| Alameda County, CA | November 5, 2002 Election |
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Letter Of Support By John HaleyBy Cathie KellyCandidate for Member, Governing Board; New Haven Unified School District |
This information is provided by the candidate | |
Rebuttal to Argus Candidate Endorsements for the New Haven School BoardThe Argus editorial OPINION of October 18 presents a back door endorsement of Gwen Estes and Barbara Aro-Valle for the New Haven School Board. The content of the editorial is a classic example of faulty logic and poor reporting. The writer needs to retake Ethics 101 and Journalism 101. It concludes that Cathie Kelly should not be reelected to the school board in order that a majority representation can be achieved to terminate the contract of New Haven Superintendent Ruth McKenna. The editorial recognizes that Cathie Kelly has not done a bad job (avoid the double negative and admit that she did a good job) during her eight years (should be 12 years) on the school board, that Estes is abrasive and Aro-Valle is an untested quantity. Yet the Argus is willing to sacrifice Kelly in order to sack McKenna. As you learned in Ethics 101, the end does not justify the means and in this case the means is at least borderline immoral. Further, the justification presented in the editorial for terminating McKenna (the end) is hearsay evidence based on "--most of the people we have talked to in Union City ----." Who are these "most" people and what are the specifics? The reporting fails to pass the litmus test of Journalism 101, that is, present the facts. Hearsay does not hold up in court and it should not be the premise for candidate endorsements. There was no presentation of facts in the editorial OPINION for terminating McKenna. Has there been fiscal irresponsibility? Has the appropriated funding not been applied effectively in accordance with the law, policies and priorities? Has there been a lack of attention to and improvement of academic achievement? Has she failed to implement the policy decisions of the school board? Has she compromised accepted principles in order to remove a problem from the spotlight? Has she disregarded the interests of the students and the public at large in order to keep peace with the teacher's union. Has she closed the door as regards input from all interested parties - parents, teachers, business, the city and the citizens at large? Are her priorities in the wrong order as concern academic curricula (math, science, language, literature, history/government, art and music) and extra curricula activities? Yes/No answers are not acceptable. Present the evidence. Ruth McKenna has held the New Haven School District Superintendent position for 4 1/2 years starting in July of 1998. Now for some facts regarding her tenure.
Most of the dissension between the school board and Superintendent McKenna centers on differences of opinion regarding the allocation of limited funding among the competing forces of academic curricula, extra curricula, salaries and benefits for teachers and staff and the mandated requirement for a minimum budget reserve of 3%. The number 1 priority of the school system is to graduate students who have a solid academic foundation, self esteem, are fully prepared for college or productive employment and are ready and willing to accept community responsibilities. This process sets high standards and demands that each student work to their highest level of capability. Only through a tough love process will our students mature into community assets rather than community liabilities. Because of these requirements, only as a last resort can academic priorities be diluted during times of funding restrictions. Unfortunately, during lean times, extra curricula and other lower level programs and services will be the first targets for cut back or deferral. Continued emphasis must be place on academic fundamentals - mathematics, science, language, literature, history/government, art and music. Over the past 25 years, the job market for good paying, skilled, blue collar workers has been rapidly shrinking. Today, if you do not have solid scholastic credentials, professional or semiprofessional, the predominant option available for employment is unskilled tasks with wages at or slightly higher than the legal minimum. The bottom line is that a relatively small yet very vocal group of teachers and parents has added more heat than light to the ongoing policy development process, particularly as concerns the allocation of restricted funding. This group wants a school board majority that will rubber stamp the demands of the Teacher's Union when difficult choices must be made among academic fundamentals, extra curricular activities and pay for teachers and staff. If this coup is successful will the Union accept responsibility for fiscal and academic performance? As for me and many others, we want a school board that is independent of special interests and makes policy decisions based upon the realities of funding and the long term benefits to the students and the community at large. I remind the readers that the Argus endorsed Jonas Dino for school board in the last election and now they state in this OPINION that they are disappointed with his performance. Is this endorsement more of the same? Listen to the FACTS not the HYPE! Vote for Cathie Kelly. John Haley Union City |
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Created from information supplied by the candidate: November 1, 2002 15:53
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