School Board Deadline This Friday
Have you ever screamed at a News Journal or State News article about education? Have you been trying to tell people for years about what is wrong with education in this state, county or district? Do you believe that the public education system in this state is a right and should work for our children?
You may be interested in filing as a candidate for the school board elections. But hurry, the deadline is this Friday. Delaware Liberal is lucky to have 2 school board members as regular commentors (Joanne and John). Perhaps they can weigh in on what makes a good school board member and how involved the responsibilities are.
Also, if you are a filed candidate for school board elections, please contact us. We hope to interview several school board candidates prior to election day (May 11, 2010).
Tags: Education, School Board Elections
LG you get a gold star for this public service announcement.
I will touch base with you soon. I am filing tomorrow. I want prayer, creationism, school choice, and the abolition of school property taxes to be replaced with an income tax surcharge.
LG-THANK YOU!! You do get the gold star in PSA. Usually TNJ does some token reminder, but w/ snowstorms, earthquakes, alleged pedophile pediatricians, and abandoned toddlers it has been a bumper crop of big topics to cover.
how will your theocratic new school laws be enforced, david? what type of religions will be allowed to pray? what about atheist kids? can they just play PsP 3 times a day for 15 minutes? … nawww they’re probably be burned at the stake with all the evilution books.
which version of creationism? christian? hindu?.. (like i have to ask) how will you preach…sorry teach christian creationism to hindu children who believe in THEIR version of creationism without blatantly breaking the Constitution and favoring one faith over another?
I, of course don’t expect you to answer any of these questions here, but id get some answers ready incase i get to ask you in a public forum.
i agree with school choice.
best of luck.
“I want prayer, creationism, school choice”
If you are going to force people to pray to Jesus and learn nonsense in place of science, it is a good idea to include choice for the folks who will flee those schools like they are on fire.
Dave’s either kidding us or he doesn’t want any UD graduates teaching science in his schools. To think that his grandfather helped build that University.
How will the students be instructed to pronounce “amen”? Will Dave make his RC students recite, “and Thine is the kingdom”? Will the Presbyterians have to kneel? Will the football team practice on Shabbos or Sunday or neither?
Thank you, but I was really intending to prayer to the all powerful government. Just kidding. I just had to get Jason going. Pandora, U.I. and LG likely have visited Delawarepolitics and knew that I was running a harmless prank. I am not running.
For the fun of it A. P., I believe that Mergens and Lamb’s Chapel are the controling case law. I support freedom of religion and I am not offended when people live out their faith. I support freedom not favoring any one faith over another. What I oppose is favoring no faith over faith. Government needs to allow free expression in its various forms including that of people of faith or no faith at all. I call it positive neutrality. Facilitate opportunities for people to bring their strengths to the mix of the public marketplace, but impose nothing.
As for creationism, I do support scientific Intelligent design which is supported by half of scientists being part of the educational mix. Students should explore alternatives and come to a conclusion which may change later. I do not know what conclusion. Unlike the non-thiestic educational cabal, I do not prescribe outcomes. What people believe is their business. Having a vibrant exchange of ideas is everyone’s business.
On a serious note more choice and freedom is a good thing. More charter schools in our growing districts will save us money in construction costs. I am not opposed to gently encouraging coordination among people willing to do so. We could give some incentives to bring that about. This would save us money and improve education.
I am surprised that equal funding did not get any discussion.
“As for creationism, I do support scientific Intelligent design which is supported by half of scientists being part of the educational mix. Students should explore alternatives and come to a conclusion which may change later.”
I am undone by the sheer size of the craziness. There is just too much there. To comment would be like trying to eat a whole wedding cake.
“Scientific intelligent design” – there is no such thing.
“…which is supported by half of scientists being part of the educational mix.” And this simply makes makes no sense.
And nor, of course can he prove that.
