The following is from today's edition of the BCCT. It was written by David Stoneburner ,a candidate for Morrisville School Board.
Board must balance community needs and district's future
Bucks County Courier Times
I am running with pride for the school board in Morrisville. The three individuals I am running with may be of different political parties, but we are of one philosophy. We believe that the Morrisville School District and the community deserve a board that is balanced in its concerns for the community and creative in its ideas and solutions for our future.
I am running for this position because I believe that the community needs and must be involved in the school district's decisions. I believe that the community deserves inclusion in the board's deliberations. I believe the community is a vital part of the creative solutions that can be applied to the important issues that we will face over the next few years. I believe the current board and my opponents are of a mindset that does not, and has not, included the community in their decisions. Morrisville does not want an autocracy on its school board. The board must represent the entire community. Right now, it does not.
The current board has dragged its feet on what to do with the M.R. Reiter School. It has been almost a year since the furnace incident. They say they are still studying the questions. That sounds pretty naive, bordering on incompetent. It also sounds like a group who does not want the public to know any of their decisions.
Typically, current board members do not respond to the public. Morrisville must have an inclusive, creative school board that looks out for education as well as fiscal policy. If our children acted like this, we would not stand for or allow it. Why do we allow any elected politician, in any office, to act this way? It is just wrong.
The board president said in September that he wants to get rid of all classroom aides to save $25,000. In June, without notice, he created a frivolous, unnecessary position. Then, that same night, he hired a friend for up to $25,000 to fill the position. That position is a district PR job in an election year.
Do we want an apathetic board that allows one person to release aides for our youngest students so they can hire a person to benefit them politically?
This school board has severely limited the ability of this administration to provide the quality education of which it is capable. Until this year, the PSSA scores had been trending upwards. This year, the PSSA scores have suffered because of the drastic cost-cutting. I believe that there is a correlation between the decreased number of teacher aides, and increased class sizes, and the lower test scores.
I want the community involved on Election Day - and beyond. We as a community can give many great opportunities to our students. The school board must be the leaders of those experiences. This board, and my opponents, has proven not to be the leaders we need, now. They have shown they lack creative ideas for education, for new opportunities for the students, and forethought for the long-term solutions to the very serious issues we will face in the future.
The community and the students deserve to be treated with pride and respect. The school board needs to be responsible to the entire community, not just the select few with special interests.
We are proud of our ideas. They are on our website at www.morrisvillepride.com and we are willing to talk to anybody about any concerns or ideas they have. We welcome the community - all of the community, because we all have ideas. We all care about our children's future and we all want Morrisville to succeed and prosper.
