BRUCE D. BARTON, Candidate for Moreno Valley Unified School Board

By Bruce D. Barton

Brief Biography

I served in the U.S. Navy as a Seabee from 1974 until 1978, where I learned my profession as a Land Surveyor. After completing my tour of duty with the Navy. I attended Riverside City College where I obtained an AA in Survey Technology. During this time the County of Riverside employed me as a Survey Instrument Person, (my first experience with Government other than the Navy.) I worked for various Engineering and Survey firms over the years including Winchester Associates with David Slawson, twice. I acquired my Land Surveyor's License in 1985, which I consider my biggest accomplishment of my life. I left working with Winchester Associates in 1988 to begin my own business as Riverside Survey Company, where I really learned about how Government works.

Since the downturn in the economy, I have returned to working for other Engineering Firms. I have been at the Keith Companies here in Moreno Valley for a year. I became interested in "politics" when I noticed how difficult it is, and still is, to process the seemingly simple applications and projects through the agencies.

I have spent 5 years as the Planning Sub-committee Chairman for the Riverside County Coordinating Committee. I liked the concept and it worked fairly well; I spearheaded the Moreno Valley Development Coordinating Committee for the City about 4 years ago and became the first Chairman of the committee. I am currently on David Slawson's Director's Advisory Committee as Vice Chairman and have been for the past four years. I have been on Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee for the past three years and the Chairman of the Committee for the first two years. Just a few days ago, I was re-appointed for another three years.

I see the role of a School Board Member to serve the will of the people, within reason and the law, to provide leadership with a common sense approach. That is how all governments should work without all the red tape. The Administration's job is to carry out the duties of running the Schools under the direction and leadership of the Board. However, the Administration has first hand knowledge and experience in the day to day matters, and their input to the efficiency of the District is needed.

One of the first things I'd like to see happen, although I'm not in control of the other members, is to see some harmony within the Board. This would make things so much smoother and more can get accomplished on the business matters at hand. Secondly, I'd like to see more cooperation between the School District and Parks and Recreation for more joint use of school facilities for the children to be more occupied by sports or community activities. Thirdly, and most importantly, to increase the test scores for the children in the District. I will be actively talking to teachers and administration for their input and how to accomplish that goal.

I believe I can provide a better service to the District and the community than what we are currently getting. I have had two of my own children graduate from Moreno Valley High School and I was involved with my children at the school to see enough of the crazy things that go on with the students. The students have absolutely no respect for the teachers, and the teachers have no control over students. It wasn't like that when I attended school. We need to find a formula to get control of the classrooms back to the teachers. We hardly ever saw police officers on campus when I went to high school. Now it is a common occurrence.

Discipline and the horrid test scores are the most important things to get under control. It is possible, if discipline problems are resolved; test scores may improve without too much difficulty. California has one of the lowest rated educational systems in the country. Why is that? I know this to be true from first hand experience. I attended schools in the state of New York, then schools in Riverside County. I must tell you, almost everything they tried to teach me in the schools out here was basically review for me, which made me become bored and I lost attention to my studies during my high school years. This state has the largest population and one of the largest budgets of all the states. I know the diverse ethnic makeup of the community's attributes greatly to the problem, but shouldn't the state put more emphasis on education of the generations to come?