A Conflict of Interest?

 By Gretchen Garrity

 At the March 26, 2024 Christian County Library Board of Trustees meeting, the board voted, as a matter of course, to renew the Conflict of Interest policy required by the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC). (See March agenda under New Business.)

The policy states in part:

"Any employee who holds a voting interest in the Board or governing body of any other organization, association, non-for-profit, union, corporation, or government entity that conducts any business, financial or otherwise, with Christian County Library (including Recognized Library Support Organizations such as the Christian County Library Foundation and Friends of the Christian County Library) must disclose that relationship to their Supervisor and shall be disqualified from voting on or participating in any decision making, contract negotiation, or purchasing for or on behalf of Christian County Library related to that organization or entity. "

 

In a striking coincidence, a citizen, Aileena Keen, stood up to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. In it, she exposes a possible conflict of interest on the part of the library's executive director, Renee Brumett, who is a current board member of MOBIUS, a library consortium that provides access to digital library materials, inter-library loans, and other resources. Watch the short video:

 

From Keen's question, it appears few, if any, members of the board were aware that Brumett is a member of the board of directors of MOBIUS. Library consortiums engage in resource sharing, thereby giving local library members a wider degree of access to materials like books and digital resources. Why would this be a conflict of interest? See the above library policy. MOBIUS is a library consortium of mainly academic libraries that the Missouri State Library is associated with. 

From: MOBIUS Consortium

 

Currently, only four Missouri public libraries, including the Christian County Library, are members of MOBIUS. The other libraries are St. Charles City-County Library, St. Louis County Library, and the Springfield-Green County Library. Additionally, Robin Westphal, the State Librarian, is an ex officio board member of MOBIUS.

In contrast, the Missouri Evergreen Consortium is "an independent association of Missouri Public Libraries. The Consortium is an outgrowth of efforts to improve resource sharing between Missouri’s public libraries." Evergreen is primarily concerned with public libraries. There are currently about 66 member libraries in Evergreen, with 11 applicant libraries pending.

From: Christian County Library

 The question has to be asked, "Does the Christian County Library's membership in MOBIUS, versus Evergreen, have anything to do with Brumett's board membership?" It may not, but the library board should have had knowledge of any potential conflicts.

Additionally, the Christian County Library received a grant from MOBIUS for $1,159.00 to send a staff member to the American Library Association's YALSA Symposium in 2023. 

Looking deeper into MOBIUS, other connections surface, such as with Overdrive. What is Overdrive? You can read about Overdrive HERE in a previous article. From that article, "As a company OverDrive is typically Woke, aligned with the ALA, and prominently promotes social justice issues on its blog and for book recommendations. The ALA’s “Right to Read” statement is promoted here and here; while Social Emotional Learning is promoted here."

Overdrive originated the Libby App which public libraries and their patrons can download to access digital materials. You can also read about it at the link, and not only can it be expensive for public libraries, but Libby allows children access to thousands of inappropriate digital materials and books.

If a parent desires only age-appropriate materials for their children on Libby, there is the eReading Room which curates materials designed for children and teens. However, it is not the parent who is able to make the final determination, but something Overdrive and libraries developed. Their understanding of age-appropriate may not be what parents feel is right for their child.

The connections with MOBIUS--including the ALA, the MLA (as an Institutional Member) and Overdrive--all point to the continued association with organizations that have progressive socialist agendas separate from our local community. Local control is not just for government schools. It's also for taxpayer-funded public libraries.

Why would our public library hold membership in a consortium of academic libraries and not one geared to public libraries? What are the respective costs associated with membership, as opposed to membership in Evergreen? When did our library join MOBIUS? What are the advantages, if any?

Kill The Bill SB 727 -- Introduced by Senator Koenig

 By Retha Holland

From: MOsenate.gov

 

SB 727 affects home education choice, with increasing amendments and language that puts home education in danger and under the thumb of DESE. Just a few changes under the laws of “equal application” will put ALL home educators, whether or not they are in the State program, under DESE control.

Not to mention the increased unconstitutionality of this bill. See below:

·         Article III, Section 36 of the Missouri Constitution, because it has the effect of “divert[ing]” money from the treasury independent of the appropriation process.

