As a candidate for District 1, whose incumbent is now Susan Valdes, you say these are the most important issues, Mr. Schmidt.

1) Increased parental involvement

2) Increased student counseling/customer service

3) Increased student Choice options

4) Increased After-School Opportunities

5) Increased Before-School Opportunities

6) Increased reviews of programs and curriculum

I suggest the issues below are the most important for a candidate to give his comments on. Please do, and I will post them on my blog: leedrurydecesarescasting-roomcouch.blogspot.com. ldd

1. 1.Would you oppose nepotism-buddy hirings like that just announced of Linda Kipley’s husband who has no experience in the field?

2. 2. Would you insist that administrative jobs get advertising and not go automatically to the superintendent’s buddies?

3. 3.Would you insist that administrative jobs have degrees in relevant fields?

4. 4.Would you visit the schools and schedule meetings with teachers at intervals? If so, how often?

5. 5. Would you revisit the superintendent’s bloated salary and bring it in line with the teachers’ salaries so that the superintendent makes no more than four times the lowest teacher’s salary?

6. 6.The Professional Standards office has a reputation of sadism in punishment, of telling untruths, and of cooking up cases against teachers who criticize the administration. Would you have an overhaul of that office with a committee that has teachers and citizens on it?

7.7.Attorney Tom Gonzalez promised a citizen and a media specialist that he would produce a pamphlet for teachers who must go to Professional Standards outlining their rights and obligations in that situation. He has not done so. Would you insist that he fulfill that promise?

8 8. Would you have programs to minister to gifted students such as those in Oregon for foreign-language study sponsored by the federal government in such languages as Arabic and Chinese—the two growing populations that will increasingly demand our country’s political and economic attention? Would you stand down the bigots in your district who might oppose such programs?

9 9.Have you read the files of the Doug Erwin case (available in Public Affairs Office)?

110. Did you live in Hillsborough County when the Erwin case was tried? Who do you think was the most guilty for the circumstances that Erwin observed in the schools: theft, rigging bids, accepting below-standards buildings that leaked, buckled, and suffered ubiquitous water damage and ac breakdowns in two years of ac’s that should have lasted twenty years?

1 11. Would you agree for the taxpayers to pay negligent contractors first-class prices for 3^rd-class work and materials?

112. Would you have fired Dr. Lennard, Mr. Davis, and Dr. Hamilton for their concerted retaliation against Mr. Erwin for repeatedly bringing these problems to their attention but which they ignored and, instead, plotted to make him quit is job?

114. Would you have the courage to be the only board member to oppose something you think is wrong and speak up to say why you think it is wrong?

15. Would you update your Web page to reflect your changing attitudes to the things you consider important for a school-board member to consider?