Anti-Pledge School Board Chair Dunlap defeated in bid for re-election

At the March, 2009 Woodbury Town Meeting, the then School Board Chair Retta Dunlap was defeated in a three way race in her effort to be re-elected. The defeat was decisive as even if the low vote earner had their total added to Dunlaps, she would have still lost.

Dunlap opposed the return of the Pledge of Allegiance to the classroom. Dunlap aligned herself with liberals and those who opposed the Pledge being returned to the classroom and instead supported a Pledge recitation at any location but the classroom. Her objection to the Pledge being recited within the classroom was a curious position for her to take as she often presented herself as a cultural conservative. Dunlap's political career may be dead in the water as this is the third election that she has lost in as many years. Her past position at the School Board was the result of a Selectmen's appointment and not a vote of the community.

I rallied the opposition to her re-election among the cultural conservatives of the community. They spoke loud and clear at Town Meeting as they voted out two of the three opponents to recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom.

Boston Globe - very interesting reader comments

Click on the link to view the reader comments that were posted in response to the Boston Globe article of November 30, 2008. The comments from those who identify themselves as being from Woodbury, Vermont are very supportive. Those from Woodbury School Board Chair Retta Dunlap and Woodbury resident Stephanie Fraser, who both oppose returning the Pledge to the classroom, in my opinion, continue to defend the indefensible.

Dunlap is also the Director of an organization called Vermonters for Better Education. The organization believes in the privatization of the public school system. I have begun to wonder if Dunlap is keeping this controversy alive in order to promote the closing of Woodbury Elementary School. In the end, that would be consistent with the beliefs of the group that she heads. If that were to happen, it is my opinion that she would win an even greater victory for her organization than just keeping the Pledge out of the classroom.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2008/11/30/one_nation_indivisible_one_town_torn_in_two/#commentAnchor

WDEV Radio - The Mark Johnson Show of 12/9/08

http://www.gcast.com/u/MarkJohnsonShow/main

Then go to: 12/9/08 Ted Tedesco, Pledge, Pt 1

WATCH the WCAX TV Burlington, Vermont broadcast on this issue.

The woman who says she has lost friends over this has in fact dumped friends because they support the Pledge in the classroom and she is OPPOSED to the Pledge in the classroom.

http://www.wcax.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=3164066&h1=Woodbury%20Pledge%20Controversy&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=169800&LaunchPageAdTag=News&activePane=info&rnd=76208763

LOOK at what I found on the internet. Standardized test scores that show about 50% of all the children at Woodbury Elementary are failing.

With test scores like these it is my opinion that Principal Michaela Martin and School Board Chair Retta Dunlap should have given the taxpayers of Woodbury a return of the Pledge of Allegiance to the classroom. But they did not and I found these test scores on the internet while researching the Woodbury Elementary School. In my opinion, scores like these that reflect about a 50% NOT proficient or lower rating are tantamount to educational child and TAXPAYER abuse. Imagine if the town road crew only plowed one lane of every two lane road in Woodbury. How the heck would that make you feel about the plowing budget? Would you double the plowing budget for the next year or would you find people who can plow? Let me make it clear that I have the utmost respect for the hard working road crew here in Woodbury. I was just pointing out that each town department has to do their job with the tax money allocated. The road crew achieves great results with their tax dollars, the fire department does with their tax dollars, but the school does not. For all the tax dollars that go into that school, about $12,00 per student, we are only getting about half the educational job done. Essentially, we are getting a $6,000 educational product for every $12,000 spent, and that $12,000 is more than almost any other town spends.

Double click on the document to make it larger or visit

http://www.city-data.com/school/woodbury-elementary-school-vt.html

to see this and more information.

KOGO AM Radio podcast interview

http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/SANDIEGO-CA/KOGO-AM/CF%2011-19-08-3.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=SANDIEGO-CA&NG_FORMAT=talk&SITE_ID=670&STATION_ID=KOGO-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=Chip_Franklin&PCAST_CAT=News&PCAST_TITLE=Chip_Franklin_Mornings

Those who OPPOSE the Pledge in the classroom.

Boston Sunday Globe - November 30, 2008 - Photo Caption: Woodbury, Vt., residents Robin Grant, Stephanie Fraser, and Heather Lanphear all oppose what the school has done regarding students saying the Pledge of Allegiance at Woodbury Elementary School.