·         Article III, Section 38(a) of the Missouri Constitution, which states that “The general assembly shall have no power to grant public money or property, or lend or authorize the lending of public credit, to any private person, association or corporation…”

·         Article III, Section 39(5) of the Missouri Constitution because it has the effect of “releas[ing] or extinguish[ing]... without consideration... the indebtedness, liability or obligation of... [a] corporation or individual”.

·         Article III, Sections 21 and 23 because the purpose of the bill was changed through amendments, and the final title violates the clear title requirement.

The State Board of Education shall assist the State Treasurer with data collection, as well as collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), to make recommendations to the State Treasurer regarding the promulgation of rules concerning the program.

Those that have called IN FAVOR of this bill have not read it, many of which may be private schools. They are not aware of the increase in control and the “new currency” of data collecting on their students that is prominent in this bill, along with teacher choice restrictions for private schools. They do not realize how the behemoth thumb of DESE will be upon them.

This was supposed to be SIMPLE, where those that educated their children at home or chose a private school option, and pay property taxes for public school education would be allocated to the said choices. Primary involvement was at the county level. This bill started out as 12 pages and has now has evolved to a 167-page legal document with holes for control by simple changes.

How much does this ever-increasing overreach of DESE already cost out of the quarter of the budget allocated for education from the State? DESE, with an astounding 1,700 employees, will be the winners in the bill.

This was never supposed to be about the state increasing involvement, only the legal ability for a parent to “choose” their child’s education with their property taxes, instead of also continuing to pay for services they don’t use and/or fails to meet their expectations.

About 27 grassroots organizations have made their position well known on this bill to kill it in the Senate. We have seen many state representatives up for re-election flip their vote in favor of this bill.

Americans for Prosperity along with other organizations are pushing for this bill with big money behind them. So you have to ask the real question, “Who is behind the curtain” with their own agenda?

With this Christmas tree bill public schools, private schools and home educators ALL LOSE both freedom and money. The leftover pennies in the end are not worth all the trouble.

Paragraph below is just one of many expectations for those that wish to enroll in the program.

Page 92:

“5. The production by a parent of a daily log showing 102 that a home school has a course of instruction which 103 satisfies the requirements of this section or, in the case 104 of a pupil over the age of sixteen years who attended a 105 metropolitan school district the previous year, a written 106 statement that the pupil is attending home school in 107 compliance with this section shall be a defense to any 108 prosecution under this section and to any charge or action 109 for educational neglect brought pursuant to chapter 210.”

What also has been overlooked in this trap of a bill is all it takes are small language changes or amendments that can and will put home educators and private schools under DESE control, as well as ruling that home-educator parents’ homes may be considered “gun free zones,” infringing on Second Amendment rights.

Jodie Grace and Patrick Holland talk Gold and Silver Bills

 

From: JodieGrace.com

Jodie Grace of the Arise and Build Podcast recently interviewed Patrick Holland from the Missouri Freedom Initiative. The subject was "Gold and Silver Currency in Missouri." 

Link HERE.

From the show notes:  "If you are interested in learning more about having a private, safe form of currency I hope you'll take time to listen even if you have to break it up into smaller sessions.  It's worth your time! 

Missouri Freedom Initiative - Patrick's organization

Hidden Secrets of Money - YouTube documentary series by Mike Maloney

Goldback, Inc. - Gold money you can carry in your wallet

UPMA - United Precious Metals Association"

 

Missouri is in a battle to pass a Gold and Silver bill. Info HERE. Lots more information HERE.

 

Missouri Freedom Initiative Livestream 7:30 p.m. -- Silver and Gold!

 

 

From Patrick Holland's livestream notes:  

 

"While we often delve into strategies for legislative success in Missouri, tonight's focus shifts to the underlying imperative of the Constitutional Money Act.

The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated. Citizens for Sound Money, with Daniel Diaz at the helm as Executive Director, has been an important ally in our quest to pass sound money legislation in Missouri. Daniel joins us tonight to dissect the precariousness of our current financial system, underscoring the necessity for a viable alternative.

The looming shadow of a potential economic downturn, particularly in the realm of commercial real estate, has sparked concerns of a crisis that could dwarf the turmoil of 2008. These discussions, largely absent from mainstream media, have found a home on alternative platforms, highlighting a brewing storm that could have profound impacts on us all.

This narrative of fiscal distress extends to the education sector, where schools, rather than tightening belts, have leveraged recent bond approvals to secure funding, amplifying the tax burden on local communities. This trend, echoing the fiscal challenges of states like Illinois, serves as a stark reminder of government priorities, often at odds with the well-being of its citizens."

