I found the Meet the Candidates article very telling in the March 19th, 2008 edition of West News Magazine. There were 5 short campaign pieces, each written by potential BOE members. I think you can learn a lot about each of the candidates by reading what they wrote, and also by reading between the lines of what they wrote.
Let's start with what Darla Baker wrote. I love her first sentence. "My No. 1 priority is putting children first." I can't imagine anything more important for a BOE member to consider first and foremost. That's why they're there, after all. Then she goes on to discuss how important open and honest communication and collaboration are in dealing with parents, community, staff, teachers, and the rest of the Board. The words she uses throughout her few paragraphs are each full of openness, warmth, and understanding. Just reading what she wrote makes me feel good about her, our district, and what we can achieve together.
Kim McGuiness took a different tack in writing her piece. I know Kim very well, and she is one of the most intelligent people I know. She and I share a lot of the same professional interests, in that we're both very interested in organizations, how they operate, and how people in them relate to each other, and her interest in this subject shows in what she wrote. Her piece comes off as much more serious than Darla's, but both of them are saying the same things. They are both using words like openness, collaboration, communication, community. These are open words, words that invite others to join, words that express a willingness to listen, learn, and share.
Rao Kaza writes similar words and thoughts, though in his own way. Rao tends to speak his mind in a very measured, intellectual way, probably based on his years in business and information technology. He is generally very soft spoken in Board meetings, but his questions and remarks always reflect a thoughtful, reflective nature. I hear this same tone in West News Magazine. Throughout Rao's piece, he carries forward the theme of Darla's and Kim's positions, that openness, communication, and community are critical aspects of our district and of how Board members should behave.
Each of these three expresses similar thoughts. Reading between the lines, they all value people and their relationships as the main contributing factors to the success of our district. Teachers are valued as people and for their contributions to our students, parents are valued for their contributions in raising their children and for helping turn their kids into lifelong learners, and open communication is valued as the tool to bring everyone together. That's what I take from what each of them wrote.
As a spectacular counterpoint, let's look at what Mary Battenberg wrote. Mary gives a laundry list of items she values as her priorities, including fiscal accountability, responding to patron concerns, equity amongst district schools, and so on for about a dozen more. What is missing in her recitation is a single indication that there are people involved in any of this. The opening paragraph of her statement is filled with activities or priorities, but there is nothing in there that has anything to do with people. In fact, the only person she mentions in her entire position piece is Kathy Peckron, the retiring Deputy Superintendent. For her, the praise is effusive, but again, impersonal. What is entirely lacking in Mary's piece is any indication at all that she considers herself to be part of a community, that she values any sort of input from anyone other than herself, and any hint that she might be willing to listen to parents, teachers, staff, or anyone else before forming her opinion.
Board members are representatives of our community. They are charged with running the Rockwood School District in the best way possible, informed, in part, by listening to input from other interested parties. I don't expect them to know everything, I don't expect them to agree with me on everything, I don't expect them to do what I would do on everything. I do expect them to listen to me, listen to teachers, and listen to each other. Listening is a key part in how relationships are born, and how people work together effectively. If you don't listen, you become an island standing in the way of progress.
On April 8th, I urge you to vote for the inclusive candidates, the candidates who will listen, the candidates who will act with the interests of all in mind. I urge you to vote for Darla, Kim, and Rao for Rockwood School Board.
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