Dear Friends:

I’m writing with excitement.  My friend and former talk radio co-host, Jon Alvarez, is running for a vacant seat in New York State’s 23^rd Congressional District.  The seat is being vacated by Representative John McHugh as he has been nominated the new Secretary of the Army.

Jon Alvarez defines “patriot”.  His paternal grandparents came to this country from Spain during the turbulent 1930s.  Jon Alvarez grew up in Canton, Ohio and later attended the University of Texas.  He met his wonderful, lovely and loyal wife, Laura, while in Texas pursuing a career in education.

Eventually settling in Central Upstate New York, Jon Alvarez was deeply moved by the images of September 11, 2001.  As our country’s war effort ramped up, Jon vowed he would join the Army if it would allow another brave young soldier to return home to family.  When the military lifted age restrictions, Jon Alvarez joined weeks shy of his fortieth birthday.  At the age of 42 he was deployed to Iraq.  This after he lobbied for overseas duty despite a hearing loss detected by Army doctors. 

Jon Alvarez is scheduled stateside in just a few short weeks.  His initial plans were to return home and tend to his farm in Oswego County, New York and to welcome his daughter as a business partner in real estate sales.  Then the special election came across the radar.

The district is massive, stretching across the vast expanses of the Tug Hill Plateau, Adirondack Forest and portions of the Mohawk Valley and areas south of Lake Ontario.  People living in the district define “hard work and personal responsibility” every bit as much as Jon Alvarez defines dedication to his country.  It’s a natural match.

This nation was once a land of heroes.  It was a land explored by heroes.  It remains a land constructed by heroes.  Contrary to popular belief there are still many great men and women, filled with grit, ready to remind us we’ve so much more ahead. 

Jon Alvarez hasn’t endorsed my message and I’m in no official capacity with his campaign.  We do, however, share a belief the nation is absolutely going down the wrong road.  Jon Alvarez will be representing my fellow countrymen some 400 miles away from where I live but in a sense he’ll be representing an ideal, one which embers still burn in so many hearts.  If you believe you can assist Jon Alvarez in his quest, you may contact me at billc@wgmd.com.  I’ll do my part by pointing you in the right direction. 

I’ve been battling with folks on the left for almost a decade and can look back 25 years when I battled alongside them and reach some sober conclusions.  First, I usually wasn’t sober when I was involved with radical leftist groups.  As no one made me take the drink I can’t dismiss once playing for the other side.  All I can do is now work to make right the wrongs I committed against my God and my country.  The second thing I’ve noticed is the left can’t seem to make logical connections.  Which is why I guess the government schools are constructed in the current tense.  You create more liberals when Johnny can’t read and has only the dole as his only resort.  Last week a writer at The Christian Science Monitor bemoaned the lack of modern critical thinkers.  This infers critical thinking is something you can teach.  It may just be some folks are wired differently and can think on several levels at any given time while others don’t have the talent.  I believe I can make this statement because the left argues wiring is the root of all differences between people we used to consider just making lifestyle choices.  Notice I wrote I believe and not I feel.  The only thing I feel is the sometimes knot in my stomach when I’m asked to cheerlead for a cause that makes me uncomfortable.

A Roman Catholic Bishop I once heard saying a homily claimed the knot was part of God’s wiring and a reminder ethics aren’t situational. 

Over the weekend I had quite a bit of time for reading and came across the words of a columnist at The Washington Post.  Jim Hoagland writes the American people are getting angry.  Very, very angry and the anger he believes may get very, very ugly.  Hoagland, from what I know, has never been a paragon of the political right.  He’s just an observer witnessing what a great many others are seeing.  This morning I received an email from one of my friends serving in Iraq.  He was telling me 50 percent of working Americans are just two paychecks away from disaster.

Yesterday I attended a committee meeting of the Sussex County Community Organized Regiment.  A local man with a house just a few miles from where I live hosted it and he has a family, pets and a very good job.  These aren’t people frothing at the mouth and searching for a revolution.  There were ten people in attendance ranging from 19 years old to retired.  There had been an earlier committee meeting where something called “Victory Garden” was a discussion topic.  It appears these bitter clingers have ten acres of land available for tilling and planting.  Members of the group will grow vegetables and then, say it isn’t so, can them for what could be tougher months later this year and early next.  Any member who works on these plots is entitled to share in the bounty.  The barter economy is back. 

