Wilson critics responded to Blade edit, not official transcript
Written by Staff Reports | | news@toledofreepress.comWSPD afternoon host Brian Wilson is under fire for comments he supposedly made regarding Toledo Public Schools (TPS) students, but none of his most outspoken critics can say they heard the comments in full context.
Brian Wilson
In a Jan. 8 Blade story, “WSPD host compares TPS students, monkeys; Wilson denies racism,” credited to Tom Troy, it was reported, “radio talk show host’s reference to “little monkeys” while talking about students at Toledo Public Schools on Friday generated outrage that the language was insensitive to African-American students” [“and all students” was added to a subsequent version of the online story.]
Troy, who has often been the target of derision on Wilson’s show, reported that Wilson said, “certainly, teaching little monkeys to peel bananas and so on and them learning to do it correctly on cue does not mean that they’ve learned everything except a funny parlor trick.”
A full audio file obtained by Toledo Free Press places the comments in the following context:
“Then you’ve got as far as solving the problems of education in Toledo, you also have to look at the curriculum, which pretty much sucks, dictated by the federal government especially under the No Child Left Behind business, which now has teachers teaching answers to the tests, not concept, not individuality, not entrepreneurialism, not anything like that, of course some of that hasn’t been taught for years. But certainly, teaching little monkeys to peel bananas and so on and then doing it correctly on cue, does not mean that they’ve learned everything except a funny parlor trick.
“Similarly with children, just because you can teach them the answers to what are the capitals of the 50 States in America, that’s a fun exercise but it doesn’t teach them how to think, doesn’t teach them how to be objective, doesn’t teach them to be entrepreneurs and individuals and things along that order.
“So the curriculum then becomes an issue and while there are great teachers throughout every school system, there are some losers in TPS and they need to be extracted one way or the other, of course that brings us back around to the teachers unions.”
Wilson has maintained he was not referring to TPS students, or any students, as “little monkeys,” but making an analogy comparing education standards to teaching tricks to animals through repetition. Wilson told Toledo Free Press on Jan. 9 that he was not talking to media, pending a meeting with Clear Channel officials.
A number of officials have publicly criticized Wilson, but those contacted by Toledo Free Press said they were responding to the 14-second Blade audio edit, not the 5-minute segment of the Jan. 8 program.
Toledo Free Press provided the transcript of the segment to those who had made statements calling for Wilson to apologize and/or asked Clear Channel Communications to discipline him, including TPS Superintendent Jerome Pecko, Toledo Mayor Michael Bell, TPS Board Vice President Lisa Sobecki, President and CEO of the Greater Urban League John C. Jones, Rev. Kevin Bedford of the NAACP and Chris Varwig, past president of TPS Parent Congress.
Bell is in Columbus attending some of the events related to the inauguration of Gov. John Kasich. Jennifer Sorgenfrei, public information officer for the City of Toledo told Toledo Free Press Jan. 9, “The Mayor was not listening to Brian Wilson’s show at the time the statement was made. [The mayor’s] statement was in direct response to the portion of audio he was provided by The Blade. He said the comment was a lightning rod regardless of the racial tone and he feels the students are the ones who deserve an apology.”
TPS Vice President Lisa Sobecki said on Jan. 9 in a phone interview with Toledo Free Press that she had not heard the entire context of what Wilson said, but in talking to those who had, “As a parent and vice president, I am personally offended because I see first hand what our students are taught, they are challenged every day with their critical thinking skills, whatever they decide to do in life, they will have the needed foundation. TPS graduates bring their skills to the workforce and are proud of their educational roots. Both of our recent mayoral candidates were educated at TPS.”
She issued an invitation for anyone from Clear Channel to visit any of the TPS schools.
“In my years on the school Board I have never seen anyone from Clear Channel visit our schools to see what staff and students are doing day in and day out,” Sobecki said.
Sobecki told Toledo Free Press Jan. 9 she stands by her initial comments and said that if WSPD or Wilson were concerned about the comments being taken out of context, they could have provided that material to the public.
Christine Varwig, past president of the Toledo Public Schools Parent Congress, called for a press conference on Jan. 9 to address comments made by Wilson. Varwig told Toledo Free Press Jan. 9 she first heard about the comments made by Brian Wilson from a Toledo Public Schools (TPS) parent on Jan. 7. She said, “I went back and listened to the podcast. I don’t think he was meaning to be racist but his comments were inappropriate, because of the negative comments made about our community, Wilson should apologize.”
