Huntington Government Officials Involved In School Elections

[Huntington Government Off]

Why doesn't somebody look into this?? If materials were printed and distributed on behalf of one or more of the candidates, it will be listed on their Statement of Expenditures. If it isn't -- THAT IS A CRIME. I do believe that this information is subject to Freedom of Info. requests.

To be continued......

[nitty gritty]

Isn't this just a tip of the ice berg ? I mean to use your town government office to help label a schoolboard member with deceptive slime isn't that going beyond the pale ?

[HuntingtonVoter]

YES!! But it seams that the use of political trickery runs both ways. And people wonder why there are such problems in local school districts.

KEEP PARTISIAN POLITICS OUT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.... WE ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH ISSUES WITH THE STATE DEPT OF EDUCATION! HOW CAN WE PROVIDE ALBANY WITH A STRONG COLLECTIVE VOICE?

[spellrelief]

Maybe we will get to the bottom of all this political muck both in the schools and in the town hall.

[busta rhymes]

government officials aren't suppose to get involved with school district politics

[HuntingtonVoter]

And School Board Representatives should stay clear of local town politics while they represent the taxpaying public ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. How can they effectively represent the parents and kids of the district if they miss meetings, votes, etc., because they are running for office elsewhere????

[SchoolMarm]

. . .the Young Republicans President who ran for Board and now has too many conflicts with his Bar exam and his social life to serve. Politicians should run for paid offices and leave the school boards to civil servants.

[media watch]

Newsday July 5, 2004

School series

Congratulations to Newsday for publishing its editorial series "The Shame of the Suburbs." While school boards, which I represent and serve, were criticized for their lapses in judgment and poor behavior, the series appeared to be well researched and fair.

As you might expect, the installment "Incompetence at the top" [June 25] caught my attention, particularly the statement: "Albany should provide more information than it does for incoming board members on finance and ethics." While New York State does not mandate school board training, hundreds of board members will voluntarily attend our new board member training academies in July or September as well as numerous other programs we offer statewide, including on Long Island.

The same article tells us "the state must be less hesitant to supercede a school board." A state takeover of a school district has major implications beyond the removal of a poorly-performing board of education. Decisions regarding staffing, curriculum, use of assessment data, program development, resource allocation and capital improvements will be made in Albany. While we should never condone meddling and patronage practices, the state is ill-equipped to represent the values and priorities of the local community. The stories of out-of-control school board members may be newsworthy, but they are rare. With few exceptions, school board members are competent, honorable, dedicated volunteers whose primary interest is a good education for every child in the community.

Timothy G. Kremer

Editor's note: The writer is executive director of the New York State School Boards Association.

Latham