Worth Fighting For

What to say?

It's Wednesday morning in Howard County. Five out of the top six candidates for board of education are challengers. Only one incumbent will go forward to the general election. From the Howard County Times:

With 110 of 124 precincts reporting, Kirsten Coombs, Christina Delmont-Small, Mavis Ellis, Janet Siddiqui, Vicky Cutroneo and Robert Miller were the top six vote-getters, respectively, and will advance to the Nov. 8 general election to compete for three seats on the school board. Miller led Corey Andrews, at 21 the youngest school board candidate, by five votes.

Janet Siddiqui was the only incumbent to receive enough votes to move past Tuesday's primary.

I saw a quote yesterday from a supporter of one of the incumbents that he was trying to fight back against anti-incumbent feeling. I think it's important to note that what made the challengers successful in this election was not that they were against something. It's because they were for something.

Responsiveness. Accountability. Transparency. Working collaboratively with stakeholders. Supporting teachers. Giving voice to the vulnerable and voiceless. And above all, treating people with respect.

These are things worth fighting for. Our community will be better because of everyone who worked for this: candidates, their families and supporters, members of HCEA, and those of The People's Voice.

These ideas, these goals, spread from village green to village green (as it were) until the response from the community was magnified exponentially. (Yup, town²) Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I invented this concept. I just gave the process a name when I started my blog. It's the people who really walk the walk who make good things happen.

And there was a huge amount of work that went into this grassroots movement. People only do that kind of work if they have a cause to believe in, not merely because they are disgruntled or disaffected. A response like this from the polls is a confirmation of their beliefs, that members of the Board of Education should conduct themselves with these qualities:

Responsiveness. Accountability. Transparency. Working collaboratively with stakeholders. Supporting teachers. Giving voice to the vulnerable and voiceless. And above all, treating people with respect.

The primary election is over. The work of our school system continues: daily. I urge everyone to continue to be a positive force for good. Volunteer. Tutor. Go to board of ed meetings. Follow education issues in the newspaper and online. Keep your friends and neighbors informed about what is going on.

Keep walking the walk.

In closing, a few words from Mr. Rogers:

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,

A beautiful day for a neighbor.

Would you be mine?

Could you be mine?...

It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood,

A neighborly day for a beauty.

Would you be mine?

Could you be mine?...

I've always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.

I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

So, let's make the most of this beautiful day.

Since we're together we might as well say:

Would you be mine?

Could you be mine?

Won't you be my neighbor?

Won't you please,

Won't you please?

Please won't you be my neighbor?

(Fred Rogers, 1967)

 

Thank you, neighbors.