I received this e-mail from Robin Thoman, President of the Greater Southport Business Alliance and felt it was good information to share.
Please, please, please - remember the importance of your vote! The PT majority elected all 7 members now on this board. The PT majority allowed this crisis among the PT board - and now this crisis upon our school system to happen. All of the candidates recently elected (and those recently defeated) were available for consideration at public events. Few showed and many who did - forgot to use their influence - expressed though their impressions - with neighbors, friends and family and most importantly, other voters. This corporation is among the largest in all of Perry Township. Guiding, yes - leading this expensive and most important asset of our community requires more than a few simple skills.
All politics is local, please express your local influence with educated voting. Ask, search and listen. A healthy board needs healthy support - your support, your neighbors support.
Seek first, to understand.
Dr. Robin Thoman
President, Greater Southport Business Alliance
I agree with Ms. Thoman completely …… but I will add, I was at a candidate forum at PTEC where both Barbara Thompson and Nancy Walsh spoke and answered questions. Not ONCE did either of these ladies (or any of the other candidates) mention anything about wishing to remove Williams. If they had - I’m sure they would not have been elected. As a matter of fact, I regrettably admit that I voted for Mrs. Walsh. She came off as a very bright, articulate person that I thought would do a good job on the school board. How many others are there like me? Who feel duped by Mrs. Walsh. Shame on her for not making her intentions oblique and deceiving the voters who DID take the time to pay attention to the school board race.
You’re right, WE elected them to do the job WE want for OUR school district, not their own personal agendas! We want our voices heard at the board meetings, not just when it is convenient for them! Also, not all of us sat back and didn’t participate in getting to know who we wanted. It is a shame that their are board members that got elected under false pretenses!
Kathleen, I’m not sure how we can avoid being duped by candidates intent on hiding personal agendas. I’ve no idea if any candidate had this task - to replace the superintendant on his or her list of “things to do” before the election, although more that one candidate openly expressed their reservations in working with Dr. Williams at the candidate forum that I attended. Others made clear that they had attended only one or two meetings of the board before considering candidacy. I wish I could have attend the PTEC forum. If you were there, you’re part of the solution. Keep going, spread the work. All too often, more constructive conversation is afforded the offensive stratetegy of the football game rather than of the quality of candidates for the board of education.
Isn’t it a good thing that there are 7 members on the board. Speak to your elected board. Help them to help us.
I agree that we all need to be informed voters. and I’ll admit that I regrettably voted for some of the board members who have recently overstepped their bounds. If I had known of any personal agendas against Dr. Williams, you can bet that I wouldn’t have voted for these people. The haven’t acted in the best interest of perry township citizens. They left out other board members by not letting them know of their plans ahead of time, they let down the citizens of perry twp by not allowing our voices be heard. They have made allegations, but have presented no facts to back them up. I think we should allow an outside group mediate this matter so that the facts can be put out there and the citizens of perry twp can make an informed choice. We seem to be going from a democracy to a dicatorship with the actions of 4 board members and they should be held accountable. The burden of proof to remove Dr. Williams is on their shoulders, show us the evidence, allow for discussion, then make a decision.