Althouse: "We took on this campaign to offer a different voice in Madison political life. To quit the blame game. To stop playing identity politics."

April 4, 2019

"We took on this campaign to offer a different voice in Madison political life. To quit the blame game. To stop playing identity politics."

"I think we did that but the headline in this morning’s WI State Journal suggests we’ve got a ways to go: 'Winners secure all-female board.'... Fair enough, but the real story is it’s an all-status quo school board. The shocker is that education reformer Kaleem Caire did not make it despite running a textbook campaign.... The teachers union got their endorsements elected. No change for Progressives! Madison will continue to turn behavior issues into racial grievances, will continue to blame the man behind the tree instead of demanding individual accountability. [School superintendent] Jen Cheatham will keep blaming white privilege and shaming her hard-working teachers.... Madison even turned out Paul Soglin in favor of a mayor anointed by Progressive Dane.... Let’s face it: Madison went all Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tuesday.... We offered real-life solutions rather than blaming nebulous, macro socio-economic conditions, Act 10 or various Koch brothers. Returning control of their classrooms to teachers was, Tuesday’s results show, a bridge too far.... I hope I showed the way. Praying that someone picks up the torch next year. I do believe it will have to get worse before it gets better. Me? I’ve got two motorcycles that need riding, bad. (Which is pretty much how I ride.)"

Writes David Blaska, who lost his bid for a seat on the Madison school board.

44 comments:

Anonymous said...: How touchingly naïve this guy was to have believed that "progressive" voters actually care about improving public education, as opposed to using the schools to advance the Left's reigning identity-politics obsessions and the selfish, venal interests of the teacher's union.; 4/4/19, 7:27 AM
Tank said...: Good luck to him.; 4/4/19, 7:29 AM
traditionalguy said...: Never surrender. Blasko just did everything he could when it was his time to do it.; 4/4/19, 7:29 AM
Seeing Red said...: Down go the schools.; 4/4/19, 7:30 AM
tim maguire said...: I like "progressive voters have again ensured there will be no progress."; 4/4/19, 7:34 AM
tim maguire said...: If the teacher's union got their candidates, but the teachers lost, then reform needs to start with teachers asserting control over their own union.; 4/4/19, 7:35 AM
Phil 314 said...: Do the folks with money send their kids to the public schools?

Do the folks with money have kids?; 4/4/19, 7:36 AM
Phil 314 said...: And are you sure all the women on the board are really women? (NTTAWWT); 4/4/19, 7:37 AM
Big Mike said...: We will not succeed in educating children until the teachers’ unions are broken. Our best and brightest schoolchildren spend 13 years learning despite the teachers. The rest have no hope at all.; 4/4/19, 7:38 AM
Mr. Groovington said...: Blaska rides a Motto Guzzi V7. A beautiful bike that usually says good things about the taste of the rider.; 4/4/19, 7:39 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Teachers Unions care about children last, their rice bowls first.; 4/4/19, 7:44 AM
Birches said...: If the teacher's union got their candidates, but the teachers lost, then reform needs to start with teachers asserting control over their own union.

Teachers are brainwashed during their college education to love the union. I know, I received a teaching degree. It's only gotten worse in subsequent years I'm sure. Education degrees spend as much time scarmongering about charter schools and the good of unions as instruction.; 4/4/19, 7:52 AM
MayBee said...: I don't live there, but it seems like the school board and the students would have greatly benefited from David Blaska.; 4/4/19, 7:59 AM
Hagar said...: It goes much deeper than "the teachers' unions." Brainwashing is what it is about - now they want to start with 3 year olds - and it is fundamental to the academic left - all of it.; 4/4/19, 8:00 AM
Michael said...: The Chicago Syndrome in miniature. Liberals must run their fiefdoms all the way into the ground -- all the way -- before their voters will look up and notice. With surprise.

