Q&A: School board candidate Joseph Miller

Monday, Sep 7, 2015 7:13 PM Updated Monday, Sep. 7, 2015 7:14 PM

Public relations

Question: List three action items you’d undertake to guarantee the public remains informed of board decisions.

A: You, (Tobi) are present at the meetings and have the best access to disseminate information through the newspaper.

B: All meetings should be open to the public.

C: The Journal should have a “letter from the superintendent” so he can post all issues good and bad that are important to the parents and students, in an open forum, so they can respond or ask specific questions. I think it is terrible that there is so little about the relevant issues of our community in a paper called the Cortez Journal.

Question: In your opinion, should the board ever meet behind closed doors? Why or why not?

The board meetings should always be open to the public. Although if some meetings are required that need special information from skilled experts, engineers for example, representatives from the public sector like yourself and witnesses, should be present to attest to the reasoning for the outcome or decisions made in these meetings. Then the outcome should be given at the full open meetings. This is to expedite the limited time and schedules of experts needed to make technical decisions, not to keep anything from the public.

Question: How would you reach out to engage your constituents?

E-mail, letters, special meetings, newspaper, knocking on doors, any way possible. I am all about full disclosure, before the fact, in understandable language so the constituents know what issues are coming up. Not after the fact, when the decisions have already been made.

Finance

Question: In examining the district’s budget, which line items would you support for greater funding and which line items would you recommend be cut? Why?

I am in no way ready to make any decisions on the budget at this time. The reason I am running for the board is to have the time and information to understand the pros and cons, before making these difficult decisions. Then post my opinions for feedback. It is obvious that with the dire situation our school district is in, not everyone will be happy with the all the choices. I will do my best to make the fairest choices that will bring the best outcome for our students.

QUESTION: Should board members be paid? Why or why not?

School board members should not be paid. I personally am running because I can make a difference. It is a privilege to be chosen to do this community service and be involved in the decision making processes for today, tomorrow, and into the future. Also, the money can be spent elsewhere where it is truly needed.

QUESTION: Should property taxes be increased to better fund public education? Why or why not?

This is another question that should take months to decide, not minutes. Our district is underfunded, and the students should come first. All possible methods to raise funds for the budget need to be evaluated. The future of our community is with our young people. They deserve the best we can give them with the resources we have at our disposal.

Immediate issues

Question: What should the district do with the former Montezuma-Cortez High School building?

It has become obvious that this is now a long term problem that we can not financially address immediately. One idea I had was to work with the town council to offer incentives to companies that will offset the cost to bring down the old school and replace it with an Eco-friendly business that would use the sight to supply a source of steady work and employment to our community.

Question: In your opinion, why are district schools struggling academically, and what would you do to ensure all students succeed?

A: Let’s take the new High School out of the equation and focus on the real issue. A student’s love of learning is developed in their first few years. We need to reeducate parents that have had bad experiences with the educational process and convince them that school is an opportunity not a dreaded task.

B: Preschool and kindergarten needs more support, if only to introduce young children into the idea that school can be fun. Also with 2/3 of our community at or below the poverty level it may be there only chance for them to get a nutritious meal.

C: Make our primary focus on improving the elementary schools. This is where we are failing the worst. Elementary school is were the foundation is laid to build a student’s curiosity about the world they live in, and the endless opportunities that are waiting for them out there.

Question: Do you believe more days should be added to the school year? Why or why not?

My opinion is that we should go to year round school. So many studies have proven that a lot of what the students are taught is lost in the three month summer break. Then they need refreshers days in the fall. Using these refresher days to teach new topics would add teaching days without adding school days. The 9-month school year was conceived back when farmers used mule-drawn plows. With single-parent households, grandparents raising grandchildren, or when both parents work this is a much better system with shorter breaks that would be easier to accommodate.

The four-day week was the worst idea anybody could have ever come up with and am glad it went away.

Biography

Question: List your expertise and/or qualifications that set you apart from other candidates.

I am a concerned citizen. After being an empty-nester for a while, I had to become more involve in the way our schools were being run. I have talked with teachers working and retired. Sought out opinions from the community members. Attended board meetings, anything possible to get a feel for the real needs of the students and community. I will not be afraid to vote against the tide if I feel that the proposal is not in the long term interest of the students.

Question: Why are you seeking a seat on the board?

Because I will make a difference, if only to keep the community appraised of the repercussions of certain items on the itinerary. I personally did not hear a thing about the changes to the high school and it’s problems until about three months before it was to open. Not two years ago when I should have. If one vote can’t make a difference, a public outcry certainly will.

Question: If elected, what would be your top three priorities?

An example I would use is, every day you have a headache, so you take some aspirin. After a while you go to a doctor and he tells you that you have brain cancer. Our schools have incredibly low academic standards, high teacher turn over rates, underfunded budgets, students flocking away to other districts or charter schools, pick three. A log time ago there was a thing called zero base budgeting. Everything started with a budget of zero, they had to prove that they really needed what they were asking for. With building the new high school the board has lost sight of everything else. We need to go back to the district’s mission statement and start over, back to zero.

Looking ahead

Question: What is the district’s most important future area of concern, and what would you do to solve that issue?

A: Graduate well educated students that can think for themselves, not just pass state mandated exams. If we prove we can turn out talented graduates future employers will hear about it, and they will come.

B: Do everything it takes in as timely a manner as possible. You have to remember, we still need to stop the bleeding, before we can save the patient.

Question: Is working and partnering with outside agencies important? Why or why not?

I almost thought you threw this question in as a joke. I would contact anybody and everybody that would listen. When you are as far down the academic list as Cortez, I would ask the dog catcher if they could give some insight. Seriously, Pride goeth before a fall. We need all the help we can get. Some will be good, some will be bad. It will be our job to sort out what will work for us in our current situation. Remember, their could be as many as five new board members after this election. We have to get outside help! No seven people can solve this problem alone.

Question: Do you support charter schools? Why or why not?

To an extent, charter schools have a place for special interests that want their children taught outside the normal parameters of the public schools. Throwing up charter schools on every corner just to pull students out of the mainstream schools and depleting an already underfunded district program is wrong. Putting your children in a charter school because they have a flashy brochure and a nifty slogan is wrong. Get involved to create a united voice to make our district schools what they are supposed to be. My final words are “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!”