Two items from me today:
1) Questions for candidates: Having been a school board candidate twice and
now beginning my 6th year on the Board, I would like to caution list members
about commencing a random e-based Q&A of candidates on this forum. When I
was running the first couple of these queries I read seemed reasonable and
valuable, but they rapidly progressed into issues that were virtually
impossible to "discuss" in writing, irrelevant to service on the Board, or
inappropriate to ask/answer. Yes, candidates for public office should expect
to be asked such questions, but I will argue that they should never be
compelled to respond, and especially not in writing on a public forum.
We have in the past and continue to host structured discussions with
candidates within this forum, as well as in-person events such as is
currently being organized for mayoral candidates. Those allow all
candidates, and especially newcomers to the electoral process, some time to
organize their thoughts, hear what's important to community members, and
consider some options. It allows community members to pose tough questions,
hear what candidates really think, and follow up to add depth and breadth to
their understanding of the candidates' positions.
That's quite different from random shots across a candidate's (virtual) bow,
and if they were to ask me, I would urge them to respond privately to
posters asking such questions, and have the conversations by phone or in
person, NOT via email -- email about complex and/or personal issues creates
too many opportunities for misunderstandings in both directions, which
serves no one well.
2) Appointment to fill vacant seat + restructuring Board leadership: As
Board member Al Oertwig posted via Matt Flory earlier this week, the Board
has not had a formal discussion of how to proceed with the seat being
vacated by Toni Carter's election to the County Board. This is because it
would have been inappropriate to do so prior to her election because it
would have presumed the outcome. We have received information about the
process from our attorney and will review that when we meet.
This decision will not occur at the regular Board meeting next Tuesday. We
will begin with a formal discussion at a Committee of the Board meeting that
is in the process of being scheduled. COB meetings are open to the public
and take place on the 5th floor of the Bd/Admin building (360 Colborne St)
in a less formal setting; all meeting dates, times, and topics are available
at www.spps.org under Leadership. FYI, no final votes are taken in COB
meetings; all are brought forward to regular Bd meetings for final votes.
Our other job is to elect a new chair and make any other internal leadership
decisions required. That will follow the same process as above, with a
discussion and preliminary decisions in a to-be-scheduled COB meeting, with
final votes at the regular Board meeting.
As always, call or email with any questions or comments.
-- Anne Carroll, St. Paul School Board
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Anne R. Carroll
Carroll, Franck & Associates
Public Involvement, Strategic Planning, Communications
1357 Highland Parkway
St. Paul, MN 55116 USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
651-690-9162 School Board: 651-690-9156
"The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." -- Martin Luther
King, Jr.
"...You will be more credible and you will be more powerful if you do not
separate the lives you live from the words you speak." -- Paul Wellstone
"A politician worries about the next election. A true states[wo]man worries
about the next generation, and children yet unborn." - e.e. cummings
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