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Cudahy elementary teacher: “Special Needs doesn’t mean special treatment.”

Zach W — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:57:16 +0000

“Special Needs doesn’t mean special treatment.”

So says a Cudahy elementary school teacher, if right-wing extremist blogger Randy Hollenbeck is to be believed.

If that quote is in fact accurate, I hope that teacher never comes near my son while he’s a student in Cudahy’s school system. A “one size fits all” approach to special needs students – which seems to be what the teacher in question is advocating – isn’t fair to the students, each of whom face different and unique challenges given the nature of their situations.

Mainstreaming may be the answer for [i]some[/i] special needs students, but others may need more one-on-one attention and….gasp….some special treatment.

While I’m certainly a supporter of gifted and talented programs, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that we’re setting special needs students up for failure if we don’t treat them as individuals instead of lumping them all together.

What’s more, the Cudahy teacher who said “special needs doesn’t mean special treatment” is clearly ignorant of the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act when it comes to the kind of educations schools must provide to each disabled student.

Some of the criteria specified in various sections of the IDEA statute includes requirements that schools provide each disabled student an education that:

Is designed to meet the unique needs of that one student
Provides “ …access to the general curriculum to meet the challenging expectations established for all children” (that is, it meets the approximate grade-level standards of the state educational agency)
Is provided in accordance with the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) as defined in 1414(d)(3).[13]
Results in educational benefit to the child.

So according to IDEA, each special needs student is entitled to receive an education designed to meet the unique needs of that student, which means that yes, each special needs student does deserve special treatment.

Just as “normal” students deserve an education that provides them the best opportunities to succeed, so too do special needs students.

Cudahy man arrested for 8th OWI

Zach W — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:33:03 +0000

This speaks volumes about the need for a comprehensive approach to dealing with drunk driving:

A 63-year-old Cudahy man is facing is eighth drunken driving offense after police found him asleep in his parked vehicle early Friday, according to a criminal complaint released Sunday.

Richard Dix was asleep in the driver’s seat of his Jeep while the vehicle was still running but parked in front of the front door to Wayne’s Tavern, 4854 S. Packard Ave. When police arrived, they tried to conduct a sobriety test, but Dix could not maintain his balance and had heavily slurred speech.

After being transported to St. Luke’s South Shore Hospital with a blood-alcohol level of 0.21, Dix admitted to drinking over a 14-hour period and driving at “some point,” the complaint says.

Records from the state Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles indicate Dix has had seven arrests alleging driving while intoxicated since 1989.

While I think the steps taken by legislators in Madison during the last legislative session were a good start, I still think there’s more to be done to hold repeat drunk drivers more accountable. What’s more, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind legislators and other stakeholders need to take a good long look at what’s being done to not only change our state’s culture when it comes to alcohol, but putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to providing the necessary resources to provide individuals with alcohol abuse issues the treatment they need to address their issues.

GOP campaign office in Cudahy vandalized

Zach W — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:37:31 +0000

On Saturday, a Republican campaign office in Cudahy was vandalized when an unknown individual punched out a glass window, which is now boarded up. In his statement condemning the vandalism, RPW Chair Reince Priebus, ever the partisan hack, took the opportunity to attack Democrats for the mess he asserts they’ve made in Madison and Washington D.C.

I certainly don’t condone this type of behavior from folks on the left or the right; while there’s absolutely a place in our democracy for passionate and sometimes heated debate, there’s no place for our passionate beliefs and political disagreements to boil over into violence and vandalism.

Cudahy’s 2010 spring election results

Zach W — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 02:34:41 +0000

The results of the 2010 spring election are in, and here in Cudahy, we’ve got a new mayor. With 54% of the vote, Tony Day has been elected to serve as Cudahy’s next mayor, with incumbent Ryan McCue getting 46% of the vote. While I’m not shocked by the outcome of the election, I am a little surprised McCue didn’t close the gap to make this a much closer election than it ended up being. It will be interesting to see how effective Tony Day is as mayor, and I’m going to go out on a limb and predict now that he’ll end up being a one-term mayor.

