the-deanly-times-blog

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Mainstream education and autism spectrum disorder: the parent’s point of view

Jane Hutchinson, of Springfield, Pa. Photo by Dean Galiffa

    Jane Hutchinson, of Springfield, Pa. pursued immediate action for her son Frank’s future education when he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age three.

    After exhibiting delays in speech and occupational development, Hutchinson’s son received early intervention services through the state.

    When the Delaware County Intermediate Unit suggested that Hutchinson enroll him in a developmental delay preschool, she did so at the Pennington Education Center, serving students in kindergarten to eighth grade.

    “At first it was very difficult,” Hutchinson said. “One day at the pool, I remember explaining to another parent where Frank would be attending school. That was the first time I said the word ‘autism.’”     But over the next several years, Hutchinson educated herself on the disorder.

    “When Frank was first diagnosed, it was one in every 150 kids,” she explained. “Now, it’s one in every 65. And, it’s more common in boys over girls. I found comfort in that knowledge.”

    For Hutchinson, choosing to enroll her child in specialized education rather than mainstream resulted from a combination of suggestions from doctors and educators.

    “Typical kids were not Frank’s peers,” she said. “Kids with autism were Frank’s peers.”

    Hutchinson’s son is now enrolled at The Vanguard School, a specialized education program of Valley Forge Educational Services.

    As she prepares for her son’s future, Hutchinson faces a decision similar to many parents of children with autism spectrum disorder: what postsecondary life for their child will be.

    In the journal of Remedial and Special Education, researchers L.E. Smith and Dr. Kristy Anderson noted that families parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder experienced significant stress levels, especially during adolescence. Parents also played critical roles in their child’s post-high school transition.

    According to Dr. Jo M. Hendrickson writing for the journal of Education & Treatment of Children, “autism-friendly” school environments positively impacted the mental health of family members and the student.

    However, data that indicated a college environment to be autism-friendly, meaning each student received person-centered aid, was scarce. The Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability suggested that traditional college accommodations did not meet the needs of students with disabilities.

    Consequently, these students are at high risk for dropping out. Furthermore, experts evidence suggested that the views of parents and students attending postsecondary programs did not align, interfering with the student’s progress.

    A study published in the Journal of Developmental & Physical Disabilities suggested similar conclusions.

    In interviews conducted between 10 parents and six university personnel, five themes emerged, including the personal needs of students with disabilities and their transition to the university.

     Findings suggest that services offered by universities may need to be expanded to meet the unique requirements of students with disabilities.

    The journal of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Mental Health evaluated the transition from high school to postsecondary options among students with autism.

    The students used an online interactive program called the Better OutcOmes & Successful Transitions for Autism, or BOOST-A.

    The program “empowers adolescents on the autism spectrum to plan their transition from school to further study, training, or employment,” according to the article. “The trial will involve adolescents on the autism spectrum in high school and their parents, who will be alternately assigned to a control group….or an intervention group.”

    The goal of BOOST-A is for students with disabilities to successfully transition from high school to postsecondary options, including employment.

     The University of Iowa Realizing Educational and Career Hopes Program, or UI REACH, as described in the journal of Education & Treatment of Children, is a “well-integrated two year certificate program.”

    The program integrates students with disabilities into the mainstream college atmosphere. Residence halls and classrooms are occupied with typical students and students with disabilities alike.

    A student can earn a collegiate, trade, or technical certificate after two to four years of study.

    Despite the progress made at some institutions of higher learning, Hutchinson said she still struggles with the decision to allow her son to attend a postsecondary institution.

    “When I sent him to specialized education, I looked at it as Frank being in a community of his peers,” said Hutchinson. “He would not have benefited from attending mainstream education. Now, he’s getting to the age of making another big commitment.”

    The Vanguard School, where Hutchinson’s son currently attends, allows students to remain enrolled until age 21.

