The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - AHS Student Sucker Punches Female Teacher; Another AHS Student Slaps AHS Teacher In Face

Episode Date: March 25, 2024

The I Love CVille Show headlines: AHS Student Sucker Punches Female Teacher Another AHS Student Slaps AHS Teacher In Face Next Steps For Darah Bonham & Dr. Matt Haas? Teachers Must Feel Safe & Supported In School Would CVille City Be Better Off Voting By Districts? Drug Affordability Board On Youngkin’s Desk CVille 10 Miler – Props To Runners/Volunteers Charlottesville Business Brokers: Biz Buying Opps Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible and iLoveCVille.com.

Good Monday afternoon, guys. I'm Jerry Miller, and thank you kindly for joining us on the I Love Seville show. It's great to be with you on a glorious and gorgeous Monday afternoon in downtown Charlottesville. Take a look at the screen for today's headlines. It's a busy Monday, which is one of the reasons I'm disappointed with the late start today, nothing to do with neither Judah nor I. We had some technical difficulties, which we troubleshooted at about the 1243-minute marker, 13 or 14 minutes behind our traditional 1230 launch of our talk show. We apologize, and we thank you viewers and listeners for bearing with us on a show

that is absolutely loaded with content. We have information that many of you will be hearing for the first time right here on the I Love Seville show. On Friday we had two incidences of violence.

Two different I mean how do I characterize this? Incidences of violence. Two different... I mean, how do I characterize this? A fight would indicate two parties, right? If a student sucker punches a teacher and a second student slaps another teacher in the face, I don't think those are fights, right? I would say those are attacks, would you not say? Those are not fights. Those are attacks, right? I would say those are attacks. Would you not say? Those are not fights. Those

are attacks, right? Fights would indicate two parties are involved as opposed to one receiving the violence. We'll talk about that today. Derek Baum, we'll get to your comment in a matter of moments. I'll give you the snapshot of what happened, and we'll give you the cause and effect from the principal's office to the superintendent's office to how teachers are responding. On Friday, this past Friday, a student, a minor student, a student below 18, sucker-punched, literally punched a female teacher. Also on Friday, a second incident, a teacher was slapped in the face by another student.

Two separate incidences, two different teachers, two different students. We'll talk about that on today's program with multiple teachers sending us the storyline and what happened, how the principal's office is responding, and what's next for teachers and the largest high school in central Virginia. This is not a pretty situation. And it continues the violent trend of fights and attacks and security and safety concerns in area high schools. We'll talk about that today. I want to talk on today's program, the district versus the at-large voting ecosystems we have in Albemarle and in Charlottesville. Albemarle County votes its supervisors by district.

Charlottesville City votes its counselors, there goes Brian Haleska, by the, who gets the most votes? Diantha McNeil, Jack Jewett District, Nat Galloway, Albemarle-Rio District, B. Lapisto-Curtley, Rivanna District, Jim Andrews, Samuel Miller District, Mike Pruitt, Scottsville District,

and Malik Whitehall District. Each of these six Albemarle County supervisors represents a district within the largest county in central Virginia. Charlottesville City, it's just kind of like a free-for-all. The candidates that get the most votes, no matter where they live in the city, no matter the neighborhood, no matter their constituency, whoever gets the most votes gets put on the dais. We are hearing now more than ever that residents in the city, and unfortunately the residents that are reaching out to us in the city are those that are not of means, perhaps not as high in the socioeconomic totem pole. They say that council doesn't know

what it's like to walk in their shoes on a day-to-day basis. And they point to a council that is made up of, how would you characterize it, white-collar professionals. Everyone on council, certainly four or five members on council, you would characterize as white-collar professionals. So I want to have the conversation today, would the city of Charlottesville be better off in a district or a ward system? I have arguments for both sides here. If you do get the district or ward system in the city of Charlottesville, the likelihood of getting career politicians is much higher. But if you do not have the district or ward system in the city of Charlottesville, you get what you have today, which is basically a council that is white collar and far from the financial margin. We'll talk about that on today's program. I want to highlight a number of items on today's show,

including giving some positive attention to those who participated in the 10-miler on Saturday, it was a cold and rainy Saturday morning. And the volunteers and the runners of the 10-miler deserve some positive attention and some props on today's program. We'll weave Judah Wittkowren to the broadcast, the director and producer who's become a key member of this broadcasting family. Judah, first the weekend, how was it? Good. How was yours? It's good. It was busy. Got my in-laws in town. Our oldest had his sixth birthday this weekend. Congratulations. A Nerf gun battle of intense proportions. Thank goodness we wear the goggles. A Nerf gun battle in a local gymnasium where we are shooting Nerf gun bullets at each other. In the end, it turned out to be parents versus kids in this Nerf gun battle. And a capture the flag scenario where you get hit by the Nerf

gun, by the pellet. You have to return to base and cannot move forward to capturing the flag unless you do 10 jumping jacks and return to base. I did capture the flag twice, running like a chicken with its head cut off away from five and six-year-olds with authority. We should get on track today. The news received, I let the teachers know that I was going to share it with you. We will respect their anonymity. How do you want to first characterize this news on a talk show that airs in the shadows of Thomas Jefferson's University, less than two miles from Scott Stadium, the Rotunda, the John Paul Jones Arena, a block from the downtown mall, a block from the courthouses, and a hop, skip, and a jump from the Charlottesville Police Department.

One teacher sucker punched on Friday to the point that she needed medical attention, punched by a minor in the school. Albemarle County Police called. A police report filed. A second incident involved a student slapping a teacher in the face. Two very concerning turn of events on the same day last week

this past Friday. Yeah, I of course they deemed the punch severe. I think it's insane that I don't even know Of course they deemed the punch severe. I think it's insane that I don't even know how students get the idea in their head that anything even approaching this type of behavior is okay. And I'm glad that the police were brought into it and charges were filed. I think the biggest issue, especially with the information that we received, is that the principal seems to be implying that they don't have – like they never anticipated something like this could happen and they're coming up with rules for how to deal with it.

