At the regular meeting of the Clover Park School Board August 9, 2021, Director Paul Wagemann shared with his fellow board members and the public present and those attending via Zoom, some “very interesting statements pretty slanderous of candidates running for school office,” Wagemann said.
Wagemann said the comments were found on Facebook and made by an individual “in leadership in our district and a member of the stakeholders’ group” which group has been crafting the Equity Policy.
Wagemann referenced the section of the Equity Policy, “which claims to address ‘microaggressions.’
“Microagressions communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults.”
“It’s amazing to me that people who are working on this that want to treat people fairly would make some comments for which they have no evidence to back up.”
“If ever there was a possible derogatory or negative slight or insult that the Equity Policy claims to address this is it. When you single people out and call them racist, white supremist, that to me is over the line.
“Pretty sad to have these kind of things happening in our district,” Wagemann said, adding “this needs to be reviewed and investigated and appropriate action taken.”
My memory tells me it was around a quarter of a century ago when I first made contact with the Anderson family in Tillicum. Over the years I crossed paths with David Andrson and his parents on multiple occasions. We did not always agree, but I recongnized them as an honorable and ethical family.
Now 25 years later I cannot believe that someone in a high paying position with the Clover Park School system would attempt to label David Anderson as a racist and worse yet, a white supremacist.
Upon hearing this slandering accusation I came up with a 4-way test. Here are my test questions that help demonstrate what I know to be a true characterization of David Anderson.
QUESTION #1: David Anderson, how many years have you coached kids baseball in Tillicum?
ANSWER: 10 – 15 years.
QUESTION #2: During your coaching years to date, were there ever any Black kids on yur team? How about Asian kids, Hispanic kids, American Indian kids, or Asian Pacific kids?
ANSWER: Yes, absolutely. We had kids of all races and colors on our Tillicum Crushers Baseball Team.
The reason for the diversity was our recruiting system. We paid no attention to race, color, or gender. We simply visited each first grade class and asked the students if they were interested in playing baseball. If they were interested, all they had to do was raise their hand. Each and every child who raised their hand, regardless of race or color or gender, was accepted into the team.
If any child wished to play ball, they were told to not worry about money. The coach would take care of the money part.
QUESTION #3: How many Black kids and kids of other races did you coach?
ANSWER: There were many kids of all colors and races. Dave’s kids were taught all they had to do is raise their hand, show up, and never give up. Dave’s coaching effort had nothing to do with race or color.
Way back when Dave started and each year thereafter, there was always an underlying question, “What does it have to do with color?” Color was never an issue. What David Anderson focussed on was treating each and evey kid as an individual that they are with their individual talent profile and goals.
That being the case, the new modern CRT along with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the expensive staff to support such an unnessessary effort is not needed.
QUESTION #4: David Anderson, did you ever make the minority kids sit in the back of the team bus?
ANSWER: No, we would never do that. Our effort was all about supporting and developing the kids. Besides we did not have a team bus. We had a van. All of our kids wanted to be the last to get off the bus so they could hang with their friends of all colors and races. No one focussed on color and race. They focussed on friendships with their baseball playing pals and the coaching team.
Based on the facts at hand related to Dave Anderson’s answers to my questions, he does not act or behave like a white supremacist. How can a guy who show nothing but love for all kids be a white supremacist?
Do not take my word for it. Ask anyone who knows Dave Anderson, “Is he a white supremacist or not?”
I challenge anyone who seeks the truth to stop in at the Tillicum Starbucks for a tasty beverage. While sipping your beverage, ask everyone who is in or enters the lobby, “Do you know Tillicum’s David Anderson? Second question. “Is Dave Anderson a white supremacist?”
You should quickly learn who the real David Anderson is and grow to appreciate the qualities he can bring to an elective office.
Joseph Boyle – Former Resident of Lakewood – 51 years.
Thanks for standing up to this accusation, I don’t know mr Anderson but he sounds like a stand up guy.
We – and I believe I am also speaking for Jeff Brown as he was likewise libeled in the insults directed toward us as candidates for Clover Park School Board, and I believe I am also speaking for the vast majority of people – will not be bullied.
Neither will we stand by while others are bullied.
Not physically, not verbally, nor will we tolerate cyberbullying.
Especially egregious – what has happened here – is that an expressed attempt was made to damage our electability by one who clearly not only knew better but had opportunity to stand down when challenged as to her unfounded charges in contrast to the character of those she had maligned.
