svweekly.com

This is literally the biggest piece of garbage I've ever read. Mr. Morgan you are a very ignorant person and dare I say must be a tad biased given your situation with the school. Some of the comments made about the RSU adminastrators were not only over the line, but some irrelevant and out of context. How you have a job as a newspaper writer I'll never know.

I think that was a little rough perhaps a fair attack at the district it clearly was a bad decision, but you are attacking people without knowing exactly what happened or what is going on. I think it is just a horrible display of journalism you attacked the wrong people and clearly do not know the whole story. It was poorly written. You seem to use some big words and get them right almost all of the time so good for you congrats on that...this was an awful article

Great article Ike!!! Whether some people want to admit it or not, the RSU administration made an awful decision on this one. Of course it gets even better when you get the 2005 Maine teacher of the year involved, then her husband, then one of her husband's employees. It is too bad that people are not more open minded to hear the details from within. I suppose it all stems from people not wanting to admit when they were wrong.

It is about time someone exposed what is going on at Nokomis. It has been hushed up for way too long. Not only these antics with the vote, but also how people are just appointed to jobs in the district without advertising them to the public. Nepotism on display there, for sure. We could start with Mary Nadeau and Shorey who just stepped into high paying jobs. And wasnt Shorey's job actually listed as something else when he left Nokomis to work at the supt's office, something to do with a one year grant rec'd or something as I recall? Now he is the Asst Superintendent. When did that happen?
I would like to know if there were any repercusions for the administrators who allowed a political ad to be filmed in the high school, or do Shorey and Braun not have to answer to anyone for that error in judgment? WHERE IS OUR SCHOOL BOARD?????????
Also, why are the antogonizing signs back up on the walls of Nokomis, such as "When did you decide to be straight"...students dont need such confrontational posters in their faces. I understand they were removed but put back up after the election last month. If more parents visited the school to see what is really going on up there, they would be up in arms!
I think this article was well-written, humorous and truthful. If one takes on a job such as these administrators, they need to toughen up their hides and accept criticism from the public and allow questions to be asked regarding their actions. And give answers to these questions as well.
Can't wait for the next part of this article, should be enlightening.

Why are the confrontational posters back up on the walls of Nokomis. Students dont need to have "When did you decide to be Straight" posters in their faces. It could be seen as a form of harrassment by the GSA. I understand it was taken down prior to the election, but was put back up. By sore losers maybe? If more parents visited the school and saw what was really going on, they would be up in arms.
This article was truthful, well written and humorous. Can't wait for the next one!

Hey frustrated taxpayer maybe the problem is the schools lack of advertisment but perhaps your lack of interest or even your lack of paying attention. The school very much did advertise these moves maybe read more than the Morgan view if you want true facts next time

It's good to know you can use the synonym function in Microsoft Word. Why go after these individuals when you should be focusing on the district? It's only slightly above catty middle school smack talk. Overall: Way to write a crappy biased article that doesn't present the argument in a mature and respectable fashion!

Joke, sorry but i do not understand your post at all. what advertisement are you talking about?

the way i read this column, morgan is going after the district...the people he named are mostly administrators...doesnt seem like any answers have been provided to the taxpayers in this district regarding the allowing of the No on One ad to be made at Nokomis...if there was, I missed it and would like to know about it if there was an explanation from the superintendent's office or the principle's office. To me, this article was written with tongue in cheek...which we could use (a laugh) as there has been enough hateful things put out there over this subject.

This article was written so well that SV Weekly will likely have to put out an apology to avoid legal trouble due to his immature writing...So i'll "stay tuned!" for that. He could have made the same point with out such lines like "too busy decorating his new office and dreaming of the day he becomes superintendent or did he also feel the pressure of the GLSENs of the world". This is one of the worst examples of journalism I've ever seen, content aside

How far Ike Morgan has come over the past several years! A vocal opponent of civil rights teams (Yes...THE dreaded civil rights teams, folks) and their annual statewide meetings (as he wrote in a newspaper opinion piece a few years ago), Mr. Morgan once walked the halls of Nokomis himself. Perhaps his flat-out bashing of his one-time colleagues is telling in itself...Can you say "sour grapes"? Ah yes, Mr. Morgan made that giant leap from classroom teacher to wanna-be journalist who uses the pages of a small-time rumor rag to tout his personal bigotry and his narrow-mindedness. What is more, he seems to fancy himself quite a clever bloke; he is a perfect example of someone who knows just enough to be dangerous. But just barely.

Just a thought... Why is it different to film a commercial in a public school building than to house an after-school Bible club there? Why is it different than using that same public building for a firearms safety class,or for any number of other special-interest events? Frankly, the question should not be why did administration consent to allow the building be used for this ad but rather why they didn't just offer it up to the Yes Vote folks, too? It is a public building; if it is denied to one outside group, fairly and probably legally, it must be denied to all.