    “After that, I really would like to see Frank in a college setting,” said Hutchinson. “But I am very hesitant to make those decisions now. College isn’t specialized education, and Frank would have to learn basic skills in order to live on his own.”

    Hutchinson explained that her son may experience difficulty leaving high school. “Frank does not transition well,” she added. “The idea of college is too open-ended to him, and he views the world in a very precise and logical way.”

    For now, Hutchinson hopes that her son will pursue higher education and possibly attend trade school. “He’s very hands-on,” she explained. “I think a trade would be good for his stronger assets. More than anything, I just want him to be happy. I want the best for him.”

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Simone to take on principal role

Kelly Simone in her office at Upper Darby High School. Photo by Dean Galiffa

    Kelley Simone, of Sharon Hill, Pa. was recently appointed to be principal at Upper Darby High School, the largest high school in Delaware County, with approximately 3,600 students.

    Simone was selected to succeed Ed Roth, who was with the district for 14 total years, the last three in his principal position. Roth left the district with little notice back in mid-July for a position in the Norristown Area School District.

    Since being principal at Beverly Hills Middle School, also in the Upper Darby School District, Simone is the first female to take on the position in Upper Darby High School’s 120-year history.

    I recently visited Simone in her office to discuss the courses of action and thoughts she had as the newest principal of Upper Darby High School.

    Upon entering the office, I was greeted with pastel-purple walls and the scent of perfume. Simone, wearing gold hoop earrings and cheetah-print heels, greeted me warmly.

Kelly Simone’s office. Photo by Dean Galiffa

What secondary and higher education have you pursued?

    I first went to Academy Park, and from there I went to Saint Joseph’s University on a softball scholarship.

    After Saint Joe’s, I moved back home and went to pursue my master’s degree in Educational Leadership at Wilmington University, where my mom was studying to earn her doctorate.

Is the Educational Leadership Degree for a principal position?

    Yes, that’s your principal certification.

And you’ve worked in the school district for years, right?

    Yes, this will be my sixth year.

Where did your start begin at Beverly Hills Middle School?

    I graduated from Saint Joseph’s in 2000, but I had to do my fieldwork for the semester after. I did my fieldwork in an elementary classroom for students with autistic support needs at Garnet Valley School District.

    At that point it was December, so they weren’t really hiring. I just became a one-on-one with autistic children in the classroom, which was essentially working with students as a personal helper or tutor.

    By the end of that year, I had an offer to be the alternative education teacher at Garnet Valley High School, and that was my first job. It was grades 9 through 12, consisting of both regular and special education students that had essentially exhausted the disciplinary system, and I had them all day in a room from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

    After that, I became the emotional support teacher for two years. That was for special education students with that specific disability.

    Then I went to West Chester East High School as a special education teacher. Within a year there, I became the special education department chair and I worked under Dr. William Bailey, who was the principal at Beverly Hills Middle School prior to me.

    When he had an opening available for an administrative position at Beverly Hills, he was really looking for someone with a special education background. I went through the interview process and became an assistant principal at Beverly Hills under him.

    Once Dr. Bailey was ready to retire, I initially didn’t go for his position. I was still rather new, compared to the other assistant principals, so it wasn’t something I initially wanted to pursue.

   The district then hired an interim principal, which is someone who is certified to temporarily fill in the position. The interim agreed to stay on until around January while the district searched for a principal. Around November, the interim principal was unable to fulfill the rest of the duration, but suggested I take on the position.

    The district gave me the opportunity to not only become interim, but also to become the permanent principal of Beverly Hills Middle School.

    At that time,the other two assistant principals were also leaving, and I was left as the only one with administrative knowledge in the building. We had to hire a brand new team in January.

    In May, when I went through the interview process and I was essentially already fulfilling the position, they asked “Why do you want to be the principal?” and I said “No, I am the principal.”

    After I became the principal at Beverly Hills, I felt like it was my baby. It was my project, and I was going to stick with it, see it through, and make it work. There were so many challenges, but I was just so passionate and invested that I never thought I would leave.

