Maybe its just as well that I got a call today from a nurse at my Mother’s residence telling me that she has taken a turn for the worse. I called my Brother and Sister to let them know and prepare. How long my Mother might last is unknown. She might not last the night it might be a week and possibly she could have another of her remarkable turnarounds. As she has been unable to take in nourishment today and has not woken that seems unlikely.
I checked on her briefly before I had to rush to my Grandson’s daycare to put in my second rehearsal for tomorrow’s big holiday extravaganza where I will be the narrator of the story Frozen. Afterwards I called my siblings and then headed back to be with my Mother. I sang for a solid four hours ending with two hours of Christmas music. I still have a voice. I may used it yet again tonight with another visit.
Needless to say dealing with the Duluth School Board has taken a notch down in priority. It will return. Between Christmas Carols I was struck by humankind’s good will and the dearth of it among my School Board colleagues. As my blog is likely to be the chief reason I can only speak to them at School Board meetings I’d be inclined to stop blogging altogether if that’s what it took for them to back off the perilous course they have plunged toward. That’s a genuine offer and through the Christmas season I pledge not to write anything unflattering about them. If we step back from the Guns of August I may abandon the Blog all together for the sake of peace.
If not I make this promise – you ain’t read nuthin yet – and this prediction, Art Johnston will remain on the School Board for four or five months at the very least and be reelected overwhelmingly in November along with a new majority even if he becomes the first School Board member in Minnesota history to be removed by the Court for no good reason. Should that happen I guarantee that the new two-person minority will be treated far better than Art Johnston and I have fared since the two of us took office last January. That decent treatment will be accorded the new minority despite the Hellish year they brought about. That’s because the voters who elected them deserve to have them play a constructive role in the work of the School Board.
Here’s one more promise. Let Duluth Vote will be reconstituted. It was bad enough the old School Board denied voters a chance to weigh in on the glorious new schools that have turned so sour. That the current school board would overturn a legitimate election because of five minutes of anger will have grave repercussions.
I am requesting that my readers begin a Christmas Campaign for sanity on the Duluth School Board. It should be done in social media and in the old postal system. Please circulate the home addresses of the five board members who have voted to remove Art Johnston and remind them that our Board’s recent work and likely trajectory are hurting our children. By all means pass on my offer to stop my blog. Circulate this proposal by Facebook, Twitter and any other means available. But please ask everyone to invest a couple dollars for five first class stamps and send a peace seeking Christmas card to the majority members of the School Board. Be nice. This is the Christmas Season.
Last month I thought a peaceful resolution would be achieved. I was shocked Tuesday night. I’m still in shock. I had made up my mind to stop writing about the School Board when this all blew over. I planned on writing a history of my Mother for our family instead. I am very tired of exposing the seamy underside of the School District to my blog readers. I know – I just know, that if this does become a year-long World War III I won’t be able to restrain myself. No one will win not the least the children of our schools. Certainly I’ll deserve no credit for seeking justice for Art Johnston at the expense of the entire School Board’s reputation. Nonetheless, I will keep my campaign promise to be honest – ruthlessly so, if necessary.
In the first terrible year of the First World War there was a remarkable episode in which German, French and English soldiers crawled out of their trenches and sang Christmas Carols. The Duluth Schools needs a Christmas Miracle like that. Please help it come true.
