Campaign 2008: Board of Education:

A candidacy worth considering.

School board challenger Deborah Wertalik is a fresh face that seeks the change we need.

Normally we find the race for seats on the North Arlington Board of Education a big yawn.

Candidates promise to keep taxes in check only to blindly follow the lead of school bureaucrats obsessed with doling out raises and promotions while test scores remain mediocre at best.

Last year we had two new faces that are trying hard with little support.

Maybe the addition of another new face will create a mix that get things done.

How many times have we watched school trustees give away the store in employment contracts and collective bargaining negotiations under the guise of "progress?"

We've watched too many times school spending soar in the name of children, while taxpayers are handed a larger bill.

Now, in the wake of increased school aid, school taxes look like they'll increase double digits with calls for CAP waivers instead of complying with the mandates to keep expenditures in check!

Last year we heard the school board cry poverty only to find nearly $400,000 in expenditure cuts after voters rejected their spending package. Phantom civic organizations calling for more spending overshadowed a school election that questioned when will this school district put forth a budget that gives homeowners a break?

When will the phony premise that a defeated school budget somehow hurts children be finally put to rest?

Maybe this year will be different.

Deborah Wertalik, a civic activist that has taken on the challenge of fighting the scourge of autism is a fresh face that seems independent and ready to seek real accountability in our public schools.

In a letter to the local media, Wertalik presents herself as thoughtful and prepared.

She speaks passionately about school overcrowding (while we dispute this assertion since the school population is virtually flat), special education and an overall point-of-view that we can do better for kids and the simple proposition that all children can learn!

Wertalik talks about "creative teaching" and turning students into "self-directed problem solvers" is the kind of talk that's refreshing and what taxpayers want to hear. Eager to seek out alternative funding sources, Wertalik is an out-of-the-box thinker the board can certainly use to improve public education.

We hope that candidate Wertalik will endorse the wise choice of school uniforms for students here in the North Arlington school district.

What reasonable parent, teacher or administrator could possibly oppose such a rationale and logical decision?

 Just about every survey and study strongly suggests that attire promotes pride in students as well as eliminating the proverbial "fashion shows" and inappropriate dress of many students that goes virtually unchecked!

The school board is elected to represent not just parents, but the homeowners who pay the bills! This is a policy making board and implementing effective school policy is exactly what this board needs to do as it pertains to a structured dress code.

Turning this issue into some subset of American Idol voting is the last thing that needs to be done!

Those parents who can't afford to stock their children with a school wardrobe should embrace this policy change as something positive, something that will bring discipline and a sense of pride back to public schools. Why is it that any school district would reject a policy that requires children to become students and take the notion of coming to school as a serious and important part of their lives?

Children need to be prepared for life in the real world. There are many professions that require a uniform. The military, nursing, doctors, public safety, the construction trades and a host of other noble professions wear a uniform.

The issue of cost is a phony issue created by people too ignorant to understand the importance of such a step. Every parent must purchase school wear. There is no cost increase.

Where is the cost increase in purchasing a uniform versus some trendy clothing that does little to instill school pride?

If this policy is to be successful, it should be district-wide and given the time to succeed. The district needs to act decisively and swiftly and give this bold step a chance to be successful.

If Schools Superintendent Stringham understands the value of uniforms for students, how about suits & ties for male teachers and appropriate business attire for the female instructors?

If teachers want to be taken seriously as mentors standing before children 180 days a year, wouldn't their stature increase by looking like someone who's in charge? Teachers need to look like leaders, dressing for success is little to ask to create the positive environment that's conducive to productive learning.

If some restaurants require a jacket, why is it that leaders of children can't see the value of looking like professional educators?

We intend to bring to the public's attention very specific examples of wasteful spending that should be addressed in this election. For now, all four candidates should endorse a simple proposal in a serious way.

Trying to be all things to all people isn't leadership, it's just fear of doing the job you were elected to do!

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