    When the opportunity for the principal position at the high school came up, it was a very bittersweet decision. The district was very supportive of me taking on the role. While the decision wasn’t forced, I just saw it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

    The course of my leadership positions hasn’t been very typical, so there were some questions raised by concerned parents when I was offered the position, and rightfully so. But Mr. Nerelli, our superintendent, made a recommendation to have me appointed and defended his decision at the board meeting and the district agreed.

    I love the district, and I saw this position as a way for me to have influence on everything. Running this high school, you are a captain steering the ship. After getting here, I can’t see myself anywhere else.

After having so many pieces fall into the place for you, what was the experience of adjusting from being principal at Beverly Hills, as you called it your “baby,” to Upper Darby, the “ship” of the district?

    High school students and middle school students are just different. Hormonally, emotionally, mentally. They’re two different age groups, each age is at a different point in their development process.

    How I handle, interact with and intervene with high school students is definitely different than with middle school students.

    Middle school alone has a vast difference in students. There are 6th graders who have only experienced elementary school, and then there are 8th graders who are going into high school, on the path to becoming adults.

    Especially within middle school, the students are trying to figure out who they are and have so many different needs to be addressed in order to shape the whole child.

    It’s not all about credits and academics and “Who do I want to be?” It’s about “Who am I?,” “How do I respond in this situation?,” “Where do I fit in?” High school students are already somewhat molded in that sense, and have different concerns.

Tell me about the change, not only from the middle school to the high school, but from one school district to another?

    As I mentioned, moving from a high school, West Chester East High School, to a middle school, or vice versa, there are going to be some differences within the student body.

    Moving from West Chester to Beverly Hills, there was a pretty significant size difference. At Beverly Hills, the student to teacher ratio is very uneven and classrooms are over packed. We’re looking at some teachers having classrooms with 30-35 students.

    Resources at West Chester were different than what we get here, too. I wasn’t used to having certain resources that I had at West Chester, or even Marple.

    That was drastically different, but part of what I love about Upper Darby is that we are gritty people. We may not have as much money, but we don’t have excuses, we work through every day, and we teach kids that value.

    I’m not saying I love being underfunded, but I was raised without excuses and to work hard with what I had. And Upper Darby School District reflects those values I have. At the end of the day, our kids are learning to work hard, and that it will pay off in the end.

Graduating in 2016, I had no knowledge of former principal Mr. Roth’s leave, but I know that most faculty members were given little notice prior. Tell me more about that.

    I don’t know much about the details. I do know that word got out in mid-July. Whether there was knowledge of that prior, I can’t speak to. I just know the time I was approached about the position.

    From what I gather, the decision to appoint me as the new principal had to be quick and substantial. Once the board’s decision was final and I accepted the position, they didn’t have time to wait on Mr. Roth’s ultimatum.

    It was a mutual understanding that if Mr. Roth was leaving, I had to fill in the position and prepare as soon as possible.

    In terms of the staff knowing, the only information they would have known would be anything sent out to them, or word of mouth. And, in fairness to them, they weren’t in session during that time.

You said, “Word got out,” about Mr. Roth’s leaving. What exactly happened? With a principle that has substantial history within the school district, was there any resentment toward him from other faculty members due to the unexpected nature of the disclosure?

    I think people try their hardest to be professional and discreet. You want to be official and remain official in a timely manner as much as possible.

    From my understanding, what happened was that he couldn’t make any official moves until his board approved him. When the board minutes of Norristown are released, it becomes difficult to contain that.

    The timing of that didn’t match our timing here, and we had no way of releasing any information on our end because it wasn’t official yet.

    I think there was an official announcement in Norristown, and rightfully so. They followed their board policy and there was nothing they could do, either.

    But, I honestly think Mr. Roth tried to be as professional as he could in the situation and release the information as well as he could under the circumstances. And I always live by: you never know a person’s world.