Sources at WSPD said the segment in question had not been posted to the station’s website and was never available on its website except during the streaming of the broadcast. Until the posting by Toledo Free Press, only the 14-second Blade audio file had been posted online.
After being provided a copy of the transcript and informed the segment was not online, Varwig said via e-mail Jan. 9, “I listened to so many podcasts yesterday that I thought that particular one was part of it. If it wasn’t up on line than evidently that was not one of the ones I listened to. I have been provided with an accurate assessment by friends that did hear the broadcast so I feel comfortable standing by my earlier comments.”
John Jones, president of the Greater Toledo Urban League, said in a Jan. 9 news release that Wilson should apologize and be disciplined, but admitted he had not heard the full broadcast.
“In our attempt to ensure we understood ‘the context,’ we attempted to listen to the entire show again via podcast from WSPD’s website, but ironically it was not available,” he said. “Notwithstanding, statements of this manner carry a historically racial context which we find appalling and demeaning, and of which we are confident that Mr. Wilson, WSPD Radio, and Clear Channel are clearly aware.”
Jones told Toledo Free Press Jan. 10 after listening to the full audio clip, “It was clear from the audio that Wilson was not directly referencing TPS students as ‘little monkeys’. If Brian Wilson had used dolphins or some other animal, we probably would not be having this conversation.
“If he had to do it all over again, I’m sure Wilson would have used different words,” Jones said. He said in the complete context of the audio segment there were portions of what Wilson said he agreed with, though the monkey reference was still a concern.
A revised release was sent out by the Greater Toledo Urban League on Jan. 10 that said, “However, we have been able to listen to the entire five minute segment since our original statement was made. The context provided from this review allows us to better understand that Mr. Wilson’s actual comments were more of an attempt to critique the system of public education and not a direct shot at our youth.”
After several requests for comment from Pecko were made by Toledo Free Press on Jan. 9 and Jan. 10, Patty Mazur, the director of communications of TPS, said “Dr. Pecko is not going to be making any additional comments on either the context of the audio or what was said on Brian Wilson’s show today.”
The Jan. 7 segment may be listened to in its entirety below:
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Tags: Brian Wilson, Lisa Sobecki, Mike Bell, The Blade, Toledo Public Schools, WSPD
Finally – the sole print media entity in Toledo with a respect for the principles of journalism to pursue the facts of the story — and by doing so, reveal the prejudice and hypocrisy of the “daily paper” as well as Toledo “leaders” who share in the failure to practice what they preach and, instead, make a rush to judgement. Not based on facts, but rather based on their own prejudice and the emabrrassment of being outed for their failure to objectively assess the reality of the what constitues “public education” in Toledo. Their deplorable record speaks for itself as well as their Pavlovian Response, the automatic granting of accuracy and integrity to the Blade without Due Diligence. This is one of the primary failures attribtuable to Toledo’s so-called “leaders” in education, politics and what has passed for “journalism” – until 5 years ago.
This comment was posted on January 9th, 2011 at 10:45 pmKudos to Editor-in-Chief Mike Miller and the Toledo Free Press for exercising solid, basic, objective reporting standards in stark contradiction to the yellow journalism of the Blade.
Of course Sobecki “stands by her comments” because she still wants to keep jamming tax payers with a giant school levy. TPS is even able, willing and getting ready to go another round ad infinitum ad nauseum.
And that levy is what Wilson (he can speak for himself) was trying to address saying in effect, “tax payers ain’t gettin’ their money’s worth so throwing more money at a deeper problem is not the solution. It won’t fix the problem.”
Christine Varwig’s comment proves Wilson’s point because it reflects non-thinking and fallacious reasoning so common in our “community.” By definition, Wilson’s term, “monkey” fits and is therefore, most appropriate.
How can a comment be inappropriate merely because of the “negative comments made about our community”? Hmmmm?
“If the shoe fits [or the term monkey fits], then it should be worn.” If the truth happens to be negative, so be it. Deal with it. Do something that will make it positive rather than holding a press conference to do damage control and spin this into a web of “mistruths, half-truths, and outright lies” in order to protect yourselves and your so-called community from negative publicity that thinking people are able to recognize that the truth IS at times negative.
