School Board head faces challenger

Susan Troller reports in the Cap Times:

When Tom Brew takes on incumbent School Board President Johnny Winston Jr. in the spring election for Seat 4, he, like Winston, will bring a lifetime of experience with Madison schools to the race.

Brew's own children attended Huegel and Orchard Ridge schools and graduated in the late '80s to mid-90s. A lifelong Madisonian, he attended the former Longfellow Elementary and Central High schools.

"I felt I had some different viewpoints to offer from Johnny's," Brew said this morning. "Basically, I think Johnny has had a go-along-to-get-along attitude."

Brew declared his candidacy on Dec. 22, and said he will complete his paperwork by the filing deadline today at 5 p.m.

He served on the Dane County Board in the early 1990s. In the past, he has been an opponent of school spending referendums.

Brew said he is an advocate for more money going to teachers and less to administrators "downtown in the Doyle building."

Winston said he welcomes the opportunity to debate the issues facing the district and the board.

The general spring election will be held April 3.

Two open seats, being vacated this spring by current board members Ruth Robarts and Shwaw Vang, have attracted five candidates. Beth Moss, Rick Thomas and Pam Cross-Leone will vie for Seat 3 in a primary election on Feb. 20. Maya Cole, who narrowly lost a bid for School Board against Arlene Silveira, is running this time against Marj Passman for School Board Seat 5.

Posted by Ed Blume at January 2, 2007 12:19 PM
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