My observation based on years of dealing with school boards in various locations around the state is that former teachers make the absolute worst school board members.

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BELOW IS a copy of Charlie Wood's campaign brochure that was his platform for running four years ago. I was wondering having read his campaign brochure the other day what his platform will be in the coming election? Seems that everything he ran on the last ticket went out the door as soon as he got in Office. Maybe he needs to read it again:

Charlie Wood
Candidate for School Board position, ZONE 4
of Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD)
ELECTION TUESDAY, SEPT. 19
WE HAVE A CRISIS!
The Pulaski County school system seems to have been badly mismanaged for
several years. Most obvious are the severe budget problems that are now limiting
what the district can provide to our children. Hundreds of parents are livid with
our dwindling options. Of course, a significant part of the budget crisis stems from
the Board "buying out" the contracts of several successive Superintendents when
they left early. YOU DID THE SAME THING
TAKE YOUR PICK:
The Board either made very poor choices on
the front-end, or else they managed the employment situation(s) with their chief
administrator(s) very poorly. YOU DID THE SAME THING
Either way, our kids pay for their poor management.
In addition, there are other significant problems with management of the system!
Perhaps even worse, many local parents have found Board Members and key
district administrators (in central office) to be extremely unresponsive to parental
inquiries and opinions. YOU DID THE SAME THING
They just don't care what we think. We have been made to
feel that our views count very little. Board Members and school officials have told
different parents (verbatim): (1) "I don't give a BLANK about this issue"; (2) "It's
not my job to talk to parents", and (3) "Your child may just need to transfer out of
Sylvan Hills".YOU DID THE SAME THING
They don't seem to understand that we are their "customers".
There is an approved process for soliciting local input from teachers, parents, and
students; and following their advice whenever possible. However, that site-based
process has been short-circuited and is now blatantly ignored.YOU DID THE SAME THING
We have no input! YOU DID THE SAME THING

These violations of stated policy border on the arrogance of a monarchy that is not
to be questioned. YOU DID THE SAME THING
In addition, there have also been blatant violations of contractual
issues and agreements with teachers. YOU DID THE SAME THING
Last year, the P.A.C.T. warned the District
several times about obvious violations; but the District continued to turn a deaf ear. YOU DID THE SAME THING
The outcome in court was so certain that we wonder at the District's stubbornness? YOU DID THE SAME THING
The citizens of Sherwood in particular pay far more than our share of county taxes
to support the schools, yet our voice is ignored. Hundreds of students are bussed in who seem to drastically increase discipline problems while lowering our academic averages. These transfers sometimes happen after repeated discipline problems in their own neighborhoods. So why send them to Sylvan Hills!?!


SEVEN POINT PLATFORM
for Charlie Wood
ZONE 4 PCSSD School Board Candidate
(1) MUCH MORE LOCAL INPUT FROM PARENTS AND TEACHERS: You failed Miserably
Education is for the students; and their parents should represent their best
interests. So they are the District's "customers". Teachers are the primary
means to impart that education; so as the professionals, their voice should be
heeded, too YOU FAILED MISERABLY.
The purpose of local and especially the District administrators
is to help the local teachers to better serve the students/parents. I will strive
to do everything possible to insist upon shifting many more decisions to the
local level. YOU FAILED MISERABLY
The current control by the central body is almost intolerable.
FIGHT LOUDLY, PASSIONATELY, AND AGRESSIVELY: Team
work and cooperation is good; but sometimes in the American system, we
must achieve our ends through conflict. YOU FAILED MISERABLY
When the way seems blocked, there is nothing wrong with a parent who confronts an administrator. There is nothing wrong with suits or injunctions filed by parents or teachers. YOU FAILED MISERABLY
(2) There is nothing wrong with the teachers organizing (even striking as a last resort) to fight for their concerns. These techniques provide ways to focus needed
attention on perceived problems. I will not calmly accept the status guo. YOU FAILED MISERABLY