OK, Rep. David…. Let’s look at Choice and Charters…
In any of our local school districts, what would you define as reasonable/responsible implementation of Choice? Would you allow the overcrowding (exceeding State defined capacity) of perceived “good schools” or would you cap how many you let in? For the financially challenged parent that lives around the corner from a poor performing city school that wants their child to get a good education, would you provide transportation for that child (and occasionally, the parent) to get to a suburban high performing affluent school or would it be up to the parent to figure it out? How low would you allow the enrollment in the poor performing school go, before you just give up and shut it down?
In the case of Charters, are you interested in testing and fostering new ideas that can be applied throughout the system, or are you just trying to undermine/dismantle the present system? As a local school board member, in the case where you want to accept a Charter that targets inner-city, lower socioeconomic students (and in turn, limits the financial demands on the system), are you interested in a more conducive educational environment/opportunity, or are you interested in abdicating responsibility for those students and that community, or both?
Try this link. http://www.reviewevolution.com/press/pressRelease_100Scientists.php
In an Ohio survey of science professors, most had no understanding of intelligent design, but almost 90% believed that Evolution was consistent with a belief in GOD. In other words it could be guided by an intelligent designer. Even the Academics favor it, but don’t know it. I can’t link to this because it will spam my comment google it.
I would reorganize it as a charter with new management once it became nonviable. How long do they let carters go before they close them if they do not show improvement? I wouldn’t close it. I would reorganize it.
We already have some choice in our law so why do you act as if it has never been tried? It already works. Yes, if a school is low performing and in a poor area, I would like to help the poor afford transportation so they can have the same choice my children benefit from.
“almost 90% believed that Evolution was consistent with a belief in GOD. In other words it could be guided by an intelligent designer.”
I’ll try to be gentle here: No, that’s not what it means “in other words.” It means that evolution is not inconsistent with belief in some sort of higher power, albeit one that cannot be proved scientifically. Frankly, our design is not very intelligent.
A poll by the Discovery Institute? It is to laugh.
And you still haven’t proved your claim — just provided the usual PR bullshit that is supposed to substitute for proof.
I can’t believe that you of all people would actually still be delusional enough about this to think that anyone here would fall for this crap.
Nice conflation there David, but believing that a belief in God is compatible with evolution is not the same thing as saying 50% of science educators want to teach “intelligent design.” Intelligent design is a religious belief that is not science, so why would science teachers teach it? It belongs in Sunday school, not science class. Even the Vatican recognizes the truth of evolution, and they think it’s compatible with religious belief.
Intelligent design is just warmed-over creationism, and that was determined by the courts in Kitzmiller v. Dover.
Both incumbents are retiring this year in Cape, so there will be 2 new members, to add to the 2 new members elected last year. One of the candidates, in the Area B seat, is a teabagger. She’s a member of the Delaware 9/12 Patriots and the Delaware Family Policy Council (think Foc[k]-us on the Family). Right now she is unopposed.
MJ – are you running again?
anon – you’re confusing me with someone else.
i dont think he is
I am?? Didn’t you run last time for Cape?
I think the anons are wrong on this one.
I think he’s trying to cover his tracks, just in case he decides to run again. Of course, there’s little chance anyone will forget his anti-Reagan AIDS letter.
anon1 – if you’re so sure of this, why are you hiding behind an “anon?” Reveal yourself.
All of you anons should be aware that attempting to out or outing commenters is Verboten.
Besides how stupid is it for someone who won’t post under his real name to try to guess the identity of another anon.
Actually, I wasn’t aware of that. Is that your personal policy, or DL blog policy? Did I miss reading that someplace on the site?
Is it really “outing” when a commenter links back to his/her blog that contains information that could easily be used to identify him/her? Just inquiring hypothetically.
If you would read the About page linked at the top of the page you would have seen the very long standing outing prohibition.
My apologies.
Lots of people run for school board….
“One of the candidates, in the Area B seat, is a teabagger. She’s a member of the Delaware 9/12 Patriots and the Delaware Family Policy Council (think Foc[k]-us on the Family).”
She also has attended every school board meeting for at least the past 6 years that I know of, she’s a school volunteer, she’s a proponent of Board/District transparency, and she’s has been fighting for many years to create a system within Cape where parents are kept in the loop on their kid’s progress throughout the year and not just when the report card shows up.
