Saturday, October 25, 2014

School Board Races

A few recent letters to the H-L Editor:

Natasha Murray is exactly what the Fayette County school board District 4 needs.
She has dedicated her time and public service to strengthen our community. Her collaboration with local, state and national leaders brings positive results.

She established two Augustus F. Hawkins literacy centers in the Lexington and Louisville areas to enhance the reading achievement of students in their areas.

The current school board should be audited and publicly evaluated on their ability to meet our needs, and questioned on how they plan to move the district forward.

I urge voters to join many others on Nov. 4 as it is time for a change. No longer can our district afford to be tied up in personal conflicts. Our students, schools and community need a leader who can bring positive change to our district.

The choice is clear. Vote Murray for school board, District 4.

Tiffany Carter
Lexington

I have waited to respond to Joel Pett's Aug. 26 cartoon until Auditor Adam Edelen released his findings so that, unlike Pett, I might comment on facts. His tasteless, inaccurate portrayal of Fayette County Public Schools board member Amanda Ferguson was not factual.

Having known her since she was a student in my class at Maxwell Elementary, and as a member of my church, she has always been an intelligent, level-headed person desiring to contribute to society.
As a parent of three in the FCPS, she should be admired for giving her time, asking questions and demanding adequate information before voting on important issues. The auditor's report substantiated her concerns.

Pett's charge that she's interested in herself and not kids was especially offensive. Why else would she put herself in a position to take abuse from him and others who disagree with her?

Pett and the Herald-Leader owe Ferguson an apology.

Elizabeth Brumfield
Nicholasville

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/10/15/3483347/letters-to-editor-oct-16.html#storylink=cpy


Natasha Murray is a compassionate, highly involved parent who cares about her community. She would represent constituents of the Fayette County school board, District 4, with integrity, leadership and enthusiasm.

I have watched her efforts to inspire and inform parents to become better CEOs of their children's educational experience. Her professionalism and result-driven approach will bring a new and fresh focus to the school board.

As a concerned parent, I am assured that she has the knowledge, skills and experience to work with the district leadership and her board colleagues to do what is in the best interest of all children.
She has created a visible presence in the community along with endorsements from the Central Kentucky Building and Construction Trade Council, the Herald-Leader, and Teamsters Local 651.
I invite Lexington voters in the 40502, 40508, 40515 and 40517 ZIP codes to elect Murray.

Marva Eubanks
Lexington

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/10/21/3492102/letters-to-editor-oct-21.html#storylink=cpy

I would appreciate your vote for my re-election as the 4th District member of the Fayette County Board of Education.

As I have been for nearly eight years, I will remain an advocate for all of my constituents — representing the best interests of our students and the community, insisting on good governance and accountability, and seeking to ensure the wise use of district resources so that every student in our district will be able to succeed.

I promise to continue as a voice for those who feel they have not been heard — students, parents, teachers, support professionals, administrators or concerned citizens. I have lived within this district nearly my entire life, attending Maxwell, Morton, and Henry Clay. In addition to my service on the school board, I have been involved with the school system for more than 11 years as a PTA member and officer, volunteer and tutor, and my three children currently attend Ashland, Morton, and Henry Clay.

My parents instilled in me a lifelong love of education and learning, inspiring me to obtain a B.A. degree in psychology from the University of Kentucky and an M.A. degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University, and ultimately leading me to take on the challenging role of school board member.

Over the last several months, I have received tremendous support from our community and have been strongly encouraged to seek a third term.

I firmly believe that my work on the board is not yet complete and humbly ask for your vote.

Amanda Main Ferguson
Incumbent, school board District 4 

I am grateful for the editorial board's recognition of my service to the children of Lexington and am honored by its recognition of my questioning the wisdom of certain budget cuts championed by our superintendent.

I am dismayed by the criticism of my encouraging school employees to present allegations of mismanagement to the board.

Had the budget director not publicly disclosed her allegations, the community would have never known about material financial information being misrepresented to the school board, the lack of transparency in increasing administrative salaries, the misuse of the Mary Stoner Trust for bureaucratic travel rather than for directly benefiting our students, or the intentional circumvention of board policies to financially benefit certain vendors. As columnist Tom Eblen recognized, most "of the problems the auditor found related to finance and management."

Any type of "chronic mismanagement" of our kids' money is reprehensible, especially when teachers from high-poverty area schools are asking for money online to purchase basic supplies for classrooms. I will continue to seek accountability.

I am proud to have defeated devastating financial cuts to band, music, orchestra, the arts and special education. I am proud to support the establishment of a new elementary school for District 2, STEAM and Carter G. Woodson Academy.

I will work for the proper use of trust funds to enhance the educational experiences of all children, especially those schools which serve lower-income neighborhoods. I am a proven advocate for teachers and for all kids. I ask for your continued support on Nov. 4.

Doug Barnett
Incumbent, school board District 2

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