DO WELL WITH DOWELL
Leslie Dowell has thrown her hat in the ring for the school board. Good for her.
Unfortunately this is not good for us.
Leslie Dowell's participation in the community cannot be challenged. She has always lent her name to community organizations in Massapequa.
So what?
Lending your name is the easy part. Standing behind innovative leaders is something most of us have done at some point in our lives. How does that make you a viable school board candidate?
It doesn't.
Attending school board meetings can be trying. The bureaucracy that has become our school board would test the patience of Job. We invite Leslie to show us how that time benefited Massapequa just once. Did she demand accountability when the superintendent was let go? Did she demand that our students be allowed to attend the national competition for the regional robotics contest they won this year?
John Lynott and Gary Slavin DID demand accountability. Gary & John demanded that the innovative young minds of our town be allowed to test themselves in Atlanta against other serious science students. They not only went to the school for this, they went to Albany...AND GOT IT DONE!
Leslie says: "Petitioning our legislator's and New York State for our FAIR SHARE of state aid, is nothing new. PTA has been lobbying this very issue for years, including sponsoring legislative forums and discussions, and been successful in helping our local legislators to acquire additional school funding."
She was part of the PTA when these efforts were made, but they ultimately failed. Isn't it time for someone else to try?
Has anyone with a real track record ever tried?
It's time.
2 comments:
Yes, the slogan is quite catchy.
We think it is wonderful that a member of our community that has been an advocate for our parents and children all these years is stepping up and running for the Massapequa School Board.
If you don't know what she has done, you OBVIOUSLY don't attend Massapequa School Board, Committee, or PTA meetings.
Leslie has probably forgotten more about the educational issues facing our students, than you have knowledge of. She has probably answered more parents questions than most guidance counselors. After all aren't educational issues a large part of the job of a school board member, or is it about athletic fields? Didn't the acquisition of these fields add to our Massapequa taxes?
Leslie never takes individual credit for the accomplishments she has sponsored. She has always given credit to the many people that stand side by side with her when she is advocating for a specific group or issue. There is no I in PTA, but there is a T for Team work.
Let's begin with the most recent Weight Committee she was on, where the meetings were held at 7am. She was advocating for the return of the weighted classes that had been eliminated a few years ago, but were still in effect for most other school districts, thus affecting OUR students GPA, and their college applications. The same with the Rank Committee, also where meetings were held at 7am, and where our students were also being adversely affected. She went nose to nose with administrators and never gave up!
We could go on and on...special education issues, gifted issues, sports issues, drug and alcohol abuse issues...you name it and Leslie has been speaking up at Board Meetings about them. But then again you wouldn't know, because you haven't been there.
And you say So What? It's just lending your name?
School Board Meetings are where ALL the decisions are made for every program implemented for our children, for every dollar spent, for every personnel issue etc. etc.
Leslie is the one person running that truly understands this, and that is why she has been going to meetings and speaking up, and writing letters to the Board for so many years.
Leslie also started a Girl's 5th and 6th grade field hockey league in Massapequa. Not because her children would benefit from it, but because she learned from John Lynott, the importance of starting children in a sport (like LAX) before 7th grade. She has always respected John's passion and enthusiasm for sports.
And Yes, Leslie did demand accountability when the Superintendent was let go, and when there was none to be had...she decided it was time for her to run for the school board. It's funny but we don't recall your candidates asking for accountability. Maybe you could tell us when that was? As far as the students robotics team, Lynott and Slavin told her about the situation, and YES once again, she DID demand accountability from the school district, and she was advised that the district would be paying for the team to go to the national competition and didn't need funding. Leslie told John and Gary this. Did something else happen that changed that? Maybe a simple phone call to the district would have "got it done".
You state "We invite Leslie to show us how that time benefited Massapequa just once". Well, we don't know who your "we" is, but if you read Leslie's e-mail, which obviously you did, she offers to speak to any organization (or person for that matter). We are sure she could speak for hours on the many accomplishments she has helped to orchestrate over the past 10 years.
Do you really believe that Lynott and Slavin could have pulled off the Field of Dreams or any other issue without the support of the community behind them, including all the sports teams? They had no problem asking for Leslie's help when they needed it, and they couldn't have done it alone. That's what team work is all about. And that's what the Board of Education is all about.
Now as far as the additional funding. Maybe you should speak with Assemblyman Saladino or Senator Fuschillo, who have continually asked for PTA's help in letter writing campaigns each year, and we have complied. They have stated that it is due to this additional pressure each year that much of our state aid is restored. What efforts have you put forth? We don't believe obtaining additional aid from Albany each year is a "failure", albeit we need more.
Dealing with Albany is very different than dealing with the Towns. Would you have us believe that Lynott and Slavin can do in Albany what Saladino, Fuschillo, and others cannot? If that's the case then they shouldn't be running for a local school board, but a political position.
In summation, it is Leslie Dowell that has the proven track record.
I appreciate the response, and I reiterate...so what? How is that going to help us control our ever increasing taxes? All of those projects were supported by many, including me and probably you...but it was Gary & John that provided the leadership for us all.
Check the record.
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