Needless to say, there’s a lot at stake with the 2022 midterm elections – at both federal and local levels. Every voice matters and every vote counts.
For those of you with children in the Sparta school district, it’s likely that you’ve been following the Board of Education (BOE) race and know who you’re going to vote for on November 8. But for the rest of you, it’s possible that all you know about the candidates is what you’ve learned from the signs plastering our town, paid candidate statements in the local news and rumblings from other Spartans. The BOE race may seem inconsequential to you but I’m certain that the outcome will have ramifications on the community at large.
While I hope that everyone does their own research so that they can make informed voting decisions, I feel an obligation to share why I’m voting for the Advocating for All slate, which includes Kaitlin Gangnon, Jen Grana, Jessica Nelson, Davina Daura, Dana Gulino and Tammy Mongon.
Some of the reasons are obvious. Their goals and values align with mine. They are the only candidates endorsed by the Sparta Education Association (AKA Sparta’s teachers). They commit to disperse fiscal resources wisely on the district’s most pressing needs. They want every student to have the resources and support they need to thrive and feel like they belong. Their priorities are community-driven (you can view a running list of community concerns and submit your own on their campaign site: SpartaBOEAdvocatingForAll.com). They understand that the role of the BOE is to create and uphold policy that governs our school district, and they trust Sparta’s educators and administrators to run the district and make staffing decisions. They truly believe in and want to protect public education.
But some of the reasons are based on my experiences and observations. Since turning my attention to this BOE race a few months ago, I’ve had numerous opportunities to meet, speak with and hear from every member of the Advocating for All slate. They’ve participated in every public forum available to them (the latest candidate forum at the VFW can be viewed on YouTube). They’ve hosted meet-and-greets of their own. They’ve volunteered their time to causes supporting our schools and community. They’ve answered every question asked of them (that I’ve seen) on Facebook and in person. In short, they’ve made themselves extremely accessible to the community. This is the kind of behavior I expect from candidates running for public office, and the kind of behavior I’m confident they’ll continue to exhibit if elected.
In stark contrast, the Students First slate has not participated in a single candidate forum, nor will they respond to questions on social media. If they won’t even engage with the public while campaigning for our votes, how can we expect them to work with us if appointed to the BOE? That in itself is enough to lose my vote, but I’ve also learned quite a bit about the candidates through their personal posts and affiliations with seemingly far-reaching political groups to understand that they do not share my values and will not support our community in an equitable or inclusive way. For example, certain members of this slate have denied the existence of white privilege and have liked comments that compare being transgender to having schizophrenia. How will this kind of thinking show up behind closed doors of BOE executive sessions?
Sparta’s public schools have been a source of pride for as long as I can remember. Many of us have stayed in Sparta or moved to Sparta because of the education system and the quality of our teachers. We’ve lost several outstanding educators over the past couple years, and we stand to lose many more if we don’t elect board members who support all students, put trust in our teachers and uphold public education standards.
But again, don’t take my word for it. Do your research and come to your own conclusions. There are now 17 candidates running for six Board of Education seats. You can learn more about each candidate on the “Sparta Votes! 2022” website, an educational (and unbiased) resource designed by Sparta High School AP American Government and Politics students.
Vote wisely my friends.
Patty Rivas
Sparta