Letter: Ferndale School Board Member Supports CBE Candidates

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor.

The following was submitted by Ferndale Board of Education member Chuck Moeser.

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The reason I support the CBE candidates for the Ferndale School Board, is as simple as Councilman T. Scott Galloway’s reasons.  Over the last 22 years of elected service on the School Board I can honestly say that Keith Warnick, Katrina Collins, Jim Pfleger and Brad Parks have 10 times the School related experience of the other candidates and are ready to serve.  Look at the record over the last 10 years:  worked with the community supporting 2 successful bond issues (some of the opponents recommended against the bonds), balanced budgets year after year, supported programs that have improved student achievement test scores, introduced new innovative educational programs, saw the high school named as a reward school by the state, worked together collaboratively instead of a confrontationally, focused on what is right for ALL the students not just the few who have left and above all, made the tough, difficult decisions in the light of ever increasing reductions in state funding, a loss of over $470/student in the last year, to bring us from the brink of bankruptcy to a general fund of over $4,600,000 and a full service school District.  The Superintendent is doing exactly what he was hired for, is recognized by his peers and has positive performance ratings from all 7 Board members.  So Mr. Councilman, critical decisions have been made.

The School Board and the City of Ferndale have met at least 3 times during the term of Mr. Galloway and he only attended one meeting. There is no record of the concerns he mentions.  The biggest topic raised by the City was for the District to move their elections to November.  Why wasn’t the Councilman forwarding his concerns to the School Board or better yet, bringing those concerns to the regularly scheduled School Board meetings where the public is always invited to speak?  After all, the School District sends a representative to every Council meeting.  Maybe the Councilman should attend Board Meetings or the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee, of which he is a member, and work with residents, board members, administrators and staff, that comprise the District committees.

CBE has successfully endorsed the majority of School Board candidates, including 6 of the 7 currently seated.  CBE interviewed all eight candidates looking for good, experienced, ready-to-serve individuals, something I don’t believe the Councilman did.  Mr. Galloway and other City officials were invited to a meet/greet for the CBE candidates and declined to come.  I also wonder if the Councilman listens to residents’ complaints about the city, and enacts change based on those complaints without consideration of the effects on the entire City.  I think not.

To quote Jim O’Donnell from a published 2010 election letter: “…a school district that has improving academic performance, is financially stable … has superb music ….and honors programs … the result of our current School Board”.  “We need experienced leadership.”

This district does deserve more and will get more with the above experienced candidates.     

Chuck Moeser

Ferndale School Board Member