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How I’ll Cast My Second School Board Vote

Last updated on 2012.06.04

It's election day in Madison! If you haven't decided yet, neighbors, I've posted five reasons you should cast one of your school board votes for me on my campaign website. Read that list. Watch the forum videos the way you'd watch a job interview, and you'll see I'm 100% ready for this job. Hire me. Vote for me.

That said, you and I still have a second vote to use. Whom to choose for the Madison Central School Board? Nathan Nash, Corey Gunderson, Jennie Thompson, or Shawn Miller? All four of the other school board candidates are decent parents, workers, and citizens. How to choose?

If we continue the job interview paradigm, we first strike Nathan Nash. At last week's forum, he confessed a lack of knowledge on two consecutive questions about the most obvious and pressing issues facing the school, the budget and the building project. Socratic wisdom can be a virtue, but not in a job interview. Nash sounded the least ready for the job.

Next off my list: Corey Gunderson. His exhortation that we get past the gym seemed disingenuous: how can we not talk about the gym when it is the one great indispensable part of the building plan he wants to run by the voters again? Gunderson also gives me pause when he urges us to vote for him because serving on the school board would be a chance for him to spread his wings. I want a candidate focused on talking about major issues affecting the entire district, not on his own personal growth and/or resume-padding.

Jennie Thompson shows a lack of consistency on policy. She advocates sticking with the luxury gym plan as well, raising the alarmist spectre of our children dying in a fiery art room catastrophe if we don't have a 2500-seat gym while refusing to seriously consider cheaper alternative construction plans. Yet she hesitates to support the payday shift scheme to avoid cuts in FY2012 programs because she is worried we might face further funding cuts next year. I asked Jennie whether those cuts would also justify scaling back our building plans and waiting on that new gym she wants... and my question has gone unanswered for five days.

I want to give Thompson credit for being the only other candidate to establish any Web presence. Unfortunately, her Facebook campaign page doesn't tell us much about her policy positions or specific solutions for the school district's budget and building troubles. She does, however, tell us that one of her interests is shopping... not exactly a passion that speaks to the fiscal conservatism imposed on us by Pierre.

That leaves us with Shawn Miller. Back in February, Miller was the only other candidate to announce his candidacy with a press release discussing specific policy issues. (Again, compare Jennie Thompson who gave us a nice press release on her family and background but nothing on policy.) He was the only other candidate I heard on KJAM and in the public forum last week really questioning the school board.

While Nash, Gunderson, and Thompson would likely plug themselves right into the status quo, Miller offers the best hope of bringing alternative ideas to the school board and using straight talk to restore public trust. That's why Miller gets my vote. That's why he should get yours.

Related: LK is also taking his local election very seriously. Local government matters, folks! Go vote!

3 Comments

  1. joelie hicks 2011.04.12

    My husband says if you get us a ride to the polls, we will vote for you.
    Need directions to Twin Brooks?
    All kidding aside, best of luck.

  2. Shawn Miller 2011.04.12

    Thanks for the vote of confidence Cory. I have been telling my backers as well to vote for you. If I don't make it in, I just hope that people realize, there is always more than one way to accomplish a task. Sometimes we just have to work harder or think more. Good luck Cory!

  3. caheidelberger Post author | 2011.04.12

    Joelie, Shawn, thanks! "Work harder, think more" -- dang! Why didn't I think of that campaign slogan? Wait, I think I did use it... in my classroom! :-)

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