I mean that's insanity. How is that even remotely possible? We'll get some lower thirds on screen. Principal Bonham has his hands full. And on Friday, he really had his hands full with two incidents where he had to send multiple emails to his staff. And this is the first, I think,

many of you in the community are hearing of this reporting. I would expect it's not to be the last. He sends an email to staff, which we have received, that says, staff, as promised, I'll read verbatim. Here's the start to a refocus on our behavioral plan as we wrap up the year. This is not all-inclusive, rather highlights many of the areas addressed recently. We will continue to have discussions on how to improve. Three areas of focus as we enter the last 10 weeks of school. Focus area one, student behavior, consequences, follow-up, and restoration. Focus area two, hallway support, monitoring. and focus area three, classroom expectations.

He then continues to use what I would characterize as word salad. Protocols and keywords and hot words that you try to utilize to bring or to seem like you know what you're doing. What the emails to teachers seem to lack from me is human connection and empathy. Something along the lines of, I'm sorry you are going through this. We find this devastating. We find this heartbreaking. None of our colleagues should put up with this.

We understand your safety and your security is a concern and it should be. I empathize with you. This email, which I will read verbatim from the principal, it was sent Friday at 5.14 p.m. Dear AHS Albemarle High School students and families, I wanted to make you aware of a situation that took placeHS Albemarle High School students and families, I wanted to make you aware of a situation that took place at Albemarle High School this morning. A teacher was redirecting a student who was in the hallway outside of the teacher's classroom. The student was not cooperating when the teacher approached to identify the student. Then the student punched her our admin and security teams were called and immediately arrived to intervene and take the student to the office the

teacher was tended to by our school nurse and received medical treatment the conduct of the student was a severe violation of our school rules and policies this is per the principal law enforcement were contacted and were present to file a police report on the incident. The student who is a minor will face both school and criminal consequences due to these actions. In addition to this incident, we had another situation today where a student inappropriately touched a staff member in the face. I want to assure you that we take the safety and security of our students and staff seriously, and such incidents will not be tolerated in our

school. If you have further questions, please contact me. Sincerely, Principal Bonham. We hear from the teachers that the air quotes, inappropriately touching a staff member in the face was a slap in the face by a student to the teacher I bring this to your attention viewers and listeners for a number of reasons reason number one we as a community should know that this is happening in our schools I was having a conversation this morning with a banker and this particular banker let us know that there was a little bit of trouble at her respective school. I won't say which one. And she let me know that it took hours for the parents to be notified of said trouble.

And that was one of the most concerning elements for her, the lack of notification for parents. It should be immediate notification for parents. It should be immediately, immediate notification for parents. Good or bad, parents deserve to know. Second, why are we talking about this on the show? Because it's a concerning trend. It's a concerning trend at both our areas, largest high schools, Albemarle and Charlottesville High School. We are not picking on Albemarle County High School. We are not picking on Charlottesville High School.

However, the news that's being reported to us by teachers, by guidance counselors, by administrators are coming from these respective schools. That conversation is originating on this talk show, which is seen and heard by a lot of people, including local media, and then it makes its way into the legacy press, print, radio, and TV. A police report was filed. A minor was involved. This has been a tough year for the high school. This has been a tough year for students and a particularly tough year for teachers. We've had teachers on the talk show who have said students are running wild in hallways. They're stampeding. They're not listening. They're burying their heads in cell phones. They're not paying attention to class.

And they're routinely utilizing four-letter words to let us know how they feel in front of their peers. Almost lawlessness. I expect better from all involved. And I understand we're dealing with teenagers whose emotions, whose levels of testosterone can run wild. Punching teachers in the face, there's no place for that. Or slapping them. Slapping them in the face.

There's no excuse for any of that. These are people who are transitioning into adulthood, maybe not right away. Some of them have a few years before they get out of high school. But this should not be acceptable to anyone, and I'm baffled that the principal is talking about putting a plan in place to deal with this kind of behavior as if they'd never imagined something like this has never happened before. It seems to me that they just have,

didn't have the willpower to do anything about it, maybe. I mean, we've heard of these things happening and nothing being done. How would you characterize the principal's response to teachers? The second email we read, with the protocols that were going to be put in place, I characterize it and I'm, the principal's in a very tough spot as well. So I empathize for the position the principal's in. But the response to the teachers and the second email, the word salad

with the protocols and how we're going to use this as a, a reset or a refocus. I read that email and couldn't help but get significantly irritated. I got irritated because we're almost at the end of the school year. A reset or refocus at this point of the year is word salad. I got irritated by this email, the message from the principal at Al Morrill High School, because it did not utilize words like, I'm sorry. I empathize. I sympathize. No one wants to see this. No one should go through it. I understand your safety and your security is a concern.

I understand you feel the need to look over your shoulder, keep your head on a swivel. I understand you're not paid enough. I understand that you have not gone through the training to deal with this. I understand that every day is a different day at your job, and you're dealing with crowded classrooms and crowded hallways. You're dealing with the distraction of cell phones. You're dealing with the desensitization of violence because of these cell phones.

You're dealing with students who would rather video and social media publish the violence as opposed to intervening. You're dealing with the culture in 2024 where the students who commit the violence are turned into celebrities in the hallways by their peers because of social media as opposed to stigmatized and ostracized. And that's wrong. What we got instead was a political message. One that was probably, and I can't speak for certain on this, everything else I've spoken on I can speak for certain. One that was probably created and published in conjunction with oversight and guidance from the superintendent's office. What's the role of the superintendent here when one of his teachers at his largest high school gets punched so hard she is sent to the nurse's office where she needs medical treatment?

What's the role of the superintendent when one of his teachers gets punched so hard, not only sent to the nurse's office for medical treatment, but police called on site for a police report to be filed? What's the role for a superintendent when a second incident on the same day involves a teacher getting slapped in the face? I believe the police should have been called for both of those. 100%. Completely agree with you. I mean, there's...

