One man made a comment which he was crucified and it is certain there are a few teachers who are not there for the kids. What kind of teachers bully one person and enlist the aid of children? These teachers should be ashamed of themselves.

I would like to speak a few things on behalf of the students who spoke last night. I, Rachel Wehrly, being the first to speak not only have every right to take concern in the matters and well being concerning MY school, but as a legal adult and citizen of Brighton township have every right to voice my opinion and support my teachers when I felt it is needed.. My peers and myself were in no way "enlisted" by teachers or anyone else for that matter. I spoke as a Brighton citizen from the bottom of my heart.

I do on some level believe that the students went for a main purpose, maybe not forced to go, but encouraged to go. I have had 4 student at one time in the high school and next year sending my last. I can honestly say, there are poor teachers and great teachers and for every student that comments on the good, there will be one to comment on the bad. You have to look at the big picture and leave the students out of it. As the student above me said, this is concerning "her" school, and thats great to have an opinion, but you will leave BHS one day and the problems will still be there if we don't get them fixed.

Students ARE the business of the school. Our district's adopted social studies curriculum addresses core democratic values, debate and local and state public issues. Why not learn about these in a real world setting that is meaningful and impacting. I salute the teachers or whomever it may be who encouraged these students to experience our local government first hand. What an awesome way to learn. Those BAS teachers are always finding innovative, exciting ways to teach! No wonder our district is at the top for student achievement and test scores!

Charlotte, Thank you for the comments and I understand where you are coming from but as you can see from Rachel it is HER school and will always be as an ALUMNI of Brighton. I am also an ALUMNI as were most of the teachers that spoke last night. I am proud to say I moved back to Brighton to raise my family and will soon send my kids to Brighton Schools. As you can see ALUMNI will always be a part of Brighton Schools and most will some day move back and send their kids here.

Quote from the Board Policy on the Call to the Public (emphasis added): "ANYONE with concerns related to the operation of the schools or to matters within the authority of the Board may participate during the public portion of a meeting."
That includes students!

I applaud John Conely for stating what is unpopular and un-pc. The truth hurts. I have friends who are teachers in this district, and they are good people (Great even). But don't expect everyone to believe that every teacher hired is a super star. People burn out. Some great people, are not great teachers. Administrators need the freedom to fix hiring mistakes. Or to take action when a teacher is no longer performing. Teachers, banding together to protect each other's jobs is a disservice to the children in our community. I know your profession does not get the respect it rightly deserves, but that is no reason to jump to the conclusion that every soul that enters it, is infallible. I'm sure Mr. Conely would readily admit he has made hiring mistakes in his own business. He has the freedom to fix those. Administrators in this district need the same freedom. (I'm not an administrator, nor do I speak for them. This is my own opinion.) Teachers, I hope you don't expect us all to believe there is not a single bad egg in this entire district. Seriously? Mr. Conely said, "a few." Don't kill the messenger.

Oh my god, enough with the 'unpopular opinion' kudos. PLEASE. As if the teachers are unaware that the district is in distress and Lord Conely is the only one who knows. He is the only one making an egotistical stink, therefore drawing attention to himself and his opinions. Everyone on that board, including the teachers, are well-aware of the problem. It is hard to work together when opinions are polarized, and you are working with people with tempers. Bottom line. It's working itself into a boil, if you haven't noticed. Any of the liberals on that board could make a stink, but that's not their style, they're trying to be adults, and they're not flipping out when things don't go their way.

The focus on the incompetent (allegedly) teachers is a feeble attempt to gain favor of the public. These people need to put their political agendas aside and really work together as adults. I don't see that happening. There are some seriously, seriously egotistical men on that board, who need to step back, have a Budweiser, and realize it's not a popularity contest, it's the future of the kids at stake. Stop going for the jugular, aka the teacher's salaries, to pay them back for not agreeing with you. People will not always agree with you. You need to learn to WORK TOGETHER.

