At its board meeting last Tuesday, the Rapid City School Board voted not to renew a contract with Black Hills Special Services which provided support in planning and executing events designed for families. of children attending Title 1 schools. Through this action, the board has again demonstrated either its contempt for low-income students and families, or its outright contempt for them. The services provided by BHSS at very little cost play a critical role in meeting the requirements set out to receive Title 1 funding from the federal government. There are nine Title 1 schools in Rapid City. The loss of funding would be devastating for these schools and students.

The board first demonstrated its lack of compassion for struggling families when it voted at one of its first meetings to reject a grant intended to help students for whom English is a second language.

If we continue to deny aid intended to help struggling students and in doing so fail to provide them with an adequate education, we will pay a much higher price as these children grow into adults with little education or future prospects.

Withdrawing funds from public schools is a big mistake.

A recent contributor blames Biden’s inability to communicate with some people on the view that they “have no interest in truth or justice, and will only listen to the stream of lies spewed out by FOX news and other right-wing media”.

Joseph Goebbles advised Hitler to lie. “If you tell a big enough lie and repeat it over and over, eventually people will believe it. The lie can only be maintained as long as the state can protect the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It therefore becomes vitally important for the state to use all its powers to suppress dissent, because truth is the mortal enemy of falsehood and, by extension, truth is the greatest enemy of the state.

What happens when the lies of the mainstream media and the Democratic Party about the consequences of climate change, about rampant white nationalism, about America as a racist nation, about the wonders of socialism and about collusion of Donald Trump with the Russians are associated with the destruction of free speech and a stubborn desire to eliminate the opposition?

You get “Mr Nice Guy” Joe Biden’s rendition of Joseph Goebble’s playbook.

Full disclosure, I’m an FBI employee. The editor of the Rapid City Journal (RCJE) recently wrote that Leonard Peltier should be released from prison. Peltier was found guilty of aiding in the murder of 2 FBI agents at Pine Ridge, the facts showed the agents were ambushed and executed, with point blank shots to the head. More than 100 bullet holes were located in the officers’ vehicles. After his conviction, Peltier exhausted all available remedies and his conviction was reviewed and affirmed. While incarcerated, Peltier never expressed remorse for the deaths; continually proclaimed his innocence; and maintained his position as a leader of violent activism, as did his role when the murders took place. Yet your RCJE writes that Peltier should be released. The RCJE cites FBI errors, contested evidence, and (probably the most telling of the RCJE’s motives) that Peltier’s trial was presided over by a Republican-appointed judge (no mention that a panel of independent judges confirmed sentence). RCJE echoes the same mantra of wrongful convictions of activists over the years, while ignoring the actual evidence presented leading to lost convictions/appeals. No community needs the release of a violent activist convicted of murdering law enforcement officers.

Knights of Columbus Council 8025 held its 9th annual Coats for Kids Bowling Tournament in support of Black Hills Children’s Home Society on Jan. 8 at Meadowood Lanes. With the support of our sponsors and bowlers, we raised over $4,600. We would like to thank the following sponsors who made this event a success. Meadowood Lanes, DeSmet and Biggs, Ace Steel, Hillsview Dental, Custom Concrete, Kopren Motors, Mel’s Auto Body, Jenner Equipment, Pacific Steel, Mustard Seed, Edward Jones’ Hal Bailey, West River Electric, Family Fare East, Runners Shop, Senator Jessica Castleberry, Dakota Warehouse, Black Hills Harley Davidson, Black Hills Harley Owners Group, Rice Motor Sports, Gold Key Realty, Power Sports, Millstone, Ketel Thorstenson, Will Dixon Realty, B & T Manufacturing, Little Guys Construction, Black Hills Contraband , Pepsi, Strider, Office Max/Office Depot, Bob’s Auto and ModaStone. Thanks also to Rapid City Journal and News Center 1 for news coverage.

South Dakota’s House Education Committee has passed a measure requiring public schools to display the South Dakota state motto, which is “Under the rule of God the people.” As is usually the case, more needs to be said about this effort.

I would propose that the motto be changed to read, “Under God, SD Republicans govern but lack the brains to raise teachers’ salaries instead of having schools post empty mottoes.”

Republicans have filled this session with bills and actions that do things for the people of South Dakota, but do nothing for them. Republicans have no idea what is going on in the state or what the people need. Hopefully voters will resolve this dilemma in the next election.

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