Instead, she doubled down and responded as follows:
“I’m going to say this to be straight forward if you’re asking me to justify why he’s (Anderson) a racist.
“Racists don’t walk around wearing white hoods. Some of them look like and talk like and write like Anderson.”
She then provided a link entitled “Most Ra cists Don’t Wear Klan Costumes.”
This is irresponsible, reprehensible, unconscionable, despicable and it will not be tolerated now, nor will it be tolerated when we are elected to the school board.
Anyone – anyone – who is not incensed by such bullying, does not deserve to be your representative.
I would suggest that this type of race-baiting is an indication of a disappointing lack of confidence in Mr. Anderson’s opponent’s ability to face off for this position of public trust based on the merits of her own record. She is, therefore, sadly deflecting her own failures with a weak attempt to use “woke” phraseology to detract from her opponents true qualifications to make a real impact as an advocate for our community and it’s children. David Anderson is a man of character. He is a man of charity. He is a man of integrity and selfless determination. Having discussed with him at length the planks of his platform, I found his intentions to be true and believe in his ability to step up to the challenges of the office for which he aspires.
I proudly support David G. Anderson for CPSD School Board Director, and encourage you to use your precious vote wisely to effect positive and responsible change for our local schools. Vote David Anderson for CPSD School Board!
Mr. Anderson,
You may want to check your campaign donor’s list. Seems as if calling people employed by the CP District “a racist” is a problem within your own campaign.
Back in January you wrote, “A person is known by the company they keep.” Perhaps an inaccurate assumption of you has been made based on the words of your supporters?
Could you clarify with facts instead of making cloaked innuendoes.
Who exactly are you referring to that might be a racist instead of Mr. Anderson?
Maybe you aren’t aware that racism is against the law in our country – it is not a bantered word to deflect from misinformation and lack of facts and rational thinking.
In case you have not noticed it, we are living in a world, where “Right is Wrong, and Wrong is Right…In light of that truth, We are damned if we do, and damned if we don’t..
The left does not want us to win, no matter what we do.
Now, concerning David Anderson,, I have known him since he was a very young boy.. I was friends with his Godly parents, who did everything possible to raise godly son. AND they succeeded. He is a godly, honest man. Some people can tell lies about him, but that does not change who David is, and what he stands for. I would trust my life to him..
I am aware of the derogatory accusations of ‘racism’ leveled at me and David Anderson in a public venue. To me, it exemplifies the type of thinking of those ‘pushing’ the myopic Equity Policy (CRT) movement in the Clover Park School District. Simply stated: ‘if you don’t agree with them and their Equity Policy (CRT) then you must be racist’.
There appears to be no meaningful discourse with families about the real issues involving parents and their kids in our district from the CPSD ‘Stakeholders’ Group. Instead, special interest groups and individuals are attempting to hijack our schools with CRT in the form of an ‘Equity’ Policy. In reality, this Equity Policy (CRT) movement corrals people into racial categories and groups and promotes racism. In the case of David Anderson and myself, those promoting Equity Policy in our district, quickly resort to name calling, because they cannot rationally support their agenda on any level.
It is sad to me that the real topics for those running for School Board cannot be completely focused on teaching CPSD students as individuals, and in the core subjects that will prepare them for life during and after their time in our schools.
Would someone give me the Facebook link that is discussed in this article.
The thread is on the private Clover Park Education Association (CPEA) teachers union Facebook page. I have screen shots but at this time am having problems loading them into a response to this article. It is my understanding that this thread has been deleted from the CPEA site for obvious reasons. As soon as I figure out how to download the screen shots I will do so.
Mr. Arbeeny, I suggest you ask publisher if it is possible to upload items in the comments section.
Joseph Boyle
Uploaded below in my post!
Anytime someone begins their diatribe with “micro aggressions” you know they have nothing to offer. These so called micro aggressions are nothing more than someone taking way too much time to try to figure out if they should be offended and then because of their own weaknesses they discover they are offended. Somebody needs to call BS on this silliness. If you believe in micro aggressions I will never vote for you. Period.
