Dear Editor:
I wholeheartedly endorse and ask you to vote for the Forward Together slate (Jennifer Evans (1), Sheillah Dallara (2) and Irene Sobolov (4)) for our school board on Nov. 8. You will not find more passionate and thoughtful people dedicated to represent and protect all our kids and their educational futures than Jennifer, Sheillah and Irene.
I am fortunate to be married to Jennifer and have seen the time and energy she devotes fulfilling her duty to the children in our public schools. We have two children attending Wallace School and they inspire her to work hard. Jennifer volunteers many hours reviewing agendas, attending Board and committee meetings, speaking with parents and doing what is needed to improve our schools and the educational opportunities our kids deserve. Jennifer’s devotion to the District has changed weekend plans and interrupted vacations because she, and our family, accept the seriousness of her role as a trustee.
The opposing slate has proven their lack of commitment to the District by never having attended a single Board meeting. Their campaign suggests cutting costs but, during the forum (in which not a single question on commitment to the district was asked), they could only suggest reducing litigation and consultant fees, both of which are either appropriate or minimal. They couldn’t suggest anything else because “they had not seen the budget”. Their ignorance on their key platform is inexcusable as the budget is on the Board’s website and a public budget meeting is held every spring.
To reiterate Jennifer’s closing forum point: Tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are. The other slate walks with associates of previous Board trustees who, among other things, based on a formal audit, enjoyed numerous $400.00+ and $600.00+ post-board meeting dinners and gave cell phones and no-show jobs to friends using money that should have been spent on our schools and students. Their supporters tried to bully and intimidate FT candidates at the forum with blinding lights and jeering. It was a long process to undo the deep harm caused by previous Board administrations. We are finally turning the corner with improvements such as the new Project Lead the Way STEM curriculum, many new programs to challenge and support our students and the afterschool Passport to Learning program as well as an exceptional superintendent, Dr. Johnson.
We cannot go backward. We have to go forward together. Vote 1-2-4 and walk with Jennifer, Sheillah and Irene.
Frank Magaletta