Following in my dad's footsteps -- teacher letter from a former student.

To: Mark@Rauterkus.com

Date: Mon, Jun 23, 2003, 5:15 PM

Subject: Re: Hi Mark

Hi Mark:

Nice to hear from you. I take it your working with the school board also?

Hopefully following in your dads steps.

I don't have any real memories that stood out, but your dad, or as we use to call him, "Leo", behind his back of course, was a truly outstanding person and teacher, he a good teacher to have, the teachers of today could take a lesson from him.

Your dad had his hands full, he was a teacher at a volatile time, with many changes, busing just started but he and a select few articulated through it with no problem. I can remember your dad to this day, and I am 47, he use to walk around the class with his pipe, keeping his eye on me and Russell Simon and a few others, but it was just kid stuff. .

One teacher that taught at Swisshelm Park that will stick out in my mind was Mary Kay Ambrose, she was brutal, use to smack kids in the hand with a ruler when she got mad at them, and kids where allways getting sick in her class.

Do you remember Paul Pollack? James Wilson? Jack Eisley the Custodian?

'What about Ms. Purtell? Ms. Malloy? Ms. Lowy? Mr. Aber? Patrick Koch?

Swisshelm School had to be a good duty assignment for the teachers, it was like we were all family, I could not believe when my mom told me that they were tearing it down, I was in the Army at Fort Hood, Texas, it was tnflysad. -

After I got out of the Army, I worked for the school board, I was a Bus Aide, assigned to Washington Vocational, and did a brief tour at Glad Stone. I truly enjoyed the board but not as a Para Professional, they were good to work for.

I am currently working full time for the Port Authority of Allegheny County as a Bus Operator, and have a Private Detectives Business on the side, I am currently residing in West Deer Township (Russellton), which I just moved to last month after living in the city for my whole life.

l hope your dad is enjoying his retirement, he deserved it and that you hav e a good career, and if you should be working for the board now, I wish you luck, I have absolutely no confidence in your administration, your union will have its Work out out for them.

Take Care Mark and tell your dad i said, "Hi" bye hope to hear from you again.

Al Menanko

The letter Mayor Murphy has a duty to send to all area residents

Yes, we have many fine examples of wrong-headed efforts that have blow up in the city's face.

To make an effort as to WHY so many people leave -- well -- would be to call for a brutal self-examination. The people on Grant Street can't even be honest with the passing of a city-budget yet alone introspection. The fluff is going to continue as there isn't much depth.

People vote with their feet. Or, they don't vote. The opportunities for freedom and real self-determination are better elsewhere.

Living in a one-party town is undesirable. Seeing big money subsidies go to the corporate elite is undesirable.

To reverse the trend, develop democratic (small "d") communities again. Put citizens on the same level again among themselves and among the corporations and institutions. When actions are not fair, and when justice is thin -- people see this and depart.

When the Citizen Police Review Board can't meet bacause the Mayor and Council have NOT put enough members onto the body -- something is so wrong that flight becomes the best option.

When council votes to wait and NOT investigate the policies of SWAT -- because the Chief is away -- we have no hope of INTROSPECTION. We can't even look at ourselves in the mirror. We can't assess what we are doing as the power grabbers have trampled common-sense duties.

To get a legitimate tax base again, don't make more TIFs, more back-room deals, more red-tape.

Sure, the failures of the city schools need serious attention. But, for Grant Street to do that -- no way. The Mayor's Commission on Public Education is a classic example of pond scum thinking. The process was a joke and sorry -- I'd have to say that starting there is not prudent. We'd need to get there, but we need a system that is capable of being engaging and straight.

The dismal quality of the public services are in dire need of a benchmark system. Many here don't know what we are missing and should be able to receive.

The city is not a place working families want to live anymore, until that changes nothing will be resolved. -- YES.

Here is a great Tom Murphy Type Excuse:

"White flight to suburbs was/is a problem everywhere and wasn't necessarily caused by any bad policies the City of Pgh made."

