Viewpoint: Put The Students First

 Many of you may have noticed the front-page story last week addressing the need for applicants for the Pueblo County District 70 Board of Education. It is a rare situation indeed, but the entire board, all five seats, are coming up for election.  Three of the positions will be elected for a four-year term and two of the positions for a two-year term.

 Rye, Colorado City, and Beulah are all a part of District 5 which is one of the four-year terms. Debbie Houghton, current director, has served her community for the last eight years.

 A person who desires to be a candidate for school director needs to file a written notice of intention to be a candidate, as well as a nomination petition signed by at least 50 eligible electors who are registered to vote in the regular biennial school election.

 Petitions may be obtained at the Superintendents Office, 301 28th Lane, Pueblo, Co. 81001. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Complete petitions must be submitted to Pam Smith, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, no later than 4:30 p.m. on August 27th.

 Should you run for the position? I can think of several good candidates. You realize, of course, that you won’t make everyone happy? So, the first qualification I would look for is someone with the backbone to vote to benefit the majority of the children, the majority of the time. Everyone has an agenda and, hopefully, your agenda would have educating the children of District 70 as the top priority.

 The administration has an agenda. That agenda can include helping students to shine for the glory of the school district. It can be new buildings, nicer athletic facilities, safer schools. It can be happy teachers, the creation of positions to reward loyal personnel, better insurance programs and retirement packages. As you can see, many of the agenda items the administration has might benefit your children. But I think it’s important to remember that, as a board member, some of these items certainly don’t put the children first.

 The teachers’ union has an agenda. And you need to go into the board position with your eyes wide open as to the tremendous power of the teachers’ union. The main item on the agenda for the union, I fear, has less to do with the welfare of the teachers than with power and influence. Either way, putting power or the teacher first assures some conflict with you as a board member if you put the children first.

 The teachers have an agenda. I would say that this is the group most likely to be your ally. Most teachers enter education due to a desire to put the child first. Some of them are still doing that after years of teaching. Where they may go awry is with some of the latest fads in education. Critical Race Theory is a great, current example. Some teachers may be anti-gun, or believe in man-made global warming. Perhaps they believe in abortion. A teacher’s agenda shouldn’t include political brainwashing. They should be working toward the basic education of the student. It’s a hard thing to spot. Parents actually have the best seat to discover when the teacher doesn’t put the student first. As a board member you have a responsibility to stay alert. D70 is blessed with a majority of teachers who put the student first.

  Did you know my first elected position ever was to the School Board in my home town of WaKeeney, Kansas? I believe I was elected 38-0 over some guy named Uncontested. It is a hard job. We had a seven-person board. Some board members disliked the Superintendent so they always voted against him. Some idolized the Superintendent and always voted for him. Some voted for the child. I tried to be like them.