Change of Mind/Change of Heart

June 3rd is your last day to register to vote before the June primary election. It is pretty easy to do. Just go here. There are some important choices to be made and you ought to be one of the people making them.

I think of this blog as a Community blog. Certainly a strong thread within our community to me is Education. That is why I focus on issues such as usefulness of high stakes testing, fair treatment of teachers, adequate recess, stakeholder engagement, music/arts education, and special needs students and programs.

Right now we have a Board of Education which appears to have lost its way. While they are elected to represent the voices of constituents, many act as though they are answerable to no one but the Superintendent. No matter how good the intentions of the Superintendent or the Central Office staff, it is extremely unhealthy to turn the process on its head. Decisions made without stakeholders, or one might even say, shareholders, are necessarily flawed. It does a tremendous disservice to both the voters and to our children.

That is why I have pushed so hard this Spring to focus attention on the Board of Education race and candidates. I conducted my own survey, and I have directed you to watch the LWV Candidate Forum and to read the profiles in The Sun by Blair Ames.

I have hesitated to announce endorsements in this race because one of the candidates is a friend of our family. I hold high standards for myself. I felt that I couldn't use the blog to endorse under those circumstances.

I have changed my mind: reconsidered, re-evaluated, experienced a change of heart. This election is far too important to our community and our children for me (or anyone) to stand on the sidelines.

Today I will be reviewing all of the material available to me, and tomorrow I will list my endorsements. I will be completely transparent in what my personal background is so that readers may take that into account. That is my responsibility as a blogger.

Your responsibility is to be registered to vote, with all information up-to-date, to educate yourself about the candidates and issues, and to vote.

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