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I attended the well-run, PTA Council School Board Forum last night. Many thanks to all of the candidates putting time, effort, and emotional energy into putting forth their vision on how to continue to improve our school system. As advertised by my neighbors Ms. Brownstein knows policy, has a history of school involvement, and communcates her commitment to schools and children clearly and passionately. My expectation is that she will receive the most votes, including mine, and will be an excellent school board member.
I am a graduate student in the UNC Planning Department (and the School of Law). My Site Planning class tonight had guest lecturer Bruce Ballentine to talk about Glen Lennox. About an hour into the lecture, a classmate of mine asked if Glen Lennox is an issue in the current municipal election. In the discourse about his take on the municipal election that followed, Mr. Ballentine called several of the candidates "anti-growth, anti-business, anti-University, and anti-downtown." He spared "three of the mayoral candidates" and DeHart, Pease, and Pohlman by name. He portrayed the muncipal elections in a biased manner, one that I felt was purposefully misleading. Regardless, it was an inapprorpriate forum for his stump speech.
The deadline came and went and the 12 applicants are:
On the ballot - John DeHart, Gene Pease, Matt Pohlman, Will Raymond and Penny Rich
Former Council Members - Joe Capowski, Lee Pavao
Former Candidate - Jason Baker
Newcomers - Donna Bell, H. Brock Page, Joshua Ravitch, Aaron Shah
Did not apply - The three incumbents running for reelection
PACT! is about community
Last Friday morning, Suepinda and I joined Lori Hoyt on WCOM 103.5FM, Carrboro's low powered community radio, on her weekly radio program WILPF Wake Up Call. We were discussing the beginnings of PACT! as an organization and the need for parent and child advocacy in the CHCCS district.
When we first arrived, scurrying through the doorway just minutes before going on air, Suepinda dropped the bomb that I was to be the sole speaker. Boy! was I surprised.
I asked how long was the segment. Lori told me we were on for the full 30 mins. I thought, "OMG, what can I talk about for 30 minutes? We tested mic's, started a bit of conversation and then went on the air.
Well, in the real world, 30 minutes is NOTHING. Part of the reason were were scurring in the doorway at 7:20am was the fact that we had just got the four little children out the door for school to make the bus. To say that our mornings are busy and 30 minutes is nothing is an understatement.
I went back to find the research that supported the video I posted and saw this version. This is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHhVWCXmuzE&NR=1. The supporting research is on http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com/. As you mention, not all may come true and it may be a scare tactic. But even if only 50% comes true, it is still important to think about the global economy and what the workplace will be like for our children. I feel strongly that we need to focus on creating life long learners and critical thinkers.
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