First and foremost, God Bless you all.

 

These are serious and sad times for our country.  While it feels awkward writing my opinion rants, it does take my mind off the devastation so many of my friends are experiencing as their small businesses go to ruin, and as a health crisis abounds.  The news is too difficult to watch. 

 

Small business owners, your savvy is not in how you succeeded, it is how you will get back up.  Small business is collectively the largest employer, and the people that own and operate small businesses are the janitor, accountant, marketing, legal, acquisition, and human resources all wrapped up in one person.  I find small business people to be the most talented group of people, ever.  Imagine, no paycheck unless you produce a product or service, and manage to have a profit.  It is a tall order in one person to be this multi-faceted talent.

 

Rhonda Thurman is one of those small business owners.  She started a very successful shop, and built a business on pure sweat equity.

 

Recently, when a certain sector of small businesses was ordered closed, and deemed nonessential by government, many small business owners posted on social media in frustration, “Isn’t it interesting that all the people telling small business to close, are still receiving their paycheck.”

 

Now let’s think about that language used by government referring to any private sector business, taxpaying commerce as “nonessential.”  That is pretty darn comical, and the epitome of pot calling the kettle black.  In fact, when government started slinging around the “nonessential” term towards commerce, it was a laughable moment even in the face of crisis.

After all, commerce is essential for government to exist at all.  Government collects revenue from private commerce, and spends or redistributes earnings of commerce. The nonessential word was offensive to small business operators ordered closed.   

 

Small business is having massive layoffs, while government lays off no one in their own nonessential operations.  To the business person, it is ironic how this works. Small businesses are allowed to express their frustrations.

 

With all understanding that a crisis demands certain sacrifices, it is small business paying more than their share.

 

Rhonda Thurman, as a successful small business operator, empathized with the plight of local small business owners, as she should.  Small business does not have the luxury afforded to the government sector. So, I would not expect a group of radical founders of Hamilton County United to understand the meaning and dialogue of small business that Ms. Thurman was referring to.

 

Apparently, the Hamilton County Education Association does not interest the liberal mean girls, so they started their own group called Hamilton County United.

 

The group called Hamilton County United literally stalked Thurman’s social media dialogue taking every word completely out of context, and creative writing for most of their allegations against Thurman.  Reading the hatred from this small group of HCDE teachers was rather shocking.  My take away was disbelief that teachers could be this ill-informed about government processes in their comprehension of small business commerce.  Contrary to spin evoked by Hamilton County United, Ms. Thurman’s words were far from inappropriate and were not defiance. 

 

Then, I read the following post that originated from a founder of Hamilton County United, and allegations that Rhonda Thurman was suggesting defiance of Mint, GovernMint as the character Fred Sanford coined, and orders for small business closures.

 

https://ibb.co/cTcG2Rr

 

I read this post from a founding member of Hamilton County United, and thought, what is this group?  For a professional educator, that is some rough communication, riddled with untruths, directly towards a school board member.  It appears this group fancies themselves as zealous political strategists.

 

That is what I would do, kick the people like Rhonda Thurman, charged with approving a budget at my place of employment.  That would help me get a raise.

 

My examination of their group indicates that Hamilton County United has the political savvy of a perennial losing candidate.  I was taken by this group joining for photos in red T shirts with Hamilton County students in the background, and thought this is why the Little Hatch Act exists. It is written for school employees that view taxpayer buildings, electronics, and employee time as their own personal venue. 

 

I do wish this group saw the real crisis as more important. Not a word.

 

We, the taxpayers, currently spend over $11,000 per child to teach basic education. Yet, HCDE’s testing data shows that for $11,000 per child, only about 37 percent of third through eighth graders can read grade level.  HCDE is charged with these children 180 days a year.  Quantifiable results matter.

 

The inability to read grade level by third grade is a state of emergency. HCDE is charged with around 45,000 children, and of the third through eighth graders, they are failing 60 percent.   Reading is a prerequisite to all learning.

 

The teachers of Hamilton County United are missing outrage that only 37 percent of third through eighth graders can read grade level. 

 

Oh no, they are concerned about Rhonda Thurman’s conservative opinion on Facebook, and getting their candidate elected as a UnifiEd lite, talk about misplaced priorities.

 

Hamilton County United is promoting a warm body to run in opposition for school board against Rhonda, not because Hamilton County United’s candidate is more qualified. Oh no, that is beside the point. Their agenda is to replace Rhonda.  

 

In short, tough luck Hamilton County United.  We are keeping Rhonda Thurman.

 

Stay safe everyone, please.

 

April Eidson