Before the session wrapped up there was light banter about the public reaction to creation of the organization.  Liberal bloggers in Wilmington are railing against the toothless right wing goons inhabiting the forests below the ditch.  You know the story.  The salons of the state’s biggest city can’t conceive of how folks can survive without big government.  Worse yet they can’t understand why you wouldn’t want the nanny state in your lives.  The beautiful crime and drug free streets upstate should be convincing, I guess.  Someone mentioned the follow up posts at the blogs contained liberal fears about the good people of Sussex County.  Some worry they’re at a disadvantage because we can handle guns and they can’t but if the figures are correct most of the “Wards of the State” locked up in prisons originally called New Castle County home.  The wards are often locked away because they committed gun crimes and often against liberals even more fearful of weapons they could use in self-defense against criminals. 

I don’t speak for the members of the Regiment but if things get interesting this summer some hungry lefties may be looking for a bite to eat.  God help them.  He just might if they could come to their senses.

“It was the worst year of my life” said the Dorchester County Maryland school teacher, when describing the time she worked for Dana Goodman, the Sussex Central principal charged with 30 counts of rape. 

Teacher Jane Doe, (my name for her) also explained how Mr. Goodman would allow the middle school girls to refer to him as “husband” and would call themselves “Mrs. Goodman” while they adjusted his tie at lunch. 

Despite pages of complaints against Goodman, he apparently was given a glowing recommendation when seeking his job here in Delaware, because Dorchester wanted to get rid of him!

Click here and listen to my Jane Doe teacher interview audio.

With the help of a generous Court of Common Pleas judge and a good attorney, 38 year old former Sussex Central High School principal, Dana Goodman, is free on bail.  Judge Rosemary Beauregard reduced Goodman’s bond from $331,000 to $125,000 dollars, which he was able to post Thursday. 

 He has been ordered to have no contact with the 17 year old victim,  the Indian River School District or its employees and no contact - direct or indirect - with any children under the age of 18.  Goodman is charged with 30 counts of 4th degree rape and continual sexual abuse of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.  All are felony offenses.

On Goodman’s release the school district has this comment:

Statement concerning the posting of bond by Sussex Central High School Principal Dana Goodman: 

“Mr. Goodman continues to be prohibited from having any contact with Indian River School District students or staff while his case is being adjudicated. The Indian River Board of Education has directed administrative staff to advertise the position of principal of Sussex Central High School, identify qualified applicants to be interviewed by the board and conduct background checks on all such applicants consistent with IRSD procedures.”                                               

                                Susan Bunting, SuperintendentMay 9, 2008

Earlier this week the Indian River School District appointed former IR and Woodbridge School District teacher and administrator, Robert Powell, as the interim principal at Sussex Central High School for the remainder of the school year.  Also Assistant IR Superintendent Gary Brittingham has been assigned to the school for the rest of the school year. 

The school district has now announced a special meeting for parents and members of the community regarding Sussex Central High School: 

At a special meeting on Tuesday, May 6, the Indian River Board of Education hired Robert Powell to serve as interim principal of Sussex Central High School for the remainder of the 2007-2008 school year. In addition, the board assigned Assistant Superintendent Gary Brittingham to the school for the remainder of the year.
“The Board of Education has put Sussex Central High School in good hands. Mr. Powell and Mr. Brittingham are competent and experienced administrators who will assure that the final six weeks of the school year run smoothly,” Superintendent Susan Bunting said. “We are especially pleased to have Mr. Powell back in our ranks. He is a talented educator who will work extremely hard to keep students and staff focused on instruction as the school year comes to a close.”

Powell spent 26 years as a teacher and administrator in the Indian River School District before retiring from the Woodbridge School District in 2005. He began as a health teacher at Selbyville Middle School in 1975 and received the district’s Teacher of the Year Award in 1980. That same year, he became assistant principal at Sussex Central Middle School and served in that capacity until 1989, when he was named the school’s principal. He was principal of Sussex Middle until 2001 and was named Delaware’s Principal of the Year in 1999. He accepted a principal’s position in the Woodbridge School District in 2001.  

Powell has recently served as a hearing officer for the Indian River School District. He will begin his duties at Sussex Central High School on Thursday, May 8.

Did Dana Goodman the Sussex Central Principal charged with 30 counts of rape of a minor, have a problematic past at other schools?  I keep hearing it, but have no proof.

I did find some online buzz about him in Dorchester County claiming he had a sketchy work history.

Read it here:  http://www.newszapforums.com/forum11/58625.html

Click here to read our first post about the local Principal Charged with rape.

It’s been a wild ride this week for Sussex Central High School Principal Dana Goodman.