What determines the difference with the police report? You can't ignore violence. Because next time it could be a punch. What's the difference, really? You're right. What's the difference? But ultimately, it's violence. You're talking about kids. It's bad enough when kids are

jumping each other or you know starting fights or whatever but believing that you can attack i mean maybe i was just i'm not gonna i'm not gonna pretend like there were there weren't kids like this when when we were when i was in high school i'm sure there i'm sure there have't kids like this when I was in high school. I'm sure there have been kids like this throughout every school's history. seems to think that attacking a fellow student or a teacher or, you know, how do you grow up thinking that's okay? The most concerning trend for me. Or that that's a valid response to whatever it is that they were, for whatever reason they were responding.

The most concerning trend to me is the violence on the teacher. Yeah. whatever reason they were responding. The most concerning trend to me is the violence on the teacher. The second most concerning trend for me is the culturally accepted amongst student body bodies in high schools

locally, this type of behavior, where the perpetrator is celebritized instead of villainized, where the perpetrator is beloved instead of disregarded. Don't want to speak for you growing up, me growing up. You did this to a teacher.

You weren't revered. You were ostracized. I'm not sure that these two students... They're social media celebrities. You know that? Being talked about on social media for this. That's culturally inexplicable to me. No.

That's culturally inexplicable to me. Because that wasn't the way when I was growing up, when you were growing up. Taking someone that does that sucker punch in particular that requires a female teacher to get medical attention and a police report filed, me growing up, you growing up, I don't want to speak for you, those kids would have been stigmatized by peers. Now they're celebritized.

I don't understand that. And I would hope that we get a message from the superintendent about what's going on. This should come up at the next Albemarle County School Board meeting. In fact, the Albemarle County School Board should either call a press conference or a special meeting or some kind of investigation of its own.

Parents deserve it, and damn well the teachers deserve it. We knew when the trouble was happening at Charlottesville High School last semester that the Charlottesville School Board was doing its own investigation. What is the Alamaro County School Board going to do now? They're elected to handle difficult situations like this. Let's see how local media reports this story. Legacy Media Print Radio Television. Do I expect the miner to be doxxed? No. The miner's privacy, even though they did something terrible,

should be respected. Both miners' privacy should be respected. But more information and more light should be shined on these two violent attacks. Anything you want to add before we close? And go on to the next topic. If I was a teacher, I would want to know why the letter seems to be implying that there's nothing in place to deal with a student like this.

If I were one of the teachers involved in either of these two incidents, I would want to know that those students were not coming back into my classroom. Maybe these teachers are different. I honestly don't know. But I wouldn't want to have to go into school the next day wondering when the next time this is going to happen because the student is right back in my class. If you're one of those teachers involved,

do you consider a lawsuit? Yeah. I mean, I honestly... If you're one of those teachers involved, do you take paid time off? If you're one of those teachers involved, do you even return to the profession? If you're one of those teachers involved,

do you wish you had a union that had your back? If you're one of those teachers involved, have you contacted an attorney? If you're one of those teachers involved, do you press charges? Do you ask the police to go the entire way of the letter of the law? Those are questions that I would be asking. Fair questions. John Blair watching the program, number two in the family. Get his photo on screen. He says, thank you.

He says, first, happy birthday to your son, Jerry. Thank you, John. He says, second, this is a really concerning story. We know that fewer and fewer people are going into teaching as a profession. If there is not swift and deterrent action, i.e. expulsion for these type of actions, then it only contributes to teacher shortages. Amen. 100%. Will the students be expelled?

Will both students be expelled? Genuine question for you. I'm not sure that, I mean, this is obviously something for the school to decide, but as I've said, I think it's insane that they don't already have... I'm surprised the proper reaction to actions like this is not already codified in the school rules. That's kind of scary.

Or is it codified in the school rules and That's kind of scary. Or is it codified in the school rules and they were just being ignored? The second email that the principal sent to staff is just an outline of word salad. I mean... Yeah. I wasn't really sure what I was reading. The second email,

one of the teachers that sent us this email said, here's some documentation from the principal attempting to make things right. These are words from a teacher sent to us. She said, this documentation, here is some documentation from the principal attempting to make things right after two staff members were hit, one punch, one slap by students on Friday. It is so pathetic, and these measures should have been the most basic expectations already. Exactly.

I hope these screenshots make it to you. If not, let me know. In a separate email, this was sent to us. Hi, Jerry, I wanted to make sure you saw this Also the second teacher was slapped not just touched One thing the teachers keep saying is how many times do we have to hear this will not be tolerated

but then watch it be tolerated Teachers are heroes. Teachers are now underpaid, underappreciated, undervalued, overworked, and far from safe.

In one of the wealthiest counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 2024, ladies and gentlemen. Next topic, viewers and listeners, let us know your thoughts. Put the lower third on screen if you could. Seville City better off by voting districts. Deep throat, we get to your comments in a matter of moments. Viewers and listeners, let us know your thoughts on any topics, please. I'm hearing from a lot of viewers and listeners that they feel,

these are viewers and listeners that live in the city of Charlottesville, they feel unrepresented by current local government. They say you take a look at council and you see five people, four of them white-collar professionals. Natalie Alshurn, the city councilor, is a weddings and events manager at Pippin Hill. Lloyd Snook owns a law firm with his better half. He's an attorney. A very good one. Brian Pinkston, Middle Upper Management, University of Virginia,

project manager, something of that ilk. Juan Diego Wade. You know, I'm going to go to his LinkedIn so I have it exactly right. In fact, you might be able to find it on, in fact, I have it right here. I want to get the exact title.

Social Services Career Center Coordinator, County of Albemarle, Virginia. Been in that role for 13 years and three months, according to his LinkedIn. Michael Payne... The stipend or the salary here into city council is his primary source of income. Holly Foster, I'll get to your comment in a matter of moments.