The City of Pittsburgh is full of bad policies. The rest of the nation didn't shrink in size by 50% in the past decades. Many, many of our woes are our own doing. If you think otherwise, you must not be in Pittsburgh much.

Here is another flash of falsehood:

"However, the politicians have seemingly little to do with the Board of Ed tax and spend policies."

Board of Ed members -- like previous Board of Ed cronies (Barbara Burns and Valerie McDonald) are politicians. Politicians have nearly EVERYTHING to do with the tax and spend policies. The board makes up the policies.

When a discussion goes so far off the radar of truthfulness -- I sense a MOLE.

Ta.

Philly drowning in city pool

Not sure of the date of this tragic event. 

John Street was mayor from 2000 to 2008. 

Call to action and more

Newsletter from Mark Rauterkus

Following in my father's footsteps at Pittsburgh Public Schools -- email -- Al M.

South Side Market House had a Children's Youth Advisory Committee that planed lots of fun events throughout the year

YOUTH Technology Summit planning begin in earnest

Community Process has Open-Source Style

Immediate Release: April 30, 2003

Contact: Mark Rauterkus

New efforts put forth by Alpha Chimp Studios and instigated by Mark
Rauterkus hope to engage thousands from all sectors.

Technology and local YOUTH can energize our shared civic landscapes and economy.


Mark Rauterkus, an activist and former candidate for Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, 2001, is launching a far-reaching community endeavor that needs volunteer participation -- a YOUTH Technology Summit.

Pittsburgh needs a YOUTH Technology Summit so various people can come together under one room. The academics, business leaders, technology firms, teachers, parents and neighborhood players need to celebrate, stimulate and challenge our youth.

Pittsburgh spends too much time, effort and money on trying to recruit high tech workers and firms from other parts of the country. Rather, let's investing in our own. We can grow a brilliant work force that embraces technology here at home. A new priority can be ourselves. As our marketplace becomes vibrant, others will choose to come live over here to mingle with our talented, grounded and healthy neighbors.


Pledge from facilitators, Alpha Chimp Studios

Alpha Chimp Studios is run by a husband and wife team, Managing Director, Diane Durand, and Creative Director, Peter Durand. The principals made a pledge to volunteer their collaborative space, talents and host energies for 20 first round planning sessions, 15 second round meetings for strategies and 10 third round implementation meetings.

The work of each session is transformed into art as ideas are discussed. A transcript is typed and posted on the internet. Final documents and a handbook is being prepared for future rounds.


Simple RSVP

Each brown-bag lunch or breakfast session lasts two hours. Email TechLunch@CLOH.Org to reserve your spot. Up to 15 participants with diverse backgrounds are to attend each session.

Efforts are low cost, easy access and open to anyone. To witness the creative artwork in the collaboration space is worth the investment of time.

Public Domain

Mark Rauterkus, a retired publisher, has worked in the open-source movement. The content and approach put forth is in harmony with Open Source Software -- not propriety. Commercial applications and businesses are going to be involved, but the grand scope is fully open and to be run with democratic votes among any with interest. Technology tools beyond email and web pages, such as eVote, are to be deployed.

Early Adopters

The list of those already expressing an interest stretches from Harrisburg to local school teachers and high tech firms in other parts of the country.

SchoolForge, an international open-source software advocacy group hopes that the Pittsburgh event can evolve into a model that can be replicated elsewhere.

Doctors, coaches, fatherhood advocates, and those who operate the state site, InventPA.Com, are set to attend meetings and offer input. Bankers, journalists, home-schooled kids and neighbors are interested and helping to create a buzz.

Who

Mark Rauterkus is a stay-at-home dad who resides with his family on Pittsburgh's South Side. Rauterkus is on the GOP City Committee, the council at the South Side Market House Childrens' Athletic Association, the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network's Youth and Recreation Task Force.

A prime instigator for planning a Regional YOUTH Technology Summit, ttp://Summit.CLOH.Org. Rauterkus host other sites including eVote at Deliberate.Com, a UU Church site, Sunnyhill.Org and the Community Learning Outreach Hub, CLOH.Org.

