Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 10:08:28
-0400
From: Martha Robertson <mrob@twcny.rr.com>
Subject: SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTIONS TODAY -- VOTE!!
Sorry, folks. I forgot to attach Mark Finkelstein's letter. Here it
is.
To the one or two people who wrote me complaining that I shouldn't
respond in as partisan a manner as Mark Finkelstein had written, I would
answer that it's quite appropriate that I do so. Mark raised partisan
issues, for the first time (in my memory, at least) in local school
elections. He didn't write as an individual but clearly as Republican
Chair. He's certainly entitled to do that but I felt strongly that
someone should respond. School board candidates and others involved in
the schools should not be drawn into a partisan debate, and to my
knowledge they haven't. But since I am an elected official known as a
Democrat, I don't mind answering his charges. I wrote as an individual
and as a Democrat, and no county resources were used in doing
so.
And by the way, the State of Arizona also uses third-grade reading
levels to predict the future need for prison cells; it's not just
California. I just didn't bother to mention that in my earlier message.
I'm attaching the NPR transcript from a 2002 story as the
reference.
Please remember to vote today!
Martha Robertson
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends and neighbors,
As you probably know, Tuesday, May 18, is the day to elect candidates for
school board across the state and to vote on local school budgets for the
coming year.
The attached letter represents a disturbing development in the conduct of
school district elections, which have been genuinely nonpartisan in years
past. Whatever the origin of this tradition, I believe it has served our
children and our community well.
Now we see a new development with the mailing of a letter to Republicans
in the Ithaca City School District, from the Chair of the County
Republican Party. Mark Finkelstein is trying to make the budget vote and
the choice of candidates into partisan issues.
In the letter Mr. Finkelstein writes: "...many board members have
views on the curriculum and other issues that differ from those of most
Republicans." Perhaps he means that many board members would NOT
encourage poor students to drop out so test scores would appear to go up,
as they did to achieve the "Texas Miracle" under Gov. George W.
Bush. I also worry about Republicans who claim to have
"fiscally-sound views." By that, do they mean they will follow
the model we've watched in Washington over the last 3+ years?
Personally I strongly encourage district voters to approve both
Proposition 1 (the budget) and Proposition 2 (directing the use of the
present reserve fund to cover repair expenses in our school buildings).
The PTA Council, representing all the PTAs in the Ithaca City School
District, has overwhelming endorsed the ICSD 2004-05 budget. They write:
"This budget balances the needs of our children with the fiscal
demands made on our taxpayers as best as could be done. A NO vote will
result in a budget that cuts even more services to our
children."
The State of California uses the percentage of third-graders reading
at grade level to predict the need for prison cells in future years.
Let's provide what children need, now, and not wait until they
fail.
I also urge you not to waste your vote, and to choose three candidates
you think will serve our children well. I'm especially hopeful that,
except for Mr. Finkelstein's desperate attempt, partisan politics remain
out of school district elections.
Election Day information: