York Suburban school board member faces global backlash for op-ed

[JoeOtterbein]

York Dispatch

Erin Bamer
York Dispatch

A York Suburban school board member faces scrutiny on a global scale after publishing an op-ed last week criticizing the heated public rhetoric surrounding local school decisions.

Major news outlets worldwide — including Fox News, the New York Post and, most recently, the Daily Mail — picked up the piece in question, "With all due respect... no I don't work for you" from board member Richard Robinson.

It also gained traction on conservative social media and spurred several op-eds in response, including one from a York Suburban alumnus, John DeMasi, challenging Robinson to a debate.

"He definitely is quite sure of his point of view, and he appears to be certain of his superiority over a number of his fellow citizens," DeMasi said, in his op-ed.

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more at link

[bluecollar2]

1. This is a great story

Well worth going to the link

[MineralMan]

2. Pennsylvania, for those who are curious.

There are many Yorks here in the United States. Eg:

York, Alabama
York, Alaska
York Mountain AVA, California wine region
York, Georgia
York, Illinois
York, Indiana
Maine:
York, Maine
York Beach, Maine
York Harbor, Maine
York River (Maine)
York Charter Township, Michigan
York, Missouri
York, Montana
York, Nebraska
New York:
New York (state)
New York City
York, New York
York, North Dakota
York, Jefferson County, Ohio
York, Sandusky County, Ohio
Pennsylvania:
York, Pennsylvania
York Springs, Pennsylvania
York Haven, Pennsylvania
York, South Carolina
York River (Virginia)
Wisconsin:
York, Clark County, Wisconsin
York, Dane County, Wisconsin
York, Green County, Wisconsin
York, Jackson County, Wisconsin
York Center, Wisconsin

[dalton99a]

3. What Robinson wrote:

For this reason, my comments are not coming from a member of a school board, but rather as a member of my community who serves on a school board:

1. With all due respect to the men and women who snarl, “I’m a taxpayer! You work for me!” No, I don’t work for you. I was elected by people who voted to represent you. It is not the same thing. You may also be surprised to learn every member of a school board is a taxpayer, too. I come from a long line of taxpaying men and women.

2. With all due respect to the people who introduce themselves as doctors without mentioning their specialties or credentials and expect their pronouncements to be accepted as unimpeachable: When I have a toothache, I don’t go to an oncologist. To me, the logical person to consult about a virus is a virologist. When a person introduces him or herself as a doctor, their education, training and experience matter to me. After all, Jack Kevorkian was a doctor.

3. With all due respect to those of you who believe threatening a school board with a lawsuit constitutes effective communication: You are not the first. You will not be the last.

4. With all due respect to parents who declare, “Keep this masking nonsense up and I will pull my child out of school, you’ll lose money, and then you’ll be sorry!” Framing your choice this way makes you sound like a bully. Still, it’s your choice. Nobody is taking choice away from you.

5. With all due respect to the parents who make the pretentious statement phrased as a foregone question, “Don’t parents always know what is best for their child?” No, we don’t. Nevertheless, if you are offended because I don’t believe parents are infallible, you can always sue or take your child out of school. Your choice.

6. Finally, with all due respect to the charlatans who claim health and safety measures are responsible for destroying the mental health of children simply to justify their own social agenda, you are the most offensive and vile of all. There are members of this community who tried to draw attention to the warning signs of increasing mental distress among our children long before you ever thought of mental health as a potential cudgel. To listen to your repeated distortions of the facts is nauseating.

https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/01/20/all-due-respect-no-dont-work-you/6591960001/

[lagomorph777]

4. Thanks for sharing the actual context.

I can see why the right-wing rags are all up in arms.

Fuck 'em.