Evidently, my response to the S-R Oct 18 stirred up a hornets nest and the hornets are buzzing around with their stinging remarks. My hope is that those of you who have seen them will merely consider the source, and vote for me, because we agree on students' right to choose. Remember, I'm campaigning to be one of the 5 members of the Board, not school dictator. There will be a lot to learn. If I'm on the Board, I believe I can work well with either Heidi Olson on addressing the high drop-out rate, or Dr. Jeff Bierman concerning the teaching of Math and Science, among other issues. The incumbant has been there at least 12 years. What has he done about the high drop-out rate and the frequent changes (3 times in 5 years) in the way they teach Math? At least we agree that we have good candidates for position 3. Whether I win or lose the election, at least the message is out there, and many intelligent people agree with me.

While doorbelling part of the neighborhood surrounding Whitman Elementary School, Hutton Elementary School, or attending the Hillyard Festival or other events, I asked for concerns or comments about our schools and got some interesting responses. These are mostly their (not necessarily exact) quotes. Mine are in italics.

Most common response: "I don't think about it. I don't have any children in school." "Neither do I."

But many of you pay property tax and you have a right to know how your money is spent. Even if you send your children to a private school or home-school them, you get no state or local tax break. As school board members, we need to be sure that your money is being spent wisely.

Whitman School and Hillyard area

• "They don't teach our kids anything. They just babysit them."
• A lady from Romania: "School is too easy for my children. They are not being challenged enough." She agreed that our kids are being dumbed down. "There was a contest between the American and the Swiss children, in English. The Swiss thought it was easy, but the Americans failed, and these were the brightest of the American kids." She'd take hers to a private school if she could afford it.
• "Schools used to be better."
• "Schools are OK."
• "They need to teach the kids the 3 Rs. They need to learn to read, spell, and do math."
• "They give our kids too much homework." (referring to grades 1-3)
• "Schools don't have as many fun activities anymore, so more kids are taking drugs."
• "They teach down to the level of kids who don't speak English."
• "Slow learners need more help."
• "Our school system is set up to fail."
• "They are teaching our children how to be good communists."
• A student: "we are required to do community service before we can graduate." "If you help my campaign, would that count?" "I don't think so." "What if you campaigned for someone of their choice?" "Probably."
• "I'm a pagan and I have no problem if someone says 'Merry Christmas'. I wish they would celebrate Halloween in schools."
• "I'm agnostic, and I like Christmas and Christmas music."
• "My son got in trouble for saying 'God bless you' when someone sneezed."
• "My son got in trouble for hugging his friend - in Kindergarten!."
• "My daughter got in trouble for taking notes. The teacher wanted her to listen and then ask questions."
• "My daughter was doing a GPS project outside of school and was treated like a truant."
• "What are they doing with all the lottery money that's meant for schools?"
• "Schools need more funding."
• "There are too many cut-backs. There are fewer teachers and larger classes."
• "There are not enough textbooks. 2 students have to share a textbook."
• "The principals and the superintendent are paid too much."
• "There is not enough room for our cars when we pick up our children. We need crosswalks in front of the schools."
• I asked several people what they thought of WASL: "WASL is stupid." "I'm glad they're getting rid of WASL."
• A student: "I think WASL was cool."
• A HS grad: "I think WASL was one of the dumbest things in our education system.... I'd spend 15 minutes to do the Math and wait 45 minutes for the others to catch up."
• Many agreed that the National Standard test such as SAT or the Iowa test should be sufficient and can free up some of the funds for textbooks, etc.
• As I was picking up litter during community clean-up, I met a teen and asked him, "Don't they teach kids not to litter?" "no, they do the opposite .. If we drop something on the floor, the teacher says 'You don't need to pick it up. That's the custodian's job.'"
• Even some union supporters said, "I think teachers unions make it very difficult to get rid of bad teachers."
• "Parents need to get more involved. Have you ever been to a PTA meeting?". "No, I'm not a parent nor a teacher." "You should go and see if more than 2 parents show up." (8/26: The principal at Rogers told me that during orientation before school started, so many parents showed up not all could sit.)
• "Kids with ADS are getting medicated."
• "Two of my kids have learning disabilies and they were not getting enough help. So they are now going to a school in Spokane Valley where they are getting good help."
• Another HS student: "We have to figure out the circumference of a circle." She didn't think she needed to know that for her career.
• Several agree that they take something simple like Math and make it complicated.
• "My son was passed on year after year even though he was getting failing grades." "Why didn't you get him to study?" "I tried, but he said, 'What's the point? They'll pass me on anyway.' If he were retained, he'd take it more seriously... There is no summer school anymore. So he dropped out and is now struggling to get his GED."
• "School was boring. I aced the exams and skipped classes, so I was considered a troublemaker and flunked. I dropped out and got my GED."
• "School was boring, so I dropped out when I was 17, took my GED, and graduated from college at 18." "At 18?" "Yea. It was a 2-year college, SCC." "What was your major?" "Auto Mechanics, and now I'm working."
• "My grandson is half black and gets picked on a lot, and no one would protect him. So he defended himself and HE was the one who got suspended... I complained about it but they won't do anything."
• Three bullies were beating up on my son, so he pulled out a switchblade (like the kind from a nail clipper that TSA confiscated from me), and he got suspended." Did the bullies get suspended too?" "I don't think so."
• Feedback from one of the above: "What she said might not be the full story."
• "My daughter will turn 5 in October, but she has to wait another year before she can start Kindergarten, even though she's ready now."
• "We homeschool our kids."
• "My kids go a Catholic school."
• "My kids go to a private school. I would not send them to a public school here in Spokane."
• My comment:"I think many of our kids are being treated like this little rodent called a guinea pig." (ha,ha) "For that you got my vote!"
• "I think District 81 is being used for social engineering rather than education."
• "You have my vote. We need a new face on the school board."

