Looking for Truth in Onaway

  I try not to read the horrible things people post online about the “Old Teachers,” but I looked at a former coworker’s FB site and saw that a local woman had told her to “JUST STOP INTERFERING!” The term "Old Teachers" is thrown around at board meetings as if we were standing in the way of progress brandishing rulers and threatening detention. At one meeting, Mr. Palmer announced that he has "lost all respect for the Old Teachers." (I try not to snicker. Really, I do.) Look at us. We sit quietly at board meetings. We listen. Often we disagree with The Four, and when we do, we provide our views, sometimes live, sometimes in the newspaper or in places like this blog. People can listen or read and either agree or disagree. That's called free speech, and I'm pretty sure it's in the Bill of Rights. Mr. Abshagen would be happy to explain it. The Old Teachers are old. The library chairs are hard. We hate driving when it’s dark. Most of us don’t have grand

  There’s a lot to unpack, but I’ll take a stab at explaining the recall you are now able to support or ignore, as you choose. As is the right of every citizen , an Onaway resident recently asked for recall of four board members: Rieger, Kowalski, Palmer, and Chaskey. Two separate panels considered the petition. (By law, they can only decide if the wording is “clear” and “factual.”) Petitions were allowed in Cheboygan County (for Kowalski) and Presque Isle (for Rieger and Palmer.) Since Rieger and Kowalski are up for re-election in November, only Palmer’s recall moved forward. A recall means that in the next election, the official who is challenged (John Palmer) will be placed on the ballot. If that person receives the highest number of votes, he continues to serve. If not, he is immediately replaced by the person running against him. Recall petitions are circulating now. The rules state: Signers of recall petitions must be registered to vote in the electoral district (your

  A couple of months back, I got tired of the horrible name-calling and personal attacks that have gone on in the last year or so from some school board members and their adherents. One night, in the mood to be proactive, I took along some printed sheets to the board meeting and asked the board and anyone running for board this fall to sign the following pledge: During the upcoming campaign for school board, I will not engage in personal attacks or name-calling against anyone                                    at a meeting,                                    in public places,                                    on social media.                                          Signed______________ I certainly have no authority to make anyone sign such a document, but I thought it might make people think about the kinds of things they say, especially when they're supposed to represent our community. Immediately, three board members, Hart, Porter, and Veal, signed. The two candid