Remember Ballard High Staff

The blog wanted to express our condolences to Ballard High School on the loss of yet another staff member.  Teacher John Nygaard recently passed away.   The school also lost security staff member, Gary Smith, and teacher Megan Vogel earlier this year.   

That's a lot for one community in one year. 

Comments

mirmac1 said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
11/30/12, 9:26 AM
Ed said…
At this point, my guess is the latter, mirmac.

Ed
11/30/12, 1:44 PM
seattle citizen said…
I would ask that this thread focus on remembering and honoring Ms. Vogel, Mr. Smith and Mr. Nygaard.

By all accounts, they were representative of the sorts of educators we want for students - educators who form relationships, reach out, and motivate students by caring about them.

(the issues mirmac and Ed point out are important, but are readily commented on in other threads.)

You and your families are in my thoughts and prayers, John, Megan and Gary. It is comforting to think that you are with each other now, caring for each other. It's tbe Ballard way.
11/30/12, 3:42 PM
mirmac1 said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
11/30/12, 9:05 PM
Rufus X said…
If my child, who's a Ballard HS student, is any indication of the greater community, there are a lot of folks with heavy hearts tonight.

It's been tough year for the Ballard HS community. And seattle citizen nailed it re: respected educators. Please keep the students, staff, and families in your thoughts and prayers.
11/30/12, 10:25 PM
Anonymous said…
My BHS student said it was a rough day all around, even for those who didn't know Mr. Nygaard.
12/1/12, 12:08 AM
Seattle Mom said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
12/1/12, 1:36 PM
Anonymous said…
Ah the Seaatle Mom troll pops up in yet another thread.

CT
12/1/12, 5:34 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Seattle Mom, fair warning has already been given to you.
12/2/12, 9:08 AM
seattle citizen said…
Melissa, I have to disagree with your decision to delete Seattle Mom's post. It was....cold-hearted, and I shudder to think that perhaps it represented the true feelings of SM (how sad that would be if it did) but it wasn't directed at anyone, it wasn't an attack...As "merely" a statement of her apparent lack of feeling, I suppose it should have stayed. Tho' it was rather sad that she would write that.
12/2/12, 9:39 AM
Jan said…
seattle citizen: I agree with Melissa. I don't think it was "a statement of her apparent lack of feeling" -- I think he or she is a troll, and it was bait. Might it be possible for someone to post a comment regarding the universality of death and the way communities do or do not respond/overreact, etc. Well, maybe I suppose. But this was not such a comment. It was just a little piece of poison, dangled to be mean, and to see if he or she could get a rise out of someone.

There are lots of differences of opinion on this blog (and we get what I think are thoughtful complaints at times that "minority" views get shot down too quickly or harshly), and from time to time people shake their fists at the heavens and rant or complain. I think it is all (or virtually all) fine, and I enjoy reading virtually all of the comments, whether I agree with people's positions or not. Frankly, I have learned a lot from folks like RosieReader and others who push back from time to time against some comments. But this was something so outside the bounds of common courtesy and decency that I think it spoke badly of the blog to leave it there. What if family ahd friends of the three Ballard staff are reading? Or students of those teachers? This is the kind of comment that, if I heard it made at a dinner table or in a group, I would have no problem getting up and leaving -- on the spot. And I wouldn't bother to be particularly subtle about it. But these kinds of things are NOT said in those situations -- just because they are so antisocial and out-of-bounds.

It is one thing for Melissa and Charlie to "invite" virtually the entire world in to discuss the state of public education in Seattle. To me, that doesn't mean they forfeit the ability to escort people (or their comments) out when they are clearly designed only to wound and offend -- which I think this was.
12/2/12, 10:13 PM
seattle citizen said…
Yeah, Jan, I guess you're right. It WAS a troll remark, and one beyond the bounds of decency. Particularly if family of the deceased was reading....There was nothing in it but mean-spiritedness.

I also am glad to see RosieReader's comments. She and I disagree on many things, but she offers respectful dialogue and perspectives. Where IS Rosie? I miss her!
12/3/12, 7:27 AM
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