How does Madison keep citizens from leaving, again?; 4/4/19, 8:16 AM
buwaya said...: The status quo can keep devolving for a very long time, if a lot of rice bowls depend on it, that is, the status quo in power terms if not institutional performance. The concept of Public Choice Economics is very relevant here. Its one of the better criticisms of democracy. Concentrated interests tend to overpower diffuse interests.; 4/4/19, 8:30 AM
Tommy Duncan said...: The process of Madison becoming Milwaukee accelerated Tuesday.; 4/4/19, 8:50 AM
Unknown said...: Althouse for School board; 4/4/19, 8:59 AM
Begonia said...: I too was very surprised that Kareem Caire didn't win. He was easily the most qualified candidate of all the non-incumbent candidates.

My kid goes to his charter school on the south side of Madison (One City Schools), so I know his education credentials. I have to admit though, when Mr. Caire first announced his candidacy, I thought, "Isn't that a conflict of interest?" I suspect many Madison voters thought the same thing. Once I really sat down and thought through the ethics of it, I realized that Mr. Caire--right now--doesn't have a conflict of interest any more. He did before, when he was trying to get his previous charter school proposal approved. But now, he got his charter school (through a charter with UW-Madison). So, no conflict.; 4/4/19, 9:16 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: These women are unlikely to sympathize with a school bouncer, I mean "positive behavior coach", who has to deal with students' positively negative behavior.; 4/4/19, 9:46 AM
Marty Keller said...: Hard to determine if we are in the middle of a trend toward permanent change or a ridiculous collective temper tantrum.; 4/4/19, 9:46 AM
Rick said...: it seems like the school board and the students would have greatly benefited from David Blaska.

One voice on a board adamantly opposed to him over an organization unwilling to change? The only thing Blaska would have provided is a rationale for the media to call the system's continued failure bipartisan.; 4/4/19, 9:54 AM
mccullough said...: Sounds like the public schools really suck in Madison. Potential teachers and potential parents are at least on warning now. They get what they deserve if they decide to teach or send their kids to these schools. Younger teachers and parents should move. Can’t blame teachers who have been there awhile for staying. Just keep your head down and collect your check. If a student hits you, put in for medical leave and collect it until you retire.; 4/4/19, 9:59 AM
mccullough said...: The Positive Behavior Coach was a quisling. He signed onto this bullshit. He got what was coming. The Superintendent will get it too. Robespierre eventually gets The Guillotine.; 4/4/19, 10:02 AM
Danno said...: Mr. Blaska, if you are lurking- They tax the guy behind the tree.; 4/4/19, 10:04 AM
Curious George said...: "How does Madison keep citizens from leaving, again?"

High paying, little work state and UW jobs.; 4/4/19, 10:05 AM
n.n said...: Remember "The Great Leap"? Remember "diversity"? Remember "life deemed unworthy of life"? Progress is monotonic [unqualified] change. Here's to progress.; 4/4/19, 10:15 AM
Curious George said...: If the teacher's union got their candidates, but the teachers lost, then reform needs to start with teachers asserting control over their own union.

This dividing teachers from the union like they aren't one in the same is crap. And not just in lefty hellholes like Madison. EVERYWHERE.

Things in Madison are going to get worse and worse. And look what they excited about...not a new and exciting school board and mayor that will improve their lives. No, they are excited that the have their first all women board and "openly gay" mayor.; 4/4/19, 10:15 AM
hombre said...: Lefties continue to vote lefty. Teachers’ unions continue to dominate education. Kids continue to grow up ignorant.

Everything continues to go as planned. Big surprise in University Town.; 4/4/19, 10:36 AM
Richard Dolan said...: Well, to borrow Ed Koch's line when he was defeated in the Dem primary by David Dinkins, "The people have spoken...and they must be punished."; 4/4/19, 10:48 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: "The Positive Behavior Coach was a quisling"

I agree. I don't sympathize with him.; 4/4/19, 10:51 AM
Martin said...: Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
--H. L. Mencken; 4/4/19, 11:03 AM
Sam L. said...: That's why I think Madison should be spelled MADison.; 4/4/19, 11:11 AM
roesch/voltaire said...: I voted for Blaska as we need a counter point on the board and am sorry he lost but he has a tendency to go over the top often-- I mean I have two motorcycles that need riding; I would rather he said I intend to attend the school board meeting and make my presence heard.; 4/4/19, 1:06 PM
paminwi said...: Madison turns into Milwaukee turns into Chicago/Baltimore.
The racial education gap is the widest in Madison of any big city( >250,000) in the country.
Yeah! We needed new blood but the white, liberal hippies that still run this town really don't care.
And the new mayor has told the police chief there will be no more police officers added to the force under her watch.
That, will be the perfect reason for the school board to say, as they have really wanted to, no cops in school. "We will call you when we need you" is their new philosophy.
This will be another way for the schools to hide their problems because cops won't be called unless all hell really breaks loose.