I don't see anyone "flipping out" and I don't think name calling is a viable recourse against someone because a few people do not agree. Mr. Conley is serving to work on the business and financial part of our school system so that we continue to have a great school district. Approval of a budget without the means to support it is undeniably foolish and the man should be lauded instead of slammed.

Jerrilyn, I think that John had a real chance to prove that he didn't feel that it was him against the world, but that is the image that he's hell-bent on creating and it's sad. Do you really believe that the teachers are that difficult to address? That they are simply unwilling ogres who will not work together? That is sad, unfortunately, and frankly, unbelievable. For Mr. Conely to bring a list of allegedly incompetent teachers is just a ploy to gain sympathy from the masses for making comments during heated debates. Those teachers are often plenty competent, and I'm curious--has he spent any time in a classroom himself? Does he have the right to deem them that awful? Those are big allegations that he is throwing at people. Is he being fair? Or spiteful?

Not to mention his suggestion that teachers allegedly deserve a fifteen percent pay cut. Because they're allegedly 'incompetent' in some ways and/or that will magically fix the deficit. Sounds fair. Wonder how he'd like a fifteen percent pay cut or any criticisms re: how he runs his business? I doubt he'd appreciate it much, given his track record with being disagreed with.

"There are some seriously, seriously egotistical men on that board, who need to step back, have a Budweiser, and realize it's not a popularity contest, it's the future of the kids at stake." Seems like you may stand accused yourself of allegations thrown at people. "Is he being fair? Or spiteful?"

Are you? I wonder why there is such hate involved in the discussion of John Conley's actions.

Hi Everyone, please keep the comments about the issues and not individual people. Thank you!

Hi Nicole,

It is hard not to single out someone who is threatening to put the salaries of several families at stake. It seems that he is receiving protection, and the teachers, what are they receiving? Messages that they're incompetent.

To be fair, the article itself is talking about John Conely, an individual person.

Hi Kate, yes article is about both Mr. Conely's comments and the school board meeting last night, but I'm still asking everyone to please refrain from personal attacks on board members as well as other commenters as it states in our Terms of Use policy. http://brighton.patch.com/terms I understand that this topic is very personal to most people in the community, but please try to keep your comments directed to the issues on hand. Thanks!

No problem, Nicole. Thanks for giving people an outlet. I will refrain from using 'Lord' to acknowledge school board members. I actually thought that it sounded rather fancy!

The fact that we need to have a public forum on the mere suggestion that there might be some incompetency in the district, speaks volumes about why our nations public schools are in such decline. People need to get out of the way, and let ONE PERSON make the hard decisions. We are becoming a nation of cry babies that has to vote on every single issue facing us. From Washington, to Detroit, to School Boards around this country everyone wants to have a say in every decision... Then nothing gets done or accomplished. It's sickening. This country was set up to be a Republic, not a Democracy. Vote for your leaders, then get out of the way and let them do their job. If they screw it up, don't vote for them again. It's simple. If your guy loses the election, spend some time asking yourself why.

All I know, from someone who neither has a student in BAS nor is a teacher, is if both sides could focus all thier energy in working together as they do in bashing each other, maybe a solution without a reduction in pay would happen.

And speaking of reduction in pay, if Mr. Conely said, or meant some, and not all, then why would the whole district be facing that reduction? I can certainly see where the teachers would be bothered by that.

Well, in my humble opinion, people who truly believe in public education do two things: they send their own children to public schools, and they fight like mad to protect their school system from the unfair, last minute funding fiascos that occur yearly from the incompetent state leaders who seem determined to take apart public education under the guise of " failing schools". You take over 400.00 per student away from a system in one year and then wonder why they can't make the budget needs? Really? Seems to me this board's main job at this time is to be in Lansing, forcing change in the funding system and insisting that the state leave us alone. Truthfully, I know nothing of whether our board members are doing this, I just think that is the logical place to start. No administration can "fix' the budget under such ridiculous state of affairs.
And, yes I am a teacher. I work hard, as do my colleagues. This is a fine profession- if we could quit being blamed for a problem WE DID NOT CREATE.
GO Dogs! Kitty Shelton