Newsflash Ms. Varwig, people are already upset and offended and that’s why the levy was defeated. And it is TPS that owes an apology for creating monkeys, not Wilson for showing that to be the reality.
Simply because someone doesn’t like “negative publicity about their community” does not make it untrue and it does not make it “inappropriate”. What is inappropriate is the outright denial that negative comments are being made because that is a relection of reality.
So yes, the truth hurts at times, but telling the truth is not “inappropriate” because it offends, upsets, or rubs people the wrong way.
If it’s true that the situation in your community actually does suck, then negative comments ARE appropriate, otherwise the problem is never solved.
This comment was posted on January 9th, 2011 at 10:45 pmPerhaps the parents of students in the Toledo Public Schools (and other local taxpayers as well) should instead be asking for an apology from TPS Board members for the deplorable financial condition they have left the district in. Perhaps the TFT owes an apology to all instead for so many of the schools that are in academic ‘crisis’ or ‘watch’. Perhaps the parents of the district themselves should apologize for treating publicly funded education as little more than day care centers while providing no home support for the education process vital to their children’s future.
Certainly, and perhaps most especially, the editorial board of the Blade should apologize for abandoning any sense of journalistic integrity and editorial standards for letting a writer attack the subject of a “news” story because that reporter has previously had his abilities and bias called out.
Fortunately, it appears that there is another media outlet willing to continue to try and uphold journalistic standards in reporting the news in Toledo.
This comment was posted on January 10th, 2011 at 1:07 amNo need now to explain why the Yellow Blade, is yellow, do I ?
Well, to Sobecki , Vasquez,Jones, and other T.P.S.,sycophants…I must.
A horrible yellow rag of radical disinformation ,fascist indoctrination, and race baiting, that as part of Team Little Detroit, has sent 47,000 great paying manufacturing jobs , elsewhere.
This comment was posted on January 10th, 2011 at 11:26 amWhat we have here, is a failure to communicate. Anybody remember that line?
The failure here is to acknowledge that at the bottom of this issue, once again, the people being victimized are the children who are erroneously being told they were labeled monkeys. Shame, shame, shame on anyone engaged in that kind of unnecessary behavior with young people and their tender young developing self-esteem and self-image. Nasty business, that is.
Secondly, this is a clear road map of how the Toledo Blade takes a PORTION of the truth and uses it to shape the public’s impressions to the Blade agenda. They call this yellow journalism where I come from. I believe that’s an apt descriptor.
Thirdly, we live in a world of sound bites. I watch a number of television news broadcasts and
listen to a number of radio shows that use these clips. This instance is a clear indictment of that practice where there is no attempt to portray the context that those clips occurred within. And had it not been known to me that the local paper has been on a particularly bizarre vendetta against this radio personality and station in general – I might have believed the story as written. But knowing their bent, I read the story with an eye to critical evaluation. It didn’t pass the smell test at first glance.
People, people, people!!!! Context is everything, including the historical conduct of this newspaper. And how some of the local elected officials responded, as well as the head of the Teachers Union, makes me wonder where they’ve been all this time? Didn’t anybody learn to critically evaluate what they read before going ballistic?
To those of you who said they’d comment AFTER learning the context of the clip? Kudos to you.
The rest of you? I hope you realize that there are children in Toledo that today feel badly about being called a monkey when it didn’t happen and they shouldn’t feel bad. So to you – I send a big fat raspberry.
This comment was posted on January 10th, 2011 at 1:22 pmI believe these children, their parents and “Screwl” board members, who hear the words “Little Monkeys” and “Banana’s” in the same sentence, (and immediately identify with African-Americans), are guilty of their own Bias and Prejudice.
This comment was posted on January 10th, 2011 at 3:38 pmSubliminal racism alive and well at Speedy radio
Whether it be “monkeys peeling bananas” or making fun of audio of blacks talking about Obama money (Lets not forget the audio of the black Toledo city manager who explained the loss of the city backhoe). Subliminal racism is alive and well on AM radio skirting the FCC laws and public decency, promoting divisive hate talk. Racist hate sells and enlighten Toledoans know it. Now the speedy shock jock host will justify the racism and be on his best behavior for the coming weeks but will TPS and the NAACP forget with time? We’ll see!