    I never question another person’s decision to make a choice, it’s their decision. An opportunity came for him, just as one did with me. I left Beverly Hills with a plan for the next school year, and the next thing I know I’m going to Upper Darby High School.

    You make a choice, you do the best you can, and you be as professional as you can. 

Now that you moved from being in the position of having a plan for Beverly Hills and suddenly taking on a whole new plan. What are you plans now for the upcoming school year?

    I must say that transitioning from the middle school to here, and needing to change my plans so much, the assistant principals and the whole administrative staff made that transition easier. They were a major factor in getting the school off the ground.

    I came in with the idea that I didn’t want to just come in and uproot. I wanted to listen, learn, and observe before making any decisions.

    It was important to me that I met with every assistant principal individually, every secretary, department chair member, maintenance and security officer, coach and union member. I set up those meetings to get a sense of what everyone’s concerns and aspirations were.

    I was able to assess what the most important changes that needed to be made were, and create a tiered plan.

    Not only that, but when I met with the district and spoke to the faculty, I wanted to be completely transparent. I didn’t want there to be a need for any questions because I was going to put everything out on the table and dispel any rumours about me.

    That’s all it was. No evaluation, no students, nothing. It was just “This is who I am. This is who Kelley Simone is.” I needed to set the tone before I moved forward.

    Other than that, I am taking it one day at a time. I am listening, having conversations with people. I am changing things as I see fit, but not without the proper preparation to make a decision.

    I feel that, even if not everyone agrees with my opinion, I at least touched base with everyone before coming to that consensus. I like to make sure that when I come to a decision, I got the good, the bad, and the ugly. If I come to a conclusion, I am very confident in it.

    If I can go into this year with that attitude, I can fix all that I can now and come into next year with a different energy. For now, it’s a learning curve.

One of your biggest accomplishments that neither of us have touched on yet is that you are the first female principal of Upper Darby High School’s 120-year history. However, I know that you don’t consider that to be. Why is that?

    Oh, that’s funny! [laughing] I guess it’s that I know myself and I’m not surprised at who I am, but the world is. I see it as, I’m a person, and it’s not about me being a woman.

    It’s not about being a woman, necessarily. On paper, me being a woman doesn’t matter. My job is my passion and character. It’s my philosophy. I suppose that’s why it’s not a surprise to me. Maybe it’s because I look and dress the way I do.

I don’t even think it has to do with the hoop earrings and the cheetah-print heels, you could be wearing a skirt suit today and you would still be the first female principal of Upper Darby High School.

    Right, I guess that’s true. But, in a lot of ways still, I still don’t consider myself to be that different than any other former principal in this school district.

I’ve seen two principals leave in the time I was a student here so, what is the quality that separates you from former principals that will keep you within Upper Darby School District?

    I didn’t make a move from Beverly Hills to another district, I made a move within this family. And I do believe in this family. I love the upper administration, I think they are all amazing people.

    Most importantly, we are all trying to make a better experience for the students with what we have. I love that mission from the top-down.

    To separate me from former principals, I am my biggest critic. I’m a fighter, I’m persistent and I want to win. I see the district’s struggles as something I am going to conquer and resolve.

    Not to knock the decisions former principals have made. I respect the choices they had to make for their own lives, but this is mine.  It’s really difficult for me to walk away from something I haven’t finished, I struggled with walking away from Beverly Hills, and that was the same district.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

    I know that I can successfully take on this role because it embodies everything that I am. My job is my philosophy, I’m an assertive and confident person and it took me a long time to get to that point.

    More than that, my job is to not give assignments to my faculty, but to respect them as people and make sure they are healthy. My job is to not only educate students, but to shape them into respectable members of our society.

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Review: “Lady Bird” is perfectly flawed

Saoirse Ronan in “Lady Bird,” photo courtesy of A24

    “I wish I could live through something,” the title character moans to her mother in the opening scene of writer-director Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, an earnest coming-of-age story that showcases the bittersweet transition from adolescence to dawning adulthood.

