Jeff Howell will receive my vote for St. Helens School Board Position 3. He ran a write-in campaign for a board position in 2011 and he has participated in school board and school district budget committee meetings since then. He presented himself well at the public forum in April by providing focused and concise responses to the questions posed. I think that he can bring an important perspective to school board deliberations due to his experience as a long-time teacher. While this experience is sure to make him sympathetic to the positions of teachers, Mr. Howell impresses me as having the integrity not to make decisions based only on what teachers want.*
Although I will vote for Mr. Howell, I believe that Kellie Smith could also serve as an effective board member.
I cannot say the same for Tracie Brumbles due to what I believe are her unfounded and unsupported concerns about "indoctrination" in public schools. Further, while I think that there are aspects of the Common Core State Standards that can be criticized, I do not share her concern that they are a "dumbing down" of academic standards. Finally, she claims not to be beholden to special interests, yet she claimed that she has received the endorsement of the local Republican and Constitution parties. I thought that school board positions were non-partisan and I am troubled that political parties would involve themselves in this election.
*I served one four-year term on the St. Helens School Board, two years as board chair. For one-and-a-half years of that term I was training to be a teacher and for the last year of the term I was a teacher in another school district. The district and teachers union negotiated a contract during this time period. I put my responsibilities as a board member above my inclinations as a teacher while negotiating.
Although I will vote for Mr. Howell, I believe that Kellie Smith could also serve as an effective board member.
I cannot say the same for Tracie Brumbles due to what I believe are her unfounded and unsupported concerns about "indoctrination" in public schools. Further, while I think that there are aspects of the Common Core State Standards that can be criticized, I do not share her concern that they are a "dumbing down" of academic standards. Finally, she claims not to be beholden to special interests, yet she claimed that she has received the endorsement of the local Republican and Constitution parties. I thought that school board positions were non-partisan and I am troubled that political parties would involve themselves in this election.
*I served one four-year term on the St. Helens School Board, two years as board chair. For one-and-a-half years of that term I was training to be a teacher and for the last year of the term I was a teacher in another school district. The district and teachers union negotiated a contract during this time period. I put my responsibilities as a board member above my inclinations as a teacher while negotiating.
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