Here in Cudahy’s third aldermanic district, incumbent alderman Mark Otto cruised to reelection, winning 58% of the vote to challenger Darren Grams’ 42%. During my time in Cudahy, I’ve been impressed with alderman Otto’s responsiveness to concerns I’ve had, and he certainly seemed to deserve another term in office (at least in my opinion). Though I know his ties to Ryan McCue may not help him in some circles and without knowing whether he’s that ambitious, I could certainly see Mark Otto as a possible mayoral candidate in Cudahy in years to come.

Tony Day and the Iceport

Zach W — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:39:17 +0000

From CudahyNOW.com comes a great cartoon spoofing Cudahy mayoral candidate Tony Day’s involvement with the Iceport debacle:

Image courtesy Ronny Kline

There’s no mention of the Iceport on Tony Day’s mayoral campaign website, but it’s been reported that as a member of the Community Development Authority, Tony Day voted for the Ice Port on numerous occasions, in addition to his vote to sell the land for $1 and to give the Ice Port developer millions in tax subsidies.

McCue finishes second in Cudahy mayoral primary; he’s doomed in April

Zach W — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:51:01 +0000

The results from the 2010 spring primary election are in, and things certainly aren’t looking good for Cudahy’s incumbent mayor, Ryan McCue. After all the votes were tallied, McCue finished second in Cudahy’s mayoral primary to retired banker Tony Day, with Kevin Fech, who was my personal choice, finishing a distant third. Day finished first with 56% of the votes, while McCue pulled in 39% of the votes, and Kevin Fech garnering 5%.

Speaking to WISN channel 12 on the 6 o’clock news last night, McCue cited low turnout – specifically the fact that voters with young families don’t typically turn out for spring primary elections – as a reason he’s not concerned about finishing second to Tony Day in the primary. While McCue might publicly say he’s not worried about finishing second to Tony Day in the primary, I’m betting when the cameras are turned off he knows he’s in trouble. After all, the same voters who turned on on Tuesday to vote in favor of Tony Day will likely turn out in April as well, and I’m betting there aren’t enough votes to be found in Cudahy to swing the election in McCue’s favor. The fact that Tony Day was able to get 56% of the vote in a three candidate primary obviously bodes ill for Mayor McCue in the general election, and I’m betting Tony Day will end up as Cudahy’s next mayor when all is said and done.

McCue won’t participate in Cudahy mayoral debate

Zach W — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:41:27 +0000

It appears Cudahy Mayor Ryan McCue will not be participating in this week’s primary debate for the Cudahy mayoral candidates on Friday, February 12th 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cudahy Middle School auditorium. In explaining his decision not to participate in Friday’s debate, Mayor McCue indicated he wouldn’t participate for a number of reasons:

Doesn’t like the length of time for the debate.
Doesn’t like the debate format.
Doesn’t like the choice of panelists.
Doesn’t think enough people will attend.
Doesn’t like that Randy Hollenbeck is associated with it.

As I read the list of reasons Ryan McCue gave for not wanting to participate in Friday’s debate, I can’t help but notice one reason that’s missing: he doesn’t want to participate because he doesn’t want to have to face Cudahy’s voters before the primary on February 16th.

Cudahy mayoral debate set for February 12th

Zach W — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:26:58 +0000

As Randy Hollenbeck of CudahyNOW is reporting, plans are coming together to hold a primary debate for the Cudahy mayoral candidates on Friday, February 12th 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cudahy Middle School auditorium. Former CNI/My Community Now photographer Charles Auer, a Cudahy resident, will serve as moderator for the debate, and yours truly will be coming up with the questions to be asked of the candidates, while Randy Hollenbeck will help pull together a panel consisting of a Cudahy homeowner, a Cudahy renter, and a Cudahy business owner.

