Veteran must pay more dues before communications begin

James "Robbie" Robertson spoke to the School Board last
Wednesday evening. He spoke at the public forum, in defense of a petition he signed; the Citizens Advisory Council on Communication petition. He wants to see open and honest, two-way communication between the leadership of the APS and the community members they serve.

Robertson served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. If anyone has standing to insist upon open and honest communications regarding the spending of public power and resources, Robertson does.

The fact is, both Robertson and a high school student that followed him to the podium Wednesday, have the same right to petition their government.

One doesn't have to earn the right, it is protected under the First Amendment.

Enter Board Member Kathy Korte. She let Robertson and others who want to form the CACoC know, if she wants to hear from them, she'll let them know. In the meantime;
"... when people ask to be more involved with APS, and 'we want more communication' what I would like to see them do first, is getting that background check, going into a school in their neighborhood school and asking that school principal, how can I help you? ..."

Korte is apparently deeply confused over her authority to tell citizens what they must first do, before she recognizes their Constitutionally protected human right to petition their government and expect a good faith response for their legitimate petition.

Korte is among APS' senior-most role models of student
standards of conduct. Among other things, she is supposed
to be showing students how government of, by and for the
people is supposed to function.

She is supposed to be modeling and promoting the Pillars of
Character Counts!; Respect, Fairness, and Citizenship.

However short she falls, she says she's doing the best she can;
providing damn little consolation to those whose First
Amendment rights are being ignored, and to students in search
of role models of participatory democracy.




Korte photo Mark Bralley