Candidate for
Board Member; Hope School District

Because I have no children in any school, I have no agenda for or against any particular school, program, personnel, etc. I come with a clean slate.

The only "political" position that should be relevant to being a Board member is to be staunchly in favor of quality public education. I think all the candidates agree with this. However, I would add the qualification that it be "free".

When I attend local PTA meetings, I am amazed and appalled: amazed at all the work the parents are doing and the large amounts of money they raise for each school to enrich programs; appalled that they have to do that in order to have quality education.

I am appalled that each parent is notified that that he/she is expected to contribute $300. per year for each child. Though this is not "required", it is expected - to the point that parents are asked to give pre-dated checks if they cannot afford to fully pre-pay. I do not believe this is the spirit of free public education. (It can be a real hardship on some people.)

One parent at a meeting said that she was afraid she could not afford to send her children to the local public school. How sad is this?

Since this district has decided to not accept any new transfer students (which I fully support) it is projected that the district will be a "basic aid" district within the next few years. This should greatly increase the funds per child and hopefully obviate the need to dun parents. At that point, we will truly have free public schools.

Since my daughter has long since graduated from Santa Barbara High School, and I am the only candidate with no students attending Hope schools, you may ask why I am interested in the local public schools.

It is because I am truly concerned about our country and our democracy. Public education is truly the basis of our democracy. Only when everyone is well educated can we have intelligent voters, as well as productive citizens who contribute to our society.

Everyone, with or without children, feels the effects of what all our children become - either positive or negative influences in our community. It is because I care about our community that I will serve.