The League of Women Voters encouraged attendees (in person and online) to submit questions for the Westonka school board candidates at the forum last night. Candidates attending were incumbents Ralph Harrison, Heidi Marty and Brian Roath as well as newcomers David Olson and John Quinn. There are four seats up for election with six candidates running. Candidate Christopher Reffkin was not present.
The one and only question I submitted was to ask if any of the candidates were endorsed by the Minnesota Parents Alliance, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that endorses school board candidates who are aligned with their mission of prioritizing academic achievement, equality and parental rights in their school district. My question was not allowed. Shocker.
The soft-ball questions allowed, were predictable and the answers to them by all the five candidates attending were virtually interchangeable with each other.
All supported the $93.4M bond referendum for the high school remodel (actually $170M including 5% interest over 25 years). Incumbent Ralph Harrison even said it was almost embarassing how little money Westonka has spent on school facilities….while sitting on the stage of Westonka’s new $22 Million dollar Performing Arts Center!
All the candidates indicated opposition in response to the following question: “What is your position on books being pulled from school library shelves or pulled from curriculum in response to requests from parents?” Ralph Harrison seemed particularly unwilling to tolerate the opinions of concerned parents, going as far as to say “I have little tolerance for this lack of intellectual freedom.”
The most frequently heard phrase of the evening was “I agree with all the statements made….” by the other candidates. It was clear there wasn’t a single independent, original thinker at the table. Truly a unified bunch.
If voters are happy with taxes escalating, academic achievement falling and cookie cutter candidates who rubber stamp the bureaucratic administration/teachers union directives then these five candidates will deliver.
If you’d like to see a change you’ll have to vote. But you don’t have to cast a vote for all four seats if there aren’t four candidates you truly support. You can vote for one, two, or even none and your ballot will still be counted for your choice on the bond referendum.
Please check out the Parent Endorsed school board candidates at Minnesota Parents Alliance!
Early voting begins Friday, September 22 in Suite A of the Educational Service Center, 5901 Sunnyfield Rd. E., Minnetrista, MN. Go to the pollfinder to find out where to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7.
Minnetrista Governance Blog 