Well, we’re coming into the home stretch of this campaign, and I can’t say I’m sorry to see it coming to a close.  It doesn’t seem as if we’ve really been at it long, and at the same time, it seems like it’s been going on forever.  I think I will be glad to have my life and routine go back to normal.  It probably wouldn’t have been so crazy if I hadn’t been juggling so much at work at the same time, but I’m happy to have survived the experience.

One of the things you learn in your life’s more stressful moments, is who your real friends are.  Many of the people who came through in various ways were no surprise.  They are my good friends and colleagues; people with whom I have long-standing friendships.  Others, though, are people who I really didn’t know that well, but who have professed a belief in me by virtue of their guidance, their contributions to my campaign or their generous thoughts and words when I needed them most.  There have certainly been those who have surprised me in exactly the opposite way, by withdrawing support and friendship for reasons somewhat mysterious to me.  I understand people do what they need to and holding a grudge has never been my style.  My personal test will be to appropriately  handle all these newly modified relationships should I be fortunate enough to retain my seat on the board.  I feel I am up to the task and look forward to moving ahead to do what is best for the children in the district.

This campaign has been a whirlwind, frustrating, enlightening, enjoyable and a pain in the neck all at the same time.  I can’t imagine what it must be like at the state and national levels when there is so much more to do, so much more territory to cover and so very much at stake.  I’ve barely been able to keep the grass cut and the laundry done, so I can’t imagine what it must be like to criss-cross the state or the country and keep a handle on everything you have to do in order to compete in a gubernatorial or presidential campaign.

One of the loose ends I will have after next week will be to decide what to do with this blog.  I have genuinely enjoyed writing the blog posts and have received a great deal of very positive feedback about its content.  I think I might continue to write about what I see in my daily rounds, what issues come up in our community, or other topics which might be of interest to people.  If people stop reading, I suppose that will be my indication to stop writing.  In the meantime, I’ll continue the campaign posts and we’ll see what happens next week.  Thank you for reading and for your continued support of my candidacy.

If you happened to see last Sunday’s Modesto Bee, (Oct.18) you read a bit about each candidates thoughts on the budget.  You read about their priorities, their willingness to reduce or not reduce particular programs and what they thought might address the minimum $15 million dollar shortfall the district will face next year.  Since the information provided by each candidate was severely limited, I thought I would provide some additional information to you on where I stand.

I had a question about my statement on health care costs.  I need to make very clear, my position is that we need to look at our health care costs, not that employees should necessarily pay more of those costs.  I believe we need to look the plan we offer, whether or not we can find something that would be more cost-effective and if there are any other ways to lower costs.  There are other plans, such as health savings accounts, that can provide substantial savings to employees under some circumstances.   There is nobody who doesn’t agree health care costs are spiraling out of control; I see that personally in my daily work.  Like most people, I am paying more for my own health insurance, that of my children and as an employer who provides health insurance benefits for my employees.  Like most employers, we have been forced to change our health care benefits in the last couple of years and our employees are paying more for their coverage.  My point is, health care costs are high, both for the district and for employees, and it warrants examination as a way to cut back.

I would never suggest we should discontinue providing health coverage for our employees.  I believe we need health care reform and nobody should be put in the position of being unable to see a doctor or taking care of their children because they can’t afford health insurance.  Health care and insurance are complex issues and I’m very happy to see our nation engaged in a discussion about improving access for all.  I encourage and support the idea of health care reform and hope that we can come together to make health care more affordable for all citizens.

School closures, as I have said before, may become a reality whether we like it or not.  Many districts have chosen to close schools for budgetary reasons and when schools are declining in enrollment, the option must be considered.  It may be a course of action that proves to be more palatable than others and I believe we must be open to the idea.

Essentially, when it comes to making budget reductions in the neighborhood of $15 million or more, we must be open to discussing everything.  We must also be realistic in our expectations of what will and won’t get us to the magic number we must reach.  There are other possibilities that haven’t been broached as of yet; I expect we will have to get very creative in our efforts to navigate this fiscal storm.  My hope is only that all parties working  toward the solutions will be willing to bend in ways they have not in the past.

