3 seats are open on the Robbinsdale School Board.
Sherry Tyrrell, Helen Bassett, John Vento and Ron
Stoffel are the candidates that spoke. (Peter Vasseur did not attend)
It definitely was a lot calmer than the Presidential debates, in fact it was pretty boring. Typical comments noted the low state/federal funding, arts are great, district is great, district staff is great, need to partner with volunteers and businesses, etc, etc, etc.
The most amusement came when there were some specific audience generated questions aimed at Ron's past activities. (anti-referendum, right to make questionable statements) Apparently some attendees still had hurt feelings and an axe to grind. I think he did well at answering these, and the poor Moderator's face was priceless since she had none of the history. (ie impartial & not from district)
My frustration was that when asked how the district's results would be improved, no one even dared to touch the concept of Teacher evaluations, Parent/Student class satisfaction surveys, or any staff accountability concepts. When asked about how to lengthen the school year by a few days, they just rolled their eyes and said that there was no funding available to do this. It must be my "salary based viewpoint" showing, wouldn't professional salaried Teachers just work the few more days if asked in order to help the kids?
Ron and John impressed me most in that they seemed to have the most out of the box ideas. Implement more technology and change teaching methods to increase effectiveness. Technology ear marked referendum if necessary. Whereas Sherry and Helen seemed focused on lobbying for more money. Maybe they know something based on their experience, or they have become part of "the collective"... (need more money... need more money... need more money...)
Here is a link if you are interested. Thoughts?
Access Forum Video/Audio Here
G2A RAS and Group Think
G2A Teacher Evaluation Forms
G2A Better Public Education
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15 comments:
In the past, Mr. Stoffel's somewhat hapless attorney has argued that his client has a constitutional right to lie. A fair point in legal term, perhaps, but not a comfortable position for a candidate going forward. I am pleased that Mr. Stoffel's full and candid response that gave an answer to which voters were entitled, put that issue to rest. We are after all, electing school board members, not their lawyers.
--Hiram
--Hiram
Actually we do have a Constitutional right to lie. It sounds awful but it nonetheless far preferable to having the government be the arbitrator of truth. Free speech is in fact the best cure, not censorship "in the public interest." And by the way, what happens when the District grossly overstates how much of the budget is spent on teachers, as it most certainly did in the last referendum? Do we assume it was intentional - a lie? Or a consequence of the muddled accounting that mystifies parents and legislators alike?
I found the debate both boring and of little help. Several questions were pithy softballs that nobody won, and a few led with a false premise rendering their posturing answers pointless. I strained to hear a forceful use of words like "accountablity" and "transparency" and "results." I'll have more to say when I make my endorsements known, but you can assume Ron Stoffel, tonight's debate (if there was one) winner (if there was one) will be one of them.
Actually we do have a Constitutional right to lie
I actually agree, but candidates who argue that have to deal with the electoral fallout. We really need to elect people who will tell us the truth, not who explain to us how they plan to get themselves off the hook when they lie to us. And quite frankly, any candidate who hides behind a lawyer's advice at a forum should be rejected out of hand by voters.
--Hiram
Hiram,
So you said repeatedly that Romney intends to transfer the tax burden from the Rich to the Middle class. I have shown you that he believes otherwise. And he should know his intention better than you. So are you lying? Would you like to be sued for saying your belief?
My point is exactly what Ron implied when someone put forward that unprofessional "should lying be acceptable" question? Lying is almost impossible to prove. You would need to prove that the individual did not believe what they were saying. Facts would be immaterial. Only beliefs and intent matter.
Do you remember what the supposed lies were? I don't anymore.
. I have shown you that he believes otherwise.
What it seems to me that you have shown is that caught with the implications of his plan by someone who did what Mitt deliberately avoided doing, actually run the numbers, Mitt back tracked, made a couple of cosmetic changes that don't help much and attempted to bluster his way out of the problem.
You say that Mitt believes a certain thing. Isn't a problem with Mitt? That we don't know what he believes? Or that if he believes anything at all? On so many issues, including his tax cuts for the wealthy, the only consistent thing about Mitt is his eagerness to tell any given audience what he thinks it wants to hear?
As for lying, tactically, it isn't an easy thing to prove. I don't rule out that Mitt actually believes some of the things he says. But one thing he doesn't do is argue that he has a right to lie. That's something politicians do at the end of their careers, not at the beginning. Along with refusing to answer questions because of the advice of lawyers.
As I recall, the lies issue developed in the lawsuit, with which I had nothing to do. It's not an issue I ever had much to do with during the campaigns.
--Hiram
You have not even provided a link to back up your opinions. So I am unsure how you have shown anything.
Some updates regarding the case. I am think I am with Ron on this one and the Courts on this one. I really don't want government threatening me with a law suit whenever they disagree with what I am saying.
Volokh Court Case
Politico Court Case
Like most district residents, I wasn't able to attend the forum, but I did review all the candidates' submitted content for the Sun's profiles.
My take-away:
Three had pretty comprehensive and detailed info about their backgrounds and positions (Bassett, Tyrell, Vento).
One acknowledged that he had received the questionnaire, but didn't bother to submit his answers(Stoffel).
And one must have been confused about the office for which he was running, because when asked about the three most pressing issues for the district, he offered a long and inscrutable answer with nothing whatsoever about education or students but rather his views on fractional reserve and monetary policy(Vasseur).
So, it becomes pretty clear which three of the candidates will receive my vote.
Here are their answers, if anyone elsew would like to review them. http://post.mnsun.com/2012/10/2012-district-281-school-board-general-election-voters-guide/
--Annie
It is interesting Mr. Stoffel was the only candidate who was unable to get his responses to the Sun Post questionnaire in on time. Doesn't say much about his commitment to the race or the job.
--Hiram
MN Sun Voters Guide
Annie thanks for the link.
Annie,
Doesn't it concern you that not one of your proposed candidates discuss the importance of holding the district's staff and teachers accountable for effective performance? Not one mentions the importance of getting student or parent feedback regarding the Teacher's performance?
It is a strange learning organization that does not even ask their customers how they think they are doing? Maybe they are that egotistical that they know better than the Parents and Kids?
Thoughts?
John, I know parent/student evals are really important to you, and I don't think you're wrong by any measure. But that's not my litmus test. If it's any consolation, I have some personal priorities that none of the candidates mention, but that just gives me a good reason to get in touch once they're elected.
--Annie
I am pretty much indifferent as to how they address accountability, I just think it is funny that our Representatives in charge of holding the District accountable seem to avoid the topic like the plague. Though they are more than willing to moan about the "lack of funding".
Would my company's Board sit there complaining about how they could not obtain enough revenues while avoiding the effectiveness of the Managers and Employees... Or customer satisfaction... Probably not, since all are critical to meeting the needs of the Shareholders and keeping the Company successful.
Honestly, I hope your priorities are aligned with theirs when you contact them, otherwise I don't hold much hope for being able to move the mountain. Good luck.
I think we're all slicing the bologna a bit thin here. School Boards set overall direction and hire a Supt to match. And replace if Supt doesn't. Our experience however is with a Board over-involved in day-to-day decisions, so we get these length analyses that really get in the way with what truly matters, like results.
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