Glass City Jungle

Information on School Board candidates and Judicial candidates TFP style…

25 Oct 2009

This week the Toledo Free Press coverage includes bio and other information on all of the candidates seeking election to the Toledo Public Schools Board and on the three candidates who want to be your next Toledo Municipal Court judge. Council coverage will be next week. Darlene Fisher is on the cover, she is the only candidate who is running for re-election to the school board since current School Board President Bob Vasquez and Brenda Hill were both appointed to their seats on the TPS Board.

The article, Fisher fights through controversy to push reform starts out with coverage on Fisher then focuses on the others.

My original piece on the judges was shortened due to space requirements, this is the first political interview I’ve written for the Toledo Free Press, Three candidates vying for single judicial seat. Later this week I’ll include the longer original piece, though I recommend reading today’s to learn a bit more about Bill Connelly, Mark Davis and Ian English and I thank each of the three men for making time during their campaigns to talk with me. They may not get as much media attention, but they are out there campaigning hard for your vote…

There is of course much more in this week’s Toledo Free Press, Tim Higgins responds to the paranoia issue as raised by another TFP contributer; Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop writes about the arena as well as Michael Miller’s column is inspired by the scenes from the new arena.

4 Responses to “Information on School Board candidates and Judicial candidates TFP style…”

  1. 1
    henri Says:

    TFP wrote:

    “Mindy Jenson was approached by the Lucas County Republican Party and asked to run for school board.

    Yes, asked to run… didn’t come forward on her own. I wonder if she had to sit for a screening committee…

    TFP wrote:

    “Every parent wants what’s best for their kids, and as a parent, I would try and work toward what’s best for the kids,” Jenson said.

    Really, as a parent, how much did you participate in your child’s education?

    TFP wrote:

    Jenson’s background is not in education, but in health care. She has worked as a nurse for 17 years and is the director of nursing at the Rosary Care Center. Jenson said her background provides a different perspective, different ways of looking at the problems.

    Such as???

    TFP wrote:

    As part of the health care industry, Jenson said she understands what it’s like to have less funding coming in. She said she would come up with different and creative ways to get the best quality product at an affordable price for the students.

    Affordable price for students? Umm, it’s a public school system, the families don’t pay for their children to attend. Pay taxes, yes, but tuition, no. And while school funding is an issue, the ‘product’ is the child; ie: educational outcomes…

    TFP wrote:

    Jenson aims to keep education engaging, maintain small class size and provide quality resources. She would like to see more hands-on learning and set up after school tutoring programs.

    Provide quality resources, more hands-on learning, and set up after school tutoring??? When’s the last time this candidate, Mindy Jenson, was in a classroom or school? Most every teacher regardless of grade level has hands-on learning as part of their classroom repertoire… it’s all about differentiating their instruction to reach all learners. Provide quality resources? So, you’re telling me they don’t have enough books? Smartboards? New buildings full of technology? Please, elaborate on what you have specifically seen as an issue and where, and how one of these three items from your own platform applies to that school…

    TFP wrote:

    In the time of H1N1, Jenson said she wants to make sure the schools are doing what they need to do health wise for the children.”

    H1N1? Really? This isn’t much different than the MRSA plans school districts adopted when that became problematic. Schools have to have such plans in place to be able to deal with disaster plans, shutdowns, and all types of emergencies. If H1N1 is the biggest thing a school board member has to worry about, step aside. I want for my children to be able to reach the educational goals and objectives set for them by their teachers, per the state standards. What benchmark and grade level indicator addresses Swine Flu?

  2. 2
    Sujay Says:

    Lisa Renee – Good writeup in the TFP, but I’m a little surprised that you didn’t confront English on his recent Republican past.

  3. 3
    LisaRenee Says:

    We did discuss his being a Democrat for quite some time now as well as some of the nonfactual information that’s been written about him, such as the claim he had any connection to Blackwell. My focus of the article was however biographical. He is the Democrat, Connelly is the Republican and Davis is the Independent.

  4. 4
    Sujay Says:

    Or, to put it more accurately: Just as Wilko is the Democrat running as a Democrat and Bell is the Democrat running as in independent, Connelly is the Republican running as a Republican, Davis is the Democrat running as an independent, and English is the Republican running as a Democrat. It at times can get a bit confusing.

    “[English] being a Democrat for quite some time now.” How long would that be? 5 years? And that’s long enough to award him a party endorsement? That’s a great reward to all of those party devotees who pounded yard signs and knocked on doors for 20+ years only now to be thrown outside like Tuesday morning’s trash in lieu of this Democrat by marriage.

    In any event, wouldn’t party affiliation fall under “biographical”? Arlen Specter’s primary opponent in Pennsylvania would probably think so …

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