Fifth of five parts
Re “Lines of Distinction Between Gourley and Mielke”
Background: Summoning a maximal amount of venom, School Board member Steve Gourley has developed an unprecedented habit at meetings of openly, forcefully, proudly, angrily — and repeatedly — calling David Mielke, the President of the Teachers Union, a “liar,” alleging he deliberately distorts collective bargaining developments and other information.
As the Teachers Union and School District near agreement on a new contract, union President David Mielke — who, in the view of some, has been been bullied all spring by Steve Gourley of the School Board — finds it ironic that the District boasts of a very active Anti-Bullying Task Force.
Yet, he says with a puzzled expression, look what has been happening to him in recent meetings under the noses of all of the District’s most important, influential personages.
“One of the tangible advantages of having the task force is that there are posters in every room.
“A photograph was taken by one of my students, Amanda DiGirolamo, a 12th grader. She is in my fourth period sociology class. The model for the poster is Zane Householder, who also is my student.
“So here we have a District-wide poster campaign. The photographer is a student. The model is a student. The message on the poster is:
“Silence Helps the Bully.
“Speak up.”
“I,” said Mr. Mielke, “am seeing some irony here.
“The message of the poster campaign is that one of the things we need to do is address bullying, not to stay silent.
“And so, I see irony” in the official District muteness that has surrounded Mr. Gourley’s pounding, hotly personalized criticism of Mr. Mielke.
Surprisingly to some, the union President has not overtly fought back.
“I have remained silent,” Mr. Mielke says, evenly. “I have really not responded. My response has been to not take it out to the press.
“Until now. It has gone on long enough.”
The next School Board meeting is Tuesday night at 7 in the School District’s quarters on Irving Place.
