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The educators in Van Buren
Township are certainly teaching by
example.
We think these individuals and
their union deserve high marks
indeed for putting thewelfare of the
students, the community and the
district ahead of their own and
agreeing to some massive conces-
sions in a new, one-year contract
recently approved in the 5,000 stu-
dent district.
That contract, which alone con-
tained more than $3,9 million in
concessions from the teachers in
health care costs, wages and sched-
uling was the key factor in allowing
the Van Buren Public Schools
Board of Education to adopt a new
balanced budget which eliminates
more than $2 million in deficit
spending from this year and pro-
vides a surplus of about $200,000
next year. It also fulfills the district
responsibilities outlined in a deficit
reduction plan filed and controlled
by the state, allowing them to move
forward with plans to improve and
better the schools.
This easily could have disinte-
grated into a pitched battle between
the union and the schools, with the
district demanding more and the
unionmembers refusing to budge or
concede any of their hard-won ben-
efits. It did not happen that way.
Both sides acted like adults, con-
ducted themselves responsibly and
honestly without artifice or melo-
drama andwith genuine respect.
The school administration and
the board members themselves also
deserve praise for the manner in
which they approached the situa-
tion. They treated the teachers and
their union leaders with respect
and as equals. On both sides of the
bargaining table, the priority was
doing their best to protect the
integrity of the education offered in
the district under some extreme
and stultifying conditions.
They pulled it off and we con-
gratulate themfor their success.
This should be an object lesson
tomany in this area and is an exam-
ple of leading by setting an exam-
ple.
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
6
June 21, 2012
Ping.
There is goes again, piiinnng. Its
three a.m. I'm tired, bone weary,
exhausted, and I've been trying to
sleep now for what seems like
hours. I've punched my pillow into
more shapes than Salvador Dali
ever conceived, turned the room
temperature down, then up, then
back down again and recited the
alphabet backwards six times.
What I really need is that annoying
noise frommy phone.
PING.
Oh goodie, a text message at this
ungodly hour. What could be better
than a text at any time of the day or
night? Right. Oh, lucky, lucky me, I
am so popular and needed that
somebody in the world is attempt-
ing to get my attention and commu-
nicate with me about something of
critical importance…at THREE in
themorning. Nope, I don't think so.
Ping…oh, thismust be good.
First of all, I don't text. I do not. I
don't even email outside the office
because, foolish me, I figure that
personal relationships should
maybe be just that, conducted in
person. I actually still call people I
want to talk to. I want to hear the
sound of their voice, I want to have
that personal connection. I want to
actually have some real interaction
with themon a personal basis.
Here's what that makes me. Old.
Out of date. Behind the times.
Maybe so, but last week, my sis-
ter sentme an email full of pictures
of the young generation of today
engaged in all sorts of wonderful
activities. There was a young cou-
ple at a stage play, a foursome in a
small boat at sunset, a couple of
friends at a ball game, a pair on a
date at the circus, a group of about
six hiking in a beautiful wooded
area, and even a bride and groom
coming down the aisle after their
nuptial kiss. In every frame every
one of themwas
texting some-
one. They all
had their educated, fashionably
styled little heads bent diligently
over those tiny little electronic
gadgets in their hands, either send-
ing an important message or
receiving one of equal value.
What is wrong with this picture?
Plenty.
First of all, they are so busy
being in touch and communicating,
our young people today know less
and less about how to navigate the
real world of personal relation-
ships. If they can't text it to their 700
dearest “friends” it isn't worth
doing. Meanwhile, there is a glori-
ous sunset in front of them that
they will never see. There is a stage
We weren't in the courtroom for the days and days of testi-
mony. We didn't hear the hours and hours of rhetoric by
opposing attorneys and we don't pretend to be proficient in
navigating the very trickywaters of justice.
But we do have opinions based, we believe, on common
sense.
One of those opinions is that former Inkster District Court
Judge Sylvia James is being treated harshly by her peers, per-
haps to set an example to other jurists in the state. Those sit-
ting in judgment of her readily admit that she has faced no
criminal charges or been convicted of any crime. But still,
they have found her guilty of a list of charges and have recom-
mended that she be permanently removed from the judicial
bench as punishment for her inappropriate conduct.
