Mia Munn for School Board

[hulahoop]

It's hard to believe it won't be.  The public vs. charter debate is driving a lot of the conversation around education nationally, right now, especially with Arne Duncan at the helm.  I suspect that's a large part of why she lost, last time.  I'm not saying it will keep me from voting for her, but I think it's fair to wonder why we're electing someone to head our public schools who opted out of them for her own children? 

She's very knowledgeable, but like most knowledgeable people she has well developed opinions about how education should be,.  If I agree that those reflect the directions I want my child's school to go in, I'll vote for her.  But if I don't, I'm not going to just because she's nice on the internet and attends meetings, even though I'm grateful for that thankless service to the community.

[Silk_Hope]

Charter Schools are Public Schools, just a different type.

[hulahoop]

Charter Schools are Public Schools, just a different type.

They are publicly funded, but they are not what is usually meant by "public schools."  They are outside of the public school system Mia is running to help control. Mia took her children out of that system and put them in charter schools.  I applaud her for doing what she thought was best for her own kids, but I think it's fair to have questions about that decision in light of her campaign. 

[munn5]

Can we have a more detailed discussion of my views on charters and district schools, and anything else you want to ask me, after the 2010 election?

And can you guys ask the 2010 school board candidates these kinds of questions? I think they are great, but you can't vote for me for 2 years. 

(Or you can check my past posts - there are 108 pages of them, and the vast majority are on school issues.)

[chrstnhsbndfthr]

It is not SUPPOSED to be a partisan election, but it was and likely will be again. The Coalition wants people who will do as they are told and they worked hard to turn out the sheep for their candidate. They passed out pre-marked ballots, even in this non-partisan election.

The telling thing here is that no questions are being asked of CURRENT candidates. Mia likely will run again in the future, but she is not running now.  If a moment's spotlight were shined on the candidates running now, the shadow they cast could not shade Mia's smallest toe in the education arena. Let us focus on what we can do to pick the best of this lot, then after this election we can have a two year campaign about whether we want to help Mia improve education in Chatham county, or allow the Coalition to force-feed us another weak candidate.

[Snowball]

It is not SUPPOSED to be a partisan election, but it was and likely will be again. The Coalition wants people who will do as they are told and they worked hard to turn out the sheep for their candidate. They passed out pre-marked ballots, even in this non-partisan election.

The telling thing here is that no questions are being asked of CURRENT candidates. Mia likely will run again in the future, but she is not running now.  If a moment's spotlight were shined on the candidates running now, the shadow they cast could not shade Mia's smallest toe in the education arena. Let us focus on what we can do to pick the best of this lot, then after this election we can have a two year campaign about whether we want to help Mia improve education in Chatham county, or allow the Coalition to force-feed us another weak candidate.

I'm very interested in the current election, but I know very little about the Coalition. Who do you believe are its school board candidates?

[whatsup]

It is not SUPPOSED to be a partisan election, but it was and likely will be again. The Coalition wants people who will do as they are told and they worked hard to turn out the sheep for their candidate. They passed out pre-marked ballots, even in this non-partisan election.

The telling thing here is that no questions are being asked of CURRENT candidates. Mia likely will run again in the future, but she is not running now.  If a moment's spotlight were shined on the candidates running now, the shadow they cast could not shade Mia's smallest toe in the education arena. Let us focus on what we can do to pick the best of this lot, then after this election we can have a two year campaign about whether we want to help Mia improve education in Chatham county, or allow the Coalition to force-feed us another weak candidate.

I'm very interested in the current election, but I know very little about the Coalition. Who do you believe are its school board candidates?

One of them dropped out http://chatham-county-nc.com/bulletinboard/index.php/topic,19930.0.html

She referenced Del Turner. Deb McManus has also been a Chatham Coalition candidate and supporter.

[djkelly]

I'm not saying it will keep me from voting for her, but I think it's fair to wonder why we're electing someone to head our public schools who opted out of them for her own children? 

