By Tom Ganser
Correspondent
On Mar. 19, the three candidates vying for two positions on the Whitewater Unified School District school board participated in a forum sponsored by the Whitewater League of Women Voters.
The election will be held Tuesday.
The three candidates include: Kelly Davis, who is running for public office for the first time; Dan McCrea, who currently serves on the school board; and Jim Stewart, who served on the school board in the past.
Anita Loch, league secretary and board member for the National League of Women Voters, moderated the forum that featured 13 questions answered in alternating order between the candidates with a two-minute limit for their responses. All but one question came from audience members in attendance at the forum.
In his opening statement, Stewart said that it has been over 10 years since there was a contested election for the school board.
“My board goals will focus on key areas of student achievement, parent involvement, physical accountability, college and career readiness of all students,” Stewart said.
Indicating that the budget is the “highlight or lowlight, if you will,” among the issues facing the Whitewater Unified School District, McCrea also cited three issues the district the district is wrestling with: poverty in the community, the recruitment and retention of teachers in today’s “free agency” market and changes in expectations for education.
Davis said the perspective she’ll bring to the board “is one of parents of young children who has a policies background.” She said she will use her voice to speak up for students, principals, the district leadership team, teachers and staff.
“I think the school district is going in the right direction and I want to be part of the team that keeps us moving in that way,” Davis said.
Several of the questions at the forum were related directly or indirectly to the WUSD budget, particularly in relation to an anticipated cut of $290,000 in categorical aid for the budget for each of the next two funding years.
The candidates were also asked to comment on low morale among some teachers; how board members can keep informed about activities in the district; the relationship of the district with the City of Whitewater, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the Aquatics Center; services for students with disabilities and for gifted and talented students, funding of music and arts programs; the Common Core standards; online education; alternative energy sources for the district’s buildings; and alternatives to public schools funded through the voucher program.
Below are some of the questions asked at the forum and portions, if not all, of the responses given by each of the candidates, listed in alternating fashion.
Budget cuts
“What, if anything is non-negotiable when it comes to budget cuts, or should everything be on the table?” was the first question asked.
“I can honestly not think of one thing that is not on the table. We have to look as a board at all of our options… We certainly value our staff, we certainly value our students, but undoubtedly during tough budget decisions… we do have to prioritize, we have to look at those recommendations that have gone forth from our administrative team,” McCrea said. “We do have to weigh really what’s in the best interest of not only the children of the district but the staff as well.”
Davis said there is a “need to look at everything possible,” and stressed the need for communication that “involves parents, teachers, community members in the process of where these cuts are happening so that no one feels like the school board’s out to get them, or that we’re not listening… trying to hear everyone’s opinions and views and really make that just part of the budget process as transparent as possible. “
According to Stewart, “everything is negotiable. We have certain things that we have to do, mandates, so I think looking at what has come in from the focus groups and also surveys, some things that are very important to the community and that is class size at the first through third grade. Everything really will be enrollment driven.”
Funding music and art
Regarding the funding of music and art programs in the district, the candidates offered similar opinions.
“I do not view music and the arts as extras that can just be done away with,” Davis said. “I agree that we need to evaluate everything and everything needs to be on the table but personally arts is not an extra.”
Davis suggested that solutions to maintaining music and art programs will require dialogue, collaboration, maybe some fundraising and “being really creative. Music and the fine arts just do so much to feed the whole person that I would be hard pressed just to axe them.”
Stewart said that music is “probably the last thing to axe” and cited last year’s board room packed with students, parents, and community member when the school board was deliberating reductions in music teacher positions.
“Not one word was said” about eliminating a physical education teacher position, Stewart noted. “Everything is negotiable but music is very important. Art is part of our curriculum process. It will always be there,” he said, adding, “The community loves the art program, too.”
McCrea said he hopes the same approach would be taken to maintaining funding for music and art “as we would for physics and language arts and the K-6 classroom.”
McCrea also pointed out that eliminating athletics and music and art programs to reduce district expenses can result in families using “open enrollment” to send their children to a different district. “So, we can’t be short sighted and just go ahead and eliminate something that will cost us more in the end.”
Taxpayer concerns
The candidates were asked to address the concerns of residents who do not have children in the schools and therefore object to paying taxes to support the school district.
Stewart said he did not see this as “a big problem. There are many people in the community who have received the benefits of their public education through their lifetime.”
Stewart referenced the support in passing the November 2014 school referendum by people who do not have any children in school. “They realized that the school district is not reckless or irresponsible in their spending, and they’re good stewards of their spending.”
McCrea said the district needs to be accountable, “not only for its revenues but for its expenditures, and I think we have embraced and welcomed that accountability… We do not operate in the dark.
“The reality is no one wants to pay any more taxes,” McCrea added. It is in the best interest of each generation – and is its responsibility – to provide education.”
According to Davis, “It might not be obvious, but our school district contributes in any number of ways to the quality of life in this community, and I would urge people to think about that… There’s a notion – think it’s more than a notion – that we’re all in this together, we’re all in Whitewater together, and if Whitewater schools do well, we’re all going to do well. If the university does well, we’re all going to do well.”
Closing statements
“We are not a perfect district. We have not obtained 100 percent satisfaction with students and parents who attend our district, but I believe we have an administrative team and board that certainly subscribe to continuous improvement,” McCrea said in his closing statement at the forum.
Davis said she wants to “keep the momentum going since the November referendum. That’s going to be tough, especially with the Governor’s budget cuts, but I think my perspective would be helpful on the board.”
Stewart, said he believes he’s “a known entity who loves this community, and I move in many circles. I feel like I know school issues, and exhibit so by listening and sharing in the decision process.”
The 90-minute forum, attended by 20 people and broadcast live on Whitewater Community Television, was held in the City Hall Council Chambers. To view the Whitewater Community TV recording of the forum in its entirety visit www.whitewater-wi.gov/ multimedia
Additional information on the candidates can be found in their responses to a questionnaire from the League of Women Voters-Whitewater, available on the league’s website at www.lwvwhitewater.org.
