A commentor here brings up an interesting question: are the current avenues of communication for learning about the candidates for school board adequate? Should we have more than one candidate's forum? Is the coverage in the local paper sufficient to inform the public? Or do we just need more yard signs?
Please post your thoughts.
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7 comments:
Do you mean that we should have them do some type electronic communication forum so we can gripe at them without names and faces is that what you are thinking?
No, we need fewer yard signs.
We need more public forums, more Q&A things in the paper, maybe a planned Q&A with each PTO. I think the current forums are good because people who cannot make it in person can send it questions, and yet there is a filter so that they are not repetitive or divisive. I agree with the idea- there is not enough information out there. Maybe a group of parents can get together and do some sort of questionaire ala LWV. 3 questions from various stakeholder groups, typed up and distributed to all candidates, and then their replies sent out to everyone or put in the paper?
Definitely more public forums- at the High School, the Library, Glacial Drumlin, maybe even some of the elementary schools. The League of Women voters facilitate well- will they do more than one?
One on the budget, one on academics and extracurriculars?
What other thoughts do others have that might be constructive and allow us to really get to know these candidates-it is important that we elect folks who can put in the time and are up to speed on the issues.
I personally don't like the "candidate's forum" - I don't think they are very informative because the issues don't get explored in depth.
How about an hour long interview with each candidate hosted by someone like Bill Zeigler who asks the same questions of each candidate, but makes sure they answer?
How about a "virtual" debate hosted by the League of Women Voter's where they solicit and screen questions from the public, get extended answers from the candidates and post them on a blog.
Care must be taken with PTO involvement - the PTO needs to be fiercely non-political - and accusations of favoritism could fly based on the nature of questions chosen. Further the PTO organization primarily represents parents, not every segment of the citizenry of the district.
I like both of your ideas- and I also agree with the involvement of the PTO's since the current candidates include at least one current PTO person and one Former I think....
But.... accessibility of the information is the thing. I don;t think Blogs reach a lot of folks-sorry-and lots of folks don't watch the local TV either.
Maybe the candidates would be willing to distribute the candidates answers with their endless literature?
I understand what you are saying about forums, but they could be structured differently? I like the one hour interview form-but to get it out there to everyone is the issue.
Maybe there would be a dedicated team of LWV-type people who would go door to door with the information?
Are any of the candidates reading this? What do they think?
The current candidate forum stinks.
The moderator takes questions and creates a freakstein question that makes little sense and is difficult to sort our for the listener and respondent.
The Herald-Independent will be scheduling interviews with all board candidates in the near future. In-depth stories on each candidate will appear prior to April 7.
-Adam
Also, The Cottage Grove PTO has scheduled a time to meet all the candidates at their next meeting at Taylor Prairie. I think it is 6:00-6:30 on March 9th.
:)
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