DMEA Recommends Murphy, Strong and Woods in Critical School Board Election

On Friday August 8, DMEA's Building Support for Public Education Committee met to interview all eight candidates for the September 9 School Board election. Employing what is one of the most extensive and rigorous recommendation processes of all organizations involved in candidate recommendations, each of the eight candidates (Larry Barrett, Kris Crisman, Steve Flood, Kittie Knauer, Dick Murphy, Michael Pike, Ginny Strong and Jeanette Woods) were interviewed separately and asked 21 questions with each candidate receiving 50 minutes to respond to the questions.

Citing the need to sustain recent changes that have empowered teachers in the educational decision-making process, the Committee recommended Dick Murphy, Ginny Strong, and Jeanette Woods for the three seats being contested. The DMEA Executive Board unanimously approved the Committee's recommendation on Monday, August 11.

“The current board and the new administration of Dr. Nancy Sebring have brought teachers back to the table and included us once again in vital decision making” said DMEA president Alan Young. “Murphy, Woods and Strong have heard our plea to move beyond standardized tests and rote memorization of only ’the basics’. They have recognized the need for education professionals to help direct their own professional development and have equal representation on district committees. They have shown their willingness to include teachers, parents, and other stakeholders as equal partners in educational decision-making. Real, systemic change in how Des Moines schools educate their students is just beginning to unfold. Murphy, Strong and Woods have helped to facilitate this change and deserve the opportunity to see it through” Young said.

This is a critical election that will impact the future of Des Moines schools. Voters face a clear choice between a 21st century skills approach that educates the whole child and a punitive, reactionary, 'back to basics' approach that meets the needs of few supported by some of the candidates. Des Moines teachers need to stand up and defend public education in our community from the attacks being leveled based upon the flawed research of anti-public education think tanks.

Upcoming posts will examine more specifically, some of the issues in this campaign that formed the rationale behind the Building Support for Public Education Committee's recommendations. Please stay tuned.