BOE election candidates 2024

[Anonymous]

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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.

You'll never guess what Shebra Evans did before she was elected.

I think you just proved my point. Evan’s is largely invisible and shows that MCCPTA experience doesn’t necessarily make one a good BOE member. But she actually has years of experience on the board now. And a perspective that I think is needed more than middle aged white social justice warrior.

Years of experience doing what? Sitting there at the table and not asking questions? Not challenging anything central office says? Signing off on McKnight's hiring of all her friends?

This in a nutshell is why I’m not voting for Laura Stewart.

Despite your strange attempts to suggest otherwise, Laura Stewart is not the incumbent. Shebra Evans is.

Laura Stewart has spent as much time at that table as anyone and the description of not challenging the central office could fit either one.

Fact: Shebra Evans is a member of the Board of Education.
Fact: Laura Stewart is not a member of the Board of Education and has never been a member of the Board of Education.

You're entitled to your own opinions, but you're not entitled to your own facts.

Friends of Stewart, we're tired of you on this thread. Enough.

DP. I'm not a friend of Stewart, but it's ridiculous to act like she's the incumbent. For people who want a change in membership on the BOE, Stewart is the only reasonable option in this race.

Agree. I don’t know Laura Stewart, but she’s not an incumbent and she’s not a crazy homeschooler. She likely has my vote (but will wait to watch the candidates’ forum to finalize my choice).

Laura Stewart is a buddy of Jill Ortman-Fouse. Voting for Laura Steward is like voting for Jill Ortman-Fouse.

Person A is a friend of Person B, therefore voting for Person A is like voting for Person B? Hoo boy.

Laura Stewart is a carbon copy of Jill Ortman Fouse and Lynne Harris. Shell be no better and no worse than them. So if voters want to run it back with Jill or double down on Harris is doing, they have their candidate.

I, and I believe many others, will be voting for Stewart, but it has nothing to do with whether she will be like Ortman-Fouse or Harris. We are not voting for Evans again, and we are not voting for Mandel.

So is it Stewart’s unwavering support of tax increases on moco residents in lieu of real estate developers that separates her from Ortman Fouse and Harris enough to get your vote?

Where do you get this? She wasn't on the county council?

[Anonymous]

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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.

You'll never guess what Shebra Evans did before she was elected.

I think you just proved my point. Evan’s is largely invisible and shows that MCCPTA experience doesn’t necessarily make one a good BOE member. But she actually has years of experience on the board now. And a perspective that I think is needed more than middle aged white social justice warrior.

Years of experience doing what? Sitting there at the table and not asking questions? Not challenging anything central office says? Signing off on McKnight's hiring of all her friends?

This in a nutshell is why I’m not voting for Laura Stewart.

Despite your strange attempts to suggest otherwise, Laura Stewart is not the incumbent. Shebra Evans is.

Laura Stewart has spent as much time at that table as anyone and the description of not challenging the central office could fit either one.

Fact: Shebra Evans is a member of the Board of Education.
Fact: Laura Stewart is not a member of the Board of Education and has never been a member of the Board of Education.

You're entitled to your own opinions, but you're not entitled to your own facts.

Friends of Stewart, we're tired of you on this thread. Enough.

DP. I'm not a friend of Stewart, but it's ridiculous to act like she's the incumbent. For people who want a change in membership on the BOE, Stewart is the only reasonable option in this race.

Agree. I don’t know Laura Stewart, but she’s not an incumbent and she’s not a crazy homeschooler. She likely has my vote (but will wait to watch the candidates’ forum to finalize my choice).

Laura Stewart is a buddy of Jill Ortman-Fouse. Voting for Laura Steward is like voting for Jill Ortman-Fouse.

Person A is a friend of Person B, therefore voting for Person A is like voting for Person B? Hoo boy.

Laura Stewart is a carbon copy of Jill Ortman Fouse and Lynne Harris. Shell be no better and no worse than them. So if voters want to run it back with Jill or double down on Harris is doing, they have their candidate.

I, and I believe many others, will be voting for Stewart, but it has nothing to do with whether she will be like Ortman-Fouse or Harris. We are not voting for Evans again, and we are not voting for Mandel.

So is it Stewart’s unwavering support of tax increases on moco residents in lieu of real estate developers that separates her from Ortman Fouse and Harris enough to get your vote?

Where do you get this? She wasn't on the county council?

From her public advocacy to the council when they sought public comment on the regulation she supported

[Anonymous]

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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.

You'll never guess what Shebra Evans did before she was elected.

I think you just proved my point. Evan’s is largely invisible and shows that MCCPTA experience doesn’t necessarily make one a good BOE member. But she actually has years of experience on the board now. And a perspective that I think is needed more than middle aged white social justice warrior.

Years of experience doing what? Sitting there at the table and not asking questions? Not challenging anything central office says? Signing off on McKnight's hiring of all her friends?

This in a nutshell is why I’m not voting for Laura Stewart.

Despite your strange attempts to suggest otherwise, Laura Stewart is not the incumbent. Shebra Evans is.

Laura Stewart has spent as much time at that table as anyone and the description of not challenging the central office could fit either one.

Fact: Shebra Evans is a member of the Board of Education.
Fact: Laura Stewart is not a member of the Board of Education and has never been a member of the Board of Education.

You're entitled to your own opinions, but you're not entitled to your own facts.

Friends of Stewart, we're tired of you on this thread. Enough.

I'm not for or against either candidate. I do live in D4 so will vote for one of them, but what the PP said was true.

Everyone in MoCo votes in D4, doesn’t matter where you live. The candidates have to be from D4.

[Anonymous]

I'm not voting for Mandel because she's half nuts and looking at the BOE as a way to raise her platform. We don't need political zealots on the school board.

The same reason I'm not voting for Laura Stewart!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please any one, about N Zimmerman who is she?!

You keep asking and no one is responding. Doesn’t sound like anyone knows. Watch the candidates’ forum to learn more.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

Um...you haven't been paying attention to the BOE for very long, have you? It's just that Evans' social issues have been going on longer in public discourse and aren't as hot-button now.

When it comes to the kind of equity that applies to her base, you bet she gets staff bogged down whenever they haven't provided extensive presentations using tilted analyses to highlight the same political points for later use or haven't hit above the mark already. She's not going to lose that base, but you're alienating everyone else with your card play.

She's about the biggest rubber stamp they have on the board. Anyone wanting greater oversight/change would have to choose between Stewart's PTA bent and Mandel's right wing approach.

[Anonymous]

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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.

You'll never guess what Shebra Evans did before she was elected.

I think you just proved my point. Evan’s is largely invisible and shows that MCCPTA experience doesn’t necessarily make one a good BOE member. But she actually has years of experience on the board now. And a perspective that I think is needed more than middle aged white social justice warrior.

Years of experience doing what? Sitting there at the table and not asking questions? Not challenging anything central office says? Signing off on McKnight's hiring of all her friends?

This in a nutshell is why I’m not voting for Laura Stewart.

Despite your strange attempts to suggest otherwise, Laura Stewart is not the incumbent. Shebra Evans is.

Laura Stewart has spent as much time at that table as anyone and the description of not challenging the central office could fit either one.

Fