I think that lost in all the political noise around the various Fairfax County School Board races this fall is the simple, basic question of who is looking out for the best interests of the kids? A lot of focus has been on the dollars and cents of running a huge county organization, and many of the candidates have opinions on revenue and expenses. But the fact remains that the School Board has little control over the funding which comes from the county and the state. Their focus then should be on what we can do as a community to provide a better educational experience than we adults received, for all of our students, regardless of which neighborhood they live in and where they attend school. A child's mind is not like a factory product that can be stopped or started or cut back based on budget sheets. It needs constant challenges, up-to-date teaching methods and community support to grow. That takes money that we should all have a common commitment to provide, regardless of politics.
Better that we should be looking for candidates that can see the big picture and value a well-rounded education for a very diverse student population. We should want Board members that will fight to maintain and expand cultural programs and innovative teaching of science and math, or at least something other than sports. We should value a candidate that seeks to help the kids that need a boost or special education. We need candidates that will make "No child left behind" a real policy goal, not just an unfunded election-year gimmick.
One such candidate is Janet Oleszek, running for one of the three at-large positions. Janet got involved in the system as a mother first and has spent years fighting to defend the interests of the kids as a PTA leader. I would urge you to vote for a real kids’ advocate for a change and vote for Janet on Nov. 4. It's time to save our schools and the children from the bean counters.
Terry Mansberger
Springfield