Topic: School Board Elections This Fall

[runner76]

dhw

You are right, we don't know why he can't be there; however, when you are running for an office and the election is less that 6 weeks away, I would think it a priority to be at every open community discussion to ensure that those voting for you have a clear understanding of how you expect to represent them.  We can no longer have candidates for this position (or any other elected position) that just expect to get there because of their status, their name, the church they go to or because they are "known" from high school in the community.  We need candidates who have clear objectives that they will stand by and implement once elected and I, as a voter, want to clearly understand what their plans are before I enter the voting booth.

It's funny that you say that you would have home schooled until Jr. High and High school when what I have seen in this district is the opposite.  As far as I'm concerned the elementary schools in Mt. Vernon do a fantastic job but its a train wreck when they get to Middle School and High school.  That's actually when I have finally pulled my kids from the district and sent them to school elsewhere.

Amen and hallelujah.

[belushi]

It is foolish to define this election about Freshwater....he taught one subject in one school, and if he teaches again or not will have little effect on the school district as a whole...

[runner76]

It is foolish to define this election about Freshwater....he taught one subject in one school, and if he teaches again or not will have little effect on the school district as a whole...

With the exception of rioting in the streets! 

[mtnmama]

I have a very vested interest in this election as I will have school-aged children for the next 16 years. 

I have been following the Freshwater ordeal as much as I can with three young children at home.  This entire fiasco lays directly at the feet of Mr Freshwater, his supporters, and past supervisors who are no longer with the district.  The current school board was upholding district rules and federal and state laws.  The Freshwater crowd is now using state laws to prolong the inevitable and cost the school system, its residents, and its children hundreds of thousands of dollars as well as keeping the community divided and taking the focus away from the real work and issues surrounding the educating of our children. 


I plan to attend the open forum and then will make my decision, although I'll admit to leaning strongly toward two candidates.  I very much regret that Mr Thompson will not be in attendance.  I would like for him to have to address this that he included in his candidacy announcement: "The school district is operating with a $3 million deficit ..." (my subscription to the Mt Vernon News, September 25, 2009, page 2)  I have asked MANY people within the district to what is he referring, and no one knows.  I have a strong suspicion this number is grossly inaccurate due to there recently being a renewal levy and not a replacement levy in addition to there not being dramatic cuts in extracurriculars or busing.

[wonderin]

It is foolish to define this election about Freshwater....he taught one subject in one school, and if he teaches again or not will have little effect on the school district as a whole...

I feel the opposite. Past administration let that go on for years. It is our duty to make sure that doesn't happen again. If he teaches again it could cost our districts LOTS more money, which affects everyone in the district.

I know seabiscuit mentioned Dover PA. I read up on it and the district there had to pay out of their own pocket the amount the court awarded in the lawsuit. That is because they didn't listen to the advice of the lawyers, which in turn negated the insurance contract. If the insurance won't pay, the district has to. Personal agendas can be costly.

[seabiscuit]

It is foolish to define this election about Freshwater....he taught one subject in one school, and if he teaches again or not will have little effect on the school district as a whole...

The results of this election could be the most costly to this community.  He may have taught one subject in school but his actions have our school district by the balls.  One person can make a difference and in this case it's an expensive one.

[mtnmama]

Also does anyone know the rules for running for school board? I would think Kirk has a conflict of interest. Isn't he the principal at the Career Center? The Career Center Board consists of board members from the county schools. Which includes MV. So he could potentially be on the board for the school he works at. Wouldn't that mean he could be his own boss? Or the boss of his boss? That doesn't seem right. Anyone know?

http://www.knoxpages.com/?NewsID=7470&CatID=1


Barone questions Kirk’s eligibility to hold seat

MOUNT VERNON – There’s a difference of opinion about one Mount Vernon City School Board candidate’s eligibility to hold a seat on the board while he’s still employed as an administrator at the Knox County Career Center.


Paula Barone wants fellow candidate Robert Kirk to tell voters if he intends to resign as a Knox
 
Robert Kirk
 
County Career Center principal if he wins the seat. Barone said in a news release that she decided to contact Kirk immediately after obtaining a legal opinion written by former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro late Friday that suggests a potential conflict of interest.


In the opinion, dubbed No. 2003-010, Petro wrote that board members of a local school district and a principal of a joint vocational district that “includes the territory of the local school district are incompatible.”


Barone is concerned that if Kirk wins and is found ineligible that it may lead to a legal challenge of Petro’s opinion.


“The Mount Vernon School Board can ill afford the expense and distraction of additional litigation,” she said. “Surely Mr. Kirk has considered whether or not he is willing to resign his principal’s position in exchange for a school board seat. School district voters are entitled to know now, before they cast their ballots, whether or not a candidate they might support would ever be able to take office.”


Kirk dismissed Barone’s assertions in a telephone interview Tuesday morning, saying she misquoted the opinion.


“I am 100 percent eligible to run,” Kirk said. “If she’s questioning my eligibility to serve, she should have stated that. She did not.”


In the end, Kirk said Barone “will see that I am a fully qualified candidate and I will be able to serve in that position.”


Barone asserted that the consequences of Kirk winning, but not taking office, are complicated. Under Ohio law, if a vacancy occurs because Kirk is found to be ineligible, remaining board members would get to support a successor.