We arewell aware of our lack of parochial knowledge here,
but it seems somewhat untoward for a judge to be so harshly
punished for having the unmitigated gall to contribute to local
churches by advertising in their various program or giving
money to the Inkster Goodfellows or the Inkster High School
alumni groups and helping the cheerleaders buy new uni-
forms. She donated money from the court to nearly every
civic group in Inkster andwas generouswithher time andher
support of community causes, which we're sure she now
regrets.
The criticism by both the special master appointed by the
Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission, which brought these
heinous allegations against James, is that she used a court
Community Service Fund to make the financial contributions
and that she enjoyed a personal gain from the contributions
in the formof self promotion.
OK, we can see that. Maybe she shouldn't have put her
name in the ads, promoting herself and getting her name out
in public. We can see that this might be considered an unto-
ward use of court funds. We agree, this money shouldn't have
been used for political advertising, if that's what it was. The
position is an elected one, and this may well be less than an
orthodox or fair campaign strategy available only to an incum-
bent.
We agree that some of this self-aggrandizement may have
been out of line for a sitting judge who has to avoid even the
appearance of anywrongdoing.
We don't think, however, it merits her permanent removal
from the bench after her exemplary service of more two
decades. James ran her court with steely determination and
efficiency and she didn't suffer fools gladly. She was there to
administer justice according to the law and she moved her
caseload along like a freight train. She handled asmany cases
in a year as courts with two judges and did it with compassion
and efficiency. She made a lot of enemies, in the courtroom,
and in the political arena, because she didn't have time to
waste with their petty dramas or personal angst. It seems
ironic, to us at least, that her refusal to play along with the
political games and usual collusion is what landed her in this
position, being accused of inappropriate political advertising.
Teaching
by example
See
Text,
page 7
See
Judge,
page 7
Letters
Federal legislation urged
To the editor:
Local and national headlines
are full of stories of the effects of
"K2", "Spice," "Mad Hatter," "Cush,"
"Bath Salts," and a multitude of
other synthetic/substitute drugs.
Simply put, this stuff hurts our kids.
A few local communities have
taken steps to create ordinances to
prohibit the sale and distribution of
these products. The Michigan
Legislature is currently debating
statutes about the issue.
We can, we MUST, do more.
Locally, I challenge all of our local
leaders to join together and create
local ordinances to ban the display,
sale, and distribution of these
"designer synthetics" - and dedicate
the necessary resources to enforce
them. I challenge local residents to
report those that are selling this
stuff to our youth, and to openly
boycott those businesses that con-
tinue to sell the products.
At the state level, I urge our leg-
islators to move quickly and deci-
sively to protect our young citizens.
There is too much at stake to drag
our feet on this important societal
issue. At the national level, I
implore the United States
Congress, by and through the FDA,
to immediately issue an emergency
order declaring these products ille-
gal.
Please join me as we work to
protect our community from this
danger.
CodyBailey,
GardenCity
Play participants thanked
To the editor:
Many thanks for the participa-
tion of the actresses and actors who
practiced tirelessly for the recent
theater production "A Hill of Magic
Beans, or Here's Looking At You
Jack" by Matt Casarino and pro-
duced by special arrangement with
Playscripts, Inc. held Saturday, May
20 at First United Methodist
Church, Belleville. Nakenya
Yarbrough, Gage Estes, Alex
Szczotka, Scott Testorelli, Cory
Quigley, Andre Pheim, James
McKenzie and Jeremy Bearden did
a splendid job . Big thanks as well
to the co-directors Alexis Tesner
If they can't text it
to their 700
dearest “friends”
it isn't worth doing.
”
The position is an elected one,
and this may well be less than
an orthodox or fair campaign strategy
available only to an incumbent.
”
Try texting a sunset or a baby’s smile
Does judge’s punishment fit the alleged crime?
See
Letters,
page 7