Mr Morgan is shining a light on the shenanigans going on at Nokomis and I, for one, am glad someone is finally doing that! Too much has been kept from the public as to the goings on there and we have a right to know. Our kids deserve better from the high school than to have certain things rammed down their throats (such as the GSA bulletin boards and confrontational gay posters). There is no need to have so much of that presented to the children at this age. Remember, some of the high schoolers are 13-14 years old. Civil rights clubs could cover the gay stuff, why do we have to have this "politically correct" club (GSA) anyway?

"Confrontational Gay Posters" are insignificant compared to other, more influential advertisements these days. Children at this age? I believe children at this age have realized the effects of advertisements and that they can choose to feel their effects or not. "Why do we have to have this 'politically correct' club (GSA) anyway?" This statement removes any credibility from what you have to say. Time to wake up and realize that the world isn't (completely) homophobic anymore

My intent regarding "why do we have these clubs anyway" meant, why aren't we doing more of the three R's in school and leave things such as this to parents to discuss. I have seen many high school age kids who cannot even write cursive, dont pick up any reading material because they have difficulty reading and don't even know how to multiply and divide! I am not homophobic, thought I realize that making any sort of complaint against the GSA opens one up to name calling from those who feel they are more politically enlightened. Get over yourself..let's let the children be children for as long as possible without having pushy adults with their own agendas cramming unnecessary things down their throats....such as the poster in question! Its so obvious Ms Gould and the other losers in the gay marriage vote havent gotten over the fact that they lost.

How is it that Ms. Gould hasn't gotten over the loss of the gay marriage vote? She has done nothing wrong or showed any signs of being upset about the loss just because your a staunch republican doesn't mean you have to call out someone with liberal views losing the vote has nothing to do with the article and what is your argument against the gay straight alliance I think that it is an important club to offer just because it is offered doesn't mean that you have to join I just think that it is a good thing to have it gives kids choices I know that I had it at my school and none of the kids in it were bullied or teased or made fun of I think you just have unbelievably closed views.

Frustrated Taxpayer-What a great country we live in that even ignorant people... those who haven't the slightest idea what goes on in schools or what duties are now performed there because of lack of parental responsiblity, those who are bigots who do not understand that there are already gay students and gay parents and that they are the ones being singled out and bullied and that a doctor or strong willpower cannot change them...can still speak out. Go volunteer for a day in a school; then, write about it. Talk to those whose rights are really trampled upon, then share your opinion. But then again, that would force you to see reality...exactly what you avoid at all costs...clearly.

Thank goodness civil rights clubs already take care of, "the gay stuff". Spoken so intelligently.

well said M. Manchester

bill shreader & M Manchester...haha...I am a Democrat. having liberal views does not make one a bigot or ignorant because they believe in the traditional marriage between a man and a woman....Am also not homophobic, I believe homosexuals should have civil rights, but not marriage. And I am entitled to my opinion..just because I dont agree with you, you resort to name calling. Really mature on your part. ANd I have been in the schools and know some of what is going on....have you?

Arent you jumping the gun with your posting, Morgan hasnt even written Part 2 yet. You must be the same person that posts just that email on the newspaper websites. Is there a message you want to give out regarding this man? Or are you just trying to inform us, or are you mad that the newspapers didnt pick up on this. Hopefully, Mr Mendel will be absolved of this nonsense complaints, from what I hear, he does a darn good job with all the kids.

And yes, I have been in schools, clearly much more than you have. By definition, ignorant means not knowing something...apparently even that one is, in fact,ignorant. Feel free to continue this inane bickering, but I have already wasted enough time. Anything I can tell you, no matter how based in fact it may be, cannot help you "get it". My last words...

Foolishness all around. What makes it even more ridiculous is that this is one of the most troubled high schools in Maine. According to the 2008-9 Maine High School Assessment numbers, 42% of Nokomis students do not "meet the standards" in mathematics, 38% do not meet the standards in reading, 54% do not meet the standards in science, and 40% do not meet the standards in writing.

There are 136 high schools in Maine. Combining the "does not meet standards" percentages for these four subjects, Nokomis is the 11th from the bottom in Maine. The 10 schools that did more poorly are tiny, with an average graduating class of only 39, compared to Nokomis with a class size of 161. See http://www.maine.gov/education/mhsa/school_reports.htm for details.

These abysmal numbers are what the administration should be focused on, instead of allowing the school to be used for staging political advertisements.

hope you didnt hurt yourself falling off your high horse.

You are so far off base regarding me, it is ridiculous. Your reasoning is that if someone disagrees with you on this subject, then they are a bigot, hateful, etc.....fill in the blank with whatever hateful term you want. You began to make this personal. And that email was not leaked by Mendel, I have asked him. But I guess you are glad to spread the word on his behalf. If only you were so helpful in other ways...like allowing someone to have a differing opinion than yours! And I do spend quite abit of the week at school, along side you.

good going Ike. I don't see how they can judge one person and then do the same thing themselves.

Now that Mr Mendel has been vindicated by the state board, you can all take your opinions and shove it!