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BRUSH-BLOCKING!

In the game of football, all over, the ‘brush-block’ is performed by the offensive players to redirect a defensive lineman or linebacker from reaching the quarterback directly. The defensive player does not engage but simply, using great muscular heft, solid, digging-in placement, and accurate striking capability, uses his body to bump the incoming defender aside, just for a bit, until the play is completed, the pass thrown, or the handoff is made.

This practice is not limited to games or sports. The practice is used in politics and management. The House of Representatives just used it to get out of session and go on a nearly two-month recess… brush-blocking aside votes right at the tip of having to be made to reveal the remainder of the Epstein files and also to impeach Secretary of Defense Hegseth.

What about on the local leadership level, using the Lake Geneva School Districts as an example? The Superintendent, Peter Wilson, of both districts recently released information about his stipend, as he termed it. Actually, his benefit is not a stipend but just that, a benefit. He indicated that he receives four hundred dollars a month for expenses in traveling to the different schools located in the two districts he oversees, plus a gasoline card for the fuel necessary. No limit on that card was admitted to.

Mr. Wilson is brush-blocking aside the FOIA request submitted by Speedo, which was filed to force the district to reveal the data about the existence of stipends as well as whom they have been paid to and in what amounts (if they exist at all, which has yet to be proven…and not proven by Mr. Wilson’s brush-blocking admission). The fact that the combined districts operate only seven schools, all within a few miles of the central office (located adjacent to Badger High School), makes one wonder about the amount of money paid for Mr. Wilson’s auto expenses, and then the gas card thing.

No teachers are being paid auto expenses, nor, to the knowledge of GSR reporters, do they have gas cards with unknown limits set on them. Does the financial director for the schools, already handsomely paid by contract, have auto expenses and a gas card? It will take another FOIA to find that out, as nothing much is volunteered by the districts with respect to money. The FOIA submitted by Speedo was responded to by the districts, but they neglected to cover his request for all information about stipends. The remainder of the report that was not forthcoming is due on Friday of this week, and it should have interesting, if not truly revealing, information inside it.

The GSR is not ‘after’ neither Peter Wilson or the district financial director. It’s after a complete revelation about what money has come in and what money has gone out over time and what the money was spent on (and, of course, what is left). The GSR is after supporting the community, the kids, and the teachers. What happened to the 32 teachers who left this year, and were they forced out? What has happened to teacher compensation? Does anybody in Lake Geneva, or even in this country, realize that American teachers with credentials are paid an average of 80,000 dollars a year, and that money is tax-free? They are given quarters, travel tickets home to visit, and international medical and life insurance as part of their benefit packages. And don’t think there are just a few.

There are 14,000-plus overseas international schools! As a side benefit, in most countries the teachers are called doctors no matter what their level of education might be, and very commonly, they are invited to consulates and embassies and are honored and highly respected guests. Now match that up with the lower blue-collar pay and ridiculous appreciation teachers get across the nation in the USA. Most of the international teachers are American. Most never come back to the USA except to deposit most of their earnings back ‘home’ and visit twice a year to keep the qualification to have their expat tax-free status intact. If you, 21 teachers, or others want to go on an international adventure, expenses paid, and then some, send an email to in**@**ie.com, which is the Association of International Education.

All the smaller associations belong, and they are always looking for qualified teachers. Mailing: AAIE, PO Box 3496, Princeton, NJ 08543-3496.