Tag: westonka school board candidates

LWV Westonka School Board Forum September 13 –

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.

Call for Westonka School Board candidates!

Today, August 1, is the first day candidates for Westonka School Board can file to be on the ballot for the upcoming election. Early, absentee voting begins Friday, September 22 with Election Day on Tuesday, November 7.

There are currently four seats on the board up for election and it’s critical to find competent, parent-supporting, fiscally responsible candidates focused on academic improvement. According to the MN Department of Education Score Card, Westonka schools have shown a continuous decline, since 2019, in the number of students meeting standards in math. Westonka’s students are also performing worse today than they were in 2018 in all three core areas of math, reading, and science.

School board members meet once each month and are currently paid $2,400 annually. If you’d like to contribute to the betterment of our community and our childrens’ future, please consider running.

Below is the election filing information from the Westonka website:

  • 2023 School Board ElectionFiling to be a candidate for school board in the November 2023 Westonka school board election will open Tuesday, Aug. 1 and will close Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 5 p.m. at the Westonka Educational Service Center.
  • In order to be a candidate for school board, an individual must be eligible to vote in Minnesota, be at least 21 years old, and be a resident of the Westonka School District for at least 30 days by the time of the Nov. 7 election.
  • If You Are Interested in Running for School Board
    • Information packets will be available beginning July 24 at the Westonka Educational Service Center, Suite A.Candidates may file Monday through Friday Aug. 1-15 during regular business hours (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). Filing will close Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 5 p.m. Prospective candidates need to file a notarized Affidavit of Candidacy and a $2 filing fee. There is usually a notary available at the district office; however, please confirm prior to arriving.
    • Affidavits of Candidacy and the filing fee can be filed at Suite A of the Westonka Educational Service Center, 5901 Sunnyfield Road E, Minnetrista.
    Westonka elects half of the school board every two years during an odd-year election. This year filing will be open for four four-year terms. The seats currently held by Kelle Bowe, Ralph Harrison, Heidi Marty and Brian Roath will be up for election.
  • For more information about serving on the school board, contact Superintendent Kevin Borg, borgk@westonka.k12.mn.us. For information on filing or to confirm a notary will be available, contact Emily Labuz, administrative assistant, labuze@westonka.k12.mn.us or (952) 491-8007.