Shaping students' futures

I served with Stacey on the SELPA 1 Community Advisory Committee for over a decade and believe that she would be a great addition to the PAUSD Board. She knows how to disagree without being disagreeable and will help bring administration, parents and teachers together to support students.

For those of us blown away at the current accusations against Supreme Court candidate Kavanaugh and supportive of the claims of Christine Blasey Ford and we as #MeToo, Kathy Jordan is a bright light. She single handedly pushed the Board and District to address its inadequate handling of the investigations of two claims of sexual assault, one of which was against a sexual predator who was known to the administration. Kathy Jordan's impact on District Title IX compliance is extraordinary. For the Weekly to ignore her positive impact is unacceptable journalism.

In addition, neither of the candidates for School Board supported by the Weekly stand for the outstanding academic performance for which many of us moved here. I will only support candidates who support the appropriate level of challenge for ALL students. [Portion removed due to factually incorrect statements.]

Please community. Look deeper at the impact this School Board is having. Stand up for strong schools. And, that does not just mean schools with nice facilities. It means schools with academic challenge for all students, low, average and high performing.

When I look at one of the biggest, most contentious issues that has taken place by our irresponsible school board's ineptitude over the past term when they bowed to the pressure of one student and family to change the names of two of our schools and then had the audacity to name them after other individuals, I am totally shocked that anyone should choose to vote for any of the incumbents.

Has everyone forgotten about how they paid no attention to the calm voice of reason? We cannot let people who are so easily allowed to drift their thinking have the chance to be in a leadership position again.

"Kathy Jordan's impact on District Title IX compliance is extraordinary."

This is just wrong. You are confusing the flashing light on the front of the machine with the actual works. She made a lot of noise and yes, things did change - but her noise did not cause or even influence the change. She did good to stand up at a board meeting, but that's about it.

"Stripping laning from our schools (I believe advocated by both Weekly supported candidates) means that kids of all academic performing levels will be placed in the same classroom."

Eliminating laning? When did anyone ever propose that? Over the last 5 years, teachers have proposed a total of two lane combinations - Eng 9/9A at Paly and Alg 1/1A at Gunn. The first was effectively done; the second is still in a pilot. It sounds like someone has been selling you a bill of goods.

Sorry Wow -you are misinformed. About three years ago, Max McGee and his Deputy at the time, Markus Autrey, proposed reducing math lanes at Paly from 5 to 2. They reasoned that it was more motivating for students in the lower lanes to be in lanes with the other students. They also claimed that teachers would be able to teach 2 different curriculum to students in one class because the teachers could differentiate in the classroom. I was one of 8 parents that spoke against it at the PAUSD board meeting where it was proposed. There have been a number of changes made that are done for one group of students at the expense of other students. Blended science classes is another example. Blended Chem and Chem H classes at Paly are a disaster. The teachers only get time to cover regular Chem topics and not the Chem H material. The students who really want the Chem H material are left scrambling to learn it on their own. Yes, our family experienced that too.

So, let's say that is correct: two people, both of whom left the district abruptly under a cloud and who haven't worked here for over a year, talked about something at a board meeting? What does that have to do with this year's school board race?

Thank you, Elena, for publishing the chart. It's a great way for voters to see which candidates have positions which align with their own. This is much more useful than endorsements because everyone has different positions on the issues.