Funding our own demise

From: WLA, an alternative to the ALA

 By Gretchen Garrity 

Taxpayers--citizens of Christian County--are unknowingly funding the American Library Association's advocacy for overthrowing our nation. Our local library, the Christian County Library, has sent Executive Director Renee Brumett, to an Ohio ALA conference this week that...well, let them speak for themselves.

 Dan Kleinman of the World Library Association details the facts. I've drawn shamelessly from his article.  Read his article (and do read the whole thing, there's lots of similar quotes from the main speakers):

 

"So the "Big Ideas" for public librarians to learn on the public's dime are anticapitalism, with a side helping of racism and hate.  This is what librarians are learning as Big Ideas to kick off their day at an ALA conference with an inspiring speaker sure to challenge their minds and spark their creativity.  Then they come back to the local communities and implement the anticapitalism and racism and hate they just learned.  All taxpayer funded.  All of it.  Memberships, conferences, travel, meals, incidentals, all of it."

 

The PLA, Public Library Association, IS the ALA.

Now do you see why citizens have been petitioning the CCL for over a year to no avail? When your librarians and a majority of board members are activists, courtesy of the Marxist ALA, you will get nowhere with an appeal to decency, child protection, and community values.

When the library budgets $30,000 for staff and board travel, not to mention thousands for "training" and whatever else they have stuffed into the budget under innocuous sounding categories, it's time for a review.

And it is long past time for the CCL to sever any and all ties with the American Library Association and its chapter member, The Missouri Library Association. There are alternatives to the Marxist ALA such as Kleinman's WLA.

 

The MSBA is in a sticky spot

From: MSBA

 By Gretchen Garrity

There were several very important outcomes to yesterday's (April 2, 2024) municipal races in Christian County. First, the Christian County Health Board has three new members who are dedicated to individual freedom. It is a huge win for citizens.

Second, the President-Elect of the Missouri School Boards Association, Ozark School Board Member Patty Quessenberry, was defeated. After 27 years as a school board member, the voters decided change was needed.

Now for the sticky part. According to the MSBA by-laws, the President of the MSBA must also be a current school board member:

"Article IV - Board of Directors
Section 1 - Qualifications
With the exception of the position of Immediate Past President and any ex-officio member serving as chair of the MSBA Council of Past Presidents, to be eligible to serve on the Board of Directors a person must be a member of an Active Member Board and shall have served at least two years on their local Board of Education."

 

From: Christian County Website

 Quessenberry has just been voted off the Ozark School Board. The by-laws further state:

 

"Art. IV, Section 8 - Resignation

Resignation, Automatic - A member of the Board of Directors who vacates a local board position, with the exception of the President and the Immediate Past President, shall immediately relinquish their position on the Board of Directors."

It's possible that Quessenberry can become an individual member according to Art. II, Sec. 5 of the by-laws, but she will not be able to hold elected office.

That she was elected President-elect last year may give the MSBA a little bit of wiggle room if they are adamant about retaining her as President in 2024. However, their own by-laws are clear. To keep her on as President of the MSBA when she is no longer a school board member, is problematic.

School Choice is a Government Trap

 

WATCH: The Globalist Plan to Destroy Education Freedom | Explained in Under Two Minutes pic.twitter.com/pZBmVHyR43

— That Other Tim (@ThatOtherTim) April 1, 2024

We the People of Christian County Meeting

 

Missouri Freedom Initiative Livestream!

 The Missouri Freedom Initiative goes live at 7:30 p.m. tonight. School bonds, the Silver and Gold bill in the Missouri Legislature and perhaps a little about the Education Bill SB727. Also, Patrick Holland of the MFI talks about more deceptive school bond language below.

Watch on TikTok

Patty Quessenberry on "Social Transitioning"

From: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery on X

 

 By Gretchen Garrity

At last Tuesday's candidate forum in Ozark, a woman named Amy Cooper asked the candidates their opinion of Rep. Jamie Gragg's bill (HB 2885) that would make it a crime for a teacher to assist a child in their desire to transition from one sex to the other. An impossibility, of course. The term "social transitioning" is not what is happening. This is what is happening, and that's not the worst of it.

School Board member and president-elect of the Missouri School Boards Association, Patty Quessenberry, answered out of her "Christian" sensibilities. It's a doozy. Her pastor needs to help exorcise the progressive tendencies she expressed in her answer.