Re: where do rich kids sent their kids? To Edgewood High School (Catholic-though you don't need to be Catholic to attend) which the city has decided should not have their own athletic fields because they are in the middle of a neighborhood. Amazingly, so are the public high schools. But, they won't tell them THEY can't host a soccer game or football game on a Friday night. Edgewood has tried to work with the neighbors to come to a compromise but the liberals really hate the private school so they will never find a compromise one. Finally, Edgewood said, screw it, we are hosting a soccer game even if you don't like it. Sounds like the city can levy a fine - don't know if they have. I say to Edgewood - keep pushing and push hard. The city and the crazy ass liberals who live here need a good kick in the ass!; 4/4/19, 1:38 PM
David Blaska said...: Just a shout-out to Roesch/Voltaire, who wrote: "I voted for Blaska as we need a counter point on the board and am sorry he lost but he has a tendency to go over the top often-- I mean I have two motorcycles that need riding; I would rather he said I intend to attend the school board meeting and make my presence heard."

Been doing that for the last year or so. Tough being heard when you get shouted down and the school board just sits there and allows the chaos to continue. You?; 4/4/19, 2:07 PM
Scott said...: Blaska’s effort gave thousands of disinterested Madison citizens a surprise peek behind the MMSD curtain. That it wasn’t enough to move a sufficient number to get off their asses and take action is disappointing. But, over the next year, as the deterioration at the classroom level worsens (and it will), his campaign will remind people that they could have begun to make a difference. Like with addiction, social change sometimes requires hitting bottom before reversing course begins. The real losers are the thousands of Madison kids who show up at school every day hoping to get a drama free education.; 4/4/19, 2:19 PM
Heartless Aztec said...: Stick a fork in public schools. They're done.; 4/4/19, 3:30 PM
chickelit said...: 'Winners secure all-female board.'

The same "winners" who have worked so hard to destroy the Madison Public System should now set their sights on the University.; 4/4/19, 6:05 PM
rcocean said...: "The Chicago Syndrome in miniature. Liberals must run their fiefdoms all the way into the ground -- all the way -- before their voters will look up and notice. With surprise."

The Liberals ran Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, and a lot more cities into the Ground. And all these places are still 75-90% Democrat, election after election.

Seems like the voters "take notice" and double down. They don't seem to want change. Berkeley - for example - is even more crazy and left-wing then it used to be. Same with Portland and Seattle. I'll bet you a Diet Coke, that all these places just keep getting crazier.; 4/4/19, 6:41 PM
rcocean said...: Maybe someone can give me an example of a large, middle-sized city that was going left-wing crazy and then changed it mind and became conservative. New York in the 1990s?; 4/4/19, 6:43 PM
n.n said...: Diversity a.k.a. "identity politics", or color judgments, including racism, sexism, etc.; 4/4/19, 7:42 PM
Michael said...: To rcocean: most of the cities haven't been run all the way down yet. NYC was saved from bankruptcy in the '70s, but I think current trends will continue in all those you named -- all the union-run, Democratic cities of the east, at any rate -- until they are all bankrupt. Most of them are already bankrupt but don't have to admit it. There is not a hope in hell for most to cover their future pension and healthcare liabilities, but municipal accounting dodges that bullet longer than corporate. One stock market down-cycle away. Only not receiving pensions will wake the woke.; 4/5/19, 6:32 AM
Michael said...: And then it will be Trump's/Bush's/Reagan's/Lincoln's/Galileo's fault.; 4/5/19, 6:35 AM