There are three candidates on our ballot for Ohio State Bd of
education --we choose one. And need to pray for whoever gets elected.
KATHLEEN A. MCGERVEY-- single, 45, engineer and surveyor, aunt of many
children, tutor in math and science for inner city students; concerned
for their education. She is a 4-year incumbent on the board which has
effected school choice for students from failing schools --and enabled
home school students to participate in public school part time and the
extra curricular activities (Like my grandson Jacob, now taking 3
classes and marching band at A.W. --a right for home-schoolers
considering their parents are also tax payers like the public school
parents.) She describes herself as being for "family values" and is
endorsed by some good groups. She is a pro-life Catholic.
If children from inner-city,
failing schools qualify for private (including religious) schools, they
may now attend the private school with state aid for a better education
--if they currently are enrolled in public school and if they apply by a
certain deadline. The private school does not, however, have to lower
admission, attendance, academic, religious and behavior standards to let
such children in. (In my opinion, this funding should be available to
all the private school students in ALL districts, and would be if we
had vouchers to take to the school of one's choice. As it is, if you
are already in private school, even if you live in a failing district, you don't get
the aid. You only get it if you need rescued from a failing school
--and you have to apply early in the year. The state figures if you are
already funding your kids in private school, you don't need their
help.)
RAY YOUNG is another self-acclaimed republican
conservative running for state board of education. Retired, he has many years
of experience as teacher, father, grandfather and other board
membership. He is most articulate in writing and speaking. (Hear his
interview on WSPD.) Google the candidates--they also have Facebook
pages. He is a Christian who says he will not compromise his convictions as a board member.
KIM REDFERN, a young mother with small business history,
wants more democrats on that board (8 of 19 get appointed by the
governor and are likely republicans.) Her husband is chairman of Ohio
Democratic Party.
Kim and Ray do not believe in vouchers for
school choice --where public funds follow students to private schools.
All candidates think charter schools should meet some standards --some
of these schools have not tested well. The great irony of liberal
thinking on this --the teachers' unions don't want competition by
private or charter schools funded by gov't, as it may cut into their
incomes. Their idea of "better education is more money" for the public
school teachers and the buildings. Yet their schools continue to fail
in the inner city.
The conservative solution is competition for gov't
funding from private schools accepting the motivated students from the
poorer, failing districts. Help kids escape their unruly peers in
schools that can't make up for the deficits of discipline at home and in
school. NO question in my mind, that it's the culture of
unwed and teen parenting, fatherlessness and crime and disrespect for authority and rules-- and
schools that are large and impersonal --and disrespect for education
itself -- which all effect both poverty and failing schools.
I
recommend KATHLEEN MCGERVEY because of good changes allowing school
choice by our state board with her on it and support for her from family values groups. I believe RAY YOUNG is also an acceptable candidate. Perhaps Kasich can appoint
Ray Young some day; my only objection to him is that he IS a
professional educator --opposing funding for school choice (PTA
questionnaire) --while saying he IS for school choice --just not diverting public school funds to pay for private.
I do
wish someone would address the new (as of last year) state requirements
on public school teachers concerning their objectives, implementation
and measurement of student progress --making new, esoteric,
unnecessary, time-consuming burden on the teachers --in addition to the
planning, testing and grading they already do. I heard of this from a
teacher who is busy enough doing a good job without this new burden from the state. I don't think it's part of Common Core --but state requirement.
What I believe Christians should care about in education: school choice
via vouchers for all, not just the students from failing schools; the
rights of home schoolers to some public school participation as tax
payers; the whole truth in history ed about religion, racism, native
Americans, opportunity for all (see D'Souza's recent film) and sex ed
(no --latex does not make sex-perimentation and fornication inevitable
and 'right' for teens) --common sense re: "common core," sex ed; school
security, drug screening, science ed (don't claim proof in theories without mention of evidence to the contrary.)
The state should care that every district teaches
basic skills and fair
treatment of free enterprise, capitalism, democracy, western civ and even its predominant religion
--Judeo-Christianity. According to Education Research Analysts, a new
World History text by a major publisher proposed to the Texas State
Bd--whose decisions affect the whole nation's textbook choices-- has much
pro-Islam and anti-Christian, anti-American propaganda in it.
What should "educated people" learn?? Liberals have a very different
view on these things than do conservative Christians and we do not want
a federal department ruling from the top down --especially if their
views are liberal, anti American, anti-Christian and plainly immoral.
Politics and voting are important --and will affect the culture and
future for our children.
Candidates Ray Young and Kathleen McGervey agree that the feds should not be determining local education policy. PROFICIENCY TESTING, criticized by most everyone, came about in states because of the neglect of the basics --the Three R's --the fact that kids were failing to learn to read, etc. all the way to h.s. graduation. Testing students resulted in intervention --and helped to focus the teachers on the needs of the students --during an era when we were all about "values clarification" and "moral relativity in life skills" --social engineering -- at the expense of BASIC SKILLS for making a living and/or going on to college. Testing --and "teaching to the tests" --is not all bad if it focuses educators and students on learning basics (even core curricula.) However, I agree with candidates who don't want to see teachers judged by their students' test results --because even the best teachers in the failing schools can have really poor students who are "tuned out" to the objectives, possessing poor attitudes --and high truancy rate.
I think we could cut the federal budget
effectively by eliminating the federal dep't of education, their Common
Core and all. Common Core wouldn't be a bad idea, if we could trust
there would be political balance. As it is, we can't even expect
balance at a local level --with our liberal schools of eduction turning
out liberal teachers and other citizens who desire to "fundamentally
change America." Not that there aren't some changes needed these days
--but what changes determined by whom?? Co-ed bathrooms for school
children as in California? A mayor's demand for ministers' sermons as
in Houston, TX? Girls on the boys' wrestling and football teams?
Transgender females (males) unfairly competing with women? I don't think so!!!
Revival of common sense needed! And spiritual awakening. There IS a
higher power! and His name is Jesus! Separation of church and state does not mean leaving our faith-based convictions and morals --our respect and search for Truth about God, man and history -- at the voting booth door.
"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible
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