I don’t think there is any question this campaign for the Modesto City Schools Board has been one for the record books.  Nine people in the race, all four incumbents running to retain their seats, a district in transition and virtually nobody agreeing on anything.  What I find most fascinating and certainly prevalent is the phenomenon of  “if you say it enough times, it becomes the truth”, whether it is or not.  We currently see the same trend at the state level.  According to a recent Field Poll, 57% of Californians believe the state can provide about the same level of services simply by eliminating waste and inefficiencies.  That this perception is patently false seems to have no bearing on its persistent spread.   This attitude is mirrored in our own community by people who seem to believe car allowances for managers and consulting fees are the roots of our fiscal inequity.  While you may not agree these items are necessary district expenses, it really depends on your perspective.  In general, most people will tell you that what someone else is getting is not necessary, but what they ask for is fair.  Perception is one’s reality; evidence to the contrary just gets in the way.

The chants of  “no more cuts” still echo in my mind from the last two years of very long, painful board meetings when people said they understood that sacrifices must be made, but please cut something besides….well, you can fill in the blank.  The emails, phone calls, impassioned pleas at the podium, on the street and in the grocery store all had the same themes:  my program is valuable, my service is critical, my job is necessary.  The sad thing was, those statements were true at the time and still are.  The education, special programs and peripheral services we provide through the district are all important and help children and families.  This is why it is so very difficult to decide how to proceed when you don’t have the money to pay for all the things people ask for and need.  Most people would conclude the public school system can’t do it all, but can’t agree on what they should stop doing.

Discussions of budgets and personalities have obscured the issue that should always be at the forefront of any school board campaign:  the education and welfare of children.  There has been very little discussion about children, their needs and how to best educate them in this campaign.  The questions asked at candidate forums related to children have been few and far between.  People aren’t talking about what kinds of instructional strategies work best for English learners, whether small class sizes really make a difference for children or whether we should be teaching algebra to eighth-graders.  Children have somehow become tangential in the battle for who will prevail in the perceived district power struggle.  It’s time for everyone to stop claiming righteous indignation, pointing fingers and work together to provide the kind of education the children in our community deserve.

Every once in a while, when I start to ride the downhill slope that is running for public office, I stop and remember how really lucky I am.  I have a supportive family,  amazing children, a brilliant and special man in my life, remarkable co-workers and incredibly loyal friends.  Through my affiliations with the Stanislaus County Commission for Women and the Modesto Rotary, I have developed relationships with many interesting and unique people who have enriched my life and given me new perspectives.  The group of women working with me on my campaign have been so dedicated and supportive of my efforts and I am constantly amazed at their talent and creativity.  What I realize is that I have many people in my life that genuinely love me; some who are not even related to me.  What, you may ask, does any of this have to do with politics or for that  matter, education?

The answer is, relationships, support and opportunities.  Research shows that children who have supportive loving relationships with adults will be more successful in school.  Children who have people in their lives who take them music lessons, soccer practice, read to them, help them with their homework, encourage them and tell them they are special are indeed blessed.  They have an advantage over children who do not have those people cheering them on.  The thing we have to remember is that they don’t need many of those caring adults, they really only need one or two.  If they don’t have those people in their home, oftentimes, they can and do find them at school.  Whether a music teacher, basketball coach, librarian, counselor or custodian, school staff have a tremendous impact on students and can genuinely change the life of a child.  It’s very easy to find people who will tell you about a favorite teacher…someone who inspired them in their choice of career, hobby or dream. The reverse is true as well, many people have stories about someone at school whose careless comment or insensitivity caused them to give up, to quit or talk themselves out of a dream.  The lesson here is to realize the power of our words and deeds and that we must take great care when dealing with children and their sometimes fragile egos.

One of the tenants of the Modesto City Schools strategic plan is the emphasis on relationships.  The relationships between students, teachers, administrators and staff are the basis of student success.  Caring adults can provide support, guidance and wisdom to students who often have nowhere to turn.  It is also important to remember the benefits of these relationships are not one-way.  Spend any time at all with a young person, and you will immediately realize how much you gain from the interaction.  Our young people have a great deal to say and warrant  an educational environment that encourages them to think deeply and broadly.  I want to see our schools provide all of our children with the opportunities, caring and relationships I enjoy.  What they do with those opportunities is up to them, but they all deserve their shot.

