BOE election candidates 2024

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evans can go. I haven’t seen her ask to many worthwhile questions in any BoE or Committee meeting I’ve watched. She occasionally provides an insightful comment of something folks should know about or keep in mind. But not enough that I see what she offers as worthy of another term.

Same. But her competition is so blah that as much as it pains me to vote for any incumbent from this BOE, she seems like the best bet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stewart has worked tirelessly to secure funding for MCPS schools, particularly for renovations, rebuilds, and new buildings. It is absolute drudgery and “grunt” work. If you think someone who has volunteered for years to learn the ins and outs of school funding, and to lobby for adequate funding, is an “insider” so be it. But as I look at the list of individuals challenging the incumbents I see nobody else who knows the system as well as Stewart. Given the state of affairs, I’d like to have somebody on the board who isn’t a complete novice.

I see someone who knows the system very well, didn’t speak up for any of the victims, and continues to be mild in her criticism of the BOE. Funny how much that sounds like the current members.

What has Shebra Evans done?

Or do you prefer the candidate who wants to dismantle the public school system altogether?

Shebra Evans does a lot, and she’s the only BOE member who’s ever followed up on a note that I sent. I’m open to someone different but Laura Stewart isn’t different enough to make it worth it to get rid of an experienced member.

That’s where my head is at. Laura Stewart is just another Lynn Harris and Jill Ortman Fouse and on and on goes the MCCPTA pipeline.

Shebra Evans is also part of the MCCPTA pipeline, not that she did a lot in MCCPTA at the time. She is a very pleasant person, but is not a dynamic leader. Who was it that said 95% of life is showing up? That's what Shebra does, she just shows up, with her rubber stamp handy. For D4, you have a choice to make. You can choose a pleasant incumbent who shows up at meetings. Laura Stewart I find to be a more active advocate - whether you agree with everything she advocates is up to you, but she is working hard on understanding issues and proposing solutions. She has a handle of how the $3.2 billion budget is organized and what the problems are. Bethany Mandel seems to be a one-note candidate for D4 - interested in banning books. She homeschools her children so doesn't have a sense of how schools are organized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not voting for an incumbent or anyone on the Apple ballot. It’s going to take research on my/our part but our kids deserve better.

I always do the research too but it happens to always end up with the Apple ballot picks. That's why I trust the Apple ballot to make the best choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not voting for an incumbent or anyone on the Apple ballot. It’s going to take research on my/our part but our kids deserve better.

I always do the research too but it happens to always end up with the Apple ballot picks. That's why I trust the Apple ballot to make the best choices.

Either you're being sarcastic or you're a teacher. No knowledgeable parent would vote Apple Ballot for BoE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not voting for an incumbent or anyone on the Apple ballot. It’s going to take research on my/our part but our kids deserve better.

I always do the research too but it happens to always end up with the Apple ballot picks. That's why I trust the Apple ballot to make the best choices.

+100 me too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not voting for an incumbent or anyone on the Apple ballot. It’s going to take research on my/our part but our kids deserve better.

I always do the research too but it happens to always end up with the Apple ballot picks. That's why I trust the Apple ballot to make the best choices.

Either you're being sarcastic or you're a teacher. No knowledgeable parent would vote Apple Ballot for BoE.

I do. They always pick the best candidates. I'd also suggest the people who are against the apple ballot are mostly anti-union far-right hacks.

[Anonymous]

Why anyone would vote for a parent who homeschools is beyond me? Vote for those who have or had children in our public schools! It’s only common sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not voting for an incumbent or anyone on the Apple ballot. It’s going to take research on my/our part but our kids deserve better.

I always do the research too but it happens to always end up with the Apple ballot picks. That's why I trust the Apple ballot to make the best choices.

I educate myself about the candidates, including by watching the League of Women Voters candidate forum. And I almost always end up with the Apple ballot choices. Not every single time, but most of the time. No, I don't work for MCPS. I'm just a plain parent with kids in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Five candidates from District 2
Who is N Zimmerman? Filed on Friday.


Board of Education District 2

Brenda M Diaz
Non-Partisan
Jurisdiction Montgomery County
Status Active
Filed Regular -02/09/2024
Email [e-mail]
Committee Name Friends for Brenda M. Diaz
Contact Information
P.O. Box 83572
Gaithersburg, MD 20883-

Ricky Fai Mui
Non-Partisan
Jurisdiction Montgomery County
Status Active
Filed Regular -02/09/2024
Email [e-mail]
Website www.RickyFMui.com
Facebook Ricky_F_Mui_Works For You
Twitter @Vote4RickyFMui
Committee Name Supporters of Mui Ricky Fai
Contact Information
Montgomery Ave
Rockville, MD 20850-3818

Rebecca Keller Smondrowski
Non-Partisan
Jurisdiction Montgomery County
Status Active
Filed Regular -01/24/2024
Email [e-mail]
Facebook RebeccaonBoard
Twitter @RebeccaonBoard
Contact Information
313 Tannery Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20878-

