Why YOU Should Run For Board of Education!

I would like to encourage anyone interested to run for a seat on the Board of
Education. While my campaign wasn't successful, I am still glad I did it:

1. If everything has gone perfectly for your child, and you have no complaints,
and you're happy with the status quo, then you don't have to run. But if you
think things can be better, wrongs should be righted, problems fixed, then don't
you owe it to the community to try and help?

2. You meet the nicest people. I met lots of folks who were dissatisfied with
the status quo and wanted to help bring about change. There weren't enough of
us, but one of these days there will be.

3. The democratic process should really WORK here in Montgomery County. We
should have opponents for every race. Otherwise, what's the point of voting?
To "bless" the pre approved union's candidate? No more "free rides" for
incumbents who think it's more important to sell our curriculum to a for-profit
company on 48 hours notice than to question more deeply the transaction. No
"free ride" for the incumbent who trots out to Denver for a conference touting
labor-management cooperation when the previous year the incumbent was ready to
sue the taxpayers. And, oh yeah....did we ever get an explanation of the "slush
fund" at the end of last year?

It only cost 25 dollars (I think) to file to run for office. Isn't it at least
worth 25 dollars to have the opportunity to challenge an incumbent who so
plainly has put other priorities ahead of kids with special needs, gifted kids,
taxpayers, etc?

Just do it.

Lyda Astrove