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Letters to the Editor


Posted

Former Clay County school superintendent questions Peterson’s candidacy

The article questioning Latanya Peterson’s campaign claims is extremely disturbing.
As a former Superintendent of the Clay County School District, I do not understand how Ms. Peterson can pass herself off as a teacher when, according to the Clay Today article, she is not professionally certified.
The article states she held a temporary reading certificate for English grades 6-12 issued for Aug.1, 2006 through June 30, 2009. Why was she in the Duval Public School system 2012 through 2014 when the certificate had expired? What was/is the role of the people in Duval’s employee certification verification department?
I find it hard to believe no red flags appeared when looking over her employment record. She spent 2 years in Broward County, 6 months in Nassau County, leaving before her teaching evaluation. There is no record of any action after being investigated for a testing incident reported at Oceanway Middle School.
I do not presume to tell anyone for whom they should vote; however, I do recommend all voters consider the information stated in the August 2, Clay Today. Clay County students and their parents deserve honest, forthright school board members.

Ann B. Wiggins
Middleburg



Vote for Kerekes, Chafee and Bullock
“Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
On Aug. 28, citizens of Clay County have an opportunity to vote to make the public schools of Clay County stronger or weaker. Clay’s public schools educate over 36,000 students and are among the best in the state. There are 3 seats open this year on Clay’s School Board and a very clear choice for citizens.
If you believe in preserving and protecting strong public schools who serve all children equally then you will cast your vote for Janice Kerekes, Lynne Chafee and Tina Bullock. These 3 candidates are backed by teachers and are committed to public education.
However, if you believe that Clay’s public school money should fund an increasing number of unregulated charter school ventures in Clay County then you’ll vote for the other 3 candidates. Charter school advocates are eager to expand in Clay and donation records show those outside players have donated heavily to their preferred candidates.
Teachers, parents and citizens who value the great schools in Clay County will make it a priority to get to the polls and vote for candidates who support our public schools. This year Florida law mandates that all schools have an armed guardian or resource officer on campus. In these dangerous times that step is necessary but also a huge expense added to an already tight budget. Citizens have the opportunity to strengthen our public schools by voting yes to the proposal for one mill to fund security and operations in all public schools. Clay County Schools are among the best in the state. Please vote to strengthen our schools.
“The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to compromise.” – Franklin D Roosevelt

Victoria Kidwell,
Middleburg
Public School Teacher
20-year veteran


Reader cries foul in Hoover appeal denial

With regard to the articles that were published regarding the judicial race for Clay County Judge, I was very disappointed to have read that the First District Court of Appeal upheld what I believe to be an erroneous decision set forth in the judgment of a St. Johns County trial court judge ruling in the Clay County case of Mobley v. Hoover.
I believe that the lower court and appellate court have essentially ruled against the Constitutional rights of every citizen of Florida to vote for our judges. Instead of allowing the voters to elect who they believe is the most qualified to fulfill the duties of a County Judicial position, this ruling makes what was to be a temporary appointed position into a permanent position with no consideration allotted to the voters of the State of Florida and Clay County.
When Ms. Hoover entered the Clay County SOE office, she relied upon the directives and assurances of the Clay County Supervisor of Elections, an elected State Constitutional officer. Ms. Hoover followed instructions and directions while filing to be on the ballot as a candidate for the judicial position of County Court Judge in Clay County. SOE Chambless admitted that the policy of his office was to allow the complete filing for a candidate position as long as they were in the office. He confirmed this historical practice and now states that he has changed his standard practices and policies only after the ruling against him and Ms. Hoover.
The purported precedent set should concern all citizens of the State of Florida as it appears we cannot rely on the word of our elected officials in their official capacities; and, it also takes away from the SOE the powers awarded to him to make sound and fair decisions to allow the citizens a right to vote for their candidates, at the citizen’s peril.
This is horrible public policy. It is especially disconcerting in this case because the biased decision expands and allows harm to the ordinary citizens of our state by depriving them the opportunity to vote for their judicial choice. Our constitutional rights are slowing eroding away.

