He doesn't always get it right, but this time he did...

Last night, School Board Member Jay Wheeler sent out a supplement to his usual update ramblings. Typically we find it difficult to make it through his entire email, but this time our collective eyes did not move until reading it through (some paragraphs twice). With that being said, we felt a need to reprint it below:

This is not an official message from the Osceola County School Board or the Osceola County School District. I am solely responsible for all content. Feel free to forward this to any interested party. All feedback is encouraged.

Tonight the Osceola School Board had a meeting at 5:00 PM. While I am not going to recap the entire meeting. This Board named 4 schools slated to open 8/09. To that end a young lady who was in her Girl Scout uniform got up to speak in support of naming a school for newly inaugurated President Barack Obama. No one else besides me supported this name for one of our schools. The Board had a healthy debate on it.

Upon getting home from the Board meeting I called this young lady to tell her what a great job she did, and that while we did not name a school for President Obama she should be proud of how well she did & the courage she displayed. After speaking with this bright young lady, I asked her if her parents were home & her dad came on to the phone. I thought it was important to share with this young lady's parents how well she did. While the dad appreciated the call, he shared with me that there were attendees sitting behind him making fun of her, commenting that we should name a school after Robert E. Lee while she was speaking.

I am a Republican, and served for nine years on the Osceola County Republican Executive Committee. I did not vote for, support, or campaign for Barack Obama. I did publicly endorse and campaign for John McCain. With that said I am disgusted that anyone would make fun of a middle school student while presenting to the school board, and worse make a clear reference to a man who was the military leader of a confederacy that supported slavery. This may upset some who think I am wrong or right, those who think I'm wrong can call me at 407-973-4141 or 407-390-0505.

Today we have sworn in our first black US President and all of us need to pull together as Americans. Obviously right here in Osceola County we still have a long way to go. When this dad shared this with me, first I felt bad for this student. On further reflection I am outraged at the disrespect, arrogance, and ignorance. Some people still yearn for the good old days, I do not. Staying silent would be just as bad as having said something similar. We all must be vigilant against divisiveness, and shame on anyone who would turn a blind eye to this or something like this.

Sincerely,

Jay Wheeler

Osceola County School Board

District One