The viewers and listeners that reach out to us say this. Charlottesville's more expensive than ever. They're raising the taxes at the same time our assessments have gone up. They're going to raise meals, lodging, and real estate tax rate. Same time, our credit card bills and our groceries are more expensive.

Gas, I don't know if anyone's taken a look at gas recently. We're talking $3.55 a gallon. Major jump. Significant jump, $3.55 a gallon. My in-laws are in town from Long Island. They said gas is more expensive here than there. Buy a dime and change more. More expensive in Charlottesville.

Multiple folks have confirmed that Charlottesville is the most expensive area in the Commonwealth to live, and people are quick to say, what about these cities in Northern Virginia? Well, the earning potential in Northern Virginia is higher than the earning potential in Charlottesville, which makes the cost of living greater in Charlottesville when compared to Northern Virginia. And they said, what is local government doing for us to help us? We don't have advocacy. Many of the folks that are reaching out to us have common neighborhoods, neighborhoods in common. We are hearing folks from folks in Tenth and Page and Rose Hill, Fifeville and Cherry, and Prospect.

Those are the primary areas, the viewers and listeners that are reaching out to us, letting us know we don't have representation or advocacy on the dais. You get a number of emails like this over time and you say okay this is a topic that should be considered. One long-standing citizen, she and her husband have been in their home for nearly 40 years said we don't have advocacy because our representation is not from the neighborhood. She didn't

directly allude to the district or ward system but she said our representation on council is not from our neighborhood. They're not one of us. So that percolated the idea, district representation, and then I thought Albemarle County and Sean Tubbs today in a Charlottesville community substack mentioned something about this.

So I'm like, well, this is serendipitous. Perhaps this is a topic we should cover on the show. Would we say that Albemarle is largely the same? I mean, even though they, they have, you wouldn't say that they, that all of the counselors and, uh, supervisors, supervisors and Albemarle are, uh, are white collar. Mike Pruitt's in law school. He doesn't have a job. Okay. I mean, he's in law school. He doesn't have a job. Ann Malik's retired.

But before she was retired, I mean, I get it. Nan Galloway is searching for his new career as we speak. Yeah, okay. It sounds like... He's no longer in the car business. Sounds like splitting hairs, though. How so? It's not...

You're talking about people... Four to five of city council are white-collar professionals. Alamo County Board of Supervisors, Mike Pruitt's a law school student. Supervisor Galloway is searching for the next professional chapter. Supervisor Malik is retired.

Leaving whether or not they're white-collar or not out of it, or retired, or looking for a job, would the people of 10th and Page or any other neighborhood say that they felt represented by Ann Malick or by Mike Pruitt? I'd say Whitehall would say they feel represented by Ann Malick. I mean, I understand the point you're making. I understand the point you're making. Yeah, I'm not trying to say that...

I think the socioeconomic ladder of the Delta in Almaro is perhaps more narrow than the delta in the city. That's fair. City of Charlottesville, you have vast wealth, vast poverty. Alamaro County, I don't think that delta is as wide a margin. I'm not saying there's not poverty in Alamaro County and there's not vast wealth in Alamaro County. But you have the much larger disparity with the haves and have-nots in the city.

And the folks that are watching the program, they reach out to us and say, we don't have representation. And one particular person said, there's no one from the neighborhood that we can talk with. We can talk to. And that got me thinking about the ward system. This has come up, it's not the first time this has come up on the show.

We can talk pros and cons of this. I feel well versed in this topic. I'll go with the cons first. If you have a district or ward system, you basically could get what Ann Malick has become in the Whitehall district.

Ann Malick in the Whitehall, is she on her fifth term? I believe so. Is it five? These are four-year terms. I'm going to go to her civilpedia. Yeah.

This is her fifth term. Yeah. That's 20 straight years she will serve on Almar County, one of six, determining budget and other bureaucratic decision-making for the largest county in Central Virginia. That would happen in Charlottesville City. If you carved up Charlottesville City into five wards, Charlottesville City map, what would be the wards?

Carve it up. Let's call up a map. It's a great question for John, for Deep Throat. You probably have one of your wards as as what? Barracks Rugby as one? You got a pen and paper? We can write these down? I'm going to get that whiteboard over there.

Put me on studio camera if you could. I like the use of this whiteboard. I'm going to start rocking this whiteboard on the show. What would be your five wards in the city of Charlottesville? Ah, there's some Liza hair on the whiteboard. Holly Foster watching the program. If we get Holly Foster's photo on screen, the Queen of Henrico watching the show,

she said those two students should be expelled once the investigation is complete. Until then, they should be confined in detention. The teacher should get lawyers and file a lawsuit. Hard to argue with anything she just said on the show, Holly Foster, the Queda, Finrico. I'm going to respond to that. I definitely think the teacher should get lawyers

and consider suing the families. Suing the families? As opposed to the student? I don't think you... How are you going to sue the families? You would sue the school, not the families. You think? I don't think you could sue the families.

I don't know about that. How are you going to sue the families of a 17-year-old doing something? How are you going to sue their families? How are we going to sue the families of a 17-year-old doing something? How are you going to sue their families? How are we going to sue the school over something they couldn't have prevented? By not having the right security measures in place, by showing that there was a precedent, by showing that there was a history of this and nothing was done to create a safer environment or to correct the problems. Suing the families wouldn't get you anywhere.

I think suing the school would get you less far than suing the problems. Suing the families wouldn't get you anywhere. I think suing the school would get you less far than suing the family. When the Newport News teacher was shot by the... That was because the student should not have been able to bring a gun into the school in the first place. The kindergarten or first grader brought a gun into the school. People told the principal in the Newport News public school system that this kid may have had a gun. The principal pretty much ignored it. And then the student pulled out the gun.

