Dear Editor,
The Dispatch has been active in making the platforms of the
Gilroy School Board Candidates available to the public, for which I
am grateful.
However, in the Editorial Board’s discussion of The Dispatch
endorsements, my candidacy was summarily dismissed because I
supposedly had not done my homework on an open meeting issue. No
mention was made of the fact that for the last two years I have
been involved with other concerned parents in bringing important
curriculum concerns to the administration and the board.
Dear Editor,
The Dispatch has been active in making the platforms of the Gilroy School Board Candidates available to the public, for which I am grateful.
However, in the Editorial Board’s discussion of The Dispatch endorsements, my candidacy was summarily dismissed because I supposedly had not done my homework on an open meeting issue. No mention was made of the fact that for the last two years I have been involved with other concerned parents in bringing important curriculum concerns to the administration and the board.
These actions have resulted in the re-institution of honors classes at the high school, adoption of a standards-based curriculum in the English department, a revised and more appropriate reading list for English, and reinstatement of weighted grades for AP classes. These changes have benefitted all students at Gilroy High School.
Instead of acknowledging these accomplishments, I was criticized for not doing my homework.
I made a suggestion about how to shorten board meetings. I did not mention that I was referring to informational items that would not be covered by the open meeting laws. Some of these items are currently being covered by the “Friday paper” which the Board members receive.
Perhaps I will have to do more investigation of what items could be handled in email when I am elected, but I think my suggestion to try to shorten board meetings was an important and valid one.
There is a lot of concern in our community about the direction of the Gilroy Unified School District. Many citizens are no longer willing to accept business as usual.
The many forums have been effective in pinpointing the different platforms and philosophies of the various candidates.
I hope the public will read my platform carefully and vote on Nov. 2. Fortunately, the only endorsements that truly count are those given by the electorate on election day.
Robert Heisey, Gilroy