A topic hotly discussed with regards to politicians is ethics.  Unethical and immoral behavior by elected officials is the mainstay of late-night comedy and we never see a long period of time elapse before a scandal breaks involving national, state or local politicians.  Thankfully, we haven’t heard too much of that here on the local level, but does it mean our elected officials are behaving in an ethical way?  Are the small breaches of ethics really that important to the electorate?  If a person is capable of minor infractions, does it indicate a propensity for more major violations?

I differentiate between ethics and morals  in this way:  an ethical person knows the rules and lives by them where a moral person lives by the rules without necessarily knowing what they are, but because they intuitively know the right thing to do.  Many believe you must be a religious person to be moral, but I don’t believe that is the case.  Religious instruction plays a large role in the development of morals and ethics because it gives us codes to live by, but not belonging to an organized religion does not preclude one from morality.  Most people are generally ethical, but engage in periodic lapses of judgment because we are human.

Elected officials are held to a higher standard of ethics, and rightfully so.  As a keeper of public dollars and the public trust, we must understand our obligation to behave in an ethical, honest way even when nobody is watching.  Many a politician has been lulled into a false sense of security and privacy, then behaved in a way that raises eyebrows, red flags, news stories and personal regret when the jig is up.  Is it arrogance, a sense of entitlement or ignorance that causes people to believe they are invincible or above the law?  Probably a combination of all three, but arrogance seems to play the biggest role, while ignorance is the most common excuse for bad behavior.

Sex scandals, financial scandals and other immoral, unethical behavior on a large scale are the things that get media time and our attention.  I believe, however, that it’s the little things that count.  Recently, my daughter asked me if she could use my district-issued  athletic pass to enter a football game.  I don’t fault her for asking and I don’t think she understood the implications of her request.  I used it as a “teachable moment” to explain the pass was issued to me so that I could show support of schools as a board member, not as a “get into the game free” card for anyone who wanted it.  After the fairly predictable “who’s going to know?” questions and answers, she understood and I had the opportunity to impart what I believed to be a valuable lesson. The question of “who’s going to know?” was the whole point…it didn’t matter that anyone other than I would know.

The responsibility of elected officials and others in positions of authority is to tell the truth, act in an ethical way and not abuse their authority and power regardless of who knows about it.  If we are to expect our tax dollars to be spent in a responsible way, we must be able to trust those charged with that responsibility.  We must believe they work for the common good and not for select members of the public.  Is the devil really in the details?  In this case, yes, I believe it is.

Does everyone feel like all we hear, talk or think about anymore is the economy, our personal finances and what a sad state of affairs we face?  In California, we not only feel the effects of the national recession, but an unprecedented state fiscal crisis as well.  Our housing industry has been decimated, state and county services have been slashed, health care services are harder to come by and education has been cut back to is lowest levels in recent memory.  When state and federal monies wane, local school districts pay the price and school boards find themselves in the unenviable position of telling students, teachers, parents and their communities what will be eliminated from their schools.

One of the things many school districts are considering in order to save money is the closure of schools.  This has also been a subject in all the candidate forums where, as I recall, all the participating candidates said school closures would be something they would consider as a cost saving measure.  One of the candidates was of the opinion the Modesto City School district should have moved toward closing schools some time ago and suggested  we have been negligent for not doing so.  Some question why we are discussing school closures while simultaneously building and opening a new high school in Salida.  Briefly, the high school is financed through a bond measure passed several years ago to alleviate overcrowding at the high schools and provide a more even geographical distribution of students throughout the district.  Bond funds cannot be used for purposes other than those designated by the language in the bond.

For the last several years, the elementary district has experienced a decline in enrollment.  At the same time, however, some of our high schools remain significantly overcrowded.   We continue to experience a decline in enrollment at the elementary level, though it does seem to be slowing.  Essentially, the logic is that if you don’t have enough students for a facility, you consider closing the facility to save in staffing, maintenance, utility and other costs and redistribute the students among other schools.   In addition to realizing a savings by closing a facility, the district could simultaneously generate additional revenue by leasing the closed school, using it as a charter school or for some other purpose.  There are a number of possibilities, but they don’t come without a cost.

