2013 ICCSD School Election
The stakes have apparently never been higher for an Iowa City Community School District school board election.
In the wake of exploding enrollment forecasts, a new revenue purpose statement that allows the district to borrow $100 million from future taxes, $260 million in long-term facility plans (including a third high school and three new elementary schools), and the contentious vote to close Hoover Elementary around 2017, nine candidates are vying for three seats in tomorrow’s school board election. Reader endorsements in the CRG and P-C are spilling onto overflow pages, every other lawn has two or three candidate signs, and campaign contributions have skyrocketed (more than five times the amount collected during the last school board election). (Speaking of signs, I thought it was funny how a group of Northern Illinois fans repurposed a “Lynch for School Board” sign at the NIU-Iowa game. I saw a picture of it somewhere but cannot find it now.)
Needless to say, I will be voting (and encourage my fellow IC-area voters to do the same). Though I do not have kids right now, I feel it behooves me as a citizen in the district to ensure that the children in my community receive an excellent education. (Yes, I would like to have kids someday. There. I said it. Happy?) The community provided me with excellent teachers and facilities when I was in school and I want to do the same for the next generations. Plus, I am a strong believer in education as a great equalizer and that a functioning democracy necessitates a high-quality education system. So tonight I read the guest columns written by each candidate for the CRG and think I have decided who I am voting for tomorrow.
I am a fan of neighborhood schools, so Phil Hemingway is getting my vote. (The Save Hoover group is endorsing Sara Barron, Gregg Gerdes, and Phil Hemingway.) Also, Hemingway has not taken a single penny in campaign contributions and I respect that a lot. Jason Lewis’ column (the first included on this page) really impressed me, so he is getting my support. My third vote is up in the air between Barron and incumbent Tuyet Dorau. Barron is already very active and engaged with the district; her kids attend Grant Wood, so I can appreciate that as a former Grant Wood Wildcat myself. Dorau, though, seems to embody hard work and a commitment to education. Hmm… That will be a tough pick.
In the wake of exploding enrollment forecasts, a new revenue purpose statement that allows the district to borrow $100 million from future taxes, $260 million in long-term facility plans (including a third high school and three new elementary schools), and the contentious vote to close Hoover Elementary around 2017, nine candidates are vying for three seats in tomorrow’s school board election. Reader endorsements in the CRG and P-C are spilling onto overflow pages, every other lawn has two or three candidate signs, and campaign contributions have skyrocketed (more than five times the amount collected during the last school board election). (Speaking of signs, I thought it was funny how a group of Northern Illinois fans repurposed a “Lynch for School Board” sign at the NIU-Iowa game. I saw a picture of it somewhere but cannot find it now.)
Needless to say, I will be voting (and encourage my fellow IC-area voters to do the same). Though I do not have kids right now, I feel it behooves me as a citizen in the district to ensure that the children in my community receive an excellent education. (Yes, I would like to have kids someday. There. I said it. Happy?) The community provided me with excellent teachers and facilities when I was in school and I want to do the same for the next generations. Plus, I am a strong believer in education as a great equalizer and that a functioning democracy necessitates a high-quality education system. So tonight I read the guest columns written by each candidate for the CRG and think I have decided who I am voting for tomorrow.
I am a fan of neighborhood schools, so Phil Hemingway is getting my vote. (The Save Hoover group is endorsing Sara Barron, Gregg Gerdes, and Phil Hemingway.) Also, Hemingway has not taken a single penny in campaign contributions and I respect that a lot. Jason Lewis’ column (the first included on this page) really impressed me, so he is getting my support. My third vote is up in the air between Barron and incumbent Tuyet Dorau. Barron is already very active and engaged with the district; her kids attend Grant Wood, so I can appreciate that as a former Grant Wood Wildcat myself. Dorau, though, seems to embody hard work and a commitment to education. Hmm… That will be a tough pick.