The home office for Rauterkus.com is at 108 South 12th Street. Cell: 412-298-3432.

Invent PA -- warm to the YOUTH Tech Summit

Jones, Maureen Jones of maujones @ state.pa.us and INVENT PA, showed plenty of interest in the Youth Technology Summit discussions.

http://www.inventpa.com

Concert with the kids at First Church -- Shadyside

Suzuki would be proud.

FreeTeam.Org -- was a site in the past

http://linuxtoday.com/news/2003042100226PRDTPB

LinuxPR: FreeTeam.Org's Outreach to Candidates Seeking Public Office

Mark Rauterkus, a citizen activist and former candidate for Mayor, City of
Pittsburgh, 2001, is opening a new service in conjunction with FreeTeam.Org
and some of his other web sites.

Candidates for city council, county council, school board and other elected
offices throughout the region can apply for a no-charge, personal computer
on loan from FreeTeam.Org.

Candidates can apply and pick-up the computers on a loaner basis without realizing any costs. Furthermore, the candidates who seek a computer, as well as any other candidates who don't care to receive the in-kind donation, can get access to a slew of other consulting and online services, all without cost.

Candidates for judge and other positions outside of the legislative and executive branches are not eligible. Election law stipulates limitations on judge races.

The application is simple and requires a personal interview. Associates establish a desire and intent to run a campaign and get onto the ballot. Candidates from any party are eligible. Allegheny County candidates get a preference, but others from the region are eligible pending availability. A meeting is also necessary in the South Side office so as to take delivery of the equipment. Assessing technology skills of those involved in the campaign and customization of needs and services unfolds in the application and interviews. Ongoing support is guaranteed via email.

Candidates who have their own computers are still eligible for the consulting assistance. Pointers and tips are delivered to any who seek this info by appointment.

Twenty nine computers are presently in transit to the South Side and are being made ready for pickup. The computers were donated from a private corporation in the D.C. area and were made available via a board member of Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg is the internet's oldest producer of FREE electronic books (eBooks or eTexts).

Project Gutenberg and its cadre of volunteers makes important texts freely available to everyone in the world. A total of 6,267 volumes have been released, mostly into the public domain.

Mark Rauterkus, a retired publisher, has worked in the open-source movement and released various titles into the public domain throughout the past decades. Rauterkus authored Compelling Sense, a work-in-progress, political book with a loose framework that stems from Thomas Paine's Common Sense, 1776. Political books and candidate web sites make splendid opportunities for additional content for Project Gutenberg's efforts.

Dozens of the computers headed to the candidates are loaded with licensed versions of Windows 98 and Microsoft Office. However, as soon as possible, most of the inventory will be converted to free and open source software to give greater performance boosts, reliability and cost/benefits.

A frustration exists as too many candidates don't have web sites and broad access with email. In return, too many elected officials are out of touch with modern communication efforts. Hence, our region's performance suffers as we are less effective and efficient. Citizen and voter frustration is high. People want to see candidates schedules, platforms, news releases, bios, photos, timely reactions to current issues, and even hear audio snips.

Candidates who have their own computers are still eligible for the consulting assistance. Pointers and tips are delivered to any who seek this info by appointment.

FreeTeam.Org is not a corporation. Rather, as a fully-owned hobby endeavor of an individual, donations can be made directly to candidates. Corporations, non-profits and other individuals could make equipment, in-kind or cash donations to FreeTeam.Org and Mark Rauterkus. In turn, supplies can be replenished and additional support extended. Donations would NOT be tax deductible.

Candidates and political action committees that enjoy gifts, services and gratis rentals of computers will reveal the market rate values of the items on candidate financial disclosure forms that are filed with the County's Election Board at specific instances throughout the year. Simple $25 or $50 donations are needed now so as to better outfit the loaner computers with CD-readers and CD-Writers. Interested donors can contact Rauterkus. Supply is limited. As more computers are made available via donations, more computers will be put into the field with willing candidates.

