Up North Progressive
Politics and commentary for Northern MichiganUpcoming Democratic Candidate Events in Northern Michgian
Monday , 18, August 2014 Candidates Leave a commentOur candidates are busy getting to know the people they will represent when they win their elections in November.
US Congress District 2 candidate Dean Vanderstelt will hold another in his series of “Turn 2 Blue” meet and greet events this Wednesday, August 20 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Frankie V’s in Wyoming, 1420 28th Street SW. This is a great opportunity to meet other Democrats to mingle with and have a chance to chat.
Joe Lukasiewicz will be splitting his time between the Alcona County Fair and Montmorency County Fair this week. He would be thrilled for people to stop by the Democratic Party booths at the fair and say hello.
If you have an event you would like mentioned on Up North Progressive, please comment or send an email with the details and it will be added.
Meet The Candidates State House District 102: John Ruggles
Sunday , 17, August 2014 Candidates Leave a comment
John Ruggles of Remus is the Democratic Party candidate for the 102nd state legislature. He played high school football, worked in tool and die, and the road commission in Lapeer County.. He received a degree from Adrian College. His community work includes Head Start, job training programs and economic development. Through his career he provided many years of job training and strengthening local economies.
John Ruggles lists jobs as his top priority when he becomes the state representative for the 102nd district. He proposes investing in roads, community and infrastructure projects, and 25% of the people who work these jobs must come from the many long-term unemployed in the state. Ruggles also wants more assistance given to veterans looking for work. Small businesses are where real job creation happens, and people who run local business need support from the state more than large corporations. Increasing the minimum wage to a living income level and pay equity will also provide more jobs for more people.
Education is another issue John Ruggles knows is important for developing a strong pool of qualified workers. Public schools need to remain public and educators should be protected, not attacked for schools that struggle on achievement tests. Cuts to the state education budget have hurt schools even more. Lansing has set up public education for failure. Higher education must reflect the current and future job market if Michigan is going to remain competitive. Ruggles believes our environment must be protected from corporations who would exploit and spoil it for profit. He will fight for seniors who unfairly had their pensions taxed under Snyder, and also work to help with the poor, especially the unemployed struggling to find work.
John Ruggles has an active schedule of appearances and appreciates any help for his campaign. You can reach him by visiting to his website.
Smart Schools Inc. Doesn’t Hire IVL Specialists For Their Charter Schools: The Continuing Story of Dr. Steve Ingersoll
Saturday , 16, August 2014 Dr. Ingersoll, Section 16 Leave a commentIt’s that time of year when school districts advertise staff vacancies, then hire in-house because they can’t afford to put more desperately needed staff on the payroll. Some teachers issued pink slips over the summer get to breathe a sigh of relief and go back to work. Some won’t be so lucky and get to experience the joy of substitute teaching.
For charter schools, third party vendors aka management companies also advertise for staff. They usually pay less than school districts, and because they’re third party vendors the charter school won’t have to offer benefits, retirement, or health care. Still, thanks to Republicans in the state teachers find it harder than ever to find a public school able to hire them, and take the charter school job because they need to earn a paycheck.
One charter school advertising for teaching staff is North Central Academy in Mancelona. Smart Schools Inc. has 3 teaching positions available. Another vacancy NCA advertised is for Integrated Visual Learning Specialists.
Notice this job listing isn’t with the other vacancies posted by Smart Schools Inc.. This vacancy is from Facebook and suggests that the charter school hires these people directly. In fact, the contact information offered is Brian Lynch’s email address. Brian Lynch is married to the daughter of Mark Noss, the man who owns Full Spectrum Management, Grand Traverse Academy’s new third party vendor. NCA, located in Antrim County is part of Bay City Academy’s charter school constellation.
But let’s pay attention to what’s really important with this ad. Integrated Visual Learning is the vision therapy Dr. Steve Ingersoll and his business partner, Dr. Mark Noss, developed as part of their optometry practice. All of Ingersoll’s charter schools include full optometry clinics and all students get full eye exams. Students also receive IVL as part of their school curriculum because according to Ingersoll visual learning is the only method of learning that actually works. the qualifications for being an IVL Specialist include:
- Ability to provide a high level of customer service to principal, classroom teachers, and parents.