The debate will be formatted as follows:

Two Rounds for a total time of 1.5 hours

Candidates will not see the questions in advance. Only the main topic will be known!

Sitting order for the candidates will be picked out of a hat in front of the audience that day. The candidate on the audience’s left side will be number one and will start first. Left to right.

Each candidate will get a chance to answer the same question and once the candidates have finished answering the question, each candidate will get a thirty-second rebuttal. Again, starting with candidate number 1. Left to right.

Candidates do not need to use up all of the allotted time if they choose not to or if the question’s answer doesn’t warrant it.

Prior to the start of the rounds, each candidate will be given two minutes for opening statements.

Total time (2 minutes x 3 candidates) = 6 minutes

Each candidate will be given one-minute answers for each question, thirty-second rebuttals to follow once each candidate has a chance to answer the question.

Round One (approximately 45mins): It consists of questions, three (3) questions from the moderator and two (2) questions from each of the three (3) panelists.

(Panelists will consist of a Cudahy Business Owner, a Cudahy Homeowner, and a Cudahy Renter)

Total time (3 questions x 3 candidates x 1.50 answer time) + (2 questions x 3 panelists x 3 candidates x 1.50 answer time)

(13.5 mins + 27 mins) = 40.5 minutes for 9 questions

Round Two (approximately 45mins): This will be the high point of the forum when the candidates will be allowed a “crossfire round,” providing them confrontations via the face-to-face opportunity to ask another candidate a question and then be allowed a rebuttal.

Again, starting with candidate number 1. Left to right.

At the end, each candidate will be given a two-minute closing statement/final thought.

Total time (2 minutes x 3 candidates) = 6 minutes

Mayoral candidates Tony Day and Kevin Fech have confirmed they will be in attendance, while Mayor McCue has yet to confirm he’ll be in attendance.

If you’re a resident of Cudahy and you’re reading this entry, I hope you’ll strongly consider attending the debate, because this will be your opportunity to hear directly from the candidates on issues you are most concerned about.

No primary debate for Cudahy mayoral candidates?

Zach W — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:15:31 +0000

If you’ve been following the Cudahy mayoral race as closely as I have (and I’m sure you have), then it may come as a shock to you to learn there won’t be a debate between the three primary opponents – Kevin Fech, Tony Day, and incumbent Ryan McCue – as the only debate scheduled occurs after the February primary election. I’m disappointed there may not be a primary debate, and I know I’m not alone, as Randy Hollenbeck of CudahyNOW is equally disappointed.

While a debate among the three mayoral candidates may not seem like a big deal, I think it’s important for voters to get a sense of who the candidates are, while also getting an opportunity to hear how they’d deal with the issues facing Cudahy if they were elected, and that’s why I’m hoping some enterprising individuals will try to organize a pre-primary debate for Cudahy’s three mayoral candidates.

Cudahy to offer incentives to small businesses

Zach W — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:01:43 +0000

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The Common Council tonight will consider creating that would provide up to $57,300 in cash and loans to each of five small businesses that open on Packard Ave. Among the incentives that would be offered to retail businesses: Loans of up to $25,000 at 2% interest. Matching grants of up to $25,000 to build or improve a storefront façade. Up to $10,000 in cash to buy out an existing business’ current lease.

According to an email I received from Cudahy Alderman Mark Otto, the proposal mentioned by the Journal Sentinel was approved and targeted for “businesses in demand” based on a previously completed market analysis in Cudahy. I’m hoping to get a copy of the market analysis from Alderman Otto in the very near future, but on its face, the proposal makes sense. I like the idea of combining low-interest loans and grants to lure businesses to Cudahy based on the idea that not only will the loans be repaid, but the businesses will grow the tax base in Cudahy.

Overall, I think the proposal adopted on Tuesday by the Cudahy Common Council is a good idea, provided it’s properly (and energetically) implemented. Cudahy’s “downtown” could certainly use some revitalization, and I can’t wait to see what businesses Cudahy is able to lure to Packard Avenue as a result of this program.