Closing schools is not ideal and very painful.  There is a disruption to students and families, reduction of staff virtually always ending in a loss of jobs.  There are a great many things we must consider in the discussion of closing facilities, beginning with the projected or actual enrollment declines and whether it is likely they will continue.  There is always an effect on other facilities when students are transferred and we must consider the impact as well as the consequences to all the schools’ educational offerings.  There is a cost to the displacement of students and staff, including transportation costs of students and the reassignment of the school staff.  If we are to consider using the empty facility for other purposes, we must determine the viability of such a propsal and the cost of development of a plan of use.

No one believes the closure of a school is the best course of action for the community, but it could be an option that makes the most sense for the district.  Any action taken regarding a closure must be done with the utmost consideration and deliberation.  As we continue navigating the uncertain financial path thrust upon us, we must not rule out anything that keeps the district financially solid while maintaining high academic standards.

I seem to have fallen into a routine of getting to sleep sometime around 11:00 pm and waking sometime between 4-4:30 am.  This is not fun, folks, but in the spirit of using my time wisely, I thought I might as well post a blog.  I will admit it takes me a little longer to complete the task, as spelling and typing are not nearly as easy when you’re bleary-eyed and virtually unable to see without your contact lenses!

When I ran for school board four years ago, I have to admit to feeling pretty good, and to be honest, pretty smug about the whole thing.  The stars were aligned:  there was an open seat because Kate Nyegaard had decided not to run again, I had some good endorsements and an influx of cash along with those endorsements, people to do a great deal of the work with me and what I thought was a decent grasp of issues facing us in educating our young people.  What I didn’t realize is while I had a lot going for me, most of the advice and information I was getting was from a single  source and while it was an important perspective, it wasn’t close to what I would need to see the whole picture.  What I have found since getting the job is that I had no idea what goes into running a school district, that the issues we face are incredibly complex, and most importantly, you cannot, as a board member, do anything in isolation.

Questions on the campaign trail tend to be phrased “What would you do about…” or “If you were elected, how would you deal with…”  The reality is no single board member can make any policy change without bringing a minimum of three other members along for the ride.  The other reality is that we are bound by a great many tethers, including state and federal statute and mandates, contract agreements with bargaining units, the desire to do what is best for students and the district, our personal beliefs and values and allegiance and consideration of the voters who elected us to the office.  These and other elements play a role in all our decisions and by the time you consider all the factors, even the topics that first seemed no-brainers become something you wrestle with.  I am one of those people who probably think about things more than I need to, but I think good public servants do put deep thought into the items that come to them on their meeting agendas and other issues that come to their attention.

I think we should ask candidates questions that begin “How would you work with your colleagues to address….” or “Would you try to convince other trustees of the value and validity of you position on…” rather than feeding the notion that one board member can or should expect to single-handedly save the district and the children.  Our society is one which cannot  accomplish its goals with individuals, groups or organizations toiling in isolation.  In education, we are no different:  we have no choice but to work together if we want to provide our children with a meaningful education and an optimistic future.  We must understand it is not a character flaw to say “I don’t know, but I will find out” or “I don’t know, but I will educate myself on this topic and work with my colleagues to find a solution.”   As elected officials, we can’t be expected to know everything, but it is our obligation to lead with honesty, integrity, responsiblity, compassion and understanding.  School board candidates must recognize the reality of the duty they seek:  you must work as a team with other Trustees, the Superintendent and other staff to make any progress or change for children.

Following a couple of rather lively candidate forums in the past 24 hours, I have some thoughts to share about campaigns, debate, disagreement and appropriate behavior.  I never, in a million years, expected to be called names during a debate with adults running for political office.  This is the stuff of grade school; I expect more mature and intelligent behavior from people who expect to be taken seriously in the political arena.  Today, while participating in a candidates forum with MICL (pronounced “Michael), a candidate stated that an abstention from a particular vote made one a “chicken”.  This candidate was referring to me; I responded with an explanation of my reasoning which had absolutely nothing to do with being “chicken”.  Further into the forum, this candidate “apologized” to me for calling me a chicken, stating what he should have said was that I was “less than honest”.  After the forum, he tried again to apologize, citing a “brain freeze” and I did not then, nor do I now, accept the apology or the explanation.

