Two City-County Councilors tossed out of office in last November's election are trying to get appointed to the IPS board seat left vacant by Deputy Mayor Olgen Williams. Lonnell Conley and Ron Gibson have both applied for the job. Gibson until recently worked as an advocate for charter schools, a competing alternative to the state's struggling, largest public school system. I'm personally not familiar with any of the other candidates listed in today's Star, but I would urge the Board not to appoint either Conley or Gibson. These guys want that board seat for all the wrong reasons and that should be apparent to all concerned. Here's the complete list of the candidates' names:
Wilbur Batman
Ramon L. Batts
Tyrone Chandler
Michael Cohen
Barbara Coleman-Knight
Lonnell "King Ro" Conley
C. Sue Craig
Pamela J. Davis
Charles Edwards Sr.
L. Leona Frank
Ron Gibson
Phillips Giddens
Elizabeth Gore
Gary R. Hadley
Cheryl Hall-Russell
Dorothy Herron
Yvonne Kirk
Jowanna Peterson
Leroy Robinson
Greg Shemwell
Denise Smith
Linda Spencer
Tim Streett
12 comments:
Sometimes, defeated candidates don't get the message. So, for the benefit of King Ro and Ron, here's that message again:
We didn't like it when Ron slapped a police officer, then hired the council's dimwit attorney to defend him.
Or when he had to hog the mike at council meetings for senseless ramblings about nothing.
We didn't like it when Ron dodged the HRO for so long. And flaunted his "religion" to defend all his political moves, including, incredulously, his opposition to the Smoking Ordinance. Go figure.
And worked fulltime for a charter school organization, whose success is helping suck the life out of IPS.
We didn't like Ro insisting that his incompetent wife get appointed a hearing examiner in the Department of Metropolitan Development. And when he threatened his fellow Democratic caucus members if they voted against her views on certain zoning cases. Or his ridiculous votes on multiple other matters.
The voters have spoken, Ron and Ro. Loudly. Go away before you hurt someone or something.
What an embarrassment for IPS...They would have to hire a full time person to babysit Ron Gibson when he was drinking and keep him from assaulting police officers. What an example for IPS students....shaming!
I would hope they choose people who are trying to HELP THE STUDENTS of IPS, not those who want to HELP THEMSELVES.
Cheryl Hall-Russell is head of the Youth Service Bureau, a nonprofit association for the state's youth-serving agencies. I believe she has at least one child in a local private school.
My goodness. That these two ex ccc folks would even put their head above the ground after all that has gone on tells you all you need to know. Can they be this stupid. Or what?
Barbara Coleman Knight used to be an IPS School Board, who was appointed to fill a vacancy. Then, she decided not to run for election last year after Olgen Williams announced his candidacy for the same seat, even though she filed as a candidate.
She went so far as to go on Amos' show to say she was not running. Olgen barely defeated her in the May primary. So why does she want to come back to the board now?
It's clear ron and Ro are trying hold onto a seat to remain in the publi eye. How stupid is Ron to even think his candidacy would be given serious consideration when he has championed charter schools at the sake of IPS students.
Ro needs to see if WTLC will rehire him to do radio broadcasts chockfull of "Big fat juicy fun."
Leroy Robinson also ran for CCC in the democratic primary AND LOST. He is also a journalist of sorts (he believe he writes frequently for the Indianapolis Recorder on top of being a teacher in Lawrence) and I would think holding office would be a violation of journalistic ethics. And I don't think his kids go to school in IPS--I think they attend in school in Pike.
The only qualification for school board membership is residency--the candidate must reside in the school district, I believe for one year prior to the time the vacancy occured.
So, those who pay tuition for their children to attend another school, for whatever reason, are eligible to serve in the district where they reside if they've lived their long enough and are a reghistered voter.
You'd be surprised about that tuition thing, too...it's not jsut Cathedral, Brebeuf and Park Tudor. North Central, at last count, has 200 or so kids attending for its excellent college prep program. Most of them, I think, from IPS. And their parents paid tuition.
Why does anyone want to be on a school board?
Answer: Health Insurance perk.
5:25,
While I conceptually agree with the notion that school board members needn't send their kids through the system where they live, it's politically untenable. Recall when Steve Hiatt sent his youngest out of the district? He retired from the board after that. (Unless the furor was because he's white and sent his kid out of the district...)
Why should I trust someone (who isn't willing to put his/her own kids next to mine) with the power to make decisions about those schools on my behalf?
If the system isn't good enough for the board member then either the system should be closed or the board member should resign. Ron Gibson spent too much time trying to lure parents and students from IPS to his precious charter schools that he should be ashamed to even put his name in for consideration.
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