(3) BE WILLING TO TAKE CREATIVE AND/OR DRASTIC STEPS: We may need to "think outside the box" to search for radical new solutions. YOU FAILED MISERABLY
(4) VISIT EVERY SCHOOL PERIODICALLY : It is the responsibility of
your local School Board representative to visit with local staff and also to
attend important school functions. I will be seen regularly on each campus.
My job will be to represent the views of ZONE 4 citizens in particular! YOU FAILED MISERABLY
(5) CONTINUE TO LISTEN AND LEARN, WHILE ALWAYS TRYING
TO MAKE OBJECTIVE DECISIONS BASED UPON HARD DATA: It
takes time to understand the whole picture, so some initial viewpoints may
change. Nevertheless, completely objective decisions should be made by
purposely studying the best information available. Related to that, existing
contracts and site-based policies are firm, relevant data NOT to be ignored! YOU FAILED MISERABLY
(6) STRIVE TO EXIT FROM COURT ORDERED MANDATES: This is a great weight that impedes our progress. I will not wearily sigh and say we
can do nothing. This is America. Change can come IF we all care enough. YOU FAILED MISERABLY
(7) YOU TELL ME WHAT OTHER ISSUES SHOULD BE TARGETED: Unlike the bureaucracy, I'm listening for your advice! YOU FAILED MISERABLY

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HolyGuano, I'd certainly be interested in seeing some examples of how teachers make the worst board members. Do they vote based on personal agendas? Four of ours do. Do they hire expensive lawyers from New York to fight something they were doing illegally in the first place? Four of ours do. Do they belittle the public they are supposed to be serving? Four of ours do. Do they call "emergency" meetings when only four people can attend? Those four do. Do they elect a board president whose arrogance and bullying techniques know no bounds? That's what we have. And Wood is one of those four.

PCSSD is in desperate need of a leadership change. Someone who has actually been in the schools has knowledge of what students, teachers, and staff members need. While his daughter was in school and he was fighting for her to be valedictorian, he was at SHHS constantly. Once she graduated, he seemed to disappear overnight. The last thing Zone 4 needs is another four years of this.

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Holy Guana, I disagree with your assertion that former educators make the worst school board memebers. Who better than someone that has served in the trenches of public education to know what will work in the classroom & in the corridors of our schools?

Too many times we have "professionals" serving on school boards that have no clue what teachers or students face on a daily basis. Muchless someone that is willing to actually spend time at each school to learn what strengths & weaknesses exist. You have to spend time in the schools to know what will or can work.

Who better than an actual educator to know what core curriculum is working best to affect test scores? Who better than an actual educator to know what type of discipline problems exist? Who better than an actual educator to know what type of policy would foster the type of cooperation that is desperately needed right now?

This district is truly on the precipice of greatness or utter failure. I'll take my chances with an actual educator that has served the community with distinction over a board member with an immense ego that made many of the decisions that have our entire hanging in the balance.

We need a common sense approach to this mess. We need someone that can & will think outside the box to bring about the change that this district needs. The very first task will be to begin to rebuild the broken relationship between the school board & its employees - and there is no way that Charlie Wood can or will do that.

Buh-bye Charlie - Gloria's got this one.

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Gloria Lawrence is uniquely qualified to represent Zone 4 in all of the ways listed above and more. It is time for a change - the current leadership (the block of four who vote the same way no matter what the issue) is an embarrassment to the district - not to mention the board's frivolous expenditures that are are placing the district on the brink of fiscal distress, the personal agenda, the conflicts of interest, and the special services not available to all. Having someone who was walking in the halls and teaching in the classrooms of a real public school this past year is EXACTLY what the PCSSD school board needs.

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I know GLoria Lawrence. She understands and knows the strengths and weaknesses of the District firsthand. She will be able to recognize a "line" from the administration and will not rubber stamp what the central office administration want to the detriment of students and teachers. I believe the patrons of Sherwood know this and will want a change from the acrimony and lies that the District (and Charlie Wood) dish out to teachers, students and patrons.

As Sherwood stated above- Buh-bye Charlie! Hello GLoria!

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