In the past, Rauterkus served as webmaster for the campaign of James Carmine, Ph.D., in the general election in 2001 for the race for Mayor of Pittsburgh.

Many additional services exist on the Internet for candidates and issue campaigns. Part of the consulting efforts is to get candidates aware of some of the better opportunities that exist. Public calendars, groupware, eVote polling, and a wide mix of discussion groups are presented to the candidates and working relationships can be forged.

Poise, sensitivity, polished speaking skills, astute business sense, capable administrator, a commitment to self-improvement, and a sense of humor are the traditional qualities of a person who would make a good candidate for public office. Ask yourself if you are energized by campaigning. At the end of a long day of speech making, strategizing and meeting new people, are you still as ready-to-go as you were the first thing in the morning? Can you build upon the efforts of previous folks and take efforts to the next level?

Good writing skills or else available and trusted proof readers are necessary in today's on-line world. Professional web site hosting makes others take note and more willingly volunteer. Strong reach in getting ideas out to various populations, quickly and in an affordable ways is key to building platform planks and a host of followers willing to make key contributions. All of the online work needs access to a computer, and hours or days can't go past without actions being monitored.

Page of a brochure for Elect.Rauterkus - seeking 42nd Senate seat

Date unsure.

Arts and Literacy Night at the Pgh Gifted Center

Lots of fun. We went, of course.

Storytelling, Sculpture, Book Making, Book Bingo, writer's workshop, art mural, make-a-craft, mask making, stamping, puppet show, raffle, never ending story, refreshments.

Central PERC opens in Connelley

The Central PERC opened at Connelley. I was a volunteer that helped with the steering committee, lending advice and input as to what might be offered and how activities could be organized, marketed and conducted. The PERC is in room 204. 412 338 8125.

Market House Childrens' Athletic Assn, Proactive Planning Meeting

Address the city-owned, presently closed, ice-rink facilities on 21st Street.

Meeting at 7:30, Thursday, March 6, 2003.

This meeting was organized by Mark Rauterkus and others in Citiparks, hockey-community, Market House and the community. Nearly 35 people attended.

Fred Rogers was a swimmer. He swam most days.

Why not float (PUN) the idea of a Fred Rogers family aquatics facility in Hazelwood? That facility could be the cornerstone to a new "neighborhood." It could also include the new home to PCTV 21 -- and have a media center.

To run with this idea would be a worthy challenge if the Director of Citiparks obtained initial meetings with the folks of Water Technologies Inc, as well as the four foundations that own the 177 acre site in Hazelwood (Mellon, McCune, Heinz and Benedium) as well as RIDC (nonprofit developers) and UDA (Urban Design Associates) principal architech, Don Carter.

Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, PIIN, first public event and demands

Script of PIIN's Presentation

Youth & Recreation Task Force

Joint presentation by Kellie Ware, Mark Rautekus and David Dunn to a full church and the first public action ever hosted by the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network. 

I am Kellie Ware of New Life A.M.E. Church in Homewood and co-chair of PIIN's Youth and Recreation task force.

I graduated from Peabody, and am a freshman at Pitt.

I'm 18, and I vote.

Problems loom for our city's youth.

Undirected energy and too much idle time allows kids to
get hooked on drugs,
become gang members and
end up on the coroner's table.

Our youth do NOT have sufficient access to web-connected computers.

The growing digital divide is deep and wide. The lacking technology and literacy in the neighborhoods threatens to bury our youth!

Kids without computers are headed toward the junk heap of life.

For our youth to be competitive for decent jobs, we need access to technology?

PIIN do you hear me? (repeat)

"PIIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?"

Frisbee Rant (Spoken by Mark Rauterkus)

(Left hand prop.)
This is a Frisbee, a flying disk.

(Right hand prop.)
This, my friends of faith, is a CD-ROM. Insert this disk into a computer with a CD BURNER and store digital information.

(Left hand)
A Frisbee is a low-tech toy.

