Joplin Globe columnist responds to Turner Report post

In a Turner Report post earlier this week, I uncharacterisically referred to frequent Joplin Globe "guest columnist" Anson Burlingame an an "idiot" after reading one of his columns in which he ignored every issue in the Joplin R-8 Board of Education race and said the whole race comes down to whether voters agreed with how the administration and the board handled my case. I later apologized for referring to Burlingame as an idiot, saying that readers could examine what he has written and make that determination for themselves. Burlingame responded to that post, so in all fairness, in addition to leaving his response there, I am also going to give him equal time. I might add that, once again, Burlingame is sticking with his contention that the whole school board race is about Randy Turner.)

This is from Anson Burlingame, the idiot.

First I take no real offense at the title of your blog, Randy. I have been called far worse on other blogs. And for sure I never expect full agreement with anything that I write publicly. So fire away whenever you feel compelled to do so.

The real crux of the issue in the upcoming BOE election is stated rather clearly in my column. Do we want a "hands on" BOE or one that will let individuals do as they please in our classrooms, and in your case, outside of them as well.

Much is being said, in you case months ago and now with the Kansas Board of Regents, about freedom of speech in academia. I support it completely, for sure. You or anyone else in such positions, positions of public trust, paid for with public dollars. have all the right in the world to speak you minds, publicly.

But what you say must be held accountable by voters, the only real way that citizens can control such speech. If I disagree with you I can do nothing but write about such disagreement. But elected officials can do more and should, in my view.

You violate numberous BOE policies and such was "proven" in a legal proceeding to the satisfaction of 7 elected officials. Good for them in my view. We need more like them for sure to state clearly the policies that should guide education and then enforce those policies with what is missing in many classrooms, real RIGOR.

About 4 of the 8 candidates now having filed for election to the BOE are right out of your "camp". Good for them to make the effort to turn Joplin education into a "Turner program" that will perpetuate the same issues in public education so well pointed out over a decade ago in the Bell Curve.

Then read Ripley's new book The Smartest Kids in the World. You and your type of teachers would not last a minute in a system such as Finland sustains. Read the book to see why.

THAT is what this upcoming BOE election is all about and THAT is what I will try hard to promote for candidates running for that office.

But don't expect any long harangues in comments on this blog. We both know full well what the other believes in terms of how to improve education and we both disagree with great strenght, with each other.

So be it. Let the voters now decide just who is the "idiot"

Your later appology is accepted by the way.

Anson Burlingame