Tomorrow is election day. Don't forget to vote! Also, get your family, friends, and co-workers to vote.
If you want change then this is how you can have a voice.
I support Susan Valdes and Stephen Gorham for positive change.
Tell me what you think
7 comments:
This is the comment I left on the Wall in response to the comment "Re-Elect Nobody".
Susie and all,
I always read these blogs with interest.
I agree that we need change on the board, which is exactly why I ran. It has consistently been a 5-2 vote on this board with the 2 being me and Susan Valdes. We are the only two that question the administration and are often repremanded and chastised publicly by Kurdell and others when we do.
Please understand that the administration is and has been after Susan since she endorsed me when I ran in 2006.
Should she have slowed down on her travel? Yes, but I know for a fact that she is not at these conventions sight seeing as many would have you believe. She is working diligently to learn as much as she can to become a better school board member and to bring that information back to the district.
Give her a chance to redeem herself. I know in my heart of hearts that she is a good person with all the best intentions for students, teachers, and her community that has been neglected for far too long before she was elected. She is also the only other board member besides myself that does not walk lock step with the rest of the board and vote yes on every superintendent recommendation. She does question the status quo.
As for Kurdell. I have nothing against her personally. I just believe that like me, Stephen Gorham will maintain the separation between himself and the people in the administration he will be empowered to oversee. He is a business man, a father with children who will be in public school for many years to come, and the husband of a teacher. In other words, he has skin in this game.
I endorsed him a while back and know the backlash I will suffer, but know it is the right thing to do.
Please vote for Susan Valdes and Stephen Gorham on August 26th.
I need them.
At your service, April Griffin
I always like to get up early on election days so I can get the "I voted" sticker to wear to class. It always starts a conversation with my elementary students. Usually the kids ask who I voted for to which I start a rambling dialogue about the amendments I'm in favor of and why. It takes about 15 seconds till their eyes roll back in their heads and they want to know what project we are doing in art.
I'm sure their parents love having them come home asking if they had voted yet.
Congratulations Susan!
Would have.... but Back to School night "ironically" fell on voting day... which kept many teachers at school, denying them the opportunity to vote... why is that?
If you and the rest of the school board want to give teachers the opportunity to vote then the board should forbid after school activities on election day. Polls don't open until 7 am so elementary and high school teachers cannot vote before school. There should not be any faculty meetings or other events that keep teachers at school, and away from the polls. That includes sporting events.
It's not too much to ask. We don't have elections very often and it would send a message to parents, students and staff that voting is an important obligation.
The teacher contract expressly forbids meetings before or after school on voting days. Do you have a CTA building rep at your school? Back to school night shouldn't have been held that night. Someone should have politely informed your principal that this was a violation of the contract.
Do not expect administration to adhere to the contract unless there is someone to hold their feet to the fire.
Those of you who had meetings or "back to school nights" on election day can contact me if you want and I will do what I can to make sure that dosn't happen again.
Our rights are only as protected as we chose to make them.
Don't forget - the polls are open for early voting for a full TWO WEEKS before the official election day. Don't shrug off your civic duty until the last available day. Do it as soon as you can.
Would you put something equally as important off until the last possible day?
Early voting sites can be found on the election supervisor's website.
http://www.votehillsborough.org
Direct link to early voting info:
http://www.votehillsborough.org/getdocument.aspx?id=52
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