Haslam and Huffman sweep into a public school, select taxpaying citizens ousted with police escort.
Breaking News: 11/8/13
Governor Bill Haslam and TN Secretary of Education Kevin Huffman whisk into town, the general public is not allowed in their vicinity.
It could be called “Gestapo” like as taxpaying citizens were profiled then escorted out of a public school library where Huffman and Haslam were within minutes of speaking.
The site, the Cleveland Middle School in Cleveland Tennessee, the provocateur principal Mike Collier.
A couple of concerned parents, who happen to be Veterans who fought in foreign wars, taxpayers and coincidentally independent reporters were attempting to attend a public meeting of which they wanted to attend, to gather information.
Mike and I have covered events across the nation and have even ventured where most men dare trod to get you the truth.
We were immediately given access to the building then denied the right to stay and listen to the Governor and his Secretary of Education because many labeled us a disruptive or combative although our records are clean of that charge.
A sunny afternoon it was and the mood in the main office area jovial with many suits and a strong police presence felt in room.
When entering the room my escort and myself were met with many friendly faces and were asked if we were with the press, we signed in, were given our pass, our sticker which we quickly attached to our lapels of our shirts.
Police quickly shuffled us in as the guest speakers were soon to be arriving.
The ease of entry was surprising which left me and Mike at ease because after all, a publicly announced meeting inside a taxpayer funded school should be this easy. Concerned, law abiding citizens should be able to gain entrance into a public school where they plan to distribute info that may directly affect my children.
Our soul intent was to attend the meeting, gather, video and assimilate information out to a very hungry public.
After all, if it’s coming from the Governor and the Secretary of Education why should it be kept secret and why should it be a private meeting. Why should we not be allowed to attend?
As we are setting up our cameras for the big media event, a lady enters the room and says I’m so sorry we must ask everyone for their press credentials and she turns to me and Mike Mallard with Tin Ship Productions (a nationally known documentary team) and myself, a staff writer of BCN with near 150,000 readers in 164 countries to display our credentials.
Mike and I were quickly encircled with Principal Mike Collier, the lady, and two policemen at our sides. It was obvious by the lack of activity outside this rather small group that we were the only ones being asked for credentials and quite frankly the only ones that needed them. So we searched our pockets, our wallets no credentials found and no one else in the room were being asked. So we knew the mood was fixing to change a very public lynching was to ensue.
We were approached by very aggressive principal that started making demands for us to leave as it was obvious the conservative “right wing”, independent reporters were not welcome and clearly had no say so in this debate. He must have read the latest DHS memo on Christians and right wing terrorists destroying the country.
After asking several pointed questions of which no defining answers followed we were told this is not open to the public and that we were not welcome.
At the crescendo and the principal obviously tiring at having his “authori-ty” questioned he lunged toward me and said “we do not allow combative people like you into these meetings!!!” I chuckled as evidently I asked one to many questions and replied “Sir, I’m not yelling at you so I do not expect you to yell at me!” “I’m just trying to find out how I can attend this meeting!”
I changed the tempo a bit and slid around to his left, leaving his forehead and his hands shaky for some reason. I said “at this point I would like to be considered a concerned parent and a taxpaying citizen and would like to stay and not video but take notes of the planned speech by our duly elected Governor and his appointee” at which time he flashed his hands in a sweeping motion and said forcefully like a child exiting his office “GET THEM OUTTA HERE!!!”
As we exit the heavily guarded entrenchment with police escort, the library at our backs and into the main office I hear a familiar female voice squeaking condescendingly “That sure didn’t take you long! Is it over?” The laughter around her clearly displayed that the intent of her comment was relayed to me and Mike that we were not welcome in this very public building.
The walk to the exit to the end of the awning was very pleasant and as our escort turned verbal we met a very nice and friendly officer, last name Mason. He was very accommodating and apologetic stating he was not trying to squelch our rights. But our rights were violated! His willingness to honor someone eliminating my ability to peaceably gather and redress my government, to have freedom of the press stripped and to somehow impede the balancing of the powers of our federal government and their representatives, yes their was an assist here!
Yes, unknowingly perhaps but being the escort that gives these self appointed elite the ability to rewrite the Constitution and enforce their assumed power, yes, yes, you did participate in that classless action by providing a means for them to weld their unchecked tyrannical behavior.
Mike and I and several others soon resign to the partitioned “grassy knoll” to watch as the Governor, the Secretary of Education and their lap dogs arrived like rock stars and enter unscathed, unquestioned and uninhibited through the halls and the path we, who just moments ago exited under police duress. From this public domain they will now spew their well timed rhetoric to a liberal press that will filter till the info is unrecognizable and is palatable enough for all the sheep to lap up and digest!
I’m sure the lead in story on all newscasts will be about their strong support of the unproven common core federalized standards. The propaganda spin cycle is on and completely unfettered by a concerned public attempting to dispel the agenda of the federal machine. Spin the nightly news will you please?
As a vocal or better known outspoken American you will never know the feeling of loss as when you lose your rights at the barrel end of a gun and witness a government completely out of control, unbridled and ready to pull the trigger.
Ponder these thoughts and observe the happenings around you! We are losing our rights and many more don’t care or are simply uninformed.
I’m becoming very accustomed to this type behavior and all too familiar with my rights not being honored. I’m still thinking this is not such a good thing! Right?
To contact this Principal I would encourage you to call or email him. Please be civil, nice and I do not condone violence or any threats.
I think it would do a world of good to let him know there are many out there that feel that the Constitution is still intact and many are still willing to speak up for those rights and believe in full disclosure, especially if our kids are involved!
Principal Mike Collier:
Cleveland Middle School
Cleveland Tennessee.
423-479-9641 ext 8002
mcollier@clevelandschools.org
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