I’m actually blown away by the fact that she’s part of the DFPC and the 9/12 Pats. After knowing her for 6 years through school activities, and school board meetings, I would have guessed she was on the opposite side of those groups.
But “teabagger” or not, she’s getting my vote. She’s involved, she’s been demanding transparency for years, and she knows what Cape’s problems are, and that’s exactly what Cape needs.
@misunderstood – she’s only lived in the area 5 years and only started attending school board meetings 4 years ago. It’s OK to support her, if you want to, just don’t embellish her credentials.
Hey, MJ, the blog your moniker links to is missing.
She’s lived here since 2004, MJ. And I’m still laughing at you accusing me of “embellishment”.
Back to the issue at hand:
Countdown here…and what I think a school boarder’s job entails SOLELY reflects my experience, expectation and hope for a school board member, and no reflection of any mandated requirement or policy of a district:
1) Broker between taxpayer and mandate to provide ALL children w/ a free public education. I will expand on that to say…”it’s for the kids” should be saved for your argument w/ your ex over soccer gear. Children need, deserve and will get an education. Your taxpayer needs to be assured that is happening, to the most prudent, creative, exhaustive end of their dollar. They need to be apprised w/ each step of where their dollars are going–and who’s paying for it–the feds–the state–a private donation–local community. Never, not know your funding source and acknowledge it. Clearly articulate what a local taxpayer can provide to the school, that all those other folks aren’t paying for. We don’t need social board members. We need people who know their numbers, and can discuss w/ all stakeholders from taxpayer to government offices the ever pressing need for funding against the impulse for everyone to cut funding on the back of education.
2) LOVE to read–it is IMPERATIVE to read, read, read and love to read what many people find dry–and you find insightful, invigorating and instrumental in decision making, moving forward, avoiding mistakes, and just being informed. We don’t need social board members. We need people willing to commit to the whole field of education and funding and the learning time it takes to go toe to toe w/ those who will decide your funding, and mandate curricular decisions.
3) TIME COMMITMENT–this is easily a part-time job. It is not one meeting a month as mandated by law. It is committee work, focus groups, state panels, work groups, investigative trips, workshops, and reading, reading, reading. Now here you can be a little bit social, because there are sporting events, music events, academic competitions, senior project ejudications, retirement luncheons, graduations, award ceremonies, and a rare ribbon cutting. But those kinds of things are the “cherries” on top of the other commitments. But your time also will have an unscheduled component–the grocery store, where one will attract you for “a minute” to unload for 45 on the inequity of who their child has to sit by at the lunch table, or the phone call that comes after district office has closed on Friday night, and you’re supposed to be going out the door to Homecoming w/ your band kid, to be ripped by someone w/ a 6 pack on board who is going to “tell it like it is”….and I want them to know I want to know how is it? So we don’t need social board members–we need those to be social when the situation calls for it.
4) KNOW YOUR LIMITS–You were elected as a community voice–not given a scepter nor wand. You should not and will not be granting wishes to come true, and mandates laid down. You are working w/ a community of good people who collectively try to turn a battleship in a swimming pool. Just bring your ideas, not your ammo. Districts can work with ideas. Ammo just destroys, and rebuild takes so much longer. We don’t need social board members. We need board members who refer the lady at the bus stop thru the proper chain of command, and your hairdresser’s nephew’s girlfriend to the human resource office.
5) I don’t know if this is a start or a finish–but I gotta run now to go buy my tickets at lunch for the high school musical tonite (White Christmas–in case anyone loves musicals). Feel free to ask any questions….and apologies to any board members who don’t see the job this way…….
Oh wow–just received word we have 3 running for one seat in Appo.. Well, at least people care……
Joanne: What a great list of roles and responsibilities for school board members. I wish that you were sitting for Red Clay. Excellent and insightful ideas. Thank you.
Gee thanks Frederika–but remember, they’re my personal roles and responsibilities as I see them–and am not “allowed” to demand that of others. But it sure helps when other board members align pretty much along the same ethic to make meaningful progress.