He signed his emails to me “Dick”… he certainly is.   Click here for the video

“The record also seems to show that Matt is being disciplined for his beliefs as a Conservative Catholic”,  writes Seamus Boyle National Vice-President Ancient Order of Hibernians in a letter to Guilderland School Superintendent McGuire.

The full text of Boyle’s letter, as obtained by MarkTalk is below:

Dear Mr. McGuire,

I have been following with dismay the action taken by you and Mr. Weisz in the case concerning Matt Nelligan. It seems that one way or the other you are determined to see Mr. Nelligan degraded in any way possible. The truth does not seem to be a priority in this case and when a vast majority of his department was interviewed and nothing was found another witch-hunt was launched under a different name. We just had a similar experience in Zimbabwe with President Mugabe who must win no matter what the truth is or what others want. We live in America and have freedom of speech but apparently that does not apply in your school district. Not only were the original charges dropped after you forced the accuser to bring charges against Nelligan and others, Mr. Nelligan was notified that “just because no evidence exists does not mean the events did not take place”. Does this also apply in our judicial system or just in the school district? As Irish-Catholics we have seen these same tactics used by the British in the North of Ireland, in order to silence the nationalist community. It is certainly chilling to see these same techniques applied in the United States of America.
The record also seems to show that Matt is being disciplined for his beliefs as a Conservative Catholic. The school seems fine with tolerance, as it applies to people who agree with them, but not those that disagree. The Ancient Order of Hibernians was formed in 1836 to defend the Catholic Church and its clergy and faithful from physical attack and injury. These nativist mobs cared nothing for our democratic liberties and traditions or for tolerance. It is my conclusion that at least metaphorically you would fall into that same category. I know that I speak for tens of thousands of members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians when I condemn your arbitrary and discriminatory actions in this case. I have known Matt Nelligan and his family for many years and yes Matt is a very strong, fair and caring person but he certainly is not a liar, as you seem to claim. I ask that you read this letter at your meeting today, distribute to the board and make it part of the public record of the proceedings.

Sincerely,

Seamus Boyle
National Vice-President
Ancient Order of Hibernians in America Inc

(scroll down for earlier stories) 

• From the Albany Times-Union
• Capital News 9 story w/link to video

Below is a statement issued to MarkTalk from the teachers this evening:

July 7, 2008

Nelligan-McManus Response to Board Action

Guilderland – The Guilderland School Board’s move tonight to call another special meeting on Monday, July 14th to vote on whether or not it will get involved with Superintendent McGuire’s decision to transfer two teachers is a “cynical delay tactic designed to ride out public outrage over the unjust retaliatory action against us. The delay is insulting to the thousands of Guilderland residents who have already demanded Board action. There should be an up or down vote now from all Board members on whether they support the transfer.”

During tonight’s meeting, the Board once again refused to allow any public comment. After an executive session, it moved to place a motion on the agenda for the July 14th meeting, a meeting scheduled for 8 in the morning. The motion to be voted on: does the transfer rise to level of Board involvement? Board President Dick Weisz said even if the Board voted “yes” to get involved, he wouldn’t say if the Board would take any action at the July 14th meeting.

The Board agreed to release a redacted culture climate inquiry but would not say when that would be made available to the public.

“The climate study has already been discredited. It was designed for cover to retaliate against two teachers with excellent credentials.”

One of the reasons MarkTalk loves the Golden State… 

While the brain-dead residents of New Orleans’ Ninth Ward all stood around drowning because no goverment official instructed them to survive during Katrnia in 2005,  in 2008 fire-weary Californians have decided that enough is enough… put out fires themselves  and rally around hungry and exhausted professional smoke eaters.

Click here for the story

Response to my inquiry of Guilderland Board of Education Richard Weisz regarding my iquiry of the board president about my sources’ information that the “emergency” Monday evening meeting.   

First is my email to him:

From: Mark Williams [mailto:mark@marktalk.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2008 12:30 PM
To: mcguirej@guilderlandschools.org
Subject: an old Nixon dirty trick?

Word is trickling to me that you plan to hold tomorrow’s (7/7) “Emergency” board meeting in a conference room so that you may enlist the local fire marshal to declare anybody who tries to speak part of a dangerous and illegal gathering and thus subject to arrest.

I am reporting as such on my web site, along with the notation that I have contacted you and am awaiting response. You may respond via email, posted comment to the on-line story (in the News & Commentary Section of www.MarkTalk.com) or call me directly at my 24/7 line (xxx) xxx-xxxx.

FYI, this will be the topic of conversation most of Monday afternoon ( 2-6 PM) again on my local radio show (590 AM WROW) and will be uploaded to MarkTalk.com for my international RSS subscribers.

Thank you
Mark Williams
CEO MarkTalk LLC / www.MarkTalk.com

Host NewsTalk 590 WROW AM
Columnist The Sacramento Union Newspaper
Contributor Fox News Channel

Here is response:

Return-path: <RWeisz@hodgsonruss.com>
Envelope-to: mark@marktalk.com
Delivery-date: Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:22:22 -0700 

your information is incorrect. We will be deciding whether to proceed in executive session or not as is required under our policy. If we proceed in executive session, we will not do it in front of the public.dick weisz

And my answer to that:

From: Mark Williams [mailto:mark@marktalk.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2008 8:07 PM
To: Weisz, Richard
Subject: Re: an old Nixon dirty trick?Are you available for an on air interview (via telephone) at any point between 2 & 6 PM tomorrow (Monday), regarding this story?