    Played with comedic intensity, Saoirse Ronan tackles yet another complex role as seventeen-year-old Lady bird, née Christine, as she engulfs herself in varying relationships, experiences, and identities while coming into her own.

    A senior at Immaculate Heart, Christine presents herself with a face full of acne and shoulder-length brown hair dyed a fading pink. With no makeup to display her real-life imperfections, Ronan’s performance is both moving and amusing. She anchors humor with the afflictions of teenage life because, like the character herself, she takes being Lady Bird so seriously.

    The high school drama in Lady Bird may seem trivial on the surface, a satirical homage to the angst surrounding adolescence, but Gerwig represents her young subjects as complex human beings over clichéd, broody teens. In her first act of the film, she allows her audience to laugh at the characters, and later with them.

    Representing Catholic school life in Sacramento, we see Christine and her best friend, Julie (the outstanding Beanie Feldstein), giggle to each other over communion wafers. Calling it “the Midwest of California,” Christine experiences a series of unsatisfying events leading to her intended trajectory, New York City, including auditioning for the school play and losing her virginity.

    Set in 2002, Lady Bird initially displays itself as a uniform coming-of-age story, but a closer look reveals that Gerwig has created a film with captivating unsteadiness. As the film progresses, we see Christine come into her own. Her relationships with other characters develop in comparatively abstract differences, especially with her mother, Marion, played by the wonderful Laurie Metcalf.

   Although maintaining its focus on Ronan’s character, Lady Bird offers itself as Marion’s story, too, focusing on the intimate yet vexed relationship only a mother and daughter can share. Gerwig absolutely nails this dynamic, executing the subtle criticisms Marion has toward her daughter and Christine’s appreciation-turned-contempt for her mother beautifully.

    While on a shopping excursion, Gerwig portrays the emotional fragility of a mother-daughter relationship. Weeks’ worth of argument and hostility fade when, on a shopping excursion, the two spot the right dress at the same time.

    Calling it a “love letter to Sacramento,” Gerwig often references her hometown with bittersweet fondness: a testament to the mixed feelings many experience with the places that made us, the towns one only realize they love when it’s time to leave.

   Lady Bird is flighty and fast without sacrificing emotional weight. For this, it is rare: tender without being saccharine, poignant without being contrived. The realism Gerwig captures so effortlessly is what makes the film ultimately so wrenching. It is serene in the best way; life as actually lived and the moments that make you who you are.

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Ryan Kuna and the day of following him around

Ryan Kuna on set of “Chuck Lawson and the Night of the Invaders,” photo by Dean Galiffa

    Carrying several sandbags on one arm and a light stand under the other, Ryan Kuna makes the last trip out of his Philadelphia apartment to one of the two white loading vans. He lets out a sigh, preparing for the 18-hour work day ahead.

    “Bon Air Fire Company, in Havertown,” he says, getting into the passenger seat. “There’s a meeting room there we’re using for set today.”

    The vans set off, rattling their way out of the tight, winding streets of North Philadelphia at approximately 6 a.m.

    A third-year film student at Temple University, Kuna is working as cinematographer on “Chuck Lawson and the Night of the Invaders,” a comedy sci-fi feature film co-written and directed by senior Tyler Bonner. He has worked with critically-acclaimed cinematographers such as Cory Geryak on films such as “Getting Grace.”

    The film stars Matthew Schmid and Jacquie Baker, improv duo and real-life couple. Schmid manages The Incredible Shrinking Matt & Jacquie, their sketch comedy act. The pair’s videos have been featured in The A.V. Club and multiple film festivals.

Promotional video for “Chuck Lawson and the Night of the Invaders,” featuring  Jacuie Baker, Matthew Schmid and Tyler Bonner. Courtesy of Tyler Bonner

    Kuna has worked on several film sets in his time at Temple, and enjoys working with Schmid and Baker, noting that they have great chemistry, both on and off-screen.