This comment was posted on January 10th, 2011 at 5:15 pmWolfman –
“Subliminal racism is alive and well on AM radio skirting the FCC laws and public decency, promoting divisive hate talk.”
Maybe the FCC should look into shutting down these type of talk shows on MSNBC or on NPR Radio.
This comment was posted on January 11th, 2011 at 11:07 amWell Wolfman, it is noble of you to give up your 1st Amendment rights. But why should I give up mine? If it is censorship you want why not be more vocal about it? That’s what it all comes down to if you are alleging racism. All you need to argue is intent, whether it is there or not.
If you are so passionate about it why don’t you call in to WSPD and present your case. They would be more than willing to let you argue your side.
We all know you are upset because Brian and Fred wouldn’t take up your case last year when the Wood County sheriff cleared the house out on Woodville because no-one was paying the mortgage.
Or is that revenge your looking for?
This comment was posted on January 11th, 2011 at 11:08 amSubliminal projection, has always been part of the Demonrats,wicked agenda for totalitarian results .
This comment was posted on January 11th, 2011 at 11:37 amIt doesn’t take very much to get a riot going on in the scatter brained dimwits,in the party that bribes voters to support their America hating, business hating plans.
It has worked so well for Little Detroit, 47,000 great paying jobs were destroyed by the very same voters and twists, who are screaming RACISM , when there is none !
Oh well, Little Detroit’s, total destruction A to Z,has had positive effects on Perrysburg, Oregon, Sylvania, Bedford Twp., Delta, Genoa, any and all areas OUTSIDE, this godforsaken Hell’s Outhouse !!
Hey, where can I drop a deuce ?!
What he said is right. TPS teaches students what to think not HOW to think for themselves. Life is going to get really hard when the get out of school and on to collage. Critical thinking is important for everyday life
This comment was posted on January 11th, 2011 at 2:33 pmI and many of other people have called Speedy only to be hung up on or talked over when not giving the proper point of view. If you give the right answer you win a prize like some Pavlov’s dog. The station is only interested in creating controversy for ratings. There is no civic responsibility to this community only the paycheck of the far away agitator. If you doubt what I say read “Brilliant!” from his website describing Toledoans. http://www.brianwilson.net/ Oh you may divert criticism of Speedy by attacking the messenger or TPS but the facts are this is not a isolated incident but a theme of race baiting. My opinion…thank you!
This comment was posted on January 11th, 2011 at 6:29 pmTo be fair, in public education today, with standardized testing and performance guidelines – every public school district is fighting the need to teach to the test. It’s self-survival.
And I think that is one of the points Mr. Wilson was trying to make during his show. It’s a real problem. For the kids and the teachers.
It’s a problem. Dialogue leads to solutions in many cases.
This comment was posted on January 11th, 2011 at 8:53 pmFascists , guided by Alynsky’s, Rules For Radicals, live under one disgusting lying premise…” the issue is never the issue. The issue is always revolution “.
T.P.S.’s, are in perpetual “in crisis mode”.
And this Demonrat / unionized diversion plays right into their playbook of scheming to use the “oppressed masses “, all for more POWER or MONEY!
Surely, worked perfectly with this matter…for a couple of days .All with the lying assistence of the Yellow Blade !
This comment was posted on January 12th, 2011 at 11:42 amToo bad no money can be derived from it in any manner what so ever !
Call Louey Farrakhan !
QUICKLY !!!
Little Detroit, needs His Divine intervention and pure unadulterated racism!!
[...] with integrity, the Toledo Free Press, took time to actually investigate and report the facts here and [...]
This comment was posted on January 15th, 2011 at 11:09 am[...] with local talk station WSPD for years, clearly thought it saw an opening when host Brian Wilson said the following on January 7: Then you’ve got as far as solving the problems of education in Toledo, you also [...]
This comment was posted on January 17th, 2011 at 5:06 pmNewsBusters: Toledo Free Press Schools the Toledo Blade Over Talker’s Non-Racist ‘Monkeys’ Remark
This comment was posted on January 17th, 2011 at 8:07 pmhttp://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2011/01/17/toledo-free-press-schools-toledo-blade-over-talkers-non-racist-monkeys-r