Comments on Meet the Candidates Night

The following is what Glenda Adams sent me and has given me permission to share about the Meet the Candidates Night at Southland last night.


"I knew it was going to be rough, and it was with [Carl] Wimmer. I gave my two cents. Dave Hogue did a good job. He is speaking for public schools. I didn't know that he substitutes two days a week in our schools. Mostly middle schools. I think someone from District 41 or 47 came and seemed to be buddies with Stephenson's representative. Chad Reyes did very well pointing out the bad moves by Wimmer.

"Then Wimmer gets up and tells everyone that he now knows he made a mistake voting for the district split. He said he is asking for our forgiveness now and has and is going to vote for help for our schools. Chad Reyes pointed out that when Wimmer makes it known that he doesn't want the federal money [from the Education Jobs Fund Program], that this isn't helping our schools. That's when I said, I don't trust him [Carl Wimmer] and because of his vote for the split, our district is going through so many changes and that it is time that we make a change with who represents us. I said, we need to make a change, not having him, as the person who represents us.

"I didn't care for him [Corbin White] . . . and [like him] less now. He just seems flighty. Newman wasn't there, [because] he had his son's football game to go to. A principal, I forgot from what school, was standing by Newman's table, and he told me good things about Newman. I just think Newman should have been there though.

"Later, after several elderly people got up and voiced their unhappiness with Wimmer as well, which I was very happy to see tonight, one got up to ask about money for charter schools. Wimmer offers to get up to answer that there is a waiting list to get into charter schools, and he says that this shows how parents want a better place besides public schools. He goes on about how he believes and will always support a parent's choice and a better place for students other than public schools. That's when I interrupted him to try and say charter schools don't have to go by the rules public schools have to. . . .Someone spoke up to point out that charter schools do not need to go by the same requirements as public. Stephenson's guy wanted to point out that charter schools don't cost the parents anything to attend. Then someone spoke up to [ask] how are they funded, then asked about the difference between vouchers funding that was voted down twice.

"Oh, it was fun all right. This stuff makes me tired. But I'm glad I went and boy I really hope the right people will be voted in. Glenda"