To suggest, as Quessenberry did, that a Christian is not supposed to make a judgment regarding the emotional and physical mutilation of troubled children, but to make sure they feel safe in their delusion, is depraved. She does say the right words at one point--that it's not for teachers to help a child to "transition," but her overall answer was anti-christian in its intent.

Quessenberry then defends teachers and says she wants teacher retention in Ozark. Okaaaay. What does Ozark teacher retention have to do with Rep. Gragg's bill? What is she saying?

God will ultimately hold her accountable for her "non-judgment" of the diabolical and profit-driven gender movement that is deeply harming the psyches and bodies of children. Is this the type of individual who should get another term on the Ozark School Board? For more on Quessenberry go here.

UPDATE: Example A of why our local school board elections are vital: Joe Biden has declared March 31, 2024 as Transgender Visibility Day. Gender ideology is a top-down imposition on our local communities. Resist.

School Choice--Where Politics Makes Strange Bedfellows

Special interests--the big bad kind--are pushing HARD for school choice.

Public school boards, superintendents and staff should understand the implications for them if school choice is passed. This is one of those rare times when people usually on the opposite spectrum (like homeschool advocates) can come together to oppose an awful bill (SB727). It needs to go down in flames.

Read about it here: MO Lobbyists EPIC MELTDOWN 🔥

The Jeff City RINOs love to hate Mo Education Watch. If you are on Twitter, give this account a follow.

Looks like we have the annual Govt School Choice lobby meltdown in action.

Last year the same exact people came after a House Rep for voting no on Open Enrollment. They are rabid.

Rinse and Repeat. https://t.co/r7xXAaEl4p pic.twitter.com/qHzjzEaXih

— MO Education Watch (@MOEdWatch) March 30, 2024

How Schools Suppress Free Speech

Spokane school board candidate Ed Unger speaks up about the onerous rule regarding free speech at the Spokane R-VII School District, a rule adopted in July 2022.

 

Here is the actual rule that is suppressing free speech in Spokane R-VII School District. It is very similar to other local districts. It's time to insist on our rights of free speech. If your school district has similar rules, it's time to let the school board know it won't be tolerated. Voting is one way to have your say. Local elections are Tuesday, April 2, 2024.

From: Spokane R-VII School District

 

It's for the Children!

Missouri School Rankings: Clever School District

By Gretchen Garrity

When it comes to spending taxpayer dollars, school districts have the winning refrain: It's for the children!

This mantra is so common it deserves to be examined. Variations on the theme include: Do it for the kids! You can never do enough for the children! The children deserve the best we can do for them! I would do anything for the children!

These common "arguments" have been used for many years to browbeat and gaslight overburdened taxpayers into agreeing yet again to another raid on their pocketbooks. School personnel and elected officials often use this mantra as they push a bond for yet another project that must be funded because...the children!

Has anyone ever asked these questions: Why can't the school district plan and budget for improvements? Why do they have to go into debt to big financial organizations to do repairs and maintenance, or even add classrooms?

Isn't there an ongoing maintenance plan for the school districts? Aren't they making sure the infrastructure is inspected and maintained? When they see a problem, why don't they make provision for it? Is it reported to the school board before it becomes a big problem? Is the school board even aware of how the buildings are being maintained and on what kind of schedule?

Why doesn't the district use the tax revenue they receive from the citizens to fund improvements? By continuing to borrow millions of dollars from big financial organizations to fund improvements, renovations, and capital projects, the school district keeps taxpayers on the hook for ever-increasing loans and interest to bankers. 

To add insult to injury some school districts, like the Clever School District, take their internal bond debt (otherwise known as Lease Purchase Debt) that is paid from the Capitol Projects account. This account can have a portion of the property tax levy associated with a school, especially if it is a large amount of debt. This is generally PAID BACK through the base levy for Operations--the permanent tax you pay to the school through property taxes. 

Lease Purchase Debt does not require the approval or vote of the community. So in asking voters to take on all or a portion of this debt if the $16 million bond is approved, the school district gets to loosen their belt, while asking the community to continue to tighten theirs. It allows them a get-out-of-debt free card to just do it all over again in time for the next generation.

This is not living within one's means. It is the proverbial "borrowing your way out of debt," only it is the taxpayer who ends up paying for the fiscal irresponsibility of the school district.