And if the teacher, who was from Greene County, did not use her hand to shield it, the bullet going through her hand, she may be dead right now. That was a school lawsuit. I get it. The last part is beside the point, but you made a great argument for why the school should have been sued for what happened there. If you can make a legitimate argument, the same argument that this violence

has been going on for years, and we've had teachers on the program explaining to us that students are stampeding in the hallway, running lawlessly around the hallway, violent attacks in halls, in schools, and in classrooms. In this particular school, good night, H-E double hockey sticks. The Crozet Gazette wrote a huge front page cover story about this. This was fodder for the Allison Spillman, Dr. Meg Bryce at-large Albemarle County school board race. Violence in the schools. You have a precedent of violence in this particular school. And if nothing has been done to circumvent said violence,

then you have a foundation for a lawsuit. Suing a family that may have zero means... Very shaky ground. Okay, instead your ground is to sue a family that does not have much economic means, put a lawyer and spend hundreds of dollars an hour with the lawyer to go after a family that doesn't have any money? Okay.

That's the alternative? I mean, people talk about lawsuits all the time. You know what happens when you sue somebody that's got no money? All you do is waste money on your lawyer. I don't think any, I don't think either of these teachers would want to take their families for all they're worth. Neither of them. Then what's the point of suing? What would be the point of either of them suing? In this case, it might be so that something is actually done about the violence in the school. The lawsuit

ain't going to do that. Okay. The lawsuit is strictly, I mean, I'm not trying to be argumentative with you. The lawsuit would be strictly compensatory. Compensatory. I think you would have a hard time arguing to a judge that the school had any way of preventing either one of these

attacks. J-dubs, we just had a teacher email us that said what were her exact words? You read the email, so did I. Her exact words were, here's some documentation from the principal attempting to make things right after two staff members, one hit, one punch, one slap by students on Friday. It's so pathetic that these measures should have been the most basic expectations already. I hope these screenshots make it to you. She's alluding to the fact that this has been going on. The first email she said, one thing, look at this. She literally says, one thing the teachers keep saying is how many times do we have to hear this will not

be tolerated, but then watch it be tolerated. She's straight up saying there's a history and a precedent. So if she's straight up saying this violence is happening over and over again, the administration is saying this will not be tolerated, but it is tolerated, that's lawsuit.

That's basically creating a world where there are no laws. That's what she's saying. And she wrote that to me and you. I mean, what else does she have? I agree there should be consequences, but consequences would not necessarily have stopped a student from slapping a teacher and consequences wouldn't necessarily have stopped a student from punching a teacher.

I don't know that I agree with you that a... If they had better security in play, if they had school resource officers... How would they have stopped a student who was face-to-face with a teacher from throwing a punch? That's not... I get what you're saying, but it's not... I don't see how any of that would have made the slightest bit of difference.

It's lawlessness here. That's fair, but... And the teachers are telling... Okay, we're getting deep in the weeds here. You don't sue families that have no money. Because if you sue families that have no money, all you're doing is spending money on a lawyer. Fair enough.

The money that there is to be gained or anything that there is to be gained from a lawsuit is the school and maybe it's insurance policy that can pay you out. I don't know. We got off track. Janice Boyce Trevelyan, her photo on screen. If you want to see where you rank in the power polls,

iloveceville.com forward slash viewer and listener rankings. iloveceville.com forward slash viewer, sorry, viewer rankings. iloveceville.com forward slash viewer rankings. Janice Boyce-Trevillian, number 20 in the family. She says, like when you watch the show, JBT, if those students are special ed or IEP, they are protected. That's a big part of the problem. There are so many that are under these programs now. Spencer watching the program. Spencer and the family. Tom Stargell, the Golden Apple Award winner, will get to your comments.

Let's see what he has to say. He was a teacher in these schools. Spencer first says, Jerry is right. Suing families that don't have any money is not going to get you anything. Suing the school will get you a payday, and that payday will lead to changes. It takes paydays and multiple paydays for schools to actually enact action. All right. fair enough. Tom Stargell, Golden Apple Award winner.

Is he ranked in the family? No. T. Starge is not in there? All right, let's get T. Starge in the family. Tom Stargell is going to come in at 51 for Tommy Stargell. Didn't we hear the same rhetoric from the principal addressing the Crozet Gazette stories? Bingo. Exactly what I said. Also, didn't we hear the same rhetoric from the principal addressing the Crozet Gazette stories? Bingo. Exactly what I said.

Also, didn't we hear how much better things are? I would bet not one thing to correct what we have seen over and over has been advocated by Haas for the school board. I want to see how Superintendent Haas and the Alamo County School Board respond to this.

This should be parents that are listening to this show. You should go to the Alamaro County School Board meeting, the next one, and you should bring this up on the record to the school board and get them to comment on the record. Alamaro County Teacher Union should be responding to this on the record. On the record. They should be having conversations about this. Deep Throat offering some comments on wards and districting in the city. Curtis Shaver

is as well. First, we'll get the Deep Throat on the schools. This is the issue at the heart of the Zwirner case. Schools arguing that she can only go via workers' comp the Zwirner case. School is arguing that she can only go via workers' cop. Zwirner arguing gross negligence on part of the school. I promise you I'm going to get to the districts. Zwirner is the Green County resident

from the Newport News Elementary School that was shot by the six-year-old. That teacher has a phenomenal case for a payday. Oh, definitely. Principal notified that the kid had a gun. Yeah.

And nothing was done about it because it was the end of the day. Doesn't matter why nothing was done about it. But those were the words the principal used to another teacher. It's the end of the day. Doesn't matter why nothing was done about it. But those were the words the principal used to another teacher. It's the end of the day. Go back to your classroom. Dude, teachers are superheroes. But with all these stories in the news,

tell me why you're going to go get a master's in education, fall deep in debt to work a job at the poverty line to risk your security and your safety, to have an overcrowded classroom, students that don't pay attention to you, to cuss you out, pay attention to TikTok and Instagram, don't listen to the curriculum, get no support from your administration,

no support from the front office, and basically become political pawns in school board races. That's 2024 Albemarle education. Explain that to me. School districts, districts. Curtis Shaver watching the program. Get his photo on screen. I'm using my whiteboard, Judah. My white dry erase board. Curtis Shaver is, where's he ranked in the family? Number 31 in the family. He says Belmont should be its own district. I think it would be,

that would be a district, I think it would be Belmont, North Downtown, Woolen Mills, Hogwaller. That's a district. Belmont, North Downtown, Woolen Mills, Hogwaller. That's a district. Belmont, North Downtown, Woolen Mills, Hogwaller. I think your second district,

I've got to write smaller here. It's not a large dry erase board. Your second district, what, Barracks Rugby, Judah? You looking at a Seville map? Yeah. Your third district. Where's my CBO map? Close it out.