As his answer shows, he has no stomach to answer questions:

Return-path: <RWeisz@hodgsonruss.com>
Envelope-to: mark@marktalk.com
Delivery-date: Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:22:22 -0700 

sorry, I have got hearings tomorrow and can’t commit to being free

Maybe another day

dick

Here is the update.   Scroll down for background.

UPDATE:  Matt Nelligan, one of the teachers involved, has hired his own lawyer and vows suit.

Statement from the students below Listen to the Mark Willams Show Monday July 7 on 590 AM at 2:00 for more (the entire program will later be available at www.marktalk.com in the “archive” section):

United for McManus and Nelligan
P.O. Box 66
Altamont, New York 12009

In response to the announced “special” meeting of the Guilderland Board of Education, Elijah Sharma and McKenzie Bourque on behalf of “United for McManus and Nelligan” and www.notbackingdown.com has filed a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) concerning the illegal “special” meeting of the Guilderland Board of Education. The complaint specifically cites Public Officers Law, Article 7, Open Meetings Law, Section 100, Legislative declaration, section 104, Public Notice.”United for McManus and Nelligan” plans to also pursue the Department of State and any other appropriate officials to investigate the matter. “United for McManus and Nelligan” encourages hundreds to attend and rally at this illegal and deceptive meeting. United for McManus and Nelligan is committed to opposing any effort to forcefully transfer Mrs. McManus and Mr. Nelligan, holding those within the school district who supported either directly or through their inaction the forced transfer responsible, and preventing further similar actions in the future. United for McManus and Nelligan seeks to pursue all possible non-violent forms of direct action as well as traditional grassroots activism to achieve these goals.

United for McManus and Nelligan was founded on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 by Elijah Sharma and McKenzie Bourque. The organization seeks to unite under one banner the countless individuals who support the goals listed above.

 SUNDAY JULY 6 UPDATE:  THE MEETING CALLED FOR TOMORROW NIGHT BY THE GUILDERLAND SCHOOL BOARD TO SILENCE THE PUBLIC IS APPARENTLY ILLEGAL UNDER NEW YORK STATE LAW (click here for law text, pay attention to section 104).  The school supt. has not yet responded to email and voice mail messages left by MarkTalk. 

Developing….

(Saturday July 5, 2008)  MarkTalk’s Upstate NY radio listeners are familiar with the pair of Guilderland High School teachers being demoted for holding and espousing conservative political views.

Coming to the aid of the teachers has been more than 500 self-described “liberal” students all of whom praise the teachers for challenging them to think and justify their beliefs.

Faced with more than 400 angry students, parents and a media circus the Guilderland Board of Education literally ran from a meeting, pelted by catcalls the entire way (click here for raw video).

MARKTALK HAS LEARNED THAT AN “EMERGENCY” MEETING OF THE BOARD WILL BE HELD AT 6:00 PM LOCAL TIME, THIS MONDAY JULY 7 TO DEAL WITH THE GROWING CONTROVERSEY.  HOWEVER, MARKTALK SOURCES INDICATE THAT THE BOARD WILL AGAIN BOYCOT ITS OWN MEETING IF TEACHER SUPPORTERS ATTEMPT TO SPEAK AND IS GOING TO ENFORCE THAT BAN ON THE PUBLIC BY HOLDING THE MEETING IN A SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM.  THEY WILL THEN USE THE LOCAL FIRE MARSHALL TO USE FORCE IF NECESSARY TO CLEAR THE ROOM OF PEOPLE WISHING TO SPEAK.  School officials have not returned MarkTalk’s inquiries for comment.

BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF A STATEMENT FROM THE TEACHERS, SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE MONDAY BUT AQUIRED BY MARKTALK THROUGH OUR OWN SOURCES CLOSE TO THE STORY:

JOINT STATEMENT from Matt Nelligan and Ann-Marie McManus, regarding the special meeting of the Guilderland Board of Education scheduled for Monday, July 7, at 6 p.m. in the Guilderland High School Principal’s Conference Room. The district has posted that, “The purpose of the meeting is a personnel issue, probable Executive Session pending Board action.”

STATEMENT:

“We sincerely hope that the Board of Education, after hearing all of the facts, will agree to restore us to our teaching positions and schedules at the High School for 2008. We also hope that the Board will reverse the decision of Superintendent John W. McGuire that has served to divide and to potentially destroy an excellent Social Studies Department.

“We expect the information presented to the Board will reveal the facts of unfounded allegations made against Matthew Nelligan and the supporting evidence that Ann-Marie McManus was on maternity leave during the ‘Climate Inquiry’. Based on these facts, we hope the Board will conclude that both transfers are not justified by the claims made directly by the Superintendent in various statements, including letters sent about our involvement in a negative climate which are defamatory to our good names and reputations throughout the Guilderland community.

“The Superintendent’s actions have caused great pain not only to us personally, but also to the Social Studies Department and to our families, friends and to the Guilderland community as a whole.

“We urge the School Board to respond to the hundreds of people who have called on them to reverse the decision made by Superintendent McGuire that was based on an unsubstantiated and discredited ‘Climate Inquiry.’

”We urge Superintendent McGuire to accept the facts of this case and to apologize for the hurt that his actions and words have caused to so many.”

“We wish to thank all of the students, former students, parents, community members, family and staff who have supported us. And, we are especially proud of our students who clearly have learned the lessons we have taught them — how citizens can effect policy and correct injustice in our democratic system.”

Matt Nelligan
Ann Marie McManus

MarkTalk will drop by Ammo World and send a gift wrapped box of fresh hollow points.  Do what you can to help this overdue herd cull succeed.  Story link comes with charming pictures of hopefully soon to be dead gangsters

Yep, the tomatoes were fine, it was the jalapenos.  Sorry about demolishing that whole tomato industry thing there Florida.