Many people, maybe a majority of voters, don’t vote in School Governing Board elections. In the Tri-City area, with all our retirees, many of them may think that since none of their children or grandkids attend local schools, school board decisions don’t effect them. Those who feel this way are greatly mistaken.
First, since a large percentage of our local property taxes go to pay for our schools, we should be interested in how our tax dollars are being spent. As taxpayers, we have the right to ask Superintendent Joe Howard and President Deb Dillon of the PUSD Governing Board how our money is being spent. They have a duty to respond to our questions truthfully. Transparency is the first and most important obligation of those who are entrusted with the education of our children. If our students’ test scores are going down, and they are, our tax dollars are not being spent wisely. If students are being taught Critical Race Theory, if they are being indoctrinated with transgenderism propaganda, if they are being asked in classes which pronoun they prefer, how much time is left to teach reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and history?
More important is the threat to our country and communities. If students are taught that their parents are racist, that our country was founded by racists, that our government and institutions are systemically racist, they will be easily led to all kinds of indoctrination. That is what the “great reset” is all about. It has filtered down from the socialist ivory towers to the universities and is now in high schools and grade schools near you.
We must fight this educational cancer. The best way to do that is learning about school board candidates and voting for those who reflect our values. I have had the opportunity to attend two parent forums presented by the Republican Women of Prescott, (RWOP). Their mission statement, in part, states that they are dedicated to educating their members. They have done that in the aforementioned forums. At two of the forums the public was invited. Another forum is being planned and will be announced.
Whether you attend the Republican Women of Prescott (RWOP) forum or any other organization that allows interaction with the School Governing Board candidates, you should get as much information as you can about and from those candidates. As voters you should learn whether a candidate believes or knows if CRT is being taught in the Prescott Unified School District. Does that individual have proof of his or her belief. Get that person’s views on whether it is proper to ask students what pronouns they would prefer. Should students be taught about transgenderism? Does that candidate think that our country is systemically racist? What does that candidate suggest should be done if these things are being taught in our schools?
Which of these potential school governing board members knows about state laws regarding parental rights? Which candidates know about the drop in PUSD student scores? Which candidates know about the drop in student enrollment and how that will effect school funding?
While the School Board elections have been ignored by a great many voters for decades, the left, woke, progressives have taken control of our educational organizations. If you think that this isn’t happening in Prescott, the answers you get from the candidates will surprise you. That is why it is so important to elect candidates that will turn back the tide of CRT and woke ism in our schools.
Lastly, don’t believe everything you read in the local paper, or even in my column. As RWOP suggests, educate yourself.
3 Responses
School boards as other boards serve the public as much as manage funding and policy for the organization. In our government schools, it is critical board members are vigilant and probing of staff and leadership and not just lap dogs voting yes on what the organization puts on the agenda. All tax funded identities deserve and need citizens questioning and challenging their policies and funding requests.
School boards set policy, the Superintendent manages the operations of the schools. The school board supervises the Superintendent. If school board members are concerned about something they can talk to the Superintendent about it, in private or at school board meetings. You wrote “it is critical board members are vigilant and probing of staff and leadership”, that is incorrect. School board members do not supervise staff directly.
FACT: Our public school system is infested by Radical Left Money Thieves and other parasites. They steal resources from students and the majority of value-added teachers that truly care about their students. Consider, for example, that some teachers have to cough up their own money for school supplies. There are even charities to provide funds to school teachers for school supplies. Why? Because the taxpayer money allocated for supplies has been stolen by Radical Left Money Thieves and other parasites.
FACT: The taxpayer pays the entire cost of the public school system, therefore the Radical Left Money Thieves and other parasites are stealing from the US Taxpayer.
SOLUTION: fire all the parasites and reallocate the resources that they’ve been stealing to students and value-added teachers. Problem solved.
It’s really that simple, folks.