Aby Thioye
Non-Partisan
Jurisdiction Montgomery County
Status Active
Filed Regular -02/07/2024
Email [e-mail]
Committee Name Citizens for Mame Abibatou Thioye Sall
Contact Information
Derwood, MD 20855-

Natalie Zimmerman
Non-Partisan
Jurisdiction Montgomery County
Status Active
Filed Regular -02/09/2024
Email [e-mail]
Twitter @ZimmermanforBOE
Other NZimmermanforBOE
Committee Name Friends of Natalie Zimmerman
Contact Information
Rockville, MD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stewart has worked tirelessly to secure funding for MCPS schools, particularly for renovations, rebuilds, and new buildings. It is absolute drudgery and “grunt” work. If you think someone who has volunteered for years to learn the ins and outs of school funding, and to lobby for adequate funding, is an “insider” so be it. But as I look at the list of individuals challenging the incumbents I see nobody else who knows the system as well as Stewart. Given the state of affairs, I’d like to have somebody on the board who isn’t a complete novice.

I see someone who knows the system very well, didn’t speak up for any of the victims, and continues to be mild in her criticism of the BOE. Funny how much that sounds like the current members.

Stewart spoke up. You didn’t notice.

That’s more of a problem for her than it is a problem for me. Where did she do this speaking up? Was it in meetings with her friends or on her now private X account?

[Anonymous]

What do you know about Natalie Zimmerman, candidate from District 2?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not voting for an incumbent or anyone on the Apple ballot. It’s going to take research on my/our part but our kids deserve better.

I always do the research too but it happens to always end up with the Apple ballot picks. That's why I trust the Apple ballot to make the best choices.

I educate myself about the candidates, including by watching the League of Women Voters candidate forum. And I almost always end up with the Apple ballot choices. Not every single time, but most of the time. No, I don't work for MCPS. I'm just a plain parent with kids in MCPS.

me too! I don't deliberately vote Apple Ballot but 90%+ it ends up that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why anyone would vote for a parent who homeschools is beyond me? Vote for those who have or had children in our public schools! It’s only common sense.

That asinine. Just because someone homeschools doesn’t mean they can’t have the best interest for public school kids and families. I’m not saying the current homeschool parent running is the best candidate, but your generalized statement is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stewart has worked tirelessly to secure funding for MCPS schools, particularly for renovations, rebuilds, and new buildings. It is absolute drudgery and “grunt” work. If you think someone who has volunteered for years to learn the ins and outs of school funding, and to lobby for adequate funding, is an “insider” so be it. But as I look at the list of individuals challenging the incumbents I see nobody else who knows the system as well as Stewart. Given the state of affairs, I’d like to have somebody on the board who isn’t a complete novice.

I see someone who knows the system very well, didn’t speak up for any of the victims, and continues to be mild in her criticism of the BOE. Funny how much that sounds like the current members.

What has Shebra Evans done?

Or do you prefer the candidate who wants to dismantle the public school system altogether?

Shebra Evans does a lot, and she’s the only BOE member who’s ever followed up on a note that I sent. I’m open to someone different but Laura Stewart isn’t different enough to make it worth it to get rid of an experienced member.

That’s where my head is at. Laura Stewart is just another Lynn Harris and Jill Ortman Fouse and on and on goes the MCCPTA pipeline.

Shebra Evans is also part of the MCCPTA pipeline, not that she did a lot in MCCPTA at the time. She is a very pleasant person, but is not a dynamic leader. Who was it that said 95% of life is showing up? That's what Shebra does, she just shows up, with her rubber stamp handy. For D4, you have a choice to make. You can choose a pleasant incumbent who shows up at meetings. Laura Stewart I find to be a more active advocate - whether you agree with everything she advocates is up to you, but she is working hard on understanding issues and proposing solutions. She has a handle of how the $3.2 billion budget is organized and what the problems are. Bethany Mandel seems to be a one-note candidate for D4 - interested in banning books. She homeschools her children so doesn't have a sense of how schools are organized.

Not sure why Laura Stewart gets all this credit for "experience" with MCPS or "deep knowledge" of things like the budget. in her capacity as an MCCPTA lifer, she basically assembles talking points from the various schools/clusters and regurgitates those to the BOE in testimony. I don't see a lot of original thought or cutting edge ideas coming from her. I'm thankful that she volunteers her time with MCCPTA, but I don't see how this role somehow qualifies her to be on the Board. I really wish an outsider ran for District 4. But as between Laura Stewart and Evans, I'd rather have Evans because she seems less focused on the social issues and distractions that bog down the BOE. Stewart is more of a middle-aged white progressive busy-body. With Lynn Harris already on the board to assume that mantle I think Evans' perspective is more valuable as one of only 2 black members of the BOE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why anyone would vote for a parent who homeschools is beyond me? Vote for those who have or had children in our public schools! It’s only common sense.

That asinine. Just because someone homeschools doesn’t mean they can’t have the best interest for public school kids and families. I’m not saying the current homeschool parent running is the best candidate, but your generalized statement is wrong.

I say they focus on their homeschooling contingent.