Oh, here it is. What's your third district? And we only want five? Five. Greenbrier? Greenbrier? Greenbrier, would that be? Greenbrier, kind of your 29 north area? Greenbrier would be a district.

Fry Springs could be a district. Fry Springs could be a district. The problem with this ward system is you don't have much diversity here with these districts. Would you call Ridge Street? Maybe your advocacy district for those struggling socioeconomically would be Fifeville Ridge Prospect. Fifeville Ridge Prospect. I mean, are those your districts right there?

Belmont, North Downtown, Willow Mills, Hogwaller, 1. Barracks Rugby, 2. Greenbrier, 3. Fry Springs, 4. Fifeville, Ridge, Prospect, 5. Deep Throat makes a great point. Voting precedent holds that the districts

need to have roughly equal population. Neil Williamson watching the program here. What would be the district's Neil Williamson? I mean, I think that would be your, would that, and I'm open-minded to correction. Judah, you too as well, if you see anything I'm missing here. Belmont, North Downtown, Woollen Mills, Hogwaller. I wouldn't say, I would say that's pretty homogenous. Barracks Rugby, very homogenous.

Greenbrier, very homogenous. Fry Springs, a little bit of diversity in Fry Springs. Fifeville Ridge Prospect, many of the folks contacting us from the Fifeville Ridge Prospect, Star Hill. I'll throw Star Hill on there. Where does 10th and Page fall? Does 10th and Page fall in that district? And do we have balance by population? What's the population City of Charlottesville, 45,000?

Yeah. 45,000? For the sake of conversation, we call it 50G, so we would have to have 10,000 per district. Is that spreading out? Here's my white erase board here. If I got number one, Belmont, north downtown, Woolen Mills, Hogwaller, that should have roughly 10,000 population. Barracks Rugby, roughly 10,000 population.

Greenbrier, roughly 10,000 population. Greenbrier, roughly 10,000 population. Greenbrier, and then some. Greenbrier might be a little light. Fry Springs got density. And then number five, Fifeville Ridge, Prospect, Star Hill, 10th and Page. So the argument being made to me by viewers and listeners that if it was a ward or district system, the Fifeville Ridge, Prospect, Star Hill, and Tenth and Page, they would have a point of contact potentially

for advocacy on their behalf. And right now, that advocacy on their behalf does not exist. Who are you going to go to? Are you going to go book a $400,000 wedding at Pippin Hill and get a conversation with Natalie?

Are you going to go book a $400,000 wedding at Pippin Hill and get a conversation with Natalie? You're going to commit a crime and have a conversation with Counselor Snook? Attorney Snook? You're going to try to do some engineering or some underground infrastructure with B. Pinks? With Brian Pinkston and get some conversation with him? I mean, how do you get advocacy? Talk about some job opportunities at the Social Services Center with the mayor? Your biggest advocate right now is probably Michael Payne, right? Okay. You're saying that because he...

His primary source of income is the 18K from counselor position. But that just happens to be the lay of the land in this particular council. That's not to say the next council won't have all people that work full-time jobs or nobody that has a full-time job, right? Bingo.

There's no particular... The immediate advocates in the most recent council that come to mind two. Former Mayor Nakaya Walker and former counselor Dr. Wes Bellamy. former Mayor Nakaya Walker, and former Counselor Dr. Wes Bellamy.

Are you saying that they made themselves open to... Most specifically, former Mayor Nakaya Walker. Made herself open to people bringing concerns to her? Yes. Okay. She gets some shade on this show. Former Mayor Nakia Walker, big-time advocate for the financial underdog, for the racially marginalized. Right?

Yeah, I'd say that's fair. She deserves significant props for that. But for the most part, council, where is your advocacy? I've been here 25 years. Where's the advocacy been? I mean, that's a decent question, but would splitting the neighborhoods of Charlottesville up into five wards provide that advocacy? More so than most votes possible.

Most votes possible, Charlottesville's getting gentrified left and right by increased taxes, increased assessments, increased real estate tax rates, by Northeasterners sprinting to SEVA with bags of money, by UVA expanding, we're becoming more homogenous. As the voter base becomes more homogenous, that voter base is going to vote folks that... Are like them. Are like them. And as that voter base votes folks into office that are like them,

the small pocket that is not like them is not going to have representation. That's fair, but as that pocket gets smaller, it's going to be less a part of any neighborhood or any ward system that gets created. But should they be discounted just because the population's getting smaller? I'm not saying that. That's what you're alluding to. No, no. I'm saying that as creating a ward system is not going to stop the gentrification, is not going to stop... How do you know stop the gentrification is not going to stop how do you know that creating a ward system could you have somebody on the dais saying hey maybe we

shouldn't do the tax rate maybe we should advertise the tax relief a little better maybe we shouldn't raise the real estate tax rate that might slow things who's been the largest advocate of stop them who's been the largest voice against raising the meals tax uh i'm not 100 sure but i think uh pain yeah bingo well well said exactly right why has pain been the longest voice again the loudest voice against raising the meals tax at a guess probably because he's closer to that uh he's closer to that income level to that uh he certainly i think would like to be an advocate for for the um the i'll say it too in a nutshell pain has been the loudest voiced against raising the meals tax because he calls that tax the most regressive. He says if you

raise the real estate tax rate, at least we have tax relief. If you raise the lodging tax, it's affecting outsiders coming to Charlottesville. But everybody has to eat and there ain't no tax relief for eating. That's what he says. I use a little bit of color

and a little bit of flair, but that's what he's saying. You want to raise the tax rate on houses? We've still got tax relief for the people that can't afford those taxes. You want to tax some people more on lodging? Who cares? They're not from here. But everybody's got to eat cheeseburgers, and everybody's got to eat ground beef,

and everybody's got to eat vegetables, and everybody's got to eat everything. And if you tax them on the meals, it's going to sting everybody and that's some... Yes. That's what he said. He was trying to be an advocate. But guess what happened?