Would you actually speak at a Clover Park board meeting as a parent? I think NOT. Let’s see! A bunch of teachers with protest pro-equity signs, antagonism oozing, take the floor to detail in depth their credentials: the years and years of teaching, number of hours of staff development, total number of children taught and in the case of one, expertise in statistics which no one else has! They then did announce their superior support of this absurd equity policy). Obviously parents wouldn’t be qualified !!!)and certainly wouldn’t feel adequate to express their viewpoints (at least that is the board’s totally inadequake stakeholder input plan outcome.) These educators were also estimated to be part of the majority of the group that came up with the faulty equity policy produced at the last board meeting. The current board clearly doesn’t apply equity in their own dealings with their real stakeholders. Intimidation surely prevents a whole lot of family input. Planning for successful, REAL stakeholder input couldn’t be more important: lack of same is reflective of the current board’s abysmal current leadership.
David your quote “when we are elected to the school board”. Shouldn’t the we be replaced with “if”
Technically “if” would be accurate. And that most certainly could very well be the case. And while it is true I didn’t win every rowing race I ever entered, by way of analogy, I never entered to finish second.
OK now let’s name names. This libelous statement and others against David Anderson and Jeff Brown were made by Filma (Marie Aquino Atienza) Fontanilla, a teacher at Hudloff Middle School and Clover Park Education Association (CPEA….teachers union) Vice President. I find it ironic that someone so deeply committed to “equity” and so sensitive to “micro-aggressions” would use “macro-aggression” to publically defame people she doesn’t even know. Any challenge to Critical Race Theory (CRT) dogma tends to precipitate unwarranted personal attacks rather than reasoned discourse: it’s what we’ve seen over the last few months. That’s what comes from a near fanatical religious like zeal in CRT. Yes, racists come in many colors.
“Libel (law): a published false statement that is damaging to a person’s reputation; a written defamation.”
Fontanella’s comments are recorded under her name and image on the private CPEA Facebook page where several other members who know David Anderson challenged her assertions but to no avail. She cut them off and would not engage in a debate: guilty until proven innocent is her idea of jurisprudence just as in north Korea and China today. She is a cyber bully of the worst kind, using her union position to malign and browbeat people she disagrees with. Just ask yourself: would you want someone like her teaching your children? Oh by the way: she is also a member on the Clover Park School District’s equity “stakeholders”. So this is what you can expect if the District’s “equity policy” is implemented: militant racism. Ironic that she was carrying a sign before the last Board meeting proclaiming “Equity does not equal anti-white.” Well so much for that untruth.
Fontanella also implies that the CPSD Board is in fact the CPEA’s Board instead of a Board elected by the people to represent their interests in the District and not the union’s. Indeed the CPEA May 2021 Update expressed concern about who gets elected to the Board and its impact on union 2022 contract negotiations. Well now we know their priorities when it comes to Board members and their endorsements.
And how did the rest of the Board react to this unwarranted libel raised by Board member Wagemann? Members Jacobs, Veliz and Pearson punted and didn’t even have a question or comment about it: no discussion. Then Board President Schafer dismissed it with a cavalier response that Facebook is just one step above Wikipedia to the twittering from other Board members and some in the audience: nothing but a joke.
Well here are the Facebook screen shots President Schafer and other Board members. What say you now and what do you plan to do about it? People are watching.
Oh wait, she is also the ‘stakeholder’ at the board meeting who announced her own superiority vs. others relative to statistics? Maybe she was the one suggesting NO AGGREGATE Equity plan evaluation-ergo making it impossible to evaluate holistically. Maybe she’d just like anecdotal reports? I vite aggregate!
She is also one of the teachers laughing at other people’s statements as the presented them to the board.
Wow! What a raging cauldron this world has become. No more civil discussions. Name calling and drawing lines of “my side vs your side” is the new normal. We need to tone down the rhetoric and LISTEN. I am afraid to give my opinion any more except among trusted friends. I don’t like to go shopping or driving for fear of guns and road rage. Please, people, take some time to cool down, consider your words and actions. Because I disagree with you doesn’t make either of us more or less Godly. It makes us better people to agree to disagree without so much animosity.
I didn’t vote for Mr Anderson based on my belief he will push his Christian dogma and ultra conservative beliefs and I do believe in the addition of CRT, sex and sexuality education appropriate to the age taught. BUT it was a struggle because if nothing else what I also believe is there very rarely comes along someone who is so devoted to his community and the children in his community. There has never been even a hint of racism in Mr Anderson. He is a man of integrity.