- Organized and detailed oriented.
- Must be able to adhere to a consistent schedule.
An IVL Specialist apparently needs no higher qualifications than that of a high school student. There is a director and training is provided, but this still doesn’t appear to be a job requiring much background in optometry or therapy experience.
What happens during IVL sessions? There is one clue, a person who commented on a previous blog article said she attended Dr. Ingersoll’s charter school in Livingston County, and recalls staring into a green light for 30 minutes. The commenter believes the therapy helped her because she received a perfect score on her GED test and she considers herself a successful lifelong visual learner.
Dr. Ingersoll insists IVL therapy is so successful at helping students with learning that it can cure ADHD and benefits people with Autism. In a Mackinac Center blog article titled, “A Mixed Message to Children: Say “No” to Drugs, but “Yes” to Ritalin?” Dr. Ingersoll is quoted to show IVL cures 90% of students diagnosed with ADHD.
Dr. Steven Ingersoll, president of Smart Schools, Inc. in Brighton, Mich., which runs four charter schools. He says 22 percent of the students were on Ritalin when one charter began in 1996. That same year, 4th-grade students scored last in their district on the state achievement test. Three years later, less than 1 percent of the kids are on Ritalin, and 100 percent of the now 7th graders scored in the top category on state tests for reading and math.
Vague percentages aside, what does Dr. Ingersoll believe is the cause of ADHD? He goes on to say:
Ingersoll believes television has played an important role in ADHD-type behavior, but that “drugging is not what the child needs.”
So, staring at a brightly lit box causes ADHD, but staring into a green light for 30 minutes cures it? IVL continues to be an elusive mystery that several charter schools in Michigan consider the main component of their curriculum. The therapy is so important they’re willing to hire people from Facebook to provide the service.
Integrated Visual Learning however isn’t just for charter schools. It’s also part of a comprehensive chiropractic practice. More about that another time.
Anyone who has been through Dr. Ingersoll’s IVL vision therapy and willing to talk about it please send a response here.
UPDATE GLEP removed the offensive tweet comparing Superintendent Mike Flanagan with George Wallace.
We apologize for anyone offended by our post comparing @suptflanagan with George Wallace. It was inappropriate and has been removed.
— GLEP (@GLEP_MI) August 15, 2014
This is the image that was removed from GLEP’s twitter feed. Too bad once something is on the internet, it never really disappears.
Gary Naeyaert is a hell of a guy. Here he is hanging with his best friends.
When he’s not at The 501 or force-feeding his daughter jello shots he’s on the interwebs posting zingers like this:
#TBT: Have we come full circle on blocking access to education options? pic.twitter.com/VAVmYAjPqa
— GLEP (@GLEP_MI) August 14, 2014
Gary Naeyaert in case you don’t know is the guy who runs Great Lakes Education Project for Dick and Betsy DeVos. GLEP exists to fund politicians and organizations who work to destroy public education in the state of Michigan. They support charter schools and school vouchers, anything that siphons money out of our schools so corporations can make a profit from Michigan’s tax dollars. The DeVos family has no use for unions, labor, or ensuring quality schools exist in Michigan, they believe very strongly they’re right about everything and it’s their Dominionist Christian duty to make sure everyone else agrees with them, because these people live in a world where everyone agrees with them on all things at all times.
And that includes raking the Michigan Department of Education over the coals for not agreeing with everything Dick and Betsy DeVos want. That’s where yes men like Gary Naeyaert comes in.
Mike Flanagan is retiring and very few people are sorry to see him go, but not even he deserves to be compared to one of the darkest times in American history where racial tensions were brought to a head in the deep south. Demanding for-profit charter schools be held accountable for their legacy of taking money from traditional school districts and making management company owners rich is not segregation. Michigan taxpayers deserve the best quality education the state can offer, and for-profit charter schools have fallen far short of that goal. The heat is finally on these scam artists and their answer isn’t to say they’re sorry or admit their purpose is to get rich off of the state’s dime, but to accuse the head of the MDE of being racist.
Shame on you, GLEP.
Convicted Felon and Cranking Aficionado Jordan Haskins Goes Full Perot “I’m Back In!”
