At 11:00 AM today, I will meet with the other four candidates at the Miami Valley Cable Council (MVCC) on Alex Bell Rd to participate in a video taped discussion organized by the League of Women Voters. The video produced from today’s meeting will be shown several times — either on channel five or channel six — between now and the election.
I’ve not decided, as yet, what to say in my opening statement. I have two minutes. I know I will start by praising the school system. I was in three Kettering school buildings yesterday. It’s obvious that all Kettering voters have a lot of reason to be proud of their schools. I want to put an emphasis on the future, on planning for the future, so that Kettering Schools can take leadership in making the big leap in quality and purpose needed in public education.
In my opening statement, I am tempted to take a stand on the new teachers’ contract approved last May. Of the three current members who are seeking election, Frank Maus voted against giving the teachers a 3 % raise (1.5% each year for two years). Julie Ann Gilmore and George Bayless both voted in favor of the increase. I agree with Frank that the timing of this pay increase was wrong and that last May the board should have said “No” to the teachers.
I want to emphasizethat the biggest task the Kettering Board School Board is to provide the kind of leadership that will increase the support and involvement of the Kettering community in their system of public education. I keep coming back to the 75 words I submitted to the League for their “Meet the Candidates” publication, yet to be distributed.
Public education needs a big leap in quality — including a big leap in cost effectiveness. We need a ten year process of transformation that will result in a 21st century system of education. Community consensus is needed. Leadership is needed. The biggest challenge for the Kettering School Board is to lead the community in creating a shared vision of the future, and, in creating a well-thought out, long-term plan to bring that vision to reality.
Yesterday, I met briefly with the Kettering Education Association’s president, Melissa Gallagher, in her classroom at Orchard Park Elementary. Melissa teaches the fourth grade and just this past year was chosen to be the leader of the Kettering teachers’ union. She said that she has taught in Kettering for ten years. I asked her if she had had any competition in her election to the union presidency, and she laughed and said “No,” that the thirty or so teachers active in the union were in agreement. All teachers in Kettering are required to join the association — and the Ohio Education Association (OEA) and the National Education Association (NEA) — or, in lieu of joining, required to pay “fair share.”
I asked Melissa if the Kettering teachers’ union would endorse board candidates and she indicated that the group, as yet, had not decided, but that some members thought that they should. She noted that the incumbents seeking election were divided on the new teachers’ contract, with one (Maus) voting against the contract.
“Leadership” is a big word, a big topic. The leadership that is needed is the leadership that works to vitalize democracy, that works to get the best from everyone, that works to bring the community into active partnership. At the MVCC taping I will, no doubt, quote David Matthews again, that a vital democracy is needed for a vital system of public education.
Leadership that aims to vitalize democracy is a leadership that is:
- respectful of the point of view of all stakeholders
- transparent and assessable,
- dedicated to using democratic processes,
- centered on educating and informing all stakeholders,
- focused on articulating the best dreams and hopes of the group,
- intent on finding and implementing practical and workable solutions.
Frank Maus in his “No” vote, I believe, was showing respect for Kettering voters. In Frank’s words, giving the teachers a raise in pay, in these economic times amounted to a “kick in the teeth” to voters who are struggling financially.
So, I’m debating with myself if, at today’s MVCC meeting, I should take a stand on the teachers’ new contract. I’m also debating if I should take a stand on the false advertisements used to promote the 6.9 mill renewal levy approved last May. Both of these matters speak to the general topic of leadership.
I’m seeking to show leadership by offering my little book — “Kettering Public Education In 2022” — as a first step in, hopefully, in “leading the community in creating a shared vision of the future, and, in creating a well-thought out, long-term plan to bring that vision to reality.” The book is not finished as yet, but I will mention it sometime in the taping.
I was surprised to see my letter published today in the Dayton Daily News — “DDN Editorial Took Cheap Shot At Kettering Schools.” I sent that letter in a month ago and had given up on it ever being published.