A special election would not be held until 2011 – the same time three other four-year school board terms are on the ballot.


“With two separate slates of candidates, and two different terms of office, in play it can get confusing for voters and very expensive for the school district,” Barone said.


.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ClockStopper]

Whoever asked about Kirk and Thompson being connected:

http://www.meetup.com/Knox-County-Ohio-912-Project/calendar/11304395/
Meet candidates for Mt Vernon School Board

For those of you who believe that our current Mt Vernon school board members are going in the wrong direction, here is your chance to meet two of the challengers. Getting involved in the political process means you have a duty to be informed about the candidates and issues affecting our community. The meeting is at the Apple Valley club house on tuesday Sept. 8th at 7:00 PM.

What's funny is that they didn't even hold their event in the Mt. Vernon School District.  Apple Valley (Howard Township) is in East Knox.    Are they sure what board they're running for?

[ClockStopper]

For a bit more information on why Kelly Hamilton, Freshwater's attorney, is in this affair, there's this.

On September 17th Hamilton and Freshwater were interviewed on a radio program hosted by David Barton, notorious revisionist pseudo-historian who is in the process of polluting social studies standards in Texas. Late in the interview (there are no time markers) Hamilton explains his motivation for taking Freshwater’s case:

Everybody in this world is given an opportunity to be obedient at any given time, and it just so happens that I’ve known for several years prior to this event taking place that God made it very clear that one day I would be arguing about the First Amendment as it relates to His Bible. I’ve known this and I can’t wait to share that with others. But, you know, for anybody that doubts God’s intervention in this particular matter, they simply have to recall chapter 6 in Ephesians and the spiritual battle and the [bounty?] that is being fought. The symbolism is so great in this particular case. Recognize that “fresh water,” of course, represents baptism, and that’s exactly .. that’s John’s last name. There is a .. the opposing attorney in this particular case, his last name is Millstone. All you need to do is go to the book of Luke, and when you take a look at the book of Luke it will say, you know, “It would be better for someone to put a mill stone around their neck than to keep these little ones from me.” Then, of course, the judge’s last name in this particular case, his last name is Shepherd. So you start putting some of the symbolism together just on the names, you start to see some of the unique intervention that God has had in this particular matter.

And that's the legal approach Thompson is supporting and raising money for.  I don't have any problem voting for someone -- anyone! -- else.

[harper]

the anti-freshwater forces are a compliment to the pro-freshwater forces...
both long past their 15 minutes of fame.
 

[harper]

can not imagine who was the 

what is next, abortion?

[wtfreak]

Did I miss something? What 

[phred]

Whoever asked about Kirk and Thompson being connected:

http://www.meetup.com/Knox-County-Ohio-912-Project/calendar/11304395/
Meet candidates for Mt Vernon School Board

For those of you who believe that our current Mt Vernon school board members are going in the wrong direction, here is your chance to meet two of the challengers. Getting involved in the political process means you have a duty to be informed about the candidates and issues affecting our community. The meeting is at the Apple Valley club house on tuesday Sept. 8th at 7:00 PM.

What's funny is that they didn't even hold their event in the Mt. Vernon School District.  Apple Valley (Howard Township) is in East Knox.    Are they sure what board they're running for?

          Your observation may evidence more than the
          hypothetical.

          The Kirk & Thompson signs, usually together,
          have been posted/planted in the East Knox School
          District territory and the North Fork School
          District territory.

         

[phred]

For a bit more information on why Kelly Hamilton, Freshwater's attorney, is in this affair, there's this.

On September 17th Hamilton and Freshwater were interviewed on a radio program hosted by David Barton, notorious revisionist pseudo-historian who is in the process of polluting social studies standards in Texas. Late in the interview (there are no time markers) Hamilton explains his motivation for taking Freshwater’s case:

Everybody in this world is given an opportunity to be obedient at any given time, and it just so happens that I’ve known for several years prior to this event taking place that God made it very clear that one day I would be arguing about the First Amendment as it relates to His Bible. I’ve known this and I can’t wait to share that with others. But, you know, for anybody that doubts God’s intervention in this particular matter, they simply have to recall chapter 6 in Ephesians and the spiritual battle and the [bounty?] that is being fought. The symbolism is so great in this particular case. Recognize that “fresh water,” of course, represents baptism, and that’s exactly .. that’s John’s last name. There is a .. the opposing attorney in this particular case, his last name is Millstone. All you need to do is go to the book of Luke, and when you take a look at the book of Luke it will say, you know, “It would be better for someone to put a mill stone around their neck than to keep these little ones from me.” Then, of course, the judge’s last name in this particular case, his last name is Shepherd. So you start putting some of the symbolism together just on the names, you start to see some of the unique intervention that God has had in this particular matter.

And that's the legal approach Thompson is supporting and raising money for.  I don't have any problem voting for someone -- anyone! -- else.

           Thanks for the info, Clockstopper.
           It speaks volumes.

 

[Imagine]

What's funny is that they didn't even hold their event in the Mt. Vernon School District.  Apple Valley (Howard Township) is in East Knox.    Are they sure what board they're running for?

Just a clarification..... Only part of Apple Valley is in the East Knox school district. The other part is Mount Vernon.