By tomorrow night we will know the winners of the Delaware school board elections. Some lucky candidates already know since they didn’t have an opponent. But for myself, and several others, it is a wait and see. I put most of my signs up last weekend. As the week went by, I was astonished my two opponents hadn’t put any up. They made up for it this weekend! And of course they both had to get signs slightly bigger than my own. But I urge you to look beyond the sign and look up their positions on the issues. As well, if you are on the fence with me, look up mine.
We all appeared in a brief article about the candidates for Kent County in the Dover Post: Voters can choose education leaders in May election
We met in a debate/forum/meet the candidates event at Central Middle School in Dover last Wednesday. There was a decent size crowd there, but no media! I wish they had shown up to report for all what was discussed.
I have not found any Facebook pages for Andres Ortiz, one of my opponents. Chanda Jackson put up a page on April 26th: Vote for Dr. Chanda Jackson
I put up a page on March 3rd, the same day I filed: Kevin Ohlandt for Capital School District Board of Education 2016. I’ve put up lots of different articles and posts about why I’m running and what I would like to accomplish should I be elected. But really, I’ve been writing about education every day for the past two years on this blog. I also wrote a letter to the Delaware State News which they published on Saturday, but doesn’t show up on their website.
I may have met some of you while putting up signs, canvassing, or through the many emails and Facebook messages I received from you. Or yesterday at Dover Days. Some of you I may have already known, and your support means the world to me.
The Capital Educator’s Association decided to endorse Mr. Ortiz. I get that. But I hope all the teachers in Capital School District will understand that an endorsement is not an “I have to vote for that person”. For those teachers who may not have decided who to vote for yet, if I could please offer some advice:
Vote with knowledge.
Vote with history.
Vote with the hope that whoever you vote for will do what is best for students and will make sure all of you get the resources you need to be as successful as possible.
Vote for someone who will do their best to fend off the DOE as much as humanly possible.
Vote for someone who won’t be afraid to speak the truth at board meetings or question things.
Vote for someone who will probe and investigate any action item.
Vote for someone who isn’t quick to believe everything is awesome.
Vote for someone who recognizes an opportunity is only an opportunity if ALL have a part of it AND we can afford it AND it will help ALL students.
Vote for someone who thinks it is difficult to see the wonder of tomorrow when we have issues in the here and now that need to be dealt with.
Vote for someone who goes to State Board of Education meetings and various task forces, committees, and General Assembly Education Committee meetings not because they really enjoy them but because they believe knowledge is half the battle.
Vote for someone who will write potential policy to make your jobs better.
Vote for someone who hates the state assessment just as much as you do. Vote for someone who really isn’t a big fan of Common Core either.
Vote for someone who believes your teacher evaluations should not be an indicator of how well a student does on the Smarter Balanced.
Vote for someone who doesn’t think Common Core is okay but the state assessment just isn’t aligned to it.
Vote for someone who doesn’t believe those same assessments should EVER be used for promotion or graduation requirements.
Vote for someone who is not okay with keeping the Smarter Balanced Assessment while getting rid of the assessments that do give good feedback and help you with instruction.
Vote for someone who will always be available for you if there is an issue beyond your control and you feel the proper channels aren’t working for you.
Vote for someone who will not be a rubber stamp.
Vote for someone who will do everything they can to find a way to improve school climate in all the schools of the district.
Vote for someone who would rather act than comply.
Vote for someone who understands school finances and didn’t have to get a crash course from the CFO after they started campaigning.
Vote for someone who understands the referendum process.
Vote for someone who values transparency as the truth for all to see.
Vote for someone who believes words like “focus” and “reward” are based on characteristics that should not be an indicator of any school in our district.
Vote for someone who knows the Every Student Succeeds Act and will be watching each regulation like a hawk when they are proposed.
Vote for someone who sees the extreme danger with personalized learning and your future job security.
Vote for someone who knows what happened in the past, what is happening now, and what is coming down the road.
Vote for someone who knows Title 14, IDEA, and all the education legislation going through our General Assembly.
Vote for someone who knows what the company behind IEP Plus is called.
Vote for someone who does not believe teachers should also be social workers.
Vote for someone who agrees with the recommendations the DPAS-II Advisory Group Sub-Committee AND knows what they are.
Vote for someone who knows regulations put forth by the State Board of Education before they vote on it.
Vote for who you believe will be the best for the Capital School District Board of Education.
And please, feel free to share this with ALL the teachers in Capital School District!
The Season Of Myths 