better Off Than Nevada?

Commenter Blogger Dan from Nevada often likes to tell us how much better things are in Nevada, since he doesn't have to pay as high as taxes as we do, since the gambling joints keep things afloat. Unfortunately for Dan and his other Nevadans, this is no longer necessarily true.

In a story about six of the worst off states (Wisconsin is not among them, belying all the belly aching from the right), Nevada makes the cut:

State deficit estimate for fiscal 2010: $1.2 billion
Percent of general fund budget: 32%
State and local tax burden: 6.6%; Rank: 49

Nevada's freewheeling, low-tax past is coming back to haunt it like a bad hangover. The state levies no personal income tax and imposes some of the lowest taxes on businesses in the nation, says Bert Waisanen, a fiscal analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Nevada used to be able to afford being so generous with its residents. Revenue from tourism and gambling supported the state just fine. But now, as consumers would rather put their coins in a bank account than a slot machine, that revenue source is drying up. In fact, the state boasts the dubious honor of having the largest deficit in the country as a percentage of its budget – 32%. It's hiked the sales tax by 0.35% to 6.85% and taxes on hotel rooms are up 3%. It's even gambling with its business-friendly climate by raising taxes on businesses.

There's always room here in Wisconsin, Dan. And we have seasons, too!