My first round of “book selling” fundraising was very disappointing. I was almost afraid to send out the same letter again to a different precinct. Because of the new Postal routing the earliest I can receive a donation or comment in my return envelopes is five days after I mail it out on Friday. Today was the fifth day and several donations “book purhases” came in and one check was bound with this postit note:
I can’t count on the school board to continue reminding voters that a board without me on it can be dysfunctional. I have to keep campaigning and selling enough books (fund raising) to pay to keep mailing out my campaign letters. And 10,000 District 2 voters will not be visiting this ridiculous blog. So, I’ll share the letter that at least one donor thought was a good one with anyone who stumbles into this post. Its followed by a donation button if any of you would care to see me back on the School Board.
***
Logo www.givemhellharry.org
www.lincolndemocrat.com
Facebook: “Harry Welty Give’m Helty”
Friends and Neighbors,
I am that tarnished penny that turns up every election to remind voters not to take good government for granted. And even though folks toss pennies on the ground these days I’m also here to remind everyone that we better not forget what the man on those pennies stands for: “better angels,” “malice toward none,” “a new nation conceived in liberty.” He was Honest Abe. Like him I hope to be judged by my words and deeds. Among them:
I brought a charter school to town. I stepped down from the chairmanship of the Board to prevent a teacher’s strike. I called for the closing of an unnecessary high school. I led the fight to give voters the right to vote on the Red Plan. I correctly predicted that teachers (about 100 of them) would be laid off to pay for the Red Plan. I predicted that Duluth families would flee from schools with too few teachers (20 percent of our students have fled). I rejoined the School Board to open public data denied the public during the building of the Red Plan. For my trouble I was censured by my fellow school board members. I defended my fellow Board member Art Johnston when he was falsely accused of misdeeds. I tried to sell Central High School. I supported Alanna Oswald (my former student) when she insisted that money intended for troubled and impoverished students be spent at the schools they attended. And now, I’ve returned to put Niagara Falls back into Lake Erie. I can’t wait to get started.
We were forced to invest a half billion dollars in new schools. Now we must maintain this investment for our children’s sake. It will take time. Today’s first graders will be graduating before the building bonds are paid off and our schools can recover the teachers sacrificed to the Red Plan. We have suffered a thousand cuts. We will need a thousand band aids.
I began sharing my experiences as a school board member with the public twenty years ago. Today I’m am writing a book. Every teacher threatens to do this. I’m doing it. Have you heard of Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education? My public-school experiences began when I watched the children from segregated Buchanan School march into my newly integrated Topeka elementary school. From there I will take readers to the voodoo curse I cast on “ill will” in the Duluth Schools, a story that famed newsman, Paul Harvey, badly botched. There will be much more.
I’m printing 500 books – at least. We will give a book to any good Samaritan who sends my campaign a $15.00 donation. As a bonus, if I’m elected, the donor will also get a little good government. If you add a little more to your donation that will help me pay for lawnsigns and advertising. And, of course, you don’t need a book to cast a vote on November 5th.
All my best,
Harry R Welty
Candidate for School Board, District 2
Your neighbor and concerned citizen
Back Page:
“First God Created the Idiot…
”
A life in public schools from
Integration to the School Board
By Harry R. Welty
Make checks payable to “Welty for School Board.” Tell us where you want the book sent. Or donate online at one of my Internet connections such as www.givemhellharry.org.
Name________________________________
Address ______________________________
City ________________ State____ Zip____________
If you’d like a lawn sign check this box: O
If you have questions, concerns or thoughts for Harry jot those down here: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
or . . . email your thoughts to: harrywelty@charter.net
Prepared and paid for by Welty for School Board, P.O. Box 3056, Duluth, MN 55803, Harry R. Welty, candidate