Linell, I just cannot recall – and in this campaign I’ve doorbelled 3,001 homes to date and met a lot of people and had both favorable and quite negative responses – any comments that have so struck me as yours as something that I truly cherish most of all. There are few things in my life that have mattered more to me than what you wrote. I have a mental ‘bottom drawer’ into which I place memories that periodically I’ll retrieve when I get discouraged. Yours is there. Thank you!
Gail! Don’t let the current tumult affect your life! Stay informed and live your life openly instead of in fear. Remember that the news media makes its living by reporting the bad, not the good. Unfortunately, trying to carry on a discussion with someone so set on critical race theory as a core belief is like trying to clap with one hand. We can only continue to present the truth with factual evidence to support it. “Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?” Shakespeare, Hamlet. That is our job and part of the human struggle.
It seems to me that Filma’s position in the union, not to mention her job teaching should be in great jeopardy. Who can publicly slander private citizens and maintain employment?
It seems to me there should be an investigation into these comments if not by the Board, maybe the SPI. If she says this about a private citizens, what is she telling her students?
Maybe someone losing their career would be a clear message to all of these hyper-intolerant hate-mongers.
bsn
John, thank you for you words of encouragement. I think its a shame we have lost the ability to be civil to one another. I rarely listen to a full newscast. As a country it seems as if its “my rights” are more important than “your rights”, forgetting we are all in this together. There has to be more negotiation and understanding of where each of us is coming from. I vehemently disagree with you on CRT but I respect your right to say you are against it. I feel the same way about 2nd Amendment enthusiasts. I don’t want them to five up their guns, but absolutely draw the line on assault weapons, bump stocks, etc. We need better accounting for who owns guns. I know this is off the subject of David Anderson and yet it does encompass our inability to LISTEN and lack of civility.
Mr. Arbeeny,
I thank you for pointing out to me those who you support. As I have mentioned previously I believe you are a racist. After reading the rebuttals of these candidates I can assure you that I would never vote for them. They use the same divisive catch words that those on the right have been using recently. Most of these are nothing but scare tactics for those who cannot think for themselves. I believe that they show their true selves using these words. They remind me of those who took part in the insurrection as the capital on January 6, 2021. I have asked who is teaching CRT and you nor anyone else has a response. It is a dog whistle for those who do not think critically. From my understanding it is taught to college level students who study law, not grade school aged children. But the truth has no place in you desire to control the country. Linking your god with any of this is beyond any reason. There is a separation between religion and state. Bringing your god into it is what the religious right desires to control women and those of another color. But I will never bow down to your god. This is not a christian nation. I came from the church and know all that I need to know about the lies and desire to control that lies within it. I am glad that it is dying. You and those of your ilk are willing participants in the destruction of this country. You are the american taliban. I am glad to see that the corporate puppets of the republicon party are being shown for what they are, all about themselves. I am glad to see their party fighting each other and slowly dying. I will resist you, starting with voting against those that you support, and support those who are not as self-centered. You are a racist and against all that this country supposedly stand for. You can try to gaslight the public but people can see through you and those you support.
Now you have the right to say as you wish as do I. I do not however support that every person has the right to have his or her thoughts taken as equal to others. I have no use for any republicon. They wish to destroy this country just to remain in power. They have shown themselves to be anti-american.
Need we even comment on this rant?
I suggest just suing whoever this
is.
I don’t understand what any of this has ANYTHING at all to do with the candidates Mr. Abderson, Mr. Brown.
Your comments and obviously strong opinions and feelings about Mr Arbeeny are not relevant.
Hate speech might be an understatement?
Oh wait, she is also the ‘stakeholder’ at the board meeting who announced her own superiority vs. others relative to statistics? Maybe she was the one suggesting NO AGGREGATE Equity plan evaluation-ergo making it impossible to evaluate holistically. Maybe she’d just like anecdotal reports? I vite aggregate!
She is also one of the teachers laughing at other people’s statements as the presented them to the board.
Yes, James they have. I have said for many years, I did not leave the Republican party-it left me! They changed horribly starting with Nixon and of course Saint Reagan who wasn’t even running the country his second term due to dementia. Reagan really killed us. He was the one that thought making senior citizens pay taxes on their extremely low Social Security was a good idea so he could give millionaires and billionaires tax breaks to pay little or no taxes versus what we pay. Hate the man immensely as he started our demise and yes, the party has become Russian agents. Look at 45 and Moscow Mitch.