Questions for School Board Candidates Seeking Our Coalition’s Endorsement

• Q-30; A-90 Why are you running for School Board, and what will be your priorities?

• Q-30; A-120 We in this coalition believe that our schools are facing a systemic crisis that requires new and creative responses by school boards
in alliance with a more organized and active larger community. Do you agree with this assessment of the current situation, and if so, please explain the crisis as you see it, including an example or two of how you would respond to the crisis if elected?

• Q-30; A-90 What are your thoughts on privatization of school services? What do you consider to be the pros and cons?

• Q-30; A-60 Can you give an example of a creative response you would propose to a current crisis situation facing the AAPS?

• Q-30; A-90 If you had faced a decision similar to the one recently  faced by the current Board regarding the privatization of custodial services, would you have given the union more time to develop its fiscally-neutral worker-owned co-op option before putting out an RFP that the co-op could not qualify for?  Why or why not?

• Q-30; A-30 If the AAPS custodial staff members who are now employed by GCA seek to organize a union, would you support strict neutrality on the part of the school district?

• Q-30; A-120 What is your philosophy about how our public school administrations, teachers, staff, parents, and organized community members can maximize the educational experience for all students? Please answer assuming both a hypothetical future situation a) in which significant resources have been restored to schools, or b) the current situation with fewer resources.

• Q-30; A-60 Are there examples of specific policies that you would prioritize?

• Q-30; A-60 What do you see as the appropriate roles for parents and the broader community in local educational and general school policy development and implementation?

• Q-30; A-60 How do you see yourself working with the WCAT, the HVCLC, and our broader community coalition during the election season, should you win our coalition’s endorsement?

• Q-30; A-30 Will you agree to meet with representatives of our coalition within 2 weeks of an endorsement to discuss mutually beneficial activities, including grassroots voter contact, assistance in fundraising, and appropriate messaging?

• Q-30; A-60 What would you expect from our coalition during the election?

• Q-30; A-90 Should you win a seat on the Board, how do you see yourself working with our coalition on education-related policies during your tenure? Please give specific examples.

• Q-30; A-30 Will you agree to meet with representatives of our coalition within 60 days of your election to discuss how we can continue to work together into the future?

• Q-30; A-30 Would you consider running as a part of a slate with other similarly-oriented candidates that our coalition may endorse?

• Q-30; A-60 Do you have any experience working with unions? If so, what experience? Was it positive or negative and why?

• Q-30; A-90 How do you see the balance between a) the immediate need for the school district to cut costs and b) the district paying a living wage to school employees? What do you consider to be a living wage in Washtenaw County?