Psst, pass it on.....

My WWII Marine Corps grandfather had a book that someone gave him called The Grandparents Book.  If you're not familiar with it, I highly recommend you check it out.  It's full of introspective questions that you're supposed to take the time to sit down and handwrite your answers to.  The idea is to share the answers with your grandchildren so that they can get to know you.  Long story short, grandpa was a pretty quiet man and for whatever reason, he never shared his book with us grandkids. After he passed away in 1999, all of us received a photocopied version of his book.

As I read through it, trying desperately to understand a man who had never opened up to any of his family, I was struck by one question in particular. Under the section for History and Politics, in response to a question about what issues and causes he felt strongly about, he answered "Apathy of American voters.  Democracy will fail if 70% of eligible voters do not: 1. Inform themselves and 2. Vote.  Apathy is one of the reasons for the sad state of politics today - we get what we deserve."

This is true of school board elections in particular.  People don't inform themselves and sadly, people don't vote. Typically here in our district, we can only expect 4500-5000 voters to vote in school-related elections.  That's less than 8% of eligible voters.  Sad, indeed.

I believe and have stated numerous times that schools are the most important public service that we can provide to our citizens.  Roads, sewers and stoplights are important, but people don't move to an area because of those things.  They move to an area because of the schools.

Our schools prepare our kids for their future.  Our schools teach our kids to think critically and analytically.  Our schools provide the social structure where our kids learn about the world beyond their  community.  Our schools can provide inspiration and teach not how our world is, but how it ought to be.

We owe our entire district and all of our kids a fair shot at a good beginning to the rest of their lives.  We owe them safe facilities that inspire and nurture them.  We owe them creative programming that allows them to achieve their highest potential. It is our duty.

I feel that if you believe in something strongly, you should roll up your sleeves and work for it.  I believe that if you feel that there is injustice, you should work to make it right.  I feel that you should advocate for those that can not advocate for themselves.  That's why I'm doing this and that's why I want you to get out and vote.

If you're tired of feeling like it should be better for our kids and teachers, get out and vote.

If you're fed up with the back and forth tit-for-tat in this district, get out and vote.

If you believe that our entire district deserves to have a bright future, get out and vote.

If you are optimistic that we can be more transparent and communicate better, get out and vote.

If you believe we can do better and should, then get out and vote.

Voting is the only way that anything is going to get better.  No matter who you vote for, just get out and vote.  Apathy is the enemy.....

Pass it on.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not."
-Dr Seuss from The Lorax