Knowledge and Voting should go hand in hand

Our little Appoquinimink school board election on May 8th has generated some attention. Here is an article that was originally emailed to me this morning. I thought that I would share the insight. Credit goes to John Young and the Delaware way. Please visit their blogs.

Dr. Tony Marchio hits a home run on School Board Election in Delaware Voice letter. #netDE

By John Young on April 30, 2012

h/t Nancy Willing at Delaware Way

Wilmington News Journal 04/29/2012, Page A31

Just who is running for our school boards?

Anyone who has been fol­lowing national politics will have to wonder what impact the newly permitted “Super PACs” will have on the upcoming presidential campaign.

Many Americans are con­cerned that elections will be won on the basis of money spent and not necessarily on the character and qualifica­tions of the candidates.

While the national election might seem a little far re­moved, surprisingly, a similar movement is occurring in Del­aware with the upcoming board of education elections.

A recent e-mail was sent to various individuals by a group called Voices4Delaware.

It urged recipients to con­tribute $600 to various board candidates that this group supports.

Four districts, including Appoquinimink, were targeted as being “strategically impor­tant” to their mission.

I am not knowledgeable enough to comment on the qualifications of the candidate that was being endorsed for Appoquinimink, nor do I have an issue with him.

The only information that was given about him in the e-mail was that he had attend­ed a Christian school, was an active member of the Repub­lican Party and had attended Leadership Delaware training.

When I contacted the spokesperson for Voices4Dela­ware, I was shocked to learn that none of the other candi­dates running for the board in Appoquinimink were even vetted, leaving me to wonder how could the most qualified candidate be promoted.

School board elections may not have the stature of national elections, but they are abso­lutely critical to the well-being of the communities they serve. I would hope that we would consider all candidates who are running and would ask some very critical questions of each one.

Are these candidates run­ning to serve their schools and community or do they have some personal agenda?

Are these candidates in­volved in our schools so that they understand the critical issues facing education today?

Will these candidates work on behalf of all students in the district?

Do these candidates have enough confidence in the pub­lic school system to send their own children to them?

Hopefully, as the school board elections occur, we will be wise enough to keep ram­pant politics out of the race and elect school board mem­bers who represent kids – not Super PACs or political parties or unions.

Real reform will come to our schools when caring com­munity members who are will­ing to do the right things for the right reasons are elected to boards of education.

Tony J. Marchio is the former superinten­dent of the Appoquinimink School District.

DELAWARE VOICE

TONY J. MARCHIO