    Unloading two vans of equipment, Kuna and his team carry boxes of assorted tools and tripod parts into Bon Air. He picks up a large box of long, disassembled poles and brings them inside.

    “The dolly tracks need to be set up going along this wall,” he says, gesturing to the poles upon entering the room, the team following behind him. Tasha Kuronen, a student wearing a pouch of tools around her belt, sets up six feet of tracks and a cart to glide across it.

    The room is nothing special. Four white walls with a few windows on each. A group of three round tables stand in the center. It appears as a blank canvas on which Kuna may create the sci-fi world that Bonner’s script requires.

    “It’s a lot of teamwork,” Kuna explains. “Half of the film is shot on a tripod. The others are shot on the dolly tracks, allowing smooth movement. Tasha will help push me and the camera from one end of the tracks to the other.”

    Kuna discusses an overview of the day with his team. Dan Brady, the gaffer on set, carries several rolls of various neon-colored tape around his belt. His job is to mark the set’s floor with location points for continuity placement.

    “Dan, can we get a red kick on the background behind Jackie?” asks Kuna from behind a camera. Making his way across the room, Brady places a light stand behind the actor. He inserts a red film over the giant, radiating bulbs, casting a blush over the room.

    Growing up in Allentown, Pa., where he attended Bethlehem Catholic High School, Kuna participated in theater productions as a technician. It was here that he first discovered his passion for bringing art and technology together.

    Kuna had developed an interest in cinema after watching television shows such as “Lost” in his freshman year. He admired work by directors David Fincher and Christopher Nolan.

    “I just didn’t know that was an option,” Kuna says, recalling a friend telling him he was going to study film at Ithaca College. “It never occurred to me that someone has to study to do what I’m passionate about.”

    Between his junior and senior year, Kuna took a dark room photography class at Lehigh County Community College. Here, he learned about film programs that did not require work portfolios with an application.

    On a tour, Kuna asked about camera gear at the Temple equipment office. After a student showed him a Red Digital Cinema Camera product, Kuna immediately recognized the camera as the one used by Fincher. After the tour, Kuna decided to apply.

    In his first semester, Kuna met Bonner in a media arts class. Instantly, he recognized Bonner’s advanced screenwriting skills, but found his cinematography lackluster.

    “I remember he made a birthday party scene, and I was so taken aback by the number of people in it,” Kuna said. “He so badly wanted to do this scene. He got like 20 of his friends to read this skit. You could tell how much thought went into the script, but the only critique I had was that it didn’t really look good.”

    At the same time, Kuna said he was creating films with no substance, but good cinematography. The summer before his sophomore year, he worked on “Getting Grace,” a feature film shot in Bethlehem, Pa.

    As a member of the lighting team, Kuna worked with  cinematographer Cory Geryak. Famous for his work as chief lighting technician on films like “Inception” and “The Dark Knight,” Geryak became the mentor of Kuna’s collegiate experience.

    The following semester, Kuna contacted Bonner, asking to work with him. They have shot seven short films since, including “Night of the Invaders,” and other comedies.

    Bonner presented a draft of the script to Kuna in April, and the two worked on expanding it to a feature film. They began shooting in October.

    Hours later, Kuna sits on the dolly track, staring at Schmid and Baker through a wide camera lens. The once blank room has now been transformed by light stands and extension cords. Shades of blue, red, and green surround costumes of sapphire and silver.

    Baker and Schmid stand opposite each other, the former within the frame of the camera lens. She wears a shiny, iridescent jacket with a blaster-like prop gun in hand.

    “Just move your right shoulder toward the camera by a few inches, Jacquie,” Kuna says, prompting Baker to shift her body slightly left. “Perfect,” adds Kuna, followed by an “Action!” from Bonner.

    Starting mid-scene, Baker yells at her co-star as they deliver lines to each other.

    Kuna is working as cinematographer on both the feature film with Bonner and a short film titled “Abort Mission,” written and directed by senior Brianna Byrdson.

