Latest news with #schoolboard
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
History prof and retired engineer campaign to unseat Kennewick schools VP
Kennewick School Board's vice president has attracted two challengers looking to oust him in the Aug. 5 primary election. Micah Valentine is seeking a second term to the school board this year. But first he'll have to fend off history professor Robert Franklin and retired engineer Michael Luzzo. The primary responsibilities of a school board include hiring and evaluating the superintendent, setting the vision and goals of the district, reviewing and adopting school policies, passing annual or biannual budgets and serving as a community representative. The Kennewick School District has entered an era of transition with the retirement of Superintendent Traci Pierce and other top administrators. School board members will play a critical messaging role next year as the district goes back out to the voters to renew its much-needed operations levy. Voters backed a $72 million measure in 2023 that funded crucial programs — such as security, special education support and athletics — that were not covered by state revenues. It came after a double levy failure left the district with no levy and state match to collect in 2023. Administrators were able to plug the $34 million hole with one-time COVID relief money, budget cuts and reserves. Micah Valentine Valentine is a marketing consultant and business owner who has children in the Kennewick School District. He was first elected to the seat in 2021 on a platform to open public schools and give students mask choice in the wake of the COVID pandemic. 'Over the past four years, we've made real, measurable progress,' he said in a statement to the Herald. 'We adopted state-of-the-art curriculum, implemented new testing and measurement software protocol, budgets are balanced — in fact, we have excess — and our schools are safer than they've been in years,' he continued. He said he's championed student safety and fairness in Kennewick schools. In March, he and Kennewick School Board President Gabe Galbraith led the charge in filing a Title IX complaint to challenge the state's laws allowing transgender students to compete in sports and use the restrooms of their choice. Valentine also led an effort to get 'critical race theory' out of public schools and revised district policy requiring educators to teach 'factual U.S. history.' Administrators, both locally and on the state level, have repeatedly emphasized that schools don't teach CRT. He also highlighted his support for getting a levy passed that included funding to install armed safety officers in Kennewick's elementary schools and played a key role in hiring new Superintendent Lance Hansen. 'As the current vice president of the board, I've driven fiscal responsibility,' Valentine wrote in the voters' pamphlet. 'Kennewick maintains the lowest tax rate among the Tri-Cities' three largest districts, while having the highest financial health indicator score. I've helped save taxpayers millions by buying down bonds, and our district used federal ESSER funds to update curriculum, ensuring sustainable success,' he continued. But Valentine says there's more work to be done, and that now is not the time for a fresh face. He believes Franklin, specifically, would 'undo our amazing progress' if elected. He wants to push the district to 'eliminate processed foods, dyes, seed oils, and sugars' from school meals in order to foster a healthier environment. Valentine says his experience on the board will also prove crucial as the district goes out for levy funding renewal next year and as unions begin contract negotiations. While the position is nonpartisan, he is endorsed by the Benton County Republican Party. Voters can learn more about Valentine's platform online at Robert Franklin Franklin says while politics touch many parts of people's lives, they should draw the line at schools. If elected, he promises to keep 'divisive culture wars' out of the classroom and refocus work on educating every student. 'We should be leading by our values, not by our politics,' he told the Herald. Franklin, who moved to the Tri-Cities a decade ago, works as an assistant professor of history at Washington State University Tri-Cities. Since 2015, he's also served as the assistant director, archivist and historian of the Hanford History Project. He was raised in Alaska and his mother was a distinguished teacher. Her work instilled in him a 'deep respect' for public educators, but he also saw the long hours she spent grading and teaching to different learning styles. 'My mother warned me against going into teaching, saying that while she didn't regret it, she felt that the pay was not commensurate to the effort involved,' he writes on his campaign website. 'She, like any parent, wanted success and financial stability for her son. Yet her passion sparked my interest in teaching—my initial career path was to go into teaching history in the high school—but I was steered into graduate school and decided to stay in academia as a teacher there,' he continued. He says he's running because he has a passion for teaching, and a desire to support students has driven him to want to more actively contribute to the learning of Kennewick students. He also has an incoming 1st grader and a preschool-age child. 'I also believe that ideological diversity is our strength, and that the consideration of different perspectives is crucial for sound decisions and policy,' he said. 'I will not bring my political beliefs or culture war battles to the board; rather, I acknowledge that I share a different ideological perspective than the incumbent, and that our students, teachers, and parents deserve a diversity of opinions and perspectives in their governing board,' Franklin continued. Franklin believes an educator's perspective on the board is needed. He says he was 'utterly dismayed' to hear board comments demeaning Olympia lawmakers and peer-reviewed research. 'That the current board gave themselves an 'A' in interpersonal board relations during their most recent self-assessment is no surprise — they seem to be in ideological lockstep,' he said. Franklin has been endorsed by the Washington Education Association, the state teacher's union, as well as Moms Demand Action, a national organization that advocates for stricter gun control laws. Franklin is the only candidate in this race to report campaign contributions so far. He's reported about $4,300 in contributions and $2,400 in expenditures, according to Washington PDC records. Voters can learn more about Franklin's platform online at Michael Luzzo Luzzo served on the Spokane County Solid Waste Advisory Committee for two years beginning in 2001. He told the Herald he's running for school board because he's recently taken an interest in local school politics. He ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Richland City Council in 2021. When asked his priorities if elected to the school board, Luzzo pointed to two issues: school funding and simple majorities for capital bond measures. He worked 20 years as a bioenvironmental engineer and previously served in the U.S. Air Force as an aircrew life support, according to the voters pamphlet. Luzzo's financial affairs statement was not immediately available. His most recent filing was received by the PDC in 2019; forms older than 2020 are available only by request. He is also subject to an upcoming PDC hearing for missing a May filing deadline. Ballots mailed Ballots have been mailed to registered voters in Benton County. Voters can register for the first time or update their registration online until Monday, July 28. After that, registration changes must be done in-person at the Benton County Election Center, at 7122 West Okanogan Place in Kennewick. Washington has a jungle primary system, which means the two candidates who receive the most votes will move on to the Nov. 4 general election. Voters have until 8 p.m. on election day to submit their filled-out ballot into a county drop box. Ballots can also be returned by mail without a stamp, but must be postmarked by election day, Aug. 5. The winner in this race will be elected to a four-year term and serve along five other elected officials on the Kennewick School Board. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
7 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Graphic video disrupts virtual public comment portion of Baltimore school board meeting
A pornographic video disrupted the virtual public comment portion of a Baltimore City school board meeting Tuesday evening, according to our media partner The Baltimore Banner. It's not clear how the video got shown during the public participation part of the meeting, which included prerecorded videos, the Banner reports. Baltimore City Public Schools spokesperson Sherry Christian told the Banner that a "graphically offensive video was displayed to participants." Christian added that the meeting was paused as soon as the video was discovered. "The meeting was recessed briefly while our team assessed the implications and determined the safest way to proceed," Christian said. According to the Banner, a reporter watching the meeting from home only saw a frozen screen of Board Chair Robert Salley during the public comment portion of the meeting. However, those attending in person saw the video, according to the Banner. Salley said the livestreaming was ending, but the rest of the meeting was continuing in person, the Banner reports. Some commissioners who joined the meeting through Microsoft Teams ended their sessions. The Banner says the continuation of the school board meeting was being recorded and uploaded to City Schools TV on YouTube. "We take this incident very seriously and are actively working with our technology team to prevent similar disruptions in the future," Christian told the Banner.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
TNT Endorsement: Puyallup School District Board Pos. 1
In the election for a Puyallup School District board member, voters have a good problem: two great candidates. One of the editorial board members at this newspaper even called them 'uniquely excellent.' Ultimately, we chose to endorse Ellen Aronson because of her longstanding work in the Puyallup schools community and deep familiarity with the issues faced by the district. Melissa Bedford is also highly qualified. Another candidate, Frank Archer, didn't participate in the endorsement process. Aronson, 39, has lived in Puyallup almost 20 years, and has a 9th grader and a 5th grader in the city's public school system. She says she got her start at the Washington state legislature, working in the civic education program and with college-age interns, and as a committee assistant. Now in nonprofit development, Aronson also worked closely on two bond measures this year that would have raised money for new construction needed to replace aging school buildings. In sequential elections, the bond measures failed. This was despite winning a comfortable majority of votes both times — the high bar required by law to pass bonds meant even a 60% yes vote wasn't enough. In an interview with the editorial board, Aronson spoke compellingly about Puyallup's need for updated facilities, especially Spinning and Waller Road elementary schools. She said public trust needs to be restored for more residents to support a bond at a time when voters are highly sensitive to tax measures. She added she has learned how to build consensus in her community through leadership roles in organizations like Mothers of Preschoolers and her church. Aronson also spoke of the importance of building the community's values into the school district's policies. That would include commitments to making students feel welcome no matter their racial or ethnic background or whether they face adversities like homelessness. Voters also have a great choice in Bedford, who has been in education for almost 20 years as a school teacher, a college professor with a doctorate in education, and an elected school board member in Spokane. Bedford, 39, is now a fourth grade teacher in the Seattle Public School District and lives in Puyallup. Bedford also has experience building relationships and understanding the issues in a school district. She also has done her homework on Puyallup. She spoke of listening to Puyallup students and families talk about their experiences and attending city council meetings. She also said she would have held off on putting the failed bond measure on the ballot for a second time until a later election when more voters were likely to come out, and focused on educating the community about the severity of the need for new buildings in the meantime. It's easy to imagine Bedford being a quick study when it comes to aspects of the district she's less familiar with. But Aronson has the edge with the relationships and knowledge she's already built up in Puyallup. The News Tribune Editorial Board is: Laura Hautala, opinion editor; Stephanie Pedersen, TNT president and editor; Jim Walton, community representative; Justin Evans, community representative; Bart Hayes, community representative. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
City officials, candidates walk through communities ahead of election
DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — Before the next election, candidates and city officials are going out to meet the community. The community was met this morning by city officials and candidates for the school board and city commission. Beginning in Kinsey Cove, they were able to stroll through a few areas of districts one and two, giving the candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves to local residents. This is due to the fact that the August election for the city commission and school board is less than a month away. Organizers claim that this is a means for the community to become acquainted with the candidates they will be voting for when they go to the polls. 'If you show up for the community no matter the district, it shows that you care we had leaders walking in the rain they truly showed me they care for the community,' Organizer Angela Godfrey said. The election is August 5th. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Former Prince George's schools leader to get at least $730,000 in severance
Former Prince George's Superintendent Millard House II received around $730,000 in salary as a part of his separation agreement with the school board, according to document released this week. The separation deal, obtained by The Washington Post through an open records request, outlined that House would receive 'as severance an amount equal to a period of twenty-four (24) months salary.' He also was entitled to a payout of accrued vacation and sick time, along with other compensation, the document shows.
