Comment Archives: stories: Currents: Currents Feature: Last 30 Days
Re: “The Metamorphosis of the Bug Man”
I'm glad you featured this man's highly regarded career.
Re: “Community Conundrum”
To Norm Meader, are you kidding? We go to Phoenix to breathe GLBT air because for all intents and purposes - for us, a committed, married, middle aged, church going gay couple - GLBT is non-existent in Tucson. If people in the GLBT community are slapping themselves on the back for how GLBT friendly Tucson is, then we really do have a major problem.
Re: “Community Conundrum”
Not too shocking. You hire an unqualified ED who leaves when the going gets tough only 15 months later. A policy analyst (even if a former employee is not nonprofit ED material without more fundraising and leadership experience - no wonder the recession had such a big impact).
Then you leave the organization without true leadership for 3 years???? What do they expect but chaos now and an organization completely adrift with a shifting and uncertain identity and future? This is firmly a problem caused by the board who over the past five years lead the organization to this breaking point.
I am very sad to learn what is going on - but to all my friends in nonprofit management and similar fields it is an important cautionary tale to share. I have seen this type of devastation happen to organizations before from poor board governance and expect to see it again.
Re: “Community Conundrum”
I was in the midst of putting together some fundraising projects that would benefit Wingspan — and will again once the dust has settled and it is again obvious what projects are going forward. Serving the youth and the domestic violence in our community is so very important. I hope that the Board rises above this fray and acts for the good and needs of the community and not just insulate from the issues brought forward by this incident.
Re: “Community Conundrum”
I am straight, but have had very some positive dealings with Wingspan and hope they get thru this, whatever it really is. The people above who find Tucson so offensive strike me as the ones who gripe and groan no matter where. So you pine for the west coast (yucck), just go there.
Re: “Community Conundrum”
On May 17 I requested that this article be corrected. I worked at Wingspan from April 15, 2008 until I resigned effective July 31, 2009, for a total of 15 months and 2 weeks.
Re: “Community Conundrum”
I'm very sorry to see this kind of conflict at Wingspan. Zami and Casey have been instrumental to keeping Wingspan afloat. Carol is excited about leading Wingspan and making it stronger. She brings leadership that Wingspan hasn't had for awhile. We must hope that fences can be mended and that Wingspan will go on to be stronger.
To jbuchman - you should have lived in Phoenix. Tucson is an oasis compared to that place. Tucson has been a wonderful community for LGBT people compared to the rest of the Southwest. You can't beat the West Coast, but you landed in a good place if you came this far away from the coast. Count your blessings. You had some here.
Re: “Community Conundrum”
Well, I don't want to negate any good that has been done in the past and can't imagine what GLBTQ community in Tucson would be without it. But, after almost 2 years in Tucson (job relocation) my partner and I are doing everything we can to get outa Dodge and back to the West Coast. I've lived in urban and rural settings, USA and internationally. Yet, we're appalled and have never experienced such backwardness as Tucson -- not only when it comes to GLBTQ issues, but also, politically (roads, development, improvements) and socially (lack of prioritization for homeless). So whatever structural changes are deemed necessary by God I hope they are for the best. But I would expect that the same principle of justice and equality sought through programs and advocacy is practiced as well regarding employment issues; otherwise, the leadership would be a sham and lack credibility.
Re: “The Border Battle”
Please , Grijalva Please.. Compromise is now a term politicans use to convince the public that they are attempting to look like they are doing something...... For those of us that have lived in Tucson for 40 years or more , Natives of Tucson, know that Grijalva should be President of Mexico instead of a U.S. congressman.. Most of his district looks like sonora mex. and functions similar to nogalas sonora mex.. His district has always had the highest crime rate in pima county. Not much has changed for the better since Raul "took" over this district a long time ago.. The number of Illegal immigants from mexico has increased in his district since his take over however... Almost evey time Raul opens his mouth and some sort of word combination comes out,,its got some thing to do with non citizens and in some way bad mouthing the legal U.S. citizen....
Re: “The Border Battle”
Only my opinion, feel free to call me what you wish. I have several family members who are naturalized citizens and they did it the legal way. That said, my concern is the great degree of naiveté demonstrated by the Gang of Eight. Why do they believe a group of people who have violated there native country's laws and then our laws to illegally emigrate, work without proper documentation, steal or falsify identification, steal goods and services intended for legal, needy citizens will suddenly decide to follow the law? I have a hard time believing even one fourth of those here illegally will voluntarily pay a fine and back taxes much less register with the government, and then learn English and become law abiding citizens. Am I being too cynical? Or just realistic?
Re: “The Border Battle”
Actually, the environmental hazards stem from allowing all these illegal aliens into the country in the first place. Do something positive for American and encourage them to self deport.
Re: “Riding Shotgun”
I think graduate students studying public policy would be more concerned about poverty and helping children get good educations instead of doling out weapons that statistically end up harming people instead of hindering crime.