About Rogers

• "I loved Rogers... We had a lot of homework."
• "Teachers at Rogers don't care."
• "I wanted to volunteer at Rogers on Fridays, my day off. I kept calling, but no one would call me back."
• To a student: "Is it true that they wouldn't let you say 'Merry Christmas' there?" "I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised."
• "I had a great time at Rogers. I was involved with their athletics... but I didn't learn much." (Over 10 years ago)
• A recent HS grad: "I think Rogers was a cool school. I really enjoyed it." "What do you think of the way they taught Math?" "I was with the AP (Advanced Placement) program. Math was more challenging in High School than at the college where I'm going now. They're teaching Math at 8th grade level."
• A sophomore: "I think Rogers is a terrific school with terrific teachers and a bad reputation."
• A student at a church potluck: "Two of my teachers fell asleep during class." A lady there: "While teaching?" "They gave us a class assignment and then fell asleep."
• A COPS volunteer: "Rogers needs to be a closed campus. Kids leave during lunchtime and smoke marijuana, litter, disturb our neighborhoods..."
• Some posted comments at the grand re-opening: "Rogers rocks". "Rogers is awesome".

Hutton School area

• Most who have an opinion are happy with the schools.
• "More teachers are needed."
• "They need to be taught more in the trades."
• "Schools need to get into the 21st century. Instead of spending so much on textbooks and chopping down trees for the paper, let's download them to computers. Since computers are so cheap now, we can save money. Many kids prefer reading from computers than from books."
• "We need to get back to the basics and get the Feds out."
• "There are too many administrators and too many counselors."
• A worker for District 81: "There are too many unfunded mandates."
• "We need more and smaller elementary schools. They all should be within walking distance. Too many children are being bussed (which costs), so they are not getting enough exercise and many are getting obese."
• "My kids go to Franklin."
• "It's hard for substitute teachers."
• "They need to be taught more practical subjects like economy."
• "WASL is unnecessary."
• "Private schools are better than Honors at LC."
• "My kids went to St. Georges... Kids in private schools don't have the behavior problems like they do in public schools". After he commented on public school kids taking Ritalin to control their behavior, I mentioned Michael Savage. "Yeah he would've been one them... Since you like to listen to Michael Savage, you got my vote."
• School girls at LC: "Math is a problem."
• "We need more schools like Crosswalk."
• "My kids are doing well, but we don't need WASL".

Logan School and Avista area

• "Do they do the Pledge Allegiance to our flag at your school?" "Yes,.. only on Mondays" or "at assemblies". "Do they say 'One Nation Under God?'" "Yes."
• "We need a closed campus."
• About Amber: "Is she that tree-hugger?"
• "I can't vote for either of you. You're too conservative."
• One woman thinks there should be no WASL nor national standard tests. "The tests they get in the classroom is enough... Who cares how they rate nationally?"
• "I'm not planning to vote this election." "Since fewer people vote in off-years, do you realize your vote counts more?" "OK, maybe I'll vote for these."