Letter: Questions for Team for Change

To the Editor:

I have two questions for the “Team for Change” candidates in the CASD School Board election:

1. What specific, concrete things would you change about our district?: The outstanding Career and Technical Education program whose students recently won silver and bronze medals at the statewide competition? The appointment of a School Safety and Security Coordinator? The teachers supporting the STEM team that won its statewide competition or those who helped Carlisle students win many History Day prizes? The five different websites devoted to informing parents about child nutrition services? The comparatively low teacher turnover rate? Would you change the mission statement or the district’s stated values (carlisleschools.org)? Are you against the admirable bipartisanship of the current board and of the five candidates running as Citizens for Carlisle Schools?

Anyone who has explored the myriad responsibilities of and constraints on school board members (as I did while running a nonprofit for teacher development) will discover that it’s harder to criticize those members when you actually understand their responsibilities and constraints.

2. Whom do you mean when you use the word "parents"? You ask that the district be more "accountable" to parents - which parents? After living in Carlisle for 50 years (and with sons who are CASD graduates), I have come to know a broad range of district residents including the parents of my children's friends, those I have been privileged to serve at Project SHARE, individuals I knew through my jobs, and neighbors. I can count on the fingers of one hand the people who have ever expressed significant disapproval of Carlisle's schools. Please consider adopting the phrase "parents who agree with us," rather than “parents,” since you do not speak for so many of us. Bussard, Clash, Eby, Shane and Tarrant will do so.

Rebecca R. Kline

Carlisle

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