UNDESERVED: Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize

Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize victory can be summed up in two words: premature and shocking. Although Obama has made great strides in terms of peace there are many things that he promised during the campaign trail that remain undone.

Obama received this coveted award because he opened up peace talks with the rest of the world and has improved the way in which other nations look at the U.S.

On October 9, the president blogged stating, “I will accept this award as a call to action – a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.” Whatever happened to awarding people for deeds they have actually done?

“I’m still waiting for my Nobel Prize in literature for the book that I am trying to write,” joked English teacher Daniel O’Rourke.

Obama is now one of three sitting presidents to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Woodrow Wilson received the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the League of Nations, and Theodore Roosevelt received the award for mediating the peace treaty that ended the Russo- Japanese war. Key words: “founding” and “writing.” These were both things that were accomplished before receiving the award.

On his first day in office, Obama started off by saying that he would close down Guantanamo Bay in the near future. This has not yet been done.

“I don’t think Obama has proven himself worthy of such a prestigious award like the Nobel Peace prize. I think that this is the equivalent of giving a freshman senior honors and recognitions,” said English department chair George Miller.

As for being so “peaceful,” the White House has recently attacked Fox News Channel.

“We’re going to treat them the way we would treat an opponent,” White House communications director, Anita Dunn recently said. “We don’t need to pretend that this is the way that legitimate news organizations behave.”

If the president is willing to go after a news source that rates as the United States’ number one cable news network, which bears the slogan “Fair and Balanced,” then how peaceful can Obama really be?

Freedom of press is given to us by the constitution, and Obama should respect this and realize how poorly this reflects on him so shortly after winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

I guess we’ll see how deserving he really is in the months to come.

Familiar faces, new jobs

With the resignation of former Superintendent-Principal Jack Baldermann over the summer, the look of RB’s administration has changed.  Dr. David Bonnette has taken over the role of Interim Superintendent, while the role of Interim Principal has gone to Tim Scanlon, formerly the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instructions.  The assistant’s role has been passed to Troy Gobble, formerly the school’s Science Department Chair.

Dr. David Bonnette, Interim Superintendent
Educational Backround:
Undergrad, Hope College – Holland, MI
PhD, University of Michigan- Ann Arbor

1. What was your previously held office?
I was the superintendent for District 96 for 13 years and I retired in June of 2005. For two years after that I directed a school leadership program at Northeastern Illinois University. I was then contacted to be interim superintendent for District 90 in River Forest. After that I thought that I was really retired.

2. When did you decide to start working at RBHS/ How were you notified about the opening?
I was approached by a board member regarding the interim position after [former Superintendent Principal, Jack] Baldermann resigned. From there, I was interviewed by the Board and hired for the position.
Since I live near the school and have always had a vested interest in RB, I accepted the position.

3. What’s your favorite part of your job?
Being able to renew relationships with kids I knew from Hauser and being able to form friendships with new acquaintances with kids who went to Komarek and Gross. What attracts me to my job is being able to help kids be successful.

4. What are your goals for the 2009-2010 school year?
My goals for the school year are to really involve the community, work with the staff more, and take RB’s already strong reputation and build on that. The district is facing some financial hardships, and I have been working with a state wide group for a few years now and our goal is to increase school accountability and better the method by which the state funds schools.

Mr. Tim Scanlon, Interim Principal
Educational Backround:
Masters Degree in English from St. Xavier University in Chicago
School Administrative Certificate from Governor State University

1. What was your previously held office?
For the past few years at RBHS, I have been serving as Assistant Principal.

2. When did you decide to start working at RBHS? How were you notified about the opening?
I came to RBHS because of the outstanding reputation of its staff and students. Additionally, at that time, the position at RBHS gave me an opportunity to concentrate on staff development and curriculum which constituted my dream job. Finally, Mr. Baldermann was an excellent educational leader, and I wanted an opportunity to work with him.

3. What’s your favorite part of your job?
Reflecting with teachers on strategies, assessments, and curriculum are my favorite aspects of this job. Lately, however, I seem to miss more and more being in the classroom, but there will be time for that in the future.

4. What are your goals for the 2009-2010 school year?
I want to maintain our academic excellence, spend more time in the classrooms, and finish the construction project. Also to help RBHS to make a smooth transition to a new administration

Mr. Troy Gobble, Assistant Principal
Educational Backround:
BS in Chemistry Education from University of Illinois at Urbana
MS in Physics from Eastern Illinois University
MS in Educational Leadership from Benedictine University
Plans to finish Doctorate in Educational Leadership from DePaul in 2010.

1. What was your previously held office?
I was the Science Department Chair and a Physics teacher.

2. When did you start working at RBHS/ How were you notified about the opening?
I began at RBHS in 2001 and served as the department chair for 8 years.

3. What’s your favorite part of your job?
As the Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction, I am very excited to watch teachers in the building practice their craft and talk about ways to improve instruction and student learning

4. What are your goals for the 2009-2010 school year?
Personally, my goals are to be a good dad and husband, and to complete my doctorate coursework. Professionally, I want to continue to learn and grow as an educator and help others to do the same