October 16, 2007...4:31 pm
Election news
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Don’t miss the comments on this thread, which is where the election action is. Some very fine reporting and analysis from readers who are doing a much better job than I am at staying on top of everything!
6 Comments
October 17, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Personally, I find the Joe Visconti bash-fest that is dominating the thread you referenced a bit boring and largely irrelevant. It’s only providing an amusing distraction from drilling down into the issues that this Town is facing in the next few years that many appear to be too reticent to discuss.
How about setting up a thread for each of the issues that concern you, whdad, on this blog, and then letting all the candidates and interested citizens have at it? That should prime the election discussion pump and beat the watered down, boiler-plate responses we have heard so far on these issues?
October 17, 2007 at 8:18 pm
That’s a very good idea, TWC.
October 17, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Apologies for continuing the bash fest… hint taken.
I also agree, this is a good idea, and part of what I was trying to ask about…
October 18, 2007 at 11:29 am
BoE Democratic candidates Clare Kindall, Bruce Putterman, and Terry Schmitt have all acknowledged the urgency of closing the achievement gap. They have also demonstrated an ability to grasp the complexity of the difficult challenges before us. Meanwhile, the Republican candidates for the Board of Ed seem primarily dedicated to fretting about their taxes:
“Check said he steps [sic] into the political ring after joining the West Hartford Taxpayers Association last spring. He is mostly focused on representing taxpayers.”
“Mudge also wants the Board of Education to develop a clear program to measure student achievement and she wants the Board of Education to develop better cost effectiveness.”
–West Hartford News, October 18, 2007
Board of Ed members should represent foremost the students of the public schools, not disaffected taxpayers.
Ms. Mudge, the education administration already exhaustively tracks student achievement, and the CMT and CAPT are the authoritative standards by which student achievement is measured statewide. Could you elaborate on what you think are the deficiencies of both local and state evaluations and how the West Hartford Board of Education might better measure student achievement? I understand you to mean the Board of Ed should request different methodologies from the education administration. What specific criteria would you like to adopt to generate more accurate data on student achievement?
Harry Captain had repeatedly provided statistics that demonstrate that the Board of Ed has, in fact, been admirably cost effective. Are you familiar with these statistics? How would you improve on them? Which services do you consider expendable? How do you propose to close the achievement gap?
October 23, 2007 at 8:47 pm
West Hartford SEPTA is pleased to invite everyone to one more opportunity to meet the Board of Education Candidates.
Don’t be complacent; show your interest in our schools!
BOARD OF EDUCATION - MEET THE CANDIDATES NIGHT
Tuesday October 30, 7-9 PM
Duffy School Auditorium
95 Westminster Dr
Sponsored by West Hartford SEPTA (Special Education PTA), this event is for everyone in the community - not just those interested in special education.
You are invited to submit questions for the candidates to info@whsepta.org prior to the meeting or bring them with you.
November 6, 2007 at 10:31 am
My comment about the two machines being reported as going down at the Whiting Lane station should probably have been posted here under Election News.
Any other irregularities? Anyone seen any candidates at the polls shaking hands?
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