Dixon school candidates tout experience

The race for three open slots on the Dixon Unified School District board is a heated one, with five newcomers and an incumbent hoping to secure one of three open seats.

[CAAZ]

Herb Cross has vast experience in all phases of community life, does not seek office for reasons of personal aggrandizement and is a former teacher. He knows his stuff and is a team player. This position would be a natural for him. He does not run from hard decisions but rather meets them head-on. He has worked through plenty of difficult financial situations in a local government setting and he thus has experience in balancing competing priorities.

[know it all]

Thanks Goodness for HERB!! He is the only rational one in the bunch!! VOTE FOR HERB!!!!!

[White Swan]

CAAZ wrote:

Herb Cross has vast experience in all phases of community life,

1. does not seek office for reasons of personal aggrandizement
2. and is a former teacher.
3. He knows his stuff and is a team player. This position would be a natural for him.
He does not run from hard decisions but rather meets them head-on.
4.He has worked through plenty of difficult financial situations in a local government setting and he thus has experience in balancing competing priorities.

1. Really? so why is he running. He does not have any children in the schools. Having kids in school is not a requirement but it brings you closer to the classroom and the school issues.

2. Yeap in trench in the mentality "we need more money"

3.. That's what we need another "team player" and rubberstamper.

4. Yeah supporting a parcel tax claiming the city was bankrupted when in fact there were plenty of $$$$ in the city's coffer.

NO to HERB

[The Great Libertarian]

CAAZ wrote:

Herb Cross has vast experience in all phases of community life, does not seek office for reasons of personal aggrandizement and is a former teacher. He knows his stuff and is a team player. This position would be a natural for him. He does not run from hard decisions but rather meets them head-on. He has worked through plenty of difficult financial situations in a local government setting and he thus has experience in balancing competing priorities.

Hmmm ... no personal aggrandizement huh? You can't believe the rest of us are that stupid or naive. Seems his campaign is all about "me ... me ... me!!!". "voted citizen of the year", "doesn't run from the hard decisions", "was the chairman of the wastewater committee and a councilman".

Ok, so what? You have to tout your accomplishments but citizen of the year elected by the old f*a*rt*s in the chamber and Rotary is not one. Elected chairman of the wastewater committee? Another nothing position promoted by those who didn't get the message when the citizens repealed the tripled sewer fees. The taxpayers chapter controlled the decision making and not one of us has the big head that Herb does to think the position mattered. You have to have the votes.

Same old thing in another year. Hopefully the citizens of Dixon aren't stupid enough to vote in another "educator" like Jim Ernst who has done nothing, someone who was on the board like Proctor (Swanson) and did nothing to question the incompetence of staff, or even Irina who is another "educator".

That leaves three: Young, DiPaola, and Pinon. As I have said, it really doesn't matter. Until those elected come with their hands out to the community once again, it won't matter. Until they realize that salaries which make up 85% of the budget are the problem and layoffs won't fix anything but rather add to it, it won't matter. In fact, even if the State takes over the system, it may be a better and more fitting ending to this nightmarish saga of futility...

[wait a minute]

I read that Brian Young sends his kids to school in Sacramento, not Dixon. Anybody know why?

[Anthony]

The Grating Libertines disapproval is the best endorsement a candidate can get.

[Elvis]

wait a minute wrote:

I read that Brian Young sends his kids to school in Sacramento, not Dixon. Anybody know why?

Better education. If you want your kids to learn the alphabet you need to send them to other than "public schools." Congratulations to Mr. Young for carrying for his children and their education!!

[charlotte]

Dixon schools are a mess and part of the reason is the culture that permeates the place. The central administration blows in the wind to complaints which generally are a reflection of some lying prima donna that wasn't given an A for sitting in class or a disruptive delinquent who wants payback for being disciplined. I have taught here for over a decade and can count the number of academic questions I get per year on both hands. The kids arrive in my class 3 years behind grade level and we pat ourselves on the back like a bunch of cheerleaders. Meanwhile I have to constantly contend with a quasi educated principal who seems to blow with the prevailing winds. Alexander Hamilton distrusted the masses. Teach in Dixon and you will too.

[The Great Libertarian]

charlotte wrote:

Dixon schools are a mess and part of the reason is the culture that permeates the place. The central administration blows in the wind to complaints which generally are a reflection of some lying prima donna that wasn't given an A for sitting in class or a disruptive delinquent who wants payback for being disciplined. I have taught here for over a decade and can count the number of academic questions I get per year on both hands. The kids arrive in my class 3 years behind grade level and we pat ourselves on the back like a bunch of cheerleaders. Meanwhile I have to constantly contend with a quasi educated principal who seems to blow with the prevailing winds. Alexander Hamilton distrusted the masses. Teach in Dixon and you will too.

Thank you for telling me, or should I say reaffirming, what I already had been told or knew. You will not be able to change this failed system until it collapses. The economic downturn is probably the best thing that ever could have happened. School district bankruptcy, on many levels, will hasten change. As the State and government in general has been an abject failure on many levels, having the State take over the school and then being ridiculed and chastised for the product they produce will raise awareness to this acute situation.

Unfortunately, most parents aren't much smarter than their kids and don't value education either. The fight is on so many different levels that it will take dedication and time beyond what I am willing to spend to right it.