(Right hand)
Burning a CD represents technology and a key to the future. Entire libraries, such as with Project Gutenburg e-text, can be stored here. Tens-of-thousands of volumes can fit ranging from the classics with Plato -- or the Bible.

Spreadsheets, databases, image manipulation tools, animations, and email are represented with technology. Open source software, programming, languages, text-to-voice, music and editors SWIRL here -- power-ing creativity.

Being digital, it can snap to you. Or to Shenango Valley, or California. And, all at the same time.

My name is Mark Rauterkus. I’m the volunteer webmaster for my family’s place of worship. Our UU Church has an online home at Sunnyhill.Org.

When I was a college freshman, like Kellie is today, only the computer science majors touched computers. They used PUNCH Cards, not CDs. Our kids today can't use the same excuse.

The Mayor wants to spend $100-thousand-dollars on the building of three ULTIMATE Frisbee fields.

The money is for bulldozing and landscaping in Highland Park.

To the Mayor, Ultimate Frisbee is hip and cool. Professional young people enjoy it.

Say with me, "We want technology."
Let's take less than half of that amount and INSIST that the next generation of high-tech citizens are grown in literate ways within our neighborhoods.

We want technology.
The Mayor should NOT spend precious resources on Ultimate Frisbee FIELDS.

We want technology.
Our most valued resource is our children. And they are hanging out right now at Citipark Rec Centers all around this town. They need this investment so they can be competitive and successful for the rest of their lives.

We want technology.

If our youth get computers now, the Pittsburgh Police may not need their computers in the future.

We want technology.

Sadly, the Administration has a Youth Policy that amounts to Truancy Abatement rather than Technology Empowerment.

We want technology.

The focus of the Mayor's Office is on "sweeping kids off the streets" rather than "keeping them online and building excellence and scholarship."

The Solution (Spoken by David Dunn.)
We, as faith-based communities, need to take action for the youth like Kellie and the younger people she represents.

A few years ago, the city's leadership had a vision for establishing fully functional computer rooms for public use in many of the city's Recreation Centers.

A great idea! We love this idea!

Some of the Rec Centers have been remodeled with NICE computer rooms, with good lighting, new carpeting and quality furniture and swivel chairs.

Yet today, the computers are missing and the few that were installed are broken. Plus, connections to the internet never occured.

For two years these beautiful rooms have been missing the computer hardware and net connections to be of any value.

We have pictures on our web site!

Her future should not be as empty as these rooms.

Will Mayor Tom Murphy please come to the microphone?

---

Swing Section (optional -- spoken by David Dunn)

Pittsburgh Public Schools is installing on-line access for parents. Parents will be able to use an internet-connected computer to see their student's schedules, homework assignments, attendance, quiz-and-test scores and announcements.

Many parents do not have computers in the home. Many parents have work schedules that prevents regular access to their child's teachers.

Rec center computers will serve the youth by giving parents access to their child's schoolwork and attendance on a day-to-day basis.

This quote comes from the Mayor's Youth Policy (1999, Errika Fearby Jones):

"... those who have studied the root causes of juvenile crime report unanimously that poor school attendance is the first step into the spiral that leads many young people into the criminal justice system." We agree with that!

The mission of PIIN's Youth Rec Task Force goes beyond giving youth "something to do." Let's empower parents to better keep the kids out of trouble, out of the criminal justice system, out of the truancy offices.

Installing computers can give parents tools to hold their children
accountable.

Mr. Elbert Yaworsky, Chief Technology Officer of Pittsburgh Public Schools is in the house tonight.

Earlier today Mr. Yaworsky informed us that:

Pittsburgh Public Schools would be happy to supply all the necessary equipment for this demand. The issues of 32 computers, the networking, and the installation are solved.

High School students from Peabody’s I.T. Essensials Course will do the installs. This course is offered at four schools.

Getting computers into Rec Centers is an effort matches the Digital Divide efforts of the Pgh Public Schools.

As of today, all the technology required -- except the physical wires from the telephone pole, is going to be covered -- at no charge to the city.
Let’s have a great PIIN Welcome and to Mr. Yaworsky.

