Common Core Response
Dear Editor: It is not right. There is no excuse for it. It was not in the least bit humorous, if that was the intent. Clearly, some members who are critical of the Sitka School District and its leadership have crossed a line that cannot go ignored.
I think I can safely say, we have all been caught in a lie. What we do after we get caught is as important as the telling itself. Superintendent Mary Wegner and the School Board published a tidy little article in this paper debunking the lies being told about the Common Core standards adopted here and in many, but not all, states across the country. There is a small, vocal group who has tried, and in some cases succeeded in raising the fear level of many people in our community. Their lies were laid bare in the simple explanation of the myths they have been espousing. Caught!
Now the response to their being caught: the vilification of Mary Wegner on social media comparing her to Hitler and Middle Eastern terrorists. The leadership of the group speaking against the Common Core standards has done the absolute wrong thing; they have shown themselves to be infantile, ignorant and petty. Whereas Ms. Wegner responded to their criticisms with reason and thoughtfulness, they have responded with hate. This should tell you all you need to know about these folks.
There are certainly arguments to be made both for and against the Common Core standards. Having spent the last two years closely studying those standards, I can speak with some knowledge about them. The information shared by Ms. Wegner and the district in the Sentinel is spot on. For anyone really seeking answers regarding the new standards and the testing, they can be found in that article. However, if your goal is to simply try to scare parents, and that is clearly the goal here, your next step is to try to destroy the credibility of those who exposed your lies. No one in our town should be accepting of this hateful behavior.
The Sitka School Board and Superintendent Wegner have made many decisions which can be argued, discussed, and disagreed with. I have often questioned board decisions over my 32 years in education. What cannot be questioned is the passion for education and love for children, which these people display day in and day out. Those responsible for this shameless attempt to cover the lies they tell should as publicly apologize as they did attack. Ignorance in the guise of ‘‘seeking liberty’’ is still just ignorance.
Robert D. Potrzuski, Sitka
Benefit Thanks
Dear Editor: Mt. Edgecumbe Preschool would like to send a great big thank you to all who contributed to our “It’s a Cardboard World!” spaghetti dinner and dessert auction.
Thank you to AC Lakeside, Northern Sales and Sea Mart for their donations of food toward our dinner. A million thanks to Curtis Kelly and Kraken Catering Services for donating food and preparing the delicious dinner this year. We had some amazing dessert donations from the Fly In Fish Inn, Homeport Eatery, Larkspur, Allison’s Wonderland, the Nugget Restaurant, Bayview Pub, Westmark Sitka, Ludvig’s Bistro, and Van Winkle and Sons Restaurant. We are also thankful to Shaffer Construction for sponsoring our Sentinel advertising.
All of these local businesses gave enthusiastically and generously. We, in turn, encourage all of Sitka to join us in supporting the local businesses that support our community events.
And much appreciation goes out, too, to all the parents, caregivers, friends and staff who helped with the fundraiser.
Mt. Edgecumbe Preschool
Board of Directors
