State Journal endorses Cole for school board

In an editorial on Saturday, the Wisconsin State Journal endorsed Maya Cole for school board:

Maya Cole likes to say that the Madison School Board needs to look outside the box.

She is right.

To solve budget shortfalls, address the district's shifting demographics and narrow the achievement gap between minority and white students, the board cannot afford a business-as-usual approach. To push the board toward bolder action, voters should elect Cole.

The mother of three boys in the Madison schools, Cole has educated herself on the problems the schools confront. She has also studied the nationwide research covering the best ways to solve those problems.

Her experience as president of the Franklin and Randall Parent Teacher Organization and a member of the diversity and inclusiveness committee for United Way of Dane County have helped give her valuable insights on ways the status quo should be challenged.

She has developed promising ideas about how to push innovation. She wants to capitalize on opportunities for more charter schools and for magnet schools.

She wants to enlist businesses in partnerships that can provide money for school programs and cut costs to taxpayers.

And she wants the board to listen more to the community.

Her goal is to improve education, despite a budget squeeze.

Her opponent, Marj Passman, is a retired teacher with admirable passion for maintaining high quality education for Madison students. But Cole has a far better grasp of the bold change needed to accomplish the task.

Posted by Ed Blume at March 17, 2007 7:14 PM
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