Letters
I have watched the bravery and determination of the Ukrainians with increasing admiration. Theirs is a fledgling democracy. All of us are fortunate to have a long standing democracy based in large part on the “rule of law” concept.
In the USA, if a citizen is accused of violating a law, she has the right to a jury of her peers. Evidence is presented, and the jury is asked to listen to the evidence, without bias and prejudice, and do their best to sort out the Truth, knowing all the while that the prosecutor wants a conviction, and the defense wants exoneration.
For a community’s children, the elected school board is like a jury. The board of trustees listens to the “evidence,” in other words, advice, requests and requirements of the State Board of Education, OSHA, labor unions, legal counsel, accountants with budgetary guidelines, the local administrators, the teachers and all their support staff, the parents and the children.
The trustees then in closed and public sessions discuss all these variables and come to decisions. This is a difficult task, because they know someone will be dissatisfied with the outcome.
In the end, the community, and the trustees, have one guideline: what is best for ALL the children. This is our “rule of law.”
Public school creates our next generation of citizens, and thereby must be inclusive. The needs of every child must be considered, regardless of intellectual, physical, emotional or socioeconomic status.
The bottom line is the opportunity to learn: reading, mathematics, science and technology, health, team building, leadership, problem solving, communication skills, conflict resolution, artistic expression, and the rewards of diligence and dedication — all while attempting to help the students enjoy the process!
Public schools teach our children how to be part of a community. As a community, we need to teach by example about how to discover points of agreement, and build consensus from there.
I implore everyone on the board to take that first step, for ultimately, we all love our children. Thank you.
Kate Schmidt-Hopper lives in Hidden Valley Lake, California.
In the USA, if a citizen is accused of violating a law, she has the right to a jury of her peers. Evidence is presented, and the jury is asked to listen to the evidence, without bias and prejudice, and do their best to sort out the Truth, knowing all the while that the prosecutor wants a conviction, and the defense wants exoneration.
For a community’s children, the elected school board is like a jury. The board of trustees listens to the “evidence,” in other words, advice, requests and requirements of the State Board of Education, OSHA, labor unions, legal counsel, accountants with budgetary guidelines, the local administrators, the teachers and all their support staff, the parents and the children.
The trustees then in closed and public sessions discuss all these variables and come to decisions. This is a difficult task, because they know someone will be dissatisfied with the outcome.
In the end, the community, and the trustees, have one guideline: what is best for ALL the children. This is our “rule of law.”
Public school creates our next generation of citizens, and thereby must be inclusive. The needs of every child must be considered, regardless of intellectual, physical, emotional or socioeconomic status.
The bottom line is the opportunity to learn: reading, mathematics, science and technology, health, team building, leadership, problem solving, communication skills, conflict resolution, artistic expression, and the rewards of diligence and dedication — all while attempting to help the students enjoy the process!
Public schools teach our children how to be part of a community. As a community, we need to teach by example about how to discover points of agreement, and build consensus from there.
I implore everyone on the board to take that first step, for ultimately, we all love our children. Thank you.
Kate Schmidt-Hopper lives in Hidden Valley Lake, California.
- Details
- Written by: Kate Schmidt-Hopper
Well, Tuesday was anything but boring. I announced my candidacy for the Middletown Unified School District Board and in less than 24 hours I had my first donations, endorsements, well wishes, and a bit of drama and controversy on the comments section of the Lake Co News article about me.
First, I’d like to thank those of you who have shown support. I hate asking anyone for anything, especially money. But, I just keep reminding myself that I’m not asking for me, but for our schools: especially our kids and our teachers. You guys are amazing and with your support, we are going to turn things around for our district.
Secondly, I’d like to set the record straight about the innuendos floating around.
I’ve been referred to as the lady who “called the police on peaceful parents” at a school board meeting. The majority of those in attendance that day were not exactly peaceful. At least two members of the board were shaking and crying as the crowd got more and more aggressive. I called the sheriff because I feared for the safety of the board.
Prior to that, I had tried to get the unmasked members of the crowd to either mask up or step outside at least until after the presentation of the awards to the students who were in attendance. However, I was shouted over.
Eventually (and before the sheriff arrived), the meeting was moved outside which seemed to deescalate things.
They can deride me all they like. I made a judgment call and I stand by my decision. Should anyone wish to view the actual video of that meeting for themselves, I will be posting it on my campaign Facebook page.
I’m also being accused of having said I would “force vaccines on our kids.” Someone even went so far as to take a photo of my son off of my personal Facebook page and post it online in the comments section of the article. They wrote, “If she would do it to her own son she would do it to yours.”
My child made the decision to get boosted on his own. He asked me repeatedly when it would be time to make an appointment; there was no forcing it. While it appears that the admin of the page has since removed the photo, I must say I’m a little shocked that someone thought using a photo of my child was OK. I’m prepared for people to sling mud at me, but leave my child out of it.
To be clear, what I said was. “I believe in vaccines because they work.” However, I am not now, nor have I ever, actively lobbied to have a vaccine mandate. Should I be so honored as to win a seat on the board I will have to uphold whatever laws are in place at that time. To do otherwise would jeopardize the district’s insurance and create a liability.
I hope that clears things up for those who may have been confused by the open hostility in the comments section of the article announcing my candidacy, yesterday.
I look forward to getting back to discussing the real issues of our district: the budget, the bond money, the LCAP funds and supporting our teachers.
Charise Reynolds lives in Middletown, California.
First, I’d like to thank those of you who have shown support. I hate asking anyone for anything, especially money. But, I just keep reminding myself that I’m not asking for me, but for our schools: especially our kids and our teachers. You guys are amazing and with your support, we are going to turn things around for our district.
Secondly, I’d like to set the record straight about the innuendos floating around.
I’ve been referred to as the lady who “called the police on peaceful parents” at a school board meeting. The majority of those in attendance that day were not exactly peaceful. At least two members of the board were shaking and crying as the crowd got more and more aggressive. I called the sheriff because I feared for the safety of the board.
Prior to that, I had tried to get the unmasked members of the crowd to either mask up or step outside at least until after the presentation of the awards to the students who were in attendance. However, I was shouted over.
Eventually (and before the sheriff arrived), the meeting was moved outside which seemed to deescalate things.
They can deride me all they like. I made a judgment call and I stand by my decision. Should anyone wish to view the actual video of that meeting for themselves, I will be posting it on my campaign Facebook page.
I’m also being accused of having said I would “force vaccines on our kids.” Someone even went so far as to take a photo of my son off of my personal Facebook page and post it online in the comments section of the article. They wrote, “If she would do it to her own son she would do it to yours.”
My child made the decision to get boosted on his own. He asked me repeatedly when it would be time to make an appointment; there was no forcing it. While it appears that the admin of the page has since removed the photo, I must say I’m a little shocked that someone thought using a photo of my child was OK. I’m prepared for people to sling mud at me, but leave my child out of it.
To be clear, what I said was. “I believe in vaccines because they work.” However, I am not now, nor have I ever, actively lobbied to have a vaccine mandate. Should I be so honored as to win a seat on the board I will have to uphold whatever laws are in place at that time. To do otherwise would jeopardize the district’s insurance and create a liability.
I hope that clears things up for those who may have been confused by the open hostility in the comments section of the article announcing my candidacy, yesterday.
I look forward to getting back to discussing the real issues of our district: the budget, the bond money, the LCAP funds and supporting our teachers.
Charise Reynolds lives in Middletown, California.
- Details
- Written by: Charise Reynolds
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