Some people have their theories.  Below is an email chain between John Eppolito and Jim Clark.  On 11/22/10 Jim told John one of his (John's) facts were wrong but he would not reply to John's most recent email (top).

Jim,

I have offered to sit down with you on more than one occasion and share with you my research on why IB is not a good fit for Incline; to date you have declined such a meeting.  There are many problems with your response below; I will attempt to clarify some of your misconceptions.

1)      Since WCSD is FORCING all four of my children to participate in this UN sponsored programme, I refuse to “wait and see what develops.”

2)      I am not “attempting to smear the program with the UN,” as you state.  Fact - IB is a UN sponsored programme.  The question is why would a “conservative” like you insist on forcing all Incline students into a UN sponsored programme?  IB and UNESCO share a building in Switzerland.  Here are a few articles to prove the connection from IBO’s and UNESCO’s own websites, and the quintessential IB document – IB Unraveled

• http://www.ibo.org/partnerships/governments/ 
• http://www3.unesco.org/iycp/Report/IBO.pdf
• http://www.truthaboutib.com/images/IB_Unraveled_3.28.10_Niwa.pdf

3)      Other task force members including but probably not limited to: John Clark, Harry Haaser, Bill Horn, Mary Blount, and Lionel Prober, do not agree with you.  They either say the vote was to “investigate” IB not implement it, and/or WCSD wanted IB from the beginning but would not answer any of the difficult IB questions, and/or District employees were pressured into voting yes.  Reading the task force minutes it is clear the District suggested IB three times before task force members knew what IB was.  Here is what three well respected members of our community and the task force, two of whom are educators have to say:  

Harry Haaser sent me via email and what he told the Bonanza:

• http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/07/14/harry-hasser-email-to-john-eppolito-31212.aspx
• http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20100331/NEWS/100339982&parentprofile=search

Bill Horn had me present the following to the school board on his behalf:

• http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/07/14/bill-horn-email-to-john-eppolito-2910-to-present-to-wcsd-school-board.aspx

            John Clark told the Bonanza the week he retired, “A majority of teachers do not like IB.  They do not
            want it."

• http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20100701/NEWS/100639992&parentprofile=search

Over the last six months we have asked the District several times for the total cost of IB in Incline.  Since they never answered we asked the biggest IB proponent in the country and she estimated the cost for Incline IB to be between $4,300,000 and $6,000,000 for the first 10 years,

• http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/08/18/incline-ib-costs-for-wcsd.aspx

Your plan to, “wait and see how this develops,” is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard a supposed “conservative” say.  How long do you suggest we wait?  It has taken years to get our AP program where it is, and for the schedule to work with JROTC, We the People, sports, AVID, and 16 AP classes - all with only 350 students.  For IB we will have to add the 10 new IB classes by the 2013-14 school year.  If your grandkids were FORCED into this programme would you still want to “wait?”  Mr. Morrison told me in February, 2010 not all IES students would be required to take IB, he was wrong.  In Incline all K-8 students will be required to take IB.  WCSD will not answered our question, “are there ANY other students in country FORCED into IB or will Incline’s students be the first?”  Jim, there have already been several lawsuits related to IB, even when it is not forced on all students.   

Once IB is implemented any dispute with IBO is, “settled by one arbitrator in accordance with the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration of the Swiss Chambers of Commerce. The seat of the arbitration shall be Geneva, Switzerland.”  With IB we are giving up local control of our main educational programme to the IBO in Switzerland.

There are many other problems with IB in Incline, it would be best if you educated yourself on these issues, BEFORE you tarnish your reputation as a conservative.  Again, I’ll be glad to help educate you.  Fact - in Incline IB will be FORCED on all students K-8.  Since you say, “The GOP stands for educational choice,” as a local GOP leader / representative you must denounce IB, because IB in Incline eliminates choice.  My wife is a Democrat but she realizes this programme is not a good fit for Incline, and she feels the District should not FORCE any ideology on our children.

As long as Mr. Morrison and Ms. Cooper only present one side I will continue to present just the other side. 

As long as Mr. Morrison will not follow the task force recommendation and “investigate” IB I will continue with my own investigation and continue to publish my findings at www.MyInclineVillage.com.

John

Mr. Eppolito:

I received your email and I simply do not understand why you are attempting to derail International Baccalaureate (IB) in Incline by trying to tie it to the UN.  The curriculum at Incline Schools is prescribed by the State of Nevada as implemented by the Washoe County School District.  You are attempting to equate an initial UN sponsorship of the program with everything bad about the UN and that fails the logic test.  You are also attempting to politicize it by suggesting that all Republicans should despise the UN.

While many aspects of the UN are repugnant there was no attempt to withdraw from the UN during the Reagan Administration, the George H. W. Bush Administration and most importantly during the first six years of the George W. Bush Administration when Republicans held the White House and control of both the House and Senate.  Things like the World Court and commissions on human rights pose tremendous disadvantages to the US but, fractured as it may be the Security Council at least posed some threat to Iran's nuclear ambitions;  in general most Republicans are unwilling to throw the baby out with the bath water when it comes to the UN, particularly as long as the US can decline to join in its more ridiculous endeavors.

The initial proposal for IB was by a unanimous vote of the 23 member Incline Schools Task Force which consisted of Incline principals. teachers, students and community members (including myself).  Then Superintendent Paul Dugan accepted the recommendation and contributed $5000 to the endeavor.  Granted school district administrators' squabble with former Principal John Clark caused a lot of confusion and ill will but that was before Superintendent Morrison was hired.  Morrison endorsed IB for Incline having had a great deal of experience with the program in Maryland.  Subsequently a Washoe County school board consisting of three Republicans, two Democrats and two independents unanimously ratified the decision.  So the people we elect and the people they hire to make these decisions have done so.  For me that's the end of it at least until a trial period is over.

This is not a partisan political issue and your attempting to smear the program with the UN is misleading.

Last Thursday the Bonanza reported that more than half the Incline High School student body, 202 students, are enrolled in advanced placement classes and 40%, 138 students, are enrolled in pre-I.B. classes.  Principal Stacey Cooper is quoted as saying that "the two programs can successfully co-exist" and that "students can take IB classes in preparation for AP tests."  Looks like she's doing a great job.

The GOP stands for educational choice for parents and students. I.B. is, at present, one aspect of educational choice since no one is forced to participate.  We are fortunate to have able and enthusiastic administrators at all three schools, a supportive superintendent and a forward-looking school board.

Why don't you wait and see how this develops?

Jim Clark

Jim,

It is too bad you were not at the Republican Women’s luncheon yesterday. 

How do you feel about the 31 Republican senators who oppose the United Nations Children’s Rights Convention?  If you agree with these 31 Republican leaders it is a conflict for you to support a UN sponsored programme IB for Incline schools. 

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20014613-503544.html

You are giving this IB programme the "cover it needs" to FORCE it's UN ideology onto all of our students in Incline.  The supporters quote you when they say IB is not sponsored by the UN even though it is,

http://myinclinevillage.com/2010/07/16/even-jay-matthews-admits-colleges-give-more-credit-for-ap.aspx

If you are going to support IB know what you are supporting; better yet figure out what it is then announce once you looked deeper into it you decided it goes against your conservative beliefs.  Would you like to meet?

John