12-18-2000 School boards need more brave members

The defeat of the Carmel Central School District's $40.8 million bond by a three to one margin speaks worlds about how detached many Boards of Education members are from their constituencies.

Marie Ginnane was a minority of one on her board, representing the 2,971 voters who opposed the bond issue, and was vindicated by the landslide vote. She can take comfort that she is not alone in her courageous stands: Two personal friends of mine, Marie "Betsy" Calhoun in Garrison and Joe Whelan in Bedford, both unseated sitting board presidents and currently fight lonely battles within their boards on an assortment of issues.

The good news is that the public is waking up in having elected these gutsy individuals. It is important to ensure that in future board elections they are given support by election of candidates sharing their philosophy that the school board represents the total community. All community members pay taxes for education, and all live in the climate created by the moral and academic values inculcated in the classroom.

It is important that Carmel voters not rest with this victory. Marie, Betsy and Joe need to have like-minded people with basic common sense elected to their respective boards so that they do not stand alone in efforts to represent the total community - not the empire builders intent on building monuments to themselves that do little to advance children's ability to cope in the world they face.

Catherine Portman-Laux
Garrison