Thoughts on the FMISD: 2011 School Board Elections

A couple of weeks ago, I campaigned for the FMISD LISD school board elections at the Flower Mound polling site.  Even though I was away for most of the election season, I was able to stay informed through various blogs and news sources.  I knew who I thought would do the best for not only the Lewisville community, but for the entire school district.

I also knew that the incumbents, Carol Kyer and Amber Fulton, had to go.  Their actions over the past several years have shown me and many other residents of Lewisville that they really do not care about the majority of the students of Lewisville High School.  In their single-minded quest to raise TAKS scores in the Lewisville feeder pattern, they have made decisions that will further harm the majority of the students that are high performing and are involved in many different activities.  Now, you might be asking, what decisions have these been?  While there might by many different reasons,  I will narrow it down to two main issues that have come up over the past few years that show me that the makeup of the school board from a few years ago was not looking out for me or my former classmates.

Decision #1: The Hiring of Coach Dick Olin. 
Decision #2: The Construction of the New South Campus


I will go into more detail on this blog soon on my thoughts on these two issues, but in general what these two decision have in common is the fact that the Lewisville community came out and vehemently opposed them.  I was a student at Lewisville High School at the time when both of these decisions were made, and to be honest I don't remember a single student, teacher, or parent that was supportive of these decisions.  And for many, we were wondering why the school board would go against our wishes in these decisions.

According to them, Lewisville people don't know what is best for them, you see.  That job should be left for the people from nearby wealthier suburbs.  Anyone with half a brain would know that studies show that schools in poor urban areas do better with smaller learning communities.  There is no difference between South Oak Cliff High School and Lewisville High School, right?  Also, they knew that Lewisville residents always had a low voter turnout and that we would never be able to organize a successful campaign against the incumbents, and so they thought they didn't have to listen.  Thus, Lewisville residents weren't needed when making the decisions that would impact them.  These thoughts went on for far too long among the school board and many members of the district administration.  This arrogance that emanated from the school board, especially from Carol Kyer and Amber Fulton, resulted in decisions that will negatively impact the students of Lewisville High School as well as all residents of the Lewisville community for generations to come.

They refused to listen to our concerns that this coach would put our once-great football program into decline.
 
They refused to listen to our concerns that a three campus system would splinter a school built on unity.

Four new school board members later, I think they might have finally heard our message.

LISD now has a majority on the school board that wants what is best for every school, not just the school their kids go to.  I am thankful to now have Mike McDaniel join ranks with Brenda Latham, Jeff Knapp, and Julie Foughty because I know they are looking out for not just my community, but yours too.     

Arrogance, elitism, and stubbornness.  These were the ideals that represented the former school board members.  Just ask Tommy Kim, Fred Placke, Kathy Duke, and now Amber Fulton how those principles worked out for them.

-Jeremy