Is all of this accurate Mr. Yaworsky?

---

In prior positions, Mr.Yaworsky worked at Quaker Valley School District. There, all the students have laptop computers.

Prior, he was responsible for wiring all the libraries throughout the Carnegie System.

He knows just what we hope to accomplish. And, he knows just how to do it. His consulting is going to be very valuable to all the kids as well as citizens thourghout Pittsburgh -- and the region.

The PIIN (spoken by Kellie Ware)

Deputy mayor Tom Cox, do you speak for the mayor?

Deputy Mayor Cox, please answer "Yes" or "No" to this reasonable, anticipated question.

By September 1, 2003, will you fulfill the city's vision of establishing fully functional computer rooms with each to have at least 4 web-connected computers for $40,000 in the following Recreation Centers:
Warrington,
West Penn,
Ormsby,
Bloomfield,
Brookline, AND
THREE other sites to be determined in dialogue with PIIN's Youth and Recreation Task Force?

That is EIGHT Locations (and Citiparks has 17 Rec Centers) with four or more computers in each location. We are asking for at least 32 computers.

YES or NO please.

---

If YES:

Thank you Mr. Cox (or Mayor Murphy),

you now have 30 seconds to speak about how you will address this issue.

(wait)

Shake hands and photo opportunity.

On behalf of this city's youth, we thank you for this investment in our future.

If NO: (spoken by Kellie)

The Hill House computer center is private and going "wireless." Meanwhile, the City Rec Centers can NOT even get a wire.

PLEASE sit down.

If NO AUTHORITY: (Spoken by Dave Dunn)

Deputy Mayor Tom Cox: Are you saying that you do not speak for the Mayor?

Are you saying that you have no authority in this matter? Why are you here?

Are you in a position to agree to any of our demands?

+ + + + +

If NO SHOW:

(Spoken by Dave Dunn)

Mayor Murphy promised us that either he or his spokesperson, Deputy Mayor Tom Cox, would be present this evening. We're very disappointed that he is NOT here tonight.

We are NOT disappointed for ourselves, we are disappointed for him.

We're giving him the opportunity to step up to the plate and make a commitment to our youth. If he were to do so, he would be hearing cheers instead of jeers! Most of all we are disappointed for her and our youth.

If we get a REFUSAL: (Spoken by Dave Dunn.)

Can we count on you for a few dozen computers for our youth?

Close (Spoken by Kellie.)

Please, take your CD and scribble on it. Write a statement to the Mayor -- right now. We're passing pens around. We'll collect the disks in an offering basket. Thank you.

(Optional -- housekeeping spoken by Mark.)

If you don’t have a CD and want to express your message to the Mayor, grab any disk and write on the flip side or just add to it.

Chair and Reverend Monroe, the next task force can come to the microphone.

Mayor Murphy's (via Cox) Letter to PIIN

This letter was sent by Mayor Tom Murphy, in advance of the PIIN public meeting. It is retyped for the record.

Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network
2905 Centre Ave. 2nd floor
Pgh, PA 15219

Dear PIIN Members:

This letter comes as an interim report on the three items you asked us to review.

1) Computer in our recreation centers would cost us in the range of $600,000 to $700,000 over five years. This would cover capital costs, maintenance, and support. We would be happy to consider this item in our budget deliberations with City Council for 2004 budget.

2) With respect to the request for information on police performance we do not keep the kind of records that would enable us to have the information necessary to respond to your request. Perhaps if you could elucidate what it is you are looking to accomplish we could work out hot to be helpful.

3) I am still working with OMI on the citizens complaints request and should have something by the end of this week.

Sincerely,
Thomas E. Cox
Executive Secretary

Exercise

"Too many people confine their exercise to jumping to conclusions, running up bills, stretching the truth, bending over backward, lying down on the job, sidestepping responsibility and pushing their luck." Author Unknown

Grant's hand prints on a card to me. This hung on my office wall, above my desk, for a couple of years.