Guess what happened? He got outvoted. That could have happened anyway. Because the other four, white-collar professionals. But again, having a ward system would be necessary. But how do we know? How do we know? You're right.

How do we know? How do we know someone from Fry Springs, which is a somewhat diverse neighborhood, couldn't have teamed up with somebody from the Fifeville Ridge, Prospect, Star Hill, and Tendon Page District to voice into working cahoots against Greenbrier, Barracks Rugby, and Belmont, North downtown, Tidewool, Mills, Hogwaller? Right now, we don't got that. Okay. Neil Williamson says, President of the Free Enterprise Forum,

perhaps four districts and an elected mayor at large. And he shares a link from the Free Enterprise Forum. Love the Free Enterprise Forum. Travis Hackworth, Washington Danville. Prior to 1963, Charlottesville was divided into four voting wards. After the 1963 annexation, it was divided into eight precincts.

Travis, I like when you watch the show. I would say with confidence and conviction, the era of diversity in race and the era of diversity in wealth and the era of diversity in thought on council

is being completely eviscerated or evaporated altogether. And it's because of many reasons. UVA expanding and attracting people back. Hybrid remote work in Charlottesville is a great place to live and people wanting to move here. Cost of living increase. In April, we're going to know the new HUD median income.

And we all know it's going to be higher than $123,300 per household, like it was in 2022. Do I think the ward system is a slam-dunk, no-brainer idea? No. Because it would be career politicians on council. And guys, you want to know something? Without naming any names, we've had some terrible councillors. We've had some great ones. We've had some mediocre ones.

But we've had some terrible ones. Why does the ward system of necessity lead to career politicians? Because the career politician just needs to garner the vote of 10,000 people in one district. And it's much easier to garner the vote of 10,000 people than it is an entire city. And frankly, it's not even 10,000 people. These counselors are winning spots on dais with seven, six, seven, 8,000 votes. And that's across the city in totality. If you can win a spot on the dais with six, seven, 8,000 votes. And that's across the city in totality. If you can win a spot on the dais with six, seven, 8,000 votes,

how many votes do you need in a ward? Six, seven, 800? People can garner six or seven or 800 votes in a district and become a career politician and sit on that spot a la Ann Malick for five straight terms. And some of the ones we've had in the past, that's a scary proposition.

And I'll leave it at that. Put it on a one shot so I can see some of those headlines that you put on screen. And we're running a little late because we started a little late today and we apologize for starting late on the Monday edition of the I Love Seagull show. Had some technical difficulties,

nothing tied to the illustrious and the esteemed Judah Wickauer, but instead our proprietary software that sometimes bickers like parents. You wanted to give, okay, we got Youngkin, the 10 miler, and Charlottesville Business Broker. Dude, there's so many business opportunities

for buying businesses out there right now. I got five, literally right now, legitimate opportunities for local investors or entrepreneurs or families or one or two men or women shops to buy businesses in this town that are noteworthy. Sitting on my desk.

We're in the business brokerage business. This is one of the key ways we do our living. Help folks buy and sell businesses in central Virginia. And right now is as much opportunity I've seen in the business brokerage world as any. Charlottesville business brokers. Youngkin, your story, Judah Wickower. Just a second. People have to judge whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

It seems on the face of it to be a good thing that people are pushing Youngkin to okay a prescription drug affordability board that I believe would have the power to set caps. And I think that's what it is. It says review the cost of prescription drugs and establish maximum prices i'm you know i think i'm a bit torn i you're torn i'm putting caps on prescription drugs that people need to live i'm not necessarily torn about that. What I was getting at is that I understand the argument about free markets. Drug companies have a right to make their money, right? But at the same time, when we're talking about

the life of a loved one, because they can't afford a drug that could otherwise be made available. I think that's, you know, I think at some point we have to look at ourselves and we have to come to grips with the fact that the fact that profit isn't the end all and be all. And I think our government is in the process of deciding how they go about dealing with these types of problems. And I think the fact that we're grappling with this issue is a good thing. Keep going. Keep going.

I think this is one of the many things that we need to grapple with as a country. We have the world has already moved towards a more, call it communist, call it socialist, call it whatever you want. But a lot of the world has moved towards systems where I think there's a lot more in the way of safety nets put in place for their citizenry. And I understand why, you know, we live in a gigantic country. And some of these things are better decided by states. Some of them may be better decided by our overarching government. I can't wait to get in here. But the fact of the matter is... I can't wait to get in here. be better decided by our overarching government. I can't wait to get in here.

But the fact of the matter is. I can't wait to get in here. We need to come to grips with where we stand on some of these issues. And I'm interested in what you have to say about it. Two words for you. Two words. You know what those two words are? Two. You ready? I two words are? Two.

You ready? I'm ready. Martin Shkreli. You know who Martin Shkreli is? I do. Tell me who Martin Shkreli is. He bought, was it, I know he bought a drug that was used for, was it, was it? Hedge fund guy. Yeah, he was a hedge fund guy that bought. 2015. He bought

buys the manufacturing license to a anti-parasitic drug. A drug called Daraprim. This drug people need to live. Some people. He raised the price of this drug 5,455% 5,455% from $13.50 per pill to $750 a pill.

I'm a free market guy. I'm a small business guy. Every day I have to wake up, figure out how we're going to make a living for our family. That's literally what we do. How are we going to make a living for you? How are we going to pay our suppliers? How are we going to pay our subcontractors? How are we going to pay our mortgage?

