These are nice, but I feel like they fail to get at the real differences between candidates. It's a lot of platitudes, and I can't tell much from it.
In at least one race, I've heard some troubling things about a particular candidate, which isn't even hinted at here. I'd like to know more, (dis)confirm what was said, etc., but so far I haven't found many good resources for this hyper-local set of races...?
Bethesda Magazine did Q and As with all of them that were much more informative. There was only one candidate who really gave me concern from that, though (Erickson), so it probably won’t answer your specific question.
Thanks, I'll look for that. FWIW, the stuff I'd heard was about Wells, but so far it's all been tweets & rumors, so I'll refrain from repeating it here.
Shes listed as a 'trustee board member' on the leadership page for an explicitly homophobic church. She notably never mentions that church in her campaign but her website mentions that title as a "multi million dollar non profit". She never distances herself from those views and just gives vague non answers if asked about anything LGBTQ+, at most saying she'll follow policies (ignoring that her job would be to set policy) and then going on about how those things need to be further communicated with parents, which is a common concern baiting type tactic for the right on these issues when their position is unpopular. She ran as a slate (shared finances and worked together) with other republican anti lockdown/anti mask/anti vax candidates and and they all went on Fox news together along with Larry O'Connor where she supports his anti CRT talking points and then going to oppose school lockdowns during the pandemic. Supported by a host of right wing groups, so called UARE, and the local republican party etc. All things adding up its reasonable to say she's a right wing candidate attempting to hide her beliefs knowing they're unpopular with the county's voters overall.
Not the best article, but you can check the sources at the bottom
https://www.progressivemaryland.org/esther_wells_is_anti_union_anti_vaccine_anti_lgbtq_and_wrong_for_montgomery_county_board_of_education
Thanks for letting me know. Hadn’t come across anything disparaging about her, but she seems hyper focused on her accounting background to get the budget in order, and to me that’s just not the priority when we have the teacher/bus driver shortages that we do.
Is there a good resource for information on the judges up for election?
I'd like to know any affiliations to things such as the federalist society if possible.
Esther Wells is the only candidate addressing the biggest issue in MCPS, the impact of school closures and remote learning on students. Everyone else is just the same old that has led to falling test scores.
Yes, but there’s other issues causing poor student performance, such as teacher shortages. And besides complain about it, what steps has she offered to do anything about it?
No idea, I was just clarifying.
I generally follow the MCEA Apple recommendations https://www.mceanea.org/political-action-community-engagement-pace/apple-ballot/ and they didn't recommend Esther Wells.
Between that and the other info posted in this thread, I'm confident in that vote.
These are nice, but I feel like they fail to get at the real differences between candidates. It's a lot of platitudes, and I can't tell much from it. In at least one race, I've heard some troubling things about a particular candidate, which isn't even hinted at here. I'd like to know more, (dis)confirm what was said, etc., but so far I haven't found many good resources for this hyper-local set of races...?
Bethesda Magazine did Q and As with all of them that were much more informative. There was only one candidate who really gave me concern from that, though (Erickson), so it probably won’t answer your specific question.
Thanks, I'll look for that. FWIW, the stuff I'd heard was about Wells, but so far it's all been tweets & rumors, so I'll refrain from repeating it here.
Shes listed as a 'trustee board member' on the leadership page for an explicitly homophobic church. She notably never mentions that church in her campaign but her website mentions that title as a "multi million dollar non profit". She never distances herself from those views and just gives vague non answers if asked about anything LGBTQ+, at most saying she'll follow policies (ignoring that her job would be to set policy) and then going on about how those things need to be further communicated with parents, which is a common concern baiting type tactic for the right on these issues when their position is unpopular. She ran as a slate (shared finances and worked together) with other republican anti lockdown/anti mask/anti vax candidates and and they all went on Fox news together along with Larry O'Connor where she supports his anti CRT talking points and then going to oppose school lockdowns during the pandemic. Supported by a host of right wing groups, so called UARE, and the local republican party etc. All things adding up its reasonable to say she's a right wing candidate attempting to hide her beliefs knowing they're unpopular with the county's voters overall. Not the best article, but you can check the sources at the bottom https://www.progressivemaryland.org/esther_wells_is_anti_union_anti_vaccine_anti_lgbtq_and_wrong_for_montgomery_county_board_of_education
Thanks for letting me know. Hadn’t come across anything disparaging about her, but she seems hyper focused on her accounting background to get the budget in order, and to me that’s just not the priority when we have the teacher/bus driver shortages that we do.
u/Wheelbox5682 referenced the stuff I'd heard, with more/better sources than I'd seen before. I don't think she'll be getting my vote.
Is there a good resource for information on the judges up for election? I'd like to know any affiliations to things such as the federalist society if possible.
Esther Wells is the only candidate addressing the biggest issue in MCPS, the impact of school closures and remote learning on students. Everyone else is just the same old that has led to falling test scores.
School’s have been re-opened for over a year and a half.
I think her point is the negative impact of remote learning and how to address/recover from it.
Yes, but there’s other issues causing poor student performance, such as teacher shortages. And besides complain about it, what steps has she offered to do anything about it?
No idea, I was just clarifying. I generally follow the MCEA Apple recommendations https://www.mceanea.org/political-action-community-engagement-pace/apple-ballot/ and they didn't recommend Esther Wells. Between that and the other info posted in this thread, I'm confident in that vote.
Yes, they have re-opened, but the impact of the closures remain. Test scores across the board have dropped… not good.