Previously, Dull Forum, Enlivened Only One Time, Makes for a Drab Evening
Calling last Thursday’s School Board Candidates Forum at El Marino Language Immersion School dull was not wrong.
It’s only an opinion.
I came away thinking the same thing.
Thank, God I had my iPod to help pass the time — especially during the 10-minute break.
I’m not criticizing the format.
Sure it was different, no problem.
I didn’t know what to expect, but ultimately I came away underwhelmed.
I was there to see the candidates in action and to learn a little bit more about the folks who will be making the critical decisions regarding my kids’ education.
From the outset, I had to chuckle.
It was cute to see each of the candidates scurrying through his or her papers for the answer, being constantly reminded of what question number they were on.
The best part was watching the moderators and candidates trying to figure out which two candidates got to answer each question. Then the candidates would attempt to answer the question as calmly and coolly as possible.
As if we hadn’t just witnessed the scramble for the canned answers.
This went on for almost two hours.
Ari Noonan was correct about the occasional scolding by Ms. Mailman. Unfortunately, I had quick flashbacks to sitting in classrooms at El Rincon with the same thing happening to me.
But I was 10 years old then. And just when you thought they would wrap it up, it was announced that each candidate would answer two more questions that they didn’t get to answer earlier.
It was time to crank up a little Led Zeppelin on the iPod.
Personally, I expect candidates to do the homework and research (weeks and months) before they announce their candidacy.
If they aren’t well versed on the important issues before they leap into the fray, then I have a concern. Sure, there is always a new issue or two that arises during the course of a campaign. But for the most part each candidate should have been prepared long ago.
That’s why I like the spontaneity of traditional candidate forums.
If the candidates had to take two weeks to bone up on the basic questions asked Thursday night, then our kids are in trouble.
The questions were good.
Any good candidate should have been able to answer all of the questions without two weeks of preparation and prepared statements by their handlers.
I was hoping to attend a candidates’ forum, not a School Board meeting.
Well, maybe next time.
Chip Netzel may be contacted at cjnetzel@ca.rr.com