    “It’s a comedy,” says Kuna, walking off set for lunch. “Brianna wrote a script with two black, female leads about a student asking her English teacher to pay for her abortion. I’ll be shooting for that next semester while we take a break from this film.” 

    Filming for “Chuck Lawson” will be paused for the spring semester while Bonner studies abroad in London. They plan to begin shooting again in May. For now, Kuna will work on “Abort Mission,” focus on maintaining his GPA and applying to film internships.

    “It’s a lot of work, but it’s what I love,” Kuna says. “I’m a cinematographer, but more than anything, I’m a storyteller, an image maker. I paint with light and bring a world to life.”

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“Enough is Enough!” for libertarian Ken Krawchuk

People’s Plaza, Philadephia. Photo courtesy of wunc.org

    Libertarian Ken Krawchuk spoke on his gubernatorial plans for Pennsylvania outside of the Liberty Bell, Nov 4, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., promising to repair the state government as a Libertarian.

    In his speech, Krawchuk examined what the audience can expect from electing a Libertarian governor, giving what he calls his “job description,” the Constitution for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

    As governor, Krawchuk anticipates using his 12-step program to reform Pennsylvania’s government. He covered several “high points” in his speech, his number one issue being taxes. Krawchuk encouraged audience members to yell out “Enough is enough!” when in agreement with anything he said.

    Edward Clifford, of Marple Township, Delaware County introduced Krawchuk’s speech portion of the rally. Krawchuk explained his 12-step program to reform Pennsylvania, adding his primary concern is cutting taxes and spending and letting the free market work.

         “I’m going to veto every single tax increase that crosses my desk,” he said, “I’ll be able to reduce the cost of living in Pennsylvania. In fact, I’m pledging to gradually eliminate the Pennsylvania personal income tax.”

    Clifford is a candidate for the county council and substituted for scheduled speaker Matt Wallace, who is running for sheriff.

    In his speech, Clifford explained why Wallace was absent from the rally. “The government, with all their good intentions and all their niceties, decided they were going to enforce the law on him,” Clifford said. “They came to his house and told him his signs for office were illegal. What does that tell you? It tells you they’re afraid. That they know that they’re wrong and that a change is coming. They don’t like the people that are going to change it because it’s going to disrupt their power structure.”

    Clifford’s speech was edited to be removed entirely from the YouTube video of the rally posted Nov 5.

Video of Krawchuk’s speech, not including Clifford’s speech. Courtesy of Ken Krawchuk, youtube.com

    Krawchuk foresees reducing waste, the cost of junkets and special interest money. Because he believes believes the government school system in Pennsylvania is a monopoly, he also anticipates giving more options for public-school students, expressing that the government school system in Pennsylvania is a monopoly. “Like any monopoly, the cost is high, the choice is low, and the quality is not always as good as it could be,” he explained

    During the question-and-answer section of the speech, a majority of the audience members asking questions were also members of Krawchuk’s campaign team and rally coordinators, including Clifford and Marc Bozzacco, his campaign manager.

    Questions such as “What are you views on eminent domain?” and “What will you do about civil asset forfeiture?” came from his colleagues. Krawchuck did not receive questions from other attendees.

Independence Hall, Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Matt Stigliano,  kimberlyhowell.com

    The rally began with an open meet-and-greet. Krawchuk, Clifford, Bozzacco and other attendees socialized with community members.

    Lawn signs displaying images of Krawchuk and his campaign slogans “Enough is enough!” and “if it is to be, it is up to us” stood on opposite ends of a microphone, and to the right of the makeshift grass stage was a table displaying Krawchuk’s campaign pamphlets.

    Krawchuk socialized with community members and fellow campaign colleagues. He spoke of what he was going to cover in his speech, including his 12-step program to reform Pennsylvania’s government.

    Some community members briefly spoke to Krawchuk about his campaign motives. Philadelphia resident Jose Fishburn said he was attracted to the rally by the music playing from the speakers.

