It’s been a nearly silent campaign among the 13 candidate vying for the nine Board of Education seats that up for grabs this year – and that’s not sitting well with the mayor.
Candidates for the school board need to do a better job of addressing crucial educational issues before the Nov. 6 election, said Mayor William Stortz.
“We see very, very little discussion” among school board hopefuls about such pressing matters as whether to build two new kindergarten to eighth grade schools with 900 students each, and where they should be built if they are needed, the mayor said.
Stortz said that school board hopefuls, who serve four-year terms, will make crucial decisions about education that will ultimately mean more to Bristol than the fate of the downtown mall.
The mayor said that the candidates, political parties and the press need to do a better job of making voters aware of the choices they face.
“Education is one of the biggest factors in creating an image, and attracting people and businesses to come to Bristol,” said Stortz.
He said that the mall’s fate is “nowhere near as important as what is happening in education” when it comes to attracting people to town.
The quality of the school system, the mayor said, is a significant piece of the puzzle whenever people are deciding where to buy a house.
What the school board does to improve the schools “is critical to the city,” Stortz said.
“You want the best people on there,” the mayor said, and it doesn’t matter whether they are Republicans or Democrats.
Voters should tap the “best nine” to serve, no matter what political affiliation the candidates have, Stortz said.
The mayor said the candidates and political parties need to do more to get the school board candidates’ names and positions out to the voters.
He said that candidates may not have much money, but they can still send press releases to the papers that may enlighten voters about where they stand.
“There could be ways to get the issues out,” Stortz said.
He said parent-teacher organizations could organize forums, the media could do better in seeking out information and publishing it, and the political establishment could do more to get information out to the voters.
“Both the parties and the candidates have a responsibility,” Stortz said.
Even if the Charter Revision Commission urges a return to an appointed school board, Stortz said, the school board members elected in November will serve out their entire terms, meaning they’ll be the decision-makers until 2011.
Who’s running for the Board of Education?
Democratic candidates
Barbara Doyle, incumbent
Julie Luczkow, incumbent
Tom O'Brien, incumbent
Jane Anastasio, incumbent
Karen Vibert
Sherry Turcotte
Republican candidates
Chris Wilson, incumbent
Amy Coan, incumbent
Dick Prindle
Wayne Sparks
Peg Bonola
Jane Hoscholg
Working Families candidate
Mary Rydingsward
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
6 comments:
There hasn't been much in the press about this race for at least a couple of big reasons that are worth laying out clearly:
1. The candidates have made almost no effort to lay out their positions or agendas to the public; and
2. The Bristol Press no longer has a reporter dedicated to covering education, so the job now belongs to two of us who were already struggling to keep pace with other news in the city.
With that said, though, I don't disagree with Mayor William Stortz that the school board race is an important one, particularly this year. I hope the candidates, political parties and others who are interested will do what they can to help me get more news in the paper about the race.
Nothing costs the taxpayers more than supporting schools and new school construction.
These BOE people basically stick their hands in my pocket to support their "agendas" and "concepts" of education.
How much more do they want?
First, how about holding them accountable for student academic performance or lack thereof, BEFORE giving them a blank check for new school construction?
What can't a grammar school child learn in an older building as opposed to a newer building?
Brick, buses, and ball fields don't replace a good teacher, or take the SAT test.
Dumping the dollars in costly new construction, and land acquisition etc. means less money in the future for more teachers or less hours devoted to specific classes.
Wake up!
Bristol is a "distressed city". That means most of us are not "affluent". There is a limit to a family's or an individual's pocketbook.
Are there no limits to BOE or the City Council's fiscal demands?
If we don't spend money on the young, the young will not remain in Bristol to take care of us when we are old.
If I were part of a young family planning to move to a community, the first priority would be the schools. Yes, schools are educating from within, even within tired, old, obsolete and inefficient buildings. However, potential new families rarely go inside a school building before purchasing a home.
They look at the cover, and the cover is CTO, Bingham, Jennings and the Boulevard. If this community refuses to build new schools, new families will not move here which would help spread the tax burden.
As more and more Baby Boomers hit retirement age, we had better have someone to replace us. If we can't entice new families into Bristol with better schools, technology within the schools, athletic facilities, parks and recreational activities, our current tax burden will look miniscule to what it will become.
Many young families of Bristol's largest employer and taxpayer don't live in Bristol. I maintain that they didn't like the "cover" and refused to buy into the sale of the book.
Build now, spend now or pay dearly later.
Steve,
Similar to questions to the other candidates is there a way to poll the candidates for BOE to see where they stand on the K - 8 issue, solicting more public opinion before they act and the proposed locations?
Voters need to be more informed of the folks running for the BOE and their opinions.
I agree BOE candidates have been way to silent.... so far.
BRISTOL!! Want to know why the test scores in town stink?
It's the stupid parents who won't turn off the freaking TV and video games and turn their kids on to books.
It's not about money or income level. Books are there for the borrowing for free at the library -- and for buying, really cheap at the book sales put on by the Friends.
Read to your children and with your children. Let them see you reading -- the newspaper, a news magazine, a literary magazine, a novel, the sports scores. Ask the children's librarian what books are appealing to kids in your child's age group or reading level and get them. Then, read them with your kid, even if they can read already. Believe it or not, they LIKE to hear you read.
The smartest kids in class come from homes where the TV isn't blaring all the time.
Want to save your kid? KILL YOUR TELEVISION!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Carpe Delta, good idea on the polling of the BOE candidates. The existing board has been well coached. Let's not forget they have a savvy old politician in Tom O'Brien and I'd venture a guess that they have been urged to stay quiet and not engage in debate. While they may have completely ignored the very loud negative reception the proposed K - 8 plan received from the general populace, they did hear it. In response they have decided to use an attrition strategy. Lay low until the election is over, hope for the same blind support from council that they had before and then push through their agenda. Taxpayers, parents and students to be ignored. After all they studied this subject and they know better. Of course a half baked plan where half the city is K - 8 and the other half is K - 5 is the magic elixir that will cure all of our educational ills and instantly raise the test scores. Steve, how about shining some focused light on the BOE candidates as well as the council and mayoral candidates as to their position on the K - 8 plan? In reality the land issue is irrelevant until the system structure issue is settled. The voters need this information before they vote in November. The long term damage and tax ramifications this plan could create if it becomes reality will be irreversible.
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