Political Activism - Buffalo Bob Strikes Again

It was about this time last year that Principal Robert 'Buffalo Bob' McKeon and an insubordinate teacher initiated the debacle eventually referred to as the Chicken-lickin' West Prep incident. It was then, with grace-charisma-and-no-small-measure-of-chutzpah, that Bob implied that the Westinghouse [competition] Program for the hard-science-literate of our school district was to be dismantled. Ever the apparent defender of all things touted by the teaching professionals of the school district, the Village Times gave the story front page coverage. Thus, McKeon successfully stirred up parents and friends of this very fortunate elite group of approximately one-hundred West Prep students. Their boisterous efforts dominated a few Board of Education meetings, to the consternation of the rational amongst us, and proved but a charade.

[Indeed, to this day, Mary Barter and John Lorentz - responsible for administrating the district's conformance with New York State's Freedom of Information Act - have refused to provide internal documents concerning this matter. We leave you to decide; WHY?]

More recently, we found that our renowned Principal of Ward Melville H.S. was once again in the vanguard of political activism. This time McKeon provided the veiled motivating force behind the failed student government efforts to obtain a seat on the Three Village CSD Board of Education. Allison Pally, the political action chairperson for Ward Melville's Student Government, explained the school's principal has "for years; been pushing student government officials to seek a seat on the board." In fact, according to Jennifer Faulkner of The Three Village Herald, McKeon was so interested in seeing this concept accepted, he took a few [student] members to the East Williston School District for a look-see at what the kids there were doing so

Our Board of Education consists of seven elected representatives. So it is written. They've been elected by the few of you caring enough in recent years to show up at the polls. They meet frequently, both publicly and in executive session, to discuss matters of importance affecting the lives of EVERY man, women and child in the school district. At their discretion a number of other people, employees mostly but contractors as well, are called to attend and assist at these meetings. They may be asked to provide input about matters before the Board. These employees include the district's superintendent and her assistants in charge of education and finance, as well as any number of district employees subordinate to them. Contractors include those of accounting firms or perhaps someone evaluating the effectiveness of prevailing TVCSD management or teaching methods, though the latter is not likely. In addition, anyone else caring to speak their mind may do so, at either or both the half-hour periods provided before and after the main portion of a scheduled public meeting. This opportunity extends to any district employee, amicus or animus curiae, or area resident. And for those of you not knowing any better, our district's K-12 students may also do so.

So, questions beg asking. If the children can now advise, what are they denied? If the children can't consent, why need they have Board membership? And why, for the second time in a year, has the Board of Education permitted district employee Robert McKeon to agitate political activity without sanction? Mary Barter seems incapable of containing him; while the BOE ignores his flagrant violations of protocol.

Last year, McKeon stood and watched while students and parents, misled by his fabrications, stormed the Board of Education demanding support for the never threatened West Prep program. Then, this second and but another time consuming, energy wasting, fractionalizing and divisive political adventure. A plodding and clumsy effort at playing Eamon De Velera with the misinformed, who fight for non-issues and senseless causes.

Buffalo Bob's agenda needs looking into. We can't help but believe that his interests transcend any advance in children's rights to engage in on-going government operations. Furthermore, as an employee, he's subordinate to the district's Board, its existing rules and the authority of district administrators. If he wishes otherwise, we recommend that he retire and run for office. And, as this district's high school principal, his integrity and responsibility as mentor to thousands of students cannot help but appear compromised when he actively engages in matters political.

With great sadness, we propose that those unable to conjure a dozen unflattering reasons why teacher Robert McKeon would pursue the installation of children on the BOE should read a few history books about the 1930's and burn their voter registration cards. They've likely never used them anyway.