First, Principal Goodman was caught making off color sexual innuendo jokes at a school assembly in front of the students, (cracks about the vice principal’s wife staying home pregnant with Goodman’s baby, and remarks about whether the Principal or Vice Principal would escort the “homely” girls to prom) Principal Goodman issue a formal apology for those jokes, and then told staffers  to avoid contacting “Dan Gaffney at WGMD”

Second, this week I broke the story about how on April 21st a pool of blood, a bloody handprint and a condom wrapper was discovered in a classroom at the start of the school day. A concerned teacher alerted the office, and Principal Goodman quickly ordered the blood cleaned up before the school police officer could be notified. State Police Crpl. Bratz, the school resource officer told me didn’t understand why the principal wouldn’t have let the police see the bloody scene before clean up. Why did the principal act in such an irresponsible way?  This time he ORDERED staffers not to call the Dan Gaffney Show. Read on….

Now at this hour, we hear that Principal Goodman has been arrested by the Delaware State Police. Sources tell me “it’s about 40 counts of rape”. We hear the victim was a student at the school. Officially the police have not released the charges; I’ll update you when that happens.

He has been suspended from his employment in the Indian River School District.

Eww.

UPDATE AT 6:33 PM FROM WGMD NEWS:

The charges are 30 counts of 4th degree rape, endangering the welfare f a child and continual sexual abuse of a child. 38 year old Dana Goodman, the principal at Sussex Central High School in Georgetown was arrested around noon today at school for the alleged rape of a 17-year-old female high school student. State Police say the investigation was launched when an anonymous tip was sent to the school district via a letter. State Police detectives understand the contact was consensual and began in the early part of January of this year and ended about a week ago. Police say Goodman and the student met at various locations in Sussex and Kent counties. Goodman is being held at SCI in default of $331,000 cash only bail and has been ordered to have no contact with children under the age of 18 and no contact with the Indian River School District or its employees. Anyone else who may have been victimized, should call State Police at 302-856-5850 ext 219.

In a flurry of last minute filings there will be a race for the Cape Henlopen Area “A” school board seat, which is a 5-year term – and it includes incumbent Noble Prettyman of Milton, who filed on the last day along with Larry Schrock of Milton.  Greg Fuller of Lincoln had already filed for the seat a week ago. 

In other school districts:

There are two contested races in the Indian River School District – in District 4 – incumbent Don Hattier faces two challengers – Harold Walters of Frankford and Christopher White of Ocean View.  And in District 5 – there are two seats up for re-election – both incumbents are running – Reggie Helms of Selbyville and Donna Mitchell of Frankford are challenged by Sharon Brittingham of Selbyville.  In District 3 incumbent Nina Lou Bunting will retain her seat on the school board as the only one who filed.  All the Indian River seats are three year terms.

There is one contested at large seat in Delmar – between incumbent Shawn Brittingham and Greg Cathell for the 5-year term.

In the Woodbridge School District – there is one seat up for re-election and it will mean a new face for the school board as president Shawn Bowman is not running for re-election.  That at-large seat has Coulter Passwaters and Walter Budy vying for the 5-year term.

School board elections for all districts will be held on Tuesday, May 13.

At the start of the school year, a caller to WGMD’s Dan Gaffney Show related that a school bus driver was told his bus would fail inspection if he did not remove a US Flag decal that was on his bus.  That was an issue that outraged many WGMD listeners – that the primary symbol of patriotism would not be allowed on a public school bus.  It seems that after 9-11 the decals were allowed as there was a more patriotic feeling across the country in reaction to terrorism striking in our own country.   

The Delaware Code does not specifically say that the decals are not allowed, but that they – or similar forms of decoration – are not mentioned at all.  So apparently not being included in what is allowed makes them a no no.     

Now 6 years after the fact, patriotism seems to have gone out of favor with the Dept. of Education and now the once allowed flag decals are now no longer ok.  That’s a slap in the face to all the troops – many from Delaware – who are currently in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations around the world fighting to keep us free from terror.  

It seems the public outrage has penetrated the walls of the Department of Education, which now seems to be reconsidering its stance and will accept public comment - in writing - for an amendment to the Delaware Code’s Administrative standards for school bus chassis and bodies – to allow a flag decal or plate on a school bus.  Comment will be taken until the close of business on Tuesday, February 5.  Several different bus chassis and bodies are targeted.     

