Comments on: Larry Sykes to run again for School Board…

By: LisaRenee

LisaRenee — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:34:03 +0000

I thought your children also went to TPS but I wasn’t 100% certain so I’m glad that was stated as well Darlene. The target issue is one that I think people should be aware of since it can happen. It makes the decision of where to send your child a very personal one because they are not the ones who were elected…

By: Darlene Fisher

Darlene Fisher — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:29:14 +0000

Thanks Steve for setting the record straight. Being involved from day one with my own children helped me to see issues that TPS needs to address and has propelled me to work for changes and in 2005 make the decision to run for the board. Although I don’t believe it is a requirement to have children in the system, it does make it a hard sell when you are willing to serve a system but not send your own children to that same public system unless there are other very specific reasons.

The comment above is also accurate that often your children are targets and that is truly wrong – especially when in my case, I left my children in the system – worked for change and improvement for all children and I didn’t retreat to another system but rather stayed in the system until my kids successfully graduated.

By: Steven Flagg

Steven Flagg — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:13:21 +0000

Both of Darlene Fisher’s children attended and graduated from TPS.

By: LisaRenee

LisaRenee — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:41:58 +0000

I think there have been others runner, Lisa Sobecki as an example sends her children to TPS and Jack Ford’s daughter goes to a TPS academy. I haven’t done a complete list to be able to determine the historical numbers, to be able to know if more sent their children to private schools than public but I do know there have been others before and after Sykes either on the board or who have ran for a board seat that didn’t have their own child/children in TPS.

By: runner

runner — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:35:55 +0000

I know of only one TPS school board memeber who sent his kids to Toledo public and that was Terry Glazer. They went to Start. And because he was an “outside of the box” kind of guy, his kids, if I remember correctly, were harassed there. Terry was/is a good man. He walked the talk!

By: daveschulz

daveschulz — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:01:48 +0000

No, most of the board of education has/had immediate plans to run for higher office ASAP. Just a stepping stone.

By: sandy3m

sandy3m — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:52:48 +0000

In all fairness, I believe right now we have dedicated and compassionate BOE members. By Sykes getting back on the BOE, he will completely regress all the achievements made thus far. Is it perfect? NO….But I think they really put forth a lot of effort to work through the obstacles in a respectful manner.

I do not believe he was previously compassionate for all the children and citizens in Toledo, as member of our school board, so why support him now? Regardless of where he lives, where his children attend school, it is honestly about his past actions. However, those are great points.

By: LisaRenee

LisaRenee — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:37:00 +0000

A majority of Toledo’s teachers don’t send their children to TPS, they don’t live in Toledo. Sykes is not the first nor will he be the last who didn’t send his child to TPS and ran for or served on the School Board. Perhaps with the hope that the type of education they had to go outside of the district for could be created…

If you are going to cite that as a flaw, then quite a few should be included…

By: chad

chad — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:29:49 +0000

Either way GMAC, he sent his kid to a private school. Hypocrisy at its best!!!!!!

By: henri

henri — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:29:49 +0000

Carol wrote:

I’m praying hard that Mr. Sykes reconsiders and checks in to being a greeter at WalMart.

Hey, now. I’ve encountered some highly articulate greeters on the occassions when I’ve had to venture to a Wal-Mart.

Mr. Sykes would do well in an area where he did not have to worry about his communication skills.
I hear our fair city might be considering privatizing trash service. That would maybe fit the bill!!

Let School Board members be those who are able to put into practice that which they demand of our teachers and students!!!