Leaving It On the Field

Voters in Gwinnett County have been eager to get to the polls since they opened in mid-October. No matter how jaded we may all get with the lengthy politicking at the national level, it’s clear that we care enough about who we elect at the local level to wait for an hour or more in line.

Running a grass-roots campaign requires a lot of support and a lot of patience. Most of the donations I received came in $10 and $20 increments, not from large corporate or political sponsorship. Most of the campaign work came from a small group of people willing to sacrifice one night a week calling neighbors and area residents. 

But that support has grown steadily over the past year. I like to think my supporters are like my signs. They may not be the biggest and most prevalent, but they are clever and new and you can’t help responding to them. There has been an energy to this campaign – a momentum that has built from the chance to a part of something new. People have put a great deal of faith in me that I will help create a new chapter in Gwinnett County Public Schools history. I plan to do everything in my power to deliver on the promise of giving parents a greater voice and role in the system educating their children.

If you are still weighing your options, I would like to quickly walk you through what I’ve learned researching this campaign and where I stand as a result:

My platform – Transparency on the board, a classroom-focused budget, fully-informed parents, community involvement

April/May 2012 – My team and I scrutinized the budget and found several areas for improvement:

• Overspending in Central Office Expense
• Scheduled Growth/Real Estate/Classroom Capacity
• Superintendent Salary/Perks and Chamber of Commerce Positions

June 2012

Information is Power - We offered a primer on ways to participate and have a voice at your child’s school. We printed this in English and Spanish.

July 2012

Ending Bullying - We addressed the very serious issue of bullying and offered a screening of the powerful documentary Bully. We promoted this screening with an anti-bullying rally and a primer for parents to help their children.

August 2012

Words of Wisdom for Returning to School - We gave voice to an experienced Gwinnett County teacher offering advice for parents whose kids were off to school for another year.

A Turning Point - We discussed the merits of hiring lobbyists in an economy that seemingly requires a reduction in teaching positions.

Graduates Are Good for Business – We presented a pragmatic business case for ensuring that all children in this district are well educated.

September 2012

Voting Honor – We touted the sacred responsibility of voting one’s conscience.

Let’s Live In Reality – We confronted the reality of a 67 percent graduation rate and how to improve.

Good News and Bad News – We confronted the reality of SAT scores that trail Fulton County.

October 2012

The Big Questions – We shared answers to questions from the League of Women Voters.

How We Succeed or Fail – We confronted the consequences of the Board’s IE2 contract with the state.

Clearly, we didn’t hold back in the interest of walking on political egg shells. Win or lose, my supporters and I gave this campaign everything we had and left it all on the field. I encourage you to do a side-by-side comparison of myself and my opponent and ask yourself how well informed you will be in either case. I hope you will find that I will do the best job representing your needs and interests. I hope you will be moved to go to the polls early and encourage all your friends! Take the solemn responsibility of voting seriously, be safe and take pride in this sacred act of citizenship.

It’s been an amazing journey already, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it when I start a new chapter with you as your District III representative.