With sincere concern for our citizens,

Connie M. Schoenung
Fleming Island



Safety ahead of skepticism

“Necessary operating expenses.” Never before have three little words instilled such fear in the minds of some Clay County citizens.
Concerned with how the school district will spend the money brought in from the proposed millage increase, some are calling for a detailed report of how every last dollar will be spent. I attend almost every school board meeting, and I have yet to see crowds of people demanding to see how the current budget is being spent.
If you trust them with the current budget, why the sudden distrust? Two of our school board members have stoked these flames of distrust, which does not make a lot of sense considering they oversee the district’s budget. If it is so bloated that we can find enough money in our current budget to secure our schools without raising property taxes, why have they allowed the district to overspend for so long?
The language is clear. The purpose of the one mill increase, which will cost the average citizen around $150 per year, is “to enhance the safety and security of students and staff, and provide for necessary operating expenses of the School District.” Safety is the No. 1 priority. This additional mill is the only way that we can afford to secure our children and our schools. Why not cut costs? We have. Continued cuts will only come at the cost of the high-quality education that we are trying to provide.
We don’t have a cost problem. We have a revenue problem. You might be wondering, “But what happens to all of those tax dollars that we send to Tallahassee?” Me too. Our representatives have been diverting money away from public education for decades.
Some are concerned that only homeowners will bear the burden of this tax increase. This is simply not true. Businesses pay property taxes. Renters pay property taxes via their landlords. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never met a landlord nice enough to absorb a cost increase. Almost everyone in the county will share this burden – as they should. Public schools are an integral part of our community. Everyone benefits in some way when all children are provided with a high-quality education. And if you don’t like all that mushy stuff, good schools increase property values.
If we want a School Resource Officer in every school, not just our junior/senior highs, then we need to raise the additional funds locally. According to several estimates, we will need $5-6 million to make that happen. I believe that most Clay County citizens support this.
An increase of one mill will raise approximately $10 million. So, what about the other $4-5 million? That’s the rub. How will this money be spent?
The $5-6 million estimate is just for the SROs. Our schools cannot be secured with SROs alone. Almost all of our facilities, save those built in the last few years, are desperately in need of structural and technological upgrades to make them more secure. This will cost millions. I work at a school that has 12 entrances into the main building alone. Let’s not forget about the hundreds of portables throughout our campuses.
In a few rare moments of honesty, some critics have even stated that they are worried that some of this money will go to… teachers! That’s their bottom line. They will vote against making their children safe on the off chance that their children’s teachers, who are taxpayers too, might somehow get a few scraps from the millage feast. Please consider putting our students first.
Let’s put student safety ahead of skepticism.

Laura Mayberry
Clay County teacher


The ugliness of hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is claiming a belief yet behaving in a way that does not conform to that belief. Claiming teachers deserve to be treated and paid as professionals, then supporting candidates who disparage the teacher’s union is hypocrisy.
The teacher’s union in Clay County is dedicated to ensuring student safety, educational growth, and yes, respect for the profession itself.
The union fights for smaller class sizes, updated technology, books for students, safety for all individuals on school campuses, and a slew of other student related programs. They do not support causes that are not related to education like Planned Parenthood.
Some anti-union groups claim the candidates supported by the CCEA are in the pocket of the teacher’s union. Consider now that this union is made up of teachers. Is that a bad thing?
These candidates support your teachers. These are the same teachers who are on the front line, who fight for your children, love your children, cry with them, and rejoice in their achievements. Educators are often asked how and why they do this difficult and demanding job for so little money and respect.
The answer will always be because it is a calling. Teachers wouldn’t teach if they didn’t love the profession. They are educated and hardworking individuals who could absolutely make more money with less stress.
Now ask yourself, if you were a school board member, why would you not support your teachers? If you are a Clay County voter, wouldn’t you want to support candidates who support teachers? The candidates backed by the CCEA are the same candidates the teachers trust to help with the endeavor of safely educating your children.

Sincerely,
Heather Weaver
Montclair Elementary
Teacher of the Year 2014