So a history teacher in Slinger made a reference to Hitler, big deal.
I’ve so had it with those on both sides of the other aisle who can’t talk about the most despised government in world history, Nazi Germany. It’s not like it can’t happen again in a much less brutal way. Those same tactics are going on right now around the world. But instead of talking about the characteristics of that government, or how it developed over time, it always comes back to political correctness. Like George Santayana wrote, in his “Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason,” "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
This story the of a HISTORY teacher calling out the authoritarian style of government we've seen under Walker, who without compromise or conscience, forced everyone to submit. This isn’t about some guy whose watches the history channel from time to time.
Having followed every twist and turn closely, here and in Michigan, Florida, Arizona and Ohio, how can anyone ignore the brutal verbal attacks on teachers, police, fire fighters, working Americans represented by unions, and anyone ungrateful or disloyal enough to sign a recall petition.
If Republican voters are satisfied with what they've seen so far, a one party authoritarian government, they should also “man up” to the bitter truth of their politics. Apparently, Slinger voters can’t handle the truth, and plan to punish the dissenter;
jsonline: In the Hartford area, they vote Republican. A Slinger teacher's reference to Hitler in an email to a state representative has stirred up a hornet's nest for him and his school district, and may result in disciplinary action. John Koszarek, a social studies teacher at Slinger High School … for 34 years, wrote the offending email from his home computer to Rep. Don Pridemore (R-Hartford), in response to an email newsletter Pridemore sent out about the effects of state legislation on area school districts.
Keep in mind, he wrote the email on his own personal computer, expressing his own personal opinion. An opinion that won’t be tolerated:
Koszarek identified himself in the email as a "proud WEAC Board member … Of course you are in Washington County where Hitler would have defeated Reagan had he the 'R' in front of his name on the ballot."
Robert Reynolds, district administrator, said he talked to Koszarek. " I asked, did you really mean to insult the great supporters of our school system - the good people of the Slinger area … When there's a concert or teacher conferences, you can't get into the parking lot," he said.
Irony Alert: Slinger parents are voting for Republican politician’s hell bent on doing away with public schools.
Koszarek then emailed an apology of sorts to Pridemore the next day. "I was right in saying that Washington County automatically votes for Republicans no matter the quality of the candidate . . . ," he wrote the next day. "I was wrong when I used Hitler as an example … I have known too many quality people from the area over my 34 years in Slinger."
Rep. Pridemore could have ignored or responded personally to Koszarek, but…are you kidding…such behavior must be punished:
Pridemore made the email public, and soon the district was inundated with angry calls and emails. Reynolds says the district is investigating "what our disciplinary options are" - they're not clear cut, especially because the email was written on Koszarek's own time, at home and on his own computer. Still, Reynolds says, the email did damage to the school district. "We still believe we have some options," he said.
Again, the email exchange didn’t have to go public. It’s a fair question to ask why Pridemore did release it. Expressing a personal opinion to an elected representative using any name; Hitler, Stalin, Atilla the Hun or Darth Vader, matters little, it’s now about the force government on dissent that we should be concerned with.
In an email received late Friday night, Koszarek declined to comment, except to say, "My emails express my views."
And they won’t be tolerated.
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