I take issue with the statements, of course, as they apply to me, but more than that, I take issue with candidates making personal attacks on me or anyone else who has served in public office, done so in good faith, and has made a conscious effort to do the right thing.  I’m not perfect, by any means, and I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, but I have sought public office because I want to make a difference in the lives of the people living in my community.  I find people who admit they have lessons to learn refreshing and appealing and I don’t believe those who make those admissions are flawed.  Rather, I think it shows they are open to listening, to learning and to working collaboratively and democratically toward solutions that serve everyone, not just those who agree with them.

Misinformation, flawed logic and distortions are common in political campaigns.  Many people tend to manipulate information to serve their purpose, their agenda.  Those running for office are no exception; they want to win and most will do what they think it takes in order to do so.  Distorting the facts, making personal attacks and telling only part of the story are things candidates do when they feel like they are falling behind and must do something to gain an advantage.  Good people, good candidates, will not fall prey to the temptation of mudslinging.  I think it’s worth considering  a candidate’s behavior towards their colleagues and their affection for the truth when casting your vote.

So, let’s talk about dropout rates.  High school dropout rates have been a big topic of conversation on the campaign trail and  is a great concern throughout the state and the country.  In our area, the rate is very close to 25% and I don’t think anyone would argue that is entirely too high.  The costs to our society of students dropping out of school is high.  We know the scenario too well:  drop out of school and you have a greater risk of being periodically unemployed, on public assistance or cycling in and out of the prison system.  Those who don’t finish school make substantially less money over a lifetime and are more likely to have children who drop out.  Our communities suffer with fewer productive workers and higher associated costs of health care, incarceration and social services.  If we all agree dropping out is a problem, can we agree to the reasons why students drop out and find solutions?

The reasons young people drop out of school are numerous.  Most studies cite a few broad reasons for dropping out:  personal circumstances, a lack of connection to the school environment, the perception that school is boring and feeling unmotivated.  Personal circumstances can include substance abuse problems, mental health issues, homelessness and others.  Many students feel a disconnection from their schools, saying they are bored, classes are not interesting or they don’t feel anyone cares about them.  They  assert they don’t have a relationship with the adults at their schools, and that their parents are unaware of their poor grades or that they were considering dropping out of school.  Another important factor in a student’s decision to drop out is the general attitude of their community towards education.  Communities that consider education a priority and choose to put resources, time and energy into improving education and its availability to young people, have lower rates of dropouts.  What is true in your household is true in your community:  if you value education and convey that attitude to your children, your children will be more successful in school.

Having identified the drop-out rate as a problem and broadly determining the various reasons it exists, what are the solutions?  In my work,   I have seen the consequences of the personal problems that cause young people to drop out of school, so feel best qualified to speak to them.  I see the toll of violence in the home, sexual violence that causes many young women to change or drop out of school, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and the sense of  hopelessness that accompanies  all these circumstances.  This community has a great many resources to aid young people and their families in dealing with these issues and should be better utilized.  Education on these topics for adults including parents, teachers, and administrators should be encouraged and available.  Resources for young people need to be available and we cannot shy away from addressing subjects because they make us uncomfortable.  Research has shown that peer counseling has a greater impact on teens and they are more likely to seek advice from a peer than an adult.  Peer counseling programs with well-trained young people would be an excellent addition to our school sites along with increased mentoring and tutoring programs to address the relational and academic needs of our students.  There are a great number of college students seeking internship opportunities that would be well suited for this type of work.  As the Executive Director of Haven Women’s Center, I would be more than willing to help develop a plan and training program to pilot such a program.

There are many young people who want to be in school, but whose circumstances cause them to believe they can’t handle the task.  It is the responsibility of school personnel, along with the members of our community, to provide them with the support they need to reach their goals.  Can we live up to the challenge?