The school district should be looking at the whole community when thinking about bonds. We are all in this together, and taxing the elderly out of their homes, burdening homeowners with ever-increasing property taxes actually harms children in the long run. The 20-year bond debt that gets rolled over will affect students as they move into home ownership, careers and families.

And what are taxpayers getting for their constant "investment" in more and better school buildings? How are academic scores in your school? In Clever, academic scores are declining. According to Missouri School Rankings, the Clever School District is ranked 316/535. It has an overall GPA of 1.50/4.0.

Read it and weep. In 2018-2019, Clever ranked 301/516. In 2020-2021, Clever ranked 138/516. In 2021-2022 they ranked 238/552. Now they are ranked 316/535. What accounts for these numbers--the sudden rise and then the steep decline?

Clever currently has a student to teacher ratio of 15:1. This is ideal. Why are academic scores so terribly low?

Missouri School Rankings: Clever

The question must be asked: How is a $16 million school bond going to bring up the academic scores in Clever? How will it benefit the children's minds and reasoning skills?

You know who really benefits by keeping school districts in a perpetual debt cycle? The financial institutions that parasitically feed off the community by loaning school districts millions of dollars, and the associated companies that are standing by to design and construct the plans for new weight rooms, covered walkways, and so on.

They are the MAJOR beneficiaries. The lender stands to make over $8 million in interest alone. It's for the children! 

No, it's for the lenders and the companies that are hired to do the design and construction.

Parents and taxpayers, it would be one thing if our students were succeeding academically. In fact, new science labs are a good thing, as well as needed renovations. But it doesn't take $16 million to build five new classrooms. A reasoned, well-thought out plan that takes into account the needs of the whole community is requisite. It's time to go back to the drawing board, to come together in a way that holds our schools accountable for the mission they are tasked with--to turn out educated individuals.

If the school district is failing to turn out students who can read well, write well, do math well, and reason well, then the focus should be on academics and not weight rooms or performing arts centers.

Are citizens aware that the organizations who are helping the school district to sell these bonds to the voter are associate or business members with state trade organizations like the Missouri School Boards Association or the Missouri Association of School Administrators? In Clever, it is Raymond James who desires to be the lender to the school district. They are a business member of MASA.

The plan designer is Buxton Kubik Dodd Design Collective who are members of the Missouri School Boards Association Business Connections. These professional trade connections help drive the school bond issues that plague communities all over our nation.

School districts lose sight of the fact that they serve the taxpaying citizens as a whole--families, elderly, homeowners--and must keep in mind their first mission is to adequately EDUCATE the children entrusted to them and to properly and morally steward the money they are provided by the taxpayer.

It's for all of us. We're all in this together.

Connections

 

 

From: MSBA

 

By Gretchen Garrity

 David Rice writes about Ozark School Board Member Patty Quessenberry, who has served on the board for 27 years--and she's running again. Quessenberry is also the president-elect of the Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA) about which you can read here, and watch below:

 

Rice writes: "Mrs. Quessenberry’s loyalties are not to you. At the very least, she is loyal to the MSBA which is buried in DEI and wants to increase school debt so they can make their Bank overlords happy. Is it possible her loyalties are to the businesses and organizations that stand to make the most money off the district? Even if all she gets out of being a board member is a massage to her ego, is it worth so many students failing?"

Rice shares the crux of the matter--that low academic scores are the elephant in the room that school boards avoid talking about at all costs.

Because of professional relationships, as well as the policies and guidelines pushed by groups like the MSBA and the Missouri Association of School Administrators (in connection with DESE), academic scores have taken a nosedive, as well as the mental and emotional health of students and staff. Also, these organizations are associated with lending organizations (like Raymond James and Stifel) that stand by to help school districts (taxpayers) get into debt through never-ending bonds for school construction projects, renovations, etc. Both Raymond James and Stifel are associate/business members with both the MSBA and MASA.

Citizens should check into the relationships with these professional organizations and how they work with local school districts to pass bonds and keep the taxpayers in perpetual debt above and beyond the tax levies. Follow the money.

Citizens must not lose sight of the abysmal academic scores. For parents and taxpayers the Return on Investment (ROI) is not there, but for financial organizations it's a never-ending windfall of taxpayer dollars.

The organizational relationships that school board members and candidates have has a lot to do with the decisions they make on the local level. Vote accordingly on April 2.