Here are the three public notices that were published in the News Journal this morning:

1 - Public Notice Department of Education
1101 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies Placed in Production after March 1, 1998

The Secretary of Education seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1101 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies For Buses placed in Production After March 1, 1998 (Terminology and School Bus Types are Those Described in the National Standards for School Transportation 1995). The amendment allows for the placement of a U.S. Flag decal or plate on a school bus.
Persons wishing to present their views regarding this matter may do so in writing by the close of business on February 5, 2008 to Susan K. Haberstroh, Education Associate, Regulation Review, Department of Education, at 401 Federal Street, Suite 2, Dover, DE 19901. A copy of this regulation is available item the above address or may be viewed at the Department of Education business office. 1/7-NJ
Published 01/07/2008

2 - Public Notice Department of Education
1102 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies For Buses placed in production on or after March 1, 2002 and on or after March 1, 2003 with Specific Changes for Buses Placed in Production after January 1, 2004

The Secretary of Education seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1102 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies For Buses placed in production on or after March 1, 2002 and on or after March 1, 2003 with Specific Changes for Buses Placed in Production after January 1, 2004 (Terminology and School Bus Types are those described in the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures (NSTSP), May 2000). The amendment allows for the placement of a U.S. Flag decal or plate on a school bus.
Persons wishing to present their views regarding this matter may do so in writing by the close of business on February 5, 2008 to Susan K. Haberstroh, Education Associate, Regulation Review, Department of Education, at 401 Federal Street, Suite 2, Dover, DE 19901. A copy of this regulation is available from the above address or may be viewed at the Department of Education business office. 1/7-NJ
Published 01/07/2008

3 - Public Notice Department of Education
1103 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies For Buses placed in production on or after January 1, 2007

The Secretary of Education seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1103 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies For Buses placed in production on or after January 1, 2007 (Terminology and School Bus Types are Those Described in the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures (NSTSP) May 2005). The amendment allows for the placement of a U.S. Flag decal or plate on a school bus.
Persons wishing to present their views regarding this matter may do so in writing by the close of business on February 5, 2008 to Susan K. Haberstroh, Education Associate, Regulation Review, Department of Education, at 401 Federal Street, Suite 2, Dover, DE 19901. A copy of this regulation is available from the above address or may be viewed at the Department of Education business office. 1/7-NJ
Published 01/07/2008

And this is the section of the Delaware Administrative Code that deals with identification on school buses

Delaware Administrative Code
Title 14 Education
1100 Transportation

2.21 Identification - 1101 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies Placed in Production after March 1, 1998
2.21.1 Body shall bear words “SCHOOL BUS” in black letters at least 8 inches high on both front and rear of body or on signs attached thereto. Lettering shall be placed as high as possible without impairment of its visibility. Letters shall conform to “Series B” of Standard Alphabets for highway signs. “SCHOOL BUS” lettering shall have a reflective background, or as an option, may be illuminated by backlighting. All lettering on NSBY surfaces shall be black, and lettering on black surfaces shall be NSBY or white.
2.21.2 Bus identification number shall be displayed on the sides, on the rear, and on the front.
2.21.3 Other lettering, numbering, or symbols which may be displayed on the exterior of the bus, shall be limited to:
2.21.3.1 District or company name or owner of the bus may be displayed.
2.21.3.2 Bus identification number on the top of the bus, in addition to required numbering on sides, rear, and front.
2.21.3.3 The location of the battery(ies) identified by the word “BATTERY” or “BATTERIES” on the battery compartment door in 2″ lettering.
2.21.3.4 Lettering to identify the fuel type at the fuel filler location (2” letters maximum).
2.21.3.5 Symbols or letters near the service door displaying information for identification by the students of the bus or route served. Such symbols or lettering, if used, shall not exceed 36 square inches in size.
2.21.3.6 Symbols identifying the bus as equipped for or transporting students with special needs (see Specially Equipped School Bus section).

The same basic regulations from the above standards apply to the other buses included in the public notices.

2.22 Identification  - 1102 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies For Buses placed in production on or after March 1, 2002 and on or after March 1, 2003 with Specific Changes for Buses Placed in Production after January 1, 2004  

2.22 Identification -  1103 Standards for School Bus Chassis and Bodies For Buses placed in production on or after January 1, 2007

I see Cape Henlopen School District is out of school in December for “winter break“.

Indian River School District is observing Christmas!!! Here

Winter Break again at Sussex Tech

Milford Schools take a “winter break” on the 24, and the 26, but they don’t know what to call the 25th of December!  See here.

Seaford Schools observe MLK JR, Veterans, and Thanksgiving, but it’s “spring” and “winter” for the big breaks. Here

Merry Christmas!!!!