How are we going to pay your mortgage? How are we going to feed our kids? Literally every day I have to do this. It's not a 9 to 5. It ain't punching a clock. It's go get up 6 o'clock in the morning, figure out how to be opportunistic and be entrepreneurial and

make a living. Martin Shkreli, he's a guy like that. But taking a drug and raising it 5,455% from $13.50 a pill to $7.50 a pill, when you know that these people need this pill to stay alive, that's criminal. That's a perfect illustration. And it's absolutely criminal. And I think that is the argument, that is the discussion that we need to have as a people and decide. As a people? Yes, we need to, because right now that's not criminal.

Well, it's criminal for him. Is that what he went to jail for? Yeah. Shkreli was charged and convicted in federal court on two counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy for activity that was unrelated to the Dapper Man case. He was sentenced to seven years in prison

and up to $7.4 million in fines. Yeah. So what didn't have to do with... It didn't have to do with the drug. And I'm not saying that I don't necessarily believe that he should have gone to jail for

what you were alleging, but I think we do need to decide how we react to something like that. We need a complete revamp of healthcare. I pay out of pocket for my family of four. It's catastrophic.

Yeah. A complete revamp of what we got. Complete revamp of what we got. I don't disagree with you. And I'm not saying we need to go as far as some of these other places that are in Europe, but a complete revamp. And Philip Dow makes this point. You guys are talking about how it pertains to drugs and healthcare. Food prices are getting to a point a lot of people can't afford to eat. These are people giving up eating to buy their drugs. we wonder why in this country we have such divisiveness and why in this country we are

lacking so much of an identity and why in this country we are at i think i am 42 years old and in my 42 years and i don't profess to be being super in tune with things as an adolescent, but in my 42 years in this life, I have not seen this low level of nationalistic pride that I can ever remember. Yeah. Why are we lacking in nationalistic pride? Why are we divisive in culture

and in thought? Why are we just not getting along? Social media is a big part of it. Social media, groceries, drugs, health care. Come on now. Crazy to think that some of these I mean, it's a group of young Democrats that is pushing this on Youngkin's desk. Crazy to think that some of these...

I mean, it's a group of young Democrats that is pushing this on Youngkin's desk. Mm-hmm. Amy Laufer, Cree Deeds, maybe not so young. Call them Virginia Democrats. Cree's not young. What's that? Cree's not young, you're right.

Maybe they're onto something there. Yeah, I... Maybe health care and groceries and drugs should just be a bipartisan issue. It'd be nice if most of the issues were bipartisan. It's the Friday, Monday edition, excuse me, of the I Love Seville show. Before we go, we'll give some props to the Seville 10-miler runners, the volunteers and the runners, thousands of them in the rain. 40-degree temperatures running 10 miles around Charlottesville.

Props and kudos to you. Darragh Bond, his photo on screen, please. Mr. Bond, number 30 in the family. He says this, who in the last 20 years has been good on city council? You know what? We've had some good ones. I appreciate Mr. Bond's commentary and questions. This is a great question. I think Lloyd Snook has done a hell of a job

writing the ship from the Nakaya Walker era. I think he's done a fantastic job. I think Holly Edwards, she did a fantastic job. Holly Edwards, when she was on council. I think Kuja did a great job on council. I think there were some elements to Dave Norris that were solid on council.

Any you want to add? I think Brian Pinkson is doing an okay job. Juan Diego Wade is trying. Any you want to throw in there? I think Heather Hill tried to do a good job on council, but she just got overwhelmed by her colleagues on the dais. I think those are all fair. Do you think the ward system, you argue that the ward system would create career politicians, but is there a possibility that that would also lead to a longer view of what to do in Charlottesville.

You're talking institutional memory. You're talking about someone that knows the ropes. Someone that's not going to spend two years of their first term learning the ropes and then two years trying to raise some money to get re-elected. Not just institutional memory, but also, you know, somebody who has a plan, somebody who has a plan that can, and can see that plan through, uh, and not just, oh, here's a good plan. We're going to start this plan. And then a few years later, you've gotten all new council and perhaps absolutely.ed. Absolutely, yes. Absolutely.

100%. Absolutely. And maybe, you know, sometimes I think you just have to balance the good and the bad. If we stick it out with council the way it is now, then maybe there are just some things that are not going to work as well as a council that has its members made up

from various wards. John Blair, by law, the five districts have to be nearly equal in population. Additionally, given the black population, one of the districts would have to attempt to make a black majority district. Keep those principles in mind when you're trying to establish

the five districts in the city. I think that district is probably the fifth one we did, Fifeville, Ridge, Prospect, Star Hill, 10th and Page. Possibly. How long would that last, though? Again. The way 10th and Page is going, not long. Yeah, again.

Your five districts, perhaps, are Belmont, North Downtown, Willard Mills, Hogwaller, number one, Barracks Rugby, two, Greenbrier, et cetera, three, Fry Springs, four, Fifeville, Ridge, Prospect, Star one, Barracks Rugby, two, Greenbrier, et cetera, three, Fry Springs, four, Fifeville Ridge, Prospect, Star Hill, Tumpin, page five. 10,000 per district spread across the board. Good conversation for the show. We start at 15 minutes late. We'll start on time tomorrow.

Jerry and Jerry shows at 10.15 a.m. tomorrow. The Jerry Ratcliffe and Jerry Miller show at 10.15 a.m. tomorrow. The I Love Seville show is at 12.15 a.m. tomorrow. The Jerry Ratcliffe and Jerry Miller show at 10.15 a.m. tomorrow. The I Love Seville show is at 12.30 p.m. And the word around the street, the scuttlebutt around the districts, the chitter chatter around the wards, the conversation around the dais is the great Jared Dini and sidekick

Boo Beanie will be in the house this week. Hmm. Just a hmm from Judah it's the Monday edition of the I Love Seville show so long everybody Thank you.