I think that's actually a good reason to vote for her.  She recognized that there were problems with the traditional school system that prompted her to enroll her children in a charter school.  Now she wants to work with the regular school system to help improve it.  Don't forget that while charter schools have more freedom in how they operate they also get less money per student so they have to be more efficient.

Obviously, if you're satisfied with the regular school system you'll vote for more of the same type of people to continue running it.  If you're dissatisfied you'll vote for someone who is willing to admit there are problems and has ideas about how to fix them.

Even if I didn't agree with her, I would still vote for her unless her opponent had something similar to offer.  Her level of devotion and thoroughness will bring more information to school board discussions.  Having dissenting views on a board is a good thing as long as they're all informed views.  It's too easy to overlook things if you only hear from people that agree with you.

[chrstnhsbndfthr]

It is not SUPPOSED to be a partisan election, but it was and likely will be again. The Coalition wants people who will do as they are told and they worked hard to turn out the sheep for their candidate. They passed out pre-marked ballots, even in this non-partisan election.

The telling thing here is that no questions are being asked of CURRENT candidates. Mia likely will run again in the future, but she is not running now.  If a moment's spotlight were shined on the candidates running now, the shadow they cast could not shade Mia's smallest toe in the education arena. Let us focus on what we can do to pick the best of this lot, then after this election we can have a two year campaign about whether we want to help Mia improve education in Chatham county, or allow the Coalition to force-feed us another weak candidate.

I'm very interested in the current election, but I know very little about the Coalition. Who do you believe are its school board candidates?

We'll know when they start endorsing candidates again.

[silercity/jm_pride]

WOW!  It always amazes me how people throw out statements as facts on this board.  They do it without any actual knowledge or bothering to look for facts.  Below are a couple of examples:


"1. whatsup

    One of them dropped out http://chatham-county-nc.com/bulletinboard/index.php/topic,19930.0.html

    She referenced Del Turner. Deb McManus has also been a Chatham Coalition candidate and supporter."



"2. mountain gal

    If I am not mistaken, McManus has a medical background."


1. I helped Deb put out some signs in the last election.  In both of her previous elections she refused offers of money from others because she did not want to feel influenced to do anything except what was best for the children of Chatham County.  She declined to run as a Coalition candidate for the same reason, to stay impartial.

In fact, members of the Coalition encouraged the 2 ladies to run in her race after she (and Gary Leonard) did not vote the way they wanted on an issue.  (I understand both are withdrawing now but have only seen one statement.)

So Ms. McManus has not been a candidate or necessarily a supporter of the Coalition, but has acted for the best interest of all CCSS kids.  The Coalition did give her a “soft” endorsement, which any group can do (the Indy supported her), but does not make her “their” candidate.


2. Deb does not have a medical background.  Her husband is a Family Physician in Siler City.  Her bio and experience was posted in the previous elections and I am sure will be as the forums begin soon.


We all have the right to our opinions, but to throw out “facts” when they are not (and we do not bother to check) is irresponsible and degrades the worth of this BB as a resource for the community.

[Snowball]

As much as it pains me to say it because she was so opposed to renovating Northwood, but in spite of her and her hubbies efforts to stop that, it happened anyway, so
I'm willing to let that be water under the bridge, Deb is very smart and a very hard working board member.  I try to over look the matching handbag and shoes that never
clash with the red mercedes benz.  I still think she has a slight preference for JM and that is one of the reasons she fought the Northwood redo, but JM needs a champion.

BMW 

[whatsup]

Despite the suggested nuances -

Deb McManus has also been a Chatham Coalition candidate and supporter.

[Silk_Hope]

BMW Convertible

[natvrabit]

God, BMW's suck. I was better off thinking she drove a MB.

what do you drive, just for fun in asking?

[mountain gal]

SilerCity/jm-pride,

If I had written it to be a fact about McManus, I would not have prefaced it with "If I am not mistaken" - meaning I could be mistaken. 

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