Thursday, March 24th, was the last day for candidates for the Havre School Board to get their petitions filed with the clerk of schools for the May 3rd election. We are told that current board members Curtis Smeby and Darlene Bricker have filed for another term. We are getting conflicting reports as to whether board member Cindy Erickson has filed but we do have at least one new-comer to add to the mix. Pastor Curt from the Assembly of God Church has decided to throw his hat in the ring and sent the following letter to his friends and congregation.
Dear Friends,
Today I turned in my paperwork to run as a candidate for school board member - district #16. I would appreciate your vote for me at the school board election on May 4th, 2011. I am running as an "Independent" because, at the present time, there is no such party as "Republicrat." I am Republican as to moral values and absolutes, like Pro-Life...
With regards to economics and issues where there are no absolute moral 'rights' and 'wrongs' - I like to weigh the issue out, with no regard as to whether the solution presented originates from a Republican or Democratic source...
I have a vested interest in our school system. My sons, Sam and Matt, attend school at Havre High School. My oldest daughter is a Concordia College graduate, teaching choir and Spanish. My daughter, Kimmi, is training to become an English teacher.
I am in favor of the public school system (I also am in favor of home schools.) I desire for our public schools to provide a great scholastic education for our children --- reading, writing, arithematic. I do not desire for our public schools to take the place of parents in teaching children morals, sexual orientation, etc.I believe we are to be good stewards of whatever money is made available. If that involves making budget cuts at times, so be it - but let's be careful not to "cut off our nose to spite our face." I admit that I am a novice when it comes to school board issues. I do not claim to be able to do a better job as a school board member than anyone else. I only promise to do the best job that I can do for you.
With that in mind, please make me aware of your concerns and ideas; I will do my best to represent you and your children well.
Thank you for your time in reading this e-mail. Thank you for possibly voting for me on May 4th, 2011.
If you will vote for me, will you please share this e-mail with a likeminded friend or two, who would do the same... I am not soliciting any campaign funds, nor will I do so. I am totally depending on God's will and your word of mouth for any publicity.
Appreciating Public Schools & Working to see them operate at optimum levels,
Edroy "CURT" Curtis; School Board Candidate - District #16
Don’t both superintendent Andy Carlson and school clerk Zella Witter both go to the church where Curt is the preacher? Seems like of a bit of a conflict to me considering Curt will be boss in one situation and Andy and Zella will be boss in the other.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that there are never any candidates for the school board that will actually stand up for the taxpayers. Realistically speaking why would anyone want this volunteer job where people are coming out of the woodwork to bash and belittle you for trying to make a difference. Just use the treatment of Representative Hansen as the perfect example
ReplyDeleteI agree Jimbo but I think that elected people once elected are convinced that they have to protect the school from the public. They make rules and policies to try to prevent the school from being sued and reduce liability and these rules and policies seem to make things worse. Every time something happens the school calls the police, they have no problem starting a criminal record on a young student. You may think that a juvenile record is sealed from the public but it is not sealed if you want a scholarship to a major university , or if you want to get hired by some corporations. If the school feels that the police need to be called when a student gets caught smoking or chewing on school property because that student is breaking the law. I wonder what would happen if every student called the police every time they see a faculty member break the law, like maybe having a couple beers with there pizza or some wine with supper then driving home. If you are going to promote tough zero tolerance rules then you better not foul up yourself. What happened to the days when schools treated students like there own children and taught them through guidance not the law. It is time that the schools remember that they are owned and funded by the public they are trying to be protected from.
ReplyDeletefuelburner
ReplyDeleteThe parents of students are pathetic. Schools and teachers have to contact law enforcement, or they face lawsuits. Times have changed unfortunatly, if a student does not succed because they are lazy its the school/teachers fault. If a student flunks a test because they did not study, they were to busy watching television, teachers fault. If a student is disiplined for telling a teacher to F off, teachers fault they should not have told the student to be quit in the classroom. The parents of today have changed the enviroment of teachers not being able or willing to accept the risk of treating them as "their Children" not the public school system. Parents need to wake up and understand that their child is not perfect and yes their child makes mistakes, but until they quit pointing the finger at everyone else nohing will change.
Ya those pathetic parents pay those smart teachers isn't that something. When was the last time Havre schools were sued for not calling the law when a student chews in school? get real. The highschool has a math teacher so lazy she uses the internet instructor to teach her class with no help from her now that is pathetic. What seems pathetic is that we pay more for one of the poorest educations in the world our kids are testing lower every year, must be the pathetic parents fault. I konw that kids are not perfect but we need to be carefull of what we teach if you use the law then expect the law to be used on you.
ReplyDeleteeducation students typically score 20% below other college student majors (administrators 26% lower)...
ReplyDeletebut then...
the average police officer in the nation graduated in the bottom half of his/her HIGH SCHOOL class.
so amelikans have reason to feel really safe and really smart.
might not be the kids...
or all the parents.
You always have interesting statistics Johnson.
ReplyDeleteWhat / where are you using for sources for this info? I want to study up on some of your facts
So why hasn't anyone responded to Rat Attacker's comment regarding conflict of interest? Is this an untouchable comment? And really is this a conflict of interest for Pastor and congregation member to serve on the same board? It has been hard for Rolly Hutton to be in the state legislature and continue as Pastor. Politics and religion seldom mix well as one has to give. A better quesion is how is Pastor Curt going to handle this? What happens if the board decides to not renew Andy's contract? How will Pastor Curt respond to the potential wrath of a congregation that perhaps disagrees with his vote?
ReplyDeleteSo why hasn't anyone responded to the comment by Rat Attacker? Is it a conflict of interest for a Pastor to and congregation member to serve so closly within the district? Probably not as everyone knows everyone in Havre which makes it difficult to not have conflicts of interest. A better question is how will Pastor Curt handle this situation? What happens if the board decides to not renew Andy's contract? How will Pastor Curt handle the wrath of a congregation that disagrees with his vote? Religion and politics typically don't mix well, just ask those who have tried in the past.
ReplyDeletejimbo...
ReplyDeleteeducational testing service on teachers...
testimony in u s district court new haven ct (home of yale, haha) by police department...
national average gpa for police officer candidates is 2.0 coming out of high school and 100 i q.
any higher and officers "get bored"...
court dismissed discrimination suit by applicant that scored 125 on i q screening test.
ruled that department can set lower standards as long as there is equal application. ???