Well, music teachers, your money may be supporting Gov. Scott Walker.
If you have ever purchased sheet music for your class, or recommended a play-along book or CD for your students, you may be supporting Gov. Walker.
But how, you ask?
The useful website, ScottWalkerWatch.com has a convenient listing of donors to Gov. Walker's 2010 campaign. Under the "employer" section, you'll find a list of companies whose employees have donated to Gov. Walker. Of course, this list doesn't include the shadow organizations who poured millions of "uncoordinated" dollars into TV ads in WI, but it does give you an idea of who is supporting Gov. Walker. On this list, you will find Hal Leonard, Inc.
Anyone who has ever taken band in school, especially Jazz band, will recognize the name immediately. Hal Leonard, Inc., sells sheet music of a huge variety of jazz compositions, from Duke Ellington to Kenny G and everyone in between. They also make a line of play-along books to help students learn their scales and practice improvisation techniques. They publish for all instruments, and for vocal ensembles. They also publish original works by composers for performance. They are, in my best estimate, the largest educational sheet music publisher in the USA.
Think for a moment of the irony. Without music teachers, those unionized scapegoats for every budget deficit Republicans can possibly tally up by adding needless corporate tax breaks, Hal Leonard, Inc.'s entire customer base would be wholly unable to even use their products. Without music teachers, and the music and arts education that teacher's unions FIGHT for on a daily basis, Hal Leonard, Inc.'s entire product line would look like alien gibberish to their customers.
Now, it is important to note that the listing includes the employers of individual donors. My contributions to my chosen candidates would show up in a similar search, and would be linked to my employer. So says the letter Hal Leonard, Inc.'s PR lackey sent me in response to my concerned e-mail. Except for one problem - the donation was made by the owner, Chairman, and CEO, Keith Mardak. Here's what I sent them:
Dear Hal Leonard Corporation,
I'm writing to inform you that I will no longer be purchasing any of your materials, and will no longer recommend any of your materials to my students as a direct result of your company's support of Governor Scott Walker. I was extremely disappointed to see your corporation as a +$5,000 donor to a politician who misleads and lies to the people of Wisconsin, gives tax breaks to corporations (like yours), and then blames our state's budget on the hardworking teachers, construction workers, and bean-counters that keep WI running strong.
Without music teachers, and the music and arts education that teacher's unions FIGHT for on a daily basis, your corporation would not exist. Without music teachers, your entire product line would look like alien gibberish to your customers.
I hope you enjoy your small tax break that you bought - I'm sure you'll use the extra money to hire additional workers, right?
I'm disappointed in your short-sightedness, and look forward to purchasing from your competitors.
Sincerely,
Your former 20-year customer
To which they replied:
We have received your message regarding Governor Walker, and we'd like to explain that Hal Leonard as a corporation makes no political donations of any sort. When an individual makes a personal contribution they are required by law to list their employer, but this in no way means that they are donating on behalf of their employer.
Of course we do not monitor the political activities of any of our employees and it would be illegal for us as a company to tell them who or who not to support.
We do appreciate your concern. We hope you understand our situation and encourage you to share this information with your colleagues.
Sincerely,
The Hal Leonard Corporation
A quick trip to one of the many public-disclosure databases out there shows us the donor: Keith Mardak. Mr. Mardak, according to Hal Leonard, Inc.'s website, bought the company along with a group of managers in 1985. He is now the Chairman and CEO, and the public face of the company. He is not, as his PR person claims, just an "employee." That is an outright lie.
His wealth is based on the ability of his customers to read music; that ability is sourced almost exclusively from the musical education that teachers, like those screwed over by Gov. Walker, provide at a wage far below their actual productive value.
I invite any teachers or musicians on here (and there are plenty) to drop Hal Leonard Inc. a line and let them know that their products are no longer welcome in your home or classroom unless Mr. Mardak issues a public apology for his support of an anti-union, anti-American, and anti-education policy. This is a small company highly dependent upon music teachers - this is a battle we can win.
Incidentally, here is my final reply:
Thank you for your letter.
Unfortunately, your claim that an "employee" was responsible for the donation to Gov. Walker is misleading, and I'm disgusted that you assume I am not capable of searching a political donation database. Your Chairman and CEO Keith Mardak was responsible for that donation on June 9th, 2010. According to your website, Mr. Mardak is also one of the owners of Hal Leonard, Inc. There is a large difference between donations from an "employee," and donations from the owner, Chairman, and CEO of your company.
It is bad enough to know that a small portion of the money I have paid for your products has gone to undermine my work as a music teacher. It is even worse to know that your company thinks so little of one of its customers that you feel you can be misleading in your response.
I will be sharing this information with my friends and co-workers unless I see Mr. Mardak publicly apologize for his support of an anti-teacher, anti-education policy in our state.
Sincerely,