Wednesday , 13, August 2014 Candidates Leave a comment
While Up North Progressive took a break and enjoyed picking blueberries, a fun outcome of last week’s primary election nearly slipped by undetected. Probably because the 95th state house district is just a little south of what’s considered, “up north.” Jordan Haskins, who in late June stopped campaigning when his felony convictions became public knowledge decided one day after the August 5 primary to jump back into the race. He was unopposed in the Republican primary election. In the Democratic Party race Vanessa Guerra of Bridgeport Township beat former Saginaw City Councilman Norman Braddock. She would have shared the ballot with Haskins whether he decided to campaign or not, but the district is heavily favored Democratic Party and Haskins had already stopped campaigning.
The fact that Guerra won instead of Braddock is why Haskins decided to get back into the race. Claiming that “I was just taking a break and thinking about some things.” Haskins also stated that he was “stuck on the ballot anyway,” and “If Norm Braddock had won, I may not have gotten back in.”
Guerra received 70% of the votes cast in the 95th district Democratic primary, 4,085 in total compared to Haskins 2,108 votes in the Republican primary. Norman Braddock received 2,912 votes. Norman Braddock was a well known name in Saginaw and everyone was surprised by the outcome of last Tuesday’s race.
Vanessa Guerra is 24 years old and a graduate of The University of Michigan, where she double majored in Political Science and Latino Studies. She is a law student at University of Detroit Mercy. She ran for township trustee in 2012. She has interned with the Saginaw County Prosecutor’s Office and volunteers with domestic violence programs in Saginaw. Guerra considers herself a progressive Democrat and wants to focus on improving education and jobs in Michigan and the 95th district.
Haskins pointed out that Guerra’s progressive mindset is a sharp contrast to his mindset, which includes being pro-life, pro-traditional marriage and Judeo-Christian. “The question this election will decide is what does Saginaw want,” offers Haskins.
The Up North Progressive can answer that question. Saginaw wants someone to represent them that has the ability to complete what they started. Someone with a sense of what their constituents need. Someone with the background and experience to get the job done. The candidate who quits a month before the election, needs time to think about things and jumps back in on the assumption their opponent will be easier to beat because they’re not the older, more well known person will find his campaign still won’t be an easy one.
Congratulations, Vanessa Guerra, on your primary victory. The 95th district will be well-served when you win in November.
Michigan State Legislature Undermines Will Of The People Again Over Wolf Hunt Vote
Wednesday , 13, August 2014 Environment Leave a comment
Today another vote in the ongoing struggle to protect Michigan wolves from hunting is expected to take place in the Michigan Senate. Despite two voter referendums to put a stop to wolf hunting being approved for the November ballot.
Republicans in Michigan have a tough time allowing the citizens of this state to determine what laws they want enacted and enforced. Rather than listen to the people they’re supposed to represent, they instead pass laws that render citizen initiatives unnecessary, depriving the people of the state their right to be heard.
In 2011 The US Fish and Wildlife Service removed gray wolves from the endangered species list. The estimated wolf population in Michigan is less than 700 animals. In 2012 Rick Snyder signed Public Act 520 introduced by Tom Casperson that allowed for a limited hunt.
Keep Michighan Wolves Protected in 2013 submitted signatures to put on the November ballot a referendum to over turn PA 520. The wolves are barely on the way back from extinction and need to be left alone so they can continue to recover numbers. In response to the petition Casperson introduced another bill to allow wolf hunting if PA 520 is repealed. The new law, Public Act 21 allows for any new species to be added to the list of game species open for hunting provided they have not yet been rejected by voter referendum. Keep Michigan Wolves Protected has submitted signatures for a referendum to address PA 21 and will also appear on the ballot in November.
Replacing potential new voter-initiated laws with laws that render them ineffective is how the legislature in Lansing circumvents the will of the people. Republicans don’t want the citizens of this state to have any say in how they are governed, but rather to do as we’re told. This is not government by and for the people, but an oligarchy with the purpose to take our freedom away at the expense of corporate interests. This November is our chance to remove these freedom-hating legislators from Lansing and replace them with elected officials who will listen to us, the voters. We need leadership in Lansing who listens to the people, not eliminates their voice.
Have you seen Rick Snyder’s campaign bus?