Re: “Riding Shotgun”
Well put. FWIW I remember your dad marching "the troops" at El Rio Park. Thanks for keeping up the family tradition.
Anyway, this effort to arm everyone reminds me of the notion of a circular firing squad - which would be so much effective with shotguns.
Re: “Riding Shotgun”
Great work Sol. What a creative response to a really dumb plan to give away guns!
Re: “Minty Fresh”
A certain lyrically challenged T-pain song comes to mind when I think of the Mint:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt2wjJlP2N4
Re: “Protesting Disaster”
The irony is that traditionally, and especially during the years Nancy Amann, Brandon Decker and Maureen Mazza (employees who filed grievances against Rob Hill) have been in charge of the lions share. Nearly all scholarship monies awarded by the ASDB High School for departing seniors were to students whose parents were graduates or merely attended Gallaudet College (It was a college in their day, not a university and anyone attending and not even completing a single semester was considered an "alumnus." Only a 5th grade reading level was required).
ASDB is all about social, far less on merit. The most important considerations were family history of deafness-student is a "deaf of Deaf adults" (DODA), family attendance of Gallaudet, social standing among Deaf and that their parents were teachers or worked at the school, practices much like those employed by rabid eugenicists. Awards almost exclusively went to those students along with SSI and complete vocational rehabilitation funding - these are factual.
This year, protest leaders Julian Apfel and Nathan Amann are the primary recipients regardless of their parent's income, they are both DODA and their families have a "storied" history. For disrupting everyone in the education system (students, parents & staff) for weeks and during AIMS testing, they get to be rewarded? They should be suspended, the monies given to students who did NOT protest. Reward students who demonstrate merit, good efforts and are IN NEED of financial support. For years, I have never seen any of the "elite" deaf students have a regular summer job during their education and they brag about it.
Re: “Protesting Disaster”
First of all, how is the article "grotesquely one-sided" when... "Neither Hill nor Jones responded to repeated calls for comment"???
Second, "grievances to rail against Superintendent Robert Hill" are still comments and should be heard.
Third, if the meeting's agenda was "ostensibly limited" then Dr. Jones should have planned accordingly.
Fourth, you don't sound like a spectator because that was ONE diatribe that you just posted.
Fifth, isn't Rob Voreck also a concerned parent of a ASDB student??? Phoenix news just had him on t.v. Parents should have a say in their child education, no? While I don't condone his actions of speaking out of line at the meeting, I do commend him for his support for his child.
Sixth, what is your beef with this Nancy? Jim Jones???? That is pretty good. I seriously chuckled a bit - only because you dated yourself.
Seventh, Gallaudet cronies??? You do realize there is only one, ONE, university for Deaf students to go to, right? (RIT is an Institute)
Eighth, did you just call a bunch of "children with disabilities"... "miscreants" in the SAME paragraph?
Ninth, I like the point you were making about being mindful of people that are "narcissistic, maintain power position with rewards, favors or adherence to a shared, zealous quasi-religious dogma". Because that sounds just like Hill & Jones.
Tenth, how do you feel about. . . "quid pro quo"??? (Voreck is not a board member or Superintendent)
And last but not least, do you like apples????
Re: “Protesting Disaster”
Rob Vorcek fingers the work of Superintendent Robert Hill and Dr. Bernhard Jones with EIPA, the Educational Interpreters Professional Assessment program. and their association with TASK12, with Jones as Director. It remains unclear whether these associations are professional, financial, advisory or fraternal. Apparently, by mentioning test fee costs and requirements that interpreters at ASDB must take these tests, Vorcek wants everyone to believe that there is a "conflict of interest."
But really, whose interests? Vorcek has his own interpreting business empire that includes his own family members, stretching from Arizona, Nevada and California at least.
ASDB Board member Sheri Collins heads the Arizona Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and maintains an extremely cozy relationship with Vorcek through contracts.
This stinks more of "quid pro quo" than the Hill-Jones arrangement.
Re: “Protesting Disaster”
What a weak, asleep at the wheel reporting job. Most of the ASDB staff and administrators are doing an excellent job, in SPITE of the efforts of the Amann insurgents who are trying to make it the Arizona School for Deaf ONLY. From an inside perspective, the factionalization, cronyism, and vendettas practiced by the deaf community at, and outside, ASDB is a travesty of justice. Amann broke many laws, was feared by anyone outside her good ole boy network, and ignored all procedures, traditions, and rules of this great institution as she attempted to make it into her own little empire.
Fooling students as young at elementary school into protesting with lies and fear tactics, the deaf are ruining the chances this school will continue for another 100 years.
The complaintocracy and protest movement here remind me a lot of Kim Jung-Un and all his saber rattling - and are just as baseless.
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Re: “The Metamorphosis of the Bug Man”
Carl Olson is AMAZING!