Why Are Butz Elementary Parents Avoiding the Real Problem?

Butz Elementary is a school located along Bushkill Center Road in Bushkill Tp. I used to live in that area, and it's where I voted. A group of parents want the polling place moved to a nearby fire hall. They are concerned about the increased incidence of school violence. Korry Franke told the Elections Commission last week that there had already been 17 school shootings (this includes accidental discharges) this year. The request, which also included a petition signed by 1,800 residents, appeared reasonable enough. No precedent would be set by moving one polling place to a fire hall that agreed to accept them and might actually be an improvement.  Unfortunately, Elections Chair George Treisner went medieval on them. And in Facebook exchanges, NorCo Council Prez Ken Kraft told one parent it was a "made up problem.". The person taking the heat for this boorish behavior is Executive Lamont McClure. And that's probably fair. The buck does stop with him.

On Monday night, Franke and other Bushkill Township parents asked the school district to close the school on primary day "to Band-Aid what the County has failed to permanently fix. Make no mistake; our fight to protect the kids has only just begun."

Franke has also slammed McClure for declining to support legislation introduced by State Senator Mario Scavello and State Rep. Marcia Hahn that would force already overburdened elections officials to "make every effort to avoid selecting schoolhouses as polling places." The bill includes no language that reimburse counties for the exorbitant lease prices that will certainly be demanded by private facilities. What County Exec in his right mind would support that kind of ridiculous legislation?

What might pass is a bill that would require schools to close on election day. Elections officials statewide plan to rally in support of this legislation in the next few months. Franke has told me he would support this bill.

But even this measure only solves the school safety problem on election days. What about the other 363 days a year?

What are Bushkill parents doing to keep their children safe on those days? I would think that someone who thinks voters are dangerous would want to do something about assault-style rifles so prevalent in these mass shootings. Or would be at the forefront of those calling for tighter background checks.

"Bernie, that has never been our issue to fight," Franke told me.

Why not?

Why are these parents only afraid about what could happen on election day, when it is least likely?

Won't moving the polls just be a Band-Aid?

I think these parents have every right to be concerned about the safety of their children. But if they are concerned about election day mass shootings, they must think about the other school days, too.

Morganelli Wants Teacher Bill of Rights

Morganelli wants teacher Bill of Rights

John Morganelli is Northampton County's DA. Allentown is outside his jurisdiction. But he walked into a hastily called news conference on April 20 with a copy of The Morning Call in his hand. Over the weekend, he read a Watchdog report detailing over 3,000 incidents involving unruly students last year, including assaults on other students and staff.  That was the "last straw" for him. Noting that this is a Lehigh Valley wide problem that includes suburban schools, Morganelli said "it is time to clamp down on the recent escalation of disruptions occurring in our schools due to a small out of control,segment of unruly, disrespecting and disruptive students."

He noted that Lehigh County DA Jim Martin is similarly frustrated, and in the wake of student assaults against police officers, has called for stiffer penalties for this criminal behavior. But he believes it;s time that teachers know they have rights, too. Noting that most of them feel handcuffed, Morganelli called for a Teacher Bill of Rights to protect them from lawsuits for insisting on order in an educational environment. He noted that under existing law, teachers "have an absolute right to protect themselves and use force to maintain order."  despite an atmosphere of "political correctness run amuck" in which teachers tell him they are afraid to put up their hands to defend themselves. "Teachers need more rights. not students, and they need to be able to discipline student without fear."

Morganelli was especially critical of the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which he claims has been perverted to include disruptive and violent students and school administrators who are unable, without parental or court permission, to place a disruptive special needs student into an alternative program or suspend for more than 10 days or even require counseling. "IDEA needs to be revamped so schools can truly take a zero tolerance approach toward school violence," he said.

Morganelli announced he is calling on federal legislators to amend IDEA to give educators more flexibility in dealing with and expelling students who cause problems in school, regardless how they are classified.

"These kids have no fear," he complained.

"This is my message to teachers and educators: In Northampton County, this District Attorney is not going to allow a bunch of unruly and disruptive students, no matter how they are classified, to create havoc and physical danger to other students in out schools and our educators. If you use reasonable force to maintain order or protect yourself, you are within the law and will not be criminally prosecuted."