    After an hour, Rocchi addressed the attendees at the microphone, referencing the ringing of the Liberty Bell and its symbolic reflection of the freedom the Libertarian party offers. Once an audience formed, the speech section of the rally began.

    After Rocchi and Clifford introduced Krawchuk, he joked about the lack of a teleprompter, saying “You mean I’m going to have to say what I think and feel? What kind of political party is this?” Once he introduced himself and shared his passions with the audience, Krawchuk opened the speech to an open question-and-answer section.     Most of the questions were drawn from attendees that coordinated the event, and Krawchuk’s spoke on his plans to reform the monopolistic school system.

    He plans on allowing parents to choose any government school for their child. The funding for the local school the child would have gone to would financially aid their education. As he explains, the successful schools will take over the unsuccessful schools that will be forced to shut down.

    “For the same educational dollar, we can improve education by taking over the failed schools,” he said.

    As the question-and-answer section of the speech came to a close, Krawchuk invited all attendees to a happy hour at Six Feet Under, a local bar close to the event.

    Drew Castellano, a volunteer at the Libertarian Party of Philadelphia, spoke highly of the event, hearing about it via a Facebook post. Castellano identifies himself as a philosophical Libertarian who has recently become involved in politics. “Ken seems like the most philosophically pure Libertarian candidate right now,” he said. “His viewpoints reflect both my political and philosophical viewpoints as a Libertarian and a newfound supporter.”

    Krawchuk hoped that if any attendee were to take away one thing from the rally, it was that the Libertarian political party is different than the Democratic and Republican party.

[the-deanly-times-blog]

A township in turmoil

Upper Darby Performing Arts Center. Photo courtesy of Kelly Anne Pipe, udpac.org

    Mayor Thomas Micozzie of Upper Darby Township introduced a community forum at Upper Darby High School Oct 16 to discuss the opioid crisis within the township. Philadelphia news anchor Pat Ciarrocchi lead the forum alongside panel chair members, including former persons with substance abuse disorders, Coretta Heath-Maynard, a recovery specialist at Gaudenzia Lower Bucks, and David Moran, director at Crozer-Keystone Recovery Center.

    Council members and county representatives were among the panel, including council member Mario J. Civera, police superintendent Michael Chitwood and Pa. Rep. Jamie Santora.

    According to Whelan, Delaware County council members hope to successfully sue the pharmaceutical companies for fraudulent practices and use the money for people in treatment and recovery.

    “Our commitment is to continue to work on these issues, to continue to have drug-treatment court, to continue to have second-chance court,” said Whelan “We’re going to continue to work with people who are addicted and prosecute those selling drugs, those that are polluting our schools and our neighborhoods.

    At the end of the forum, attendees were allowed to anonymously submit questions for the chairmen to answer.

    “Are you working with emergency rooms as partners to prevent repeated overdoses?,” asked an attendee. Moran referenced a program shared between Crozer-Keystone Health System and Delaware County in which recovery specialists help with overdoses in the emergency room.

    “The consensus is that addiction is a disease that affects the brain,” asked another attendee. “Why can’t you petition for a civil commitment on an emergency basis like you would if someone had a different mental illness and harmed themselves?”

    Civera said that in 2012 a medical examiner came to Whelan with concern over the increase in young deaths. “It all traced back to heroin,” he said, and a task force was formed.

    According to Civera, the task force has made a difference, but there it still much to be done. Whelan spoke with Santora and they are working toward including an intense educational program in Delaware County schools’ core curricula.

    “There’s nothing more powerful than knowledge,” Whelan said, “but we can’t stop there.” Through the efforts of Delaware County Council, there will be an expansion on recovery services at Crozer-Keystone Medical Center, he added.

    Micozzie spoke briefly on his experience with mental health and how addiction affects members of a family and the goal of the forum.

    “The sincere hope is to assure that families that are dealing with a national epidemic receive information to assist [them with] coping and dealing with this tragic epidemic that is destroying our community across our nation,” Micozzie said.