Janesville Education Association Endorse Two Candidates

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On April 1st, Janesville school district residents will choose three people from five candidates running for the Janesville School Board.

After some interviews, the JEA found two of the candidates meeting their expectations for the board.

JG Newspaper Excerpt:
The Janesville Education Association is endorsing incumbent Kevin Murray and newcomer Peggy Sheridan for the Janesville School Board.

The two choices of the JEA are excellent, at least in my humble view.

The teacher’s association apparently left the recommendation open for the voters on the other three candidates, Tom Lemmer, Peter D. Severson and Bill Sodemann. During last year’s board election, I supported Severson for his general enthusiasm and concern over the student expulsion rate. He failed to make the board.

Although the incumbent Sodemann was the only board member (in my view) to get the $70.8 million school expansion referendum right, he seems to have forgotten those fine principles of democracy since then, and probably would be better serving as a bankruptcy liquidator for the Federal Reserve, no pun intended. The only saving grace with Sodemann unlike some of the others, I have to admit, is that you see what you get. Unfortunately, education in Janesville hasn’t been "getting" lately from the current school board of which he has been a core member.

Tom Lemmer on the other hand, seems like a nice guy who just wants to help the Janesville community any way he can. If he doesn't make the board, it won't be any slight to him. Although only five candidates for three posts (two incumbents), the competition is very strong.

So of the remaining three, I asked myself which one would strongly advocate a public school education? Which one would make the best sale's pitch to new parents who will be enrolling their child in school for the very first time to convince them that a public school education is better than any alternatives? None would probably do well with that question but through process of elimination, I find myself gravitating towards Severson – again. Based on that alone, he's my third choice.

This blog endorsement for Peter D. Severson as the third choice for the Janesville School Board is not in collaboration or affiliated with the JEA.