Has anyone seen Rick Snyder’s campaign bus?
Rick Snyder used a bus in 2010 when he first campaigned for governor of Michigan. Four years ago when he was running for office his bus could be seen all over the state making stop after stop to press flesh and make speeches about how he was just a nerd with moderate, middle of the road political views. So far in 2014 public sightings of Rick Snyder and his bus have been few and far between.
In fact, no one has seen his campaign bus at all.
Up North Progressive even tried to download the free Rick For Michigan app to learn about Snyder’s campaign schedule, but all the app had was the same old Superbowl nerd ad with the creepy jazz saxophone music and a donate button – just like his Rick For Michigan website. There was not one listing anywhere for campaign stops or any schedule. Disappointing, as this was one of the things promised when the app first became available.
So what happened to this bus? It does get used every year. Not for campaigning, but for tailgating at University of Michigan home football games. That’s where the bus has been located every fall Snyder hasn’t been campaigning.
In 2012 Rick Snyder had another bus for his vote against your best interests on these proposals tour. Has anyone seen that bus?
Usually when someone runs for office they make efforts to appear in public so people can listen to what they plan to do if elected and talk to people. Public outreach is really important in political campaigns. A guy who wants your vote but can’t be bothered to talk to constituents seems insincere about wanting to represent people in public office.
The general election is on, our next governor Mark Schauer is traveling all over the state campaigning, meeting the people of Michigan and explaining his plan for what he will do once he’s elected governor of Michigan.
Where is Rick Snyder?
Where the bus ends up this fall will solve the mystery. If the bus is on the road, then we’ll know Rick Snyder plans on campaigning for re election. If the bus is parked at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor for tailgating and storage while Rick, his family and friends go to the football game, his campaign schedule will be finalized for the election.
In the meantime, if you see the Snyder campaign bus, let Up North Progressive know!
Thanks!
Eleven For-Profit Charter School Authorizers Under The Gun For Poor Performance
Monday , 11, August 2014 Section 16 Leave a comment
Today the Michigan Department of Education listed 11 charter school authorizers who have not met expectations for providing oversight with the charter school management companies they issued charters to open schools. If they do not improve, they face suspension and will no longer be able to issue charters.
Of the list of 11 authorizers, Lake Superior State University is on the list. This is the authorizing body that granted Dr. Steve Ingersoll’s Smart Schools management company charters to open Grand Traverse Academy and Bay City Academy. Ingersoll is currently indicted for federal felony fraud charges for depositing most of a loan issued by Chemical Bank into his personal account at 5/3 Bank. Chemical Bank provided Ingersoll with the loan to renovate a church for Bay City Academy.
Grand Traverse Academy faces financial problems thanks to Ingersoll extracting prepayments from GTA’s budget for management fees. He also charged the school money for custodial services, then made cleaning the school part of the “character education” curriculum all of his schools include in his education model. To see details about Smart Schools and GTA’s financials, Miss Fortune over at Glistening Quivering Underbelly has blogged about this exhaustively.
Muskegon Heights School District is another school district facing financial problems thanks to its former management company, Mosaica, going $2 million into debt. The state had to bail them out twice during the 2013-2014 school year to cover payroll. Muskegon Heights School District was assigned an emergency manager, Gregory Weatherspoon, by Governor Snyder in 2013. Weatherspoon fired the staff for the Muskegon Heights district without notice and opened management of a new charter school to companies interested in bidding. Grand Valley State University is also on the list of 11 authorizers who must improve or suspend operations.
This is only two cases well-known to the public about charter schools in Northern Michigan taking tax dollars from the state as if they’re withdrawing money from a bank account, then leaving the school millions in debt. Since the Detroit Free Press expose in June showing that charter schools are not providing school choice but rather for-profit schemes to fleece money from the state, Mike Flanagan and the Michigan Department of Education now insist they’re going to do something about the problem. The problem is a simple one to fix: Put the charter school cap back, suspend all charter school authorizers and put the authority to educate Michigan’s children back where it belongs – in public school districts. Michigan’s charter school fiasco is another case of where non-education professionals make education decisions and educating children will never be their priority.. Michigan’s children deserve the best education the state can provide, and that will never happen with corporate capitalists pretending to be educators.
