Thomas RATliff Proves We're Winning

[Author's Note: We have enough new readers that it's worth, in the spirit of full disclosure, reminding readers that Alice Linahan is a good friend of ours.]

Friday morning, Cahnman's Musings awoke to an e-mail that included this link from Voices Empower:

What a Day~ I was preparing to hit the road to Milwaukee, WI for a Franklin Center Retreat on Education and I get a call from the Texas Ethics Commission. State Board of Education Elected Official/ Microsoft Lobbyist Thomas Ratliff filed an Ethics Complaint against me. 

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Yep you heard that right State Board of Education Elected Official/ Microsoft Lobbyist Thomas Ratliff filed an Ethics Complaint against me saying the work I am doing fighting against CSCOPE/Common Core is unethical because I am not registered as a paid lobbyist. Really Thomas? I would love to know who it is that is paying me to fight this battle. I haven’t seen the pay check. 

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I can assure you my husband is tired of me spending so much time working for no compensation on this issue. We had a discussion last week about it as a matter a fact because I have been away from home so much. My husband said the kids are the ones who are missing out on their mother being home. To which I replied if I don’t fight for them now even though I am not getting paid and I do not get to be with them like I want to….. they will not have freedom, and the blessings we have enjoyed. I am willing to sacrifice now because if I don’t they will blame me later for not fighting for their future.  

I actually had to laugh when I saw in the Ethics complaint a picture of the 4 new tires I posted when one my tires blew out on the way to the SBOE Adhoc hearing. I did not make it by the way. 

My husband was not happy about paying for the 4 new tires because I had put over 30,000 miles in 9 months traveling around the state warning parents about CSCOPE/Common Core.  

As many of the readers of Voices Empower know I have been a politically active Texas Mom working in the grassroots since Obama was elected. Taking on the issues that I see as a clear and present danger to my children’s future. I have been helping to organize at a grassroots level to get the word out. I guess we are being successful at getting the word out about the Federal Take-Over of Education. Those involved are trying to shut down our voices. The voices of parents, teachers and the students they are harming.  

I have a feeling after listening in on the public WomenOnTheWall.org Communication Team Conference Call last night Thomas Ratliff may be feeling a little nervous.

You see those who are in the Education Establishment do not like parents actually saying….#CanISee what and how you are teaching my child. I also don’t think he likes that we are asking our school districts #CanISee what you are spending our tax dollars on to train teachers, administrators and school boards members.

The notion that Thomas Ratliff, who Greg Abbott ruled in 2011 was ineligible to serve on the SBOE over his lobbying activities, is filing an ethics complaint against Alice Linahan over failure to disclose 'lobbying clients' is laughable.

There's no glamour in what Alice does.  Alice travels the state of Texas, at her own expense, educating small groups of Moms and Dads about the dangers of CSCOPE and Common Core.  To our knowledge, the only psuedo-compensation Alice receives is occasional help to offset gas or food.

This moves reeks of fear.  Why would a 'respected' member of the education establishment draw attention to the actions of a diligent Texas mom?!?   Members of the establishment usually ignore the grassroots...until they're effective!  We spoke with Alice late Friday afternoon and found her in surprisingly good spirits.  The Texas education debate just got more interesting.