Mike Towle: Raging Liberal?

Well, that's the word from County Commissioner Jerry Stone.

Towle writes all about how Stone wrote a letter calling Towle a liberal.

Towle felt so offended he was compelled to defend himself.

Anyone who has read Mike's writing in praise of Debra Maggart, for example, knows he's no liberal.

Moreover, this type of name-calling by Stone hints at a certain level of desperation.

Conservatives and Liberals in Sumner County both support excellent public schools.  A solid majority of the community has repeatedly attended County Commission meetings, made phone calls, and sent emails. 

None of this has swayed Stone and his buddies who have consistently opposed school funding.  So, now they are resorting to name-calling.  They attempt to divide and drive wedges rather than respond to the will of the people. 

Perhaps they hope the distraction about left vs. right will take away focus from what's been going wrong: The School Board and Commission can't get together and agree on what's best for schools.  Our children and our entire community are held hostage while adults fight to gain the political upper hand. 

And now, schoolyard name-calling has entered the mix.  That means there's not much hope for the coming budget cycle. 

How much more needs to be said about our community's desire for excellent schools? About the desire on the part of many to pay just a little bit more in order to have a school system that lives up to its potential for greatness?

Would Stone not be better served by presenting a reasonable budget alternative that helps move our schools (and community) forward?

Elections are coming in 2014.  And the budget battle this year has the potential to make Stone and others look bad -- unless they do what they need to do to set our schools on a path toward excellence.

So, expect more name-calling and desperation.