It's Pretty Clear By Now

Greeley Report presents better information to you here, than you will pay to get at the Lib Trib website.  Thanks to constantly growing readership at this blog and on other sites, the liberal bias in Northern Colorado is slowing strangling itself to death.

Greeley Report has had opportunity to listen to the District 6 school board candidates several times now, and has observed those that seem to modify their statements to placate the current crowd, and those that stick with their viewpoints consistently.  There are also those that tend to show up to various venues (no matter whether liberal or conservative) and those that pick and choose.  For example, last night at the Greeley 9-12 candidate forum Ed Spindler, Tannis Bator and Julia Richard didn't even bother to show up.  All three are liberal demoncrats, and apparently didn't want to represent a very large segment of Northern Colorado.

The remaining candidates were asked questions from the Lib Trib and Greeley Gazette, as well as questions submitted beforehand from people in the community and audience.  Skip Carlson acted as moderator, and kept things moving from candidate to candidate.

Many of the candidates agreed that much needed to be changed, with the exception of incumbent Mark Hinze.  His answers seemed to indicate his repeated support for the current failing administration.  Hinze also emphasized his belief that the school board was largely restricted in what they can and can not do, a point that other candidates rebutted.

Both Valerie Leal-Whitehead and Marlene Schuman have been prior District 6 school board members when the system was in horrible condition.  This topic was avoided, but was heard discussed by various members of the audience.  The public sentiment was that past boards and ideologies have failed to the point of imperiling the health of the Greeley/Evans community.  The overall mood was for local control, return to teaching the Constitution and fundamentals, and for a board to exercise a strong governing hand over the administration and the budget.  All candidates agreed that the general budget provided them by District 6 was ambiguous, at best.  Most said that if they cut it would be in some of the "sideline jobs" within schools, and within District 6 administration.

Geoff Broughton (4 year candidate) and Scott Rankin (2 year candidate) have worked with District 6 and evaluated their budgets and spending during the past 12 months.  They seem to have a grasp of where to begin.  Bret Elliot also had a solid grasp on where to begin directing the district and was quite articulate in his viewpoints.  Tim Pike also ephasized local control of schools and teaching, and a return to the fundamentals as the approach that works best.  These candidates have also offered the same, consistent message in every session, compared to others.  Doug Lidiak has operated an educational software company and has an inspiring story from his own background, but tends to lean more toward the social-agenda of education.  Logan Richardson seemed to have a single agenda in neighborhood schools as being the key element he supports.

Many of the candidates are passionate and articulate, but now the competent, consistent ones are beginning to emerge.  By November District 6 will have a newly-elected phalanx of candidates, and depending on who they are it will be more of the same failure and degredation, or a significant change to return District 6 to the leadership status it desires.  Who will you support?  Why?

Comments

[Liberal Bias]

Your post is certainly one of the best source of valuable information every reader must follow. Glad to hear a lot from you soon. Keep on sharing! Thanks

[mimi]

I am not even considering the three that could not take the time to show up. I am voting for Geoff Broughton. Although he needs to speak a little louder, he has his head on his shoulders and not where many of the rest have theirs......You go Geoff....