David Brauer wrote:
Peggy Flanagan, David Dayhoff and Lydia Lee are new to the electoral scene.
Anyone have first-hand experience with either person's work - to clue the
rest of us in on how they might do as board members?
I'll disclose that I am a personal friend of Peggy's and am familiar with her work, though I play no official role in the campaign. I was also fortunate enough to take part in a candidate screening for endorsement, and heard all but Dayhoff and Miller speak to the challenges facing the MPS (Neither of them sought endorsement from my specific org). Peggy and Lydia were by far the most articulate candidates about heir vision and ideas for improving MPS. I believe that is the reason - and the only reason - they have both been endorsed by vitually everyone, including the DFL. They are very different from each other - Peggy is outspoken, articulate and not afraid to make unpopular decisions if they are the right thing to do. Lydia is softer-spoken, but with a wealth of classroom and curriculum experience that will be welcome at the board level. I was particularly impressed with her focus on the middle grades, since middle school is the time when many students begin to struggle (and seldom recover when they falter).
Yes, there is anti-incumency sentiment, but the fact remains that neither of the current board members seeking re-election could offer ANY substatnive ideas for improving the schools. I went into the screening pre-disposed to supporting Sharon, especially, but she failed to answer a single question with a concrete answer, including "When are we going to hire a new Superintendent?" (I believe the screening took place in late April). As for Dennis, I was impressed by his ideas and innovative thinking, but failed to see how those ideas had had any impact at all on the school board during his tenure.
I am the mother of a child in the schools and I am disgusted by the ineptitude of the Board over the past two years. They have a hard row to hoe, to be sure, but they must have the capacity to make decisions and stand by those decisions even when people are pissed off. There is no excuse for a lack of community engagement, but if you're going to go that way, then stick by your choices and tough it out. I'm not sure that anyone currently serving deserves re-election if they were all up this year, and hopefully those who remain will get the message that parents expect results before their number comes up.
-Dorian Eder Windom Park
I am the parent
Sandra Miller served previously on the School Board (elected 1997, served one term 1998-2001). What were her accomplishments? What was her style, effectiveness as a board member?
Denny Schapiro and Sharon Henry-Blythe are on the current board that's taken a lot of battering. How much specific blame to they deserve for things the board has been criticized for? What credit do they deserve, perhaps for things that don't get as much credit as the problems? Any individual strengths or weaknesses people can cite (hopefully based on experience)?
These are just to get the discussion started. I hope members will use the month remaining before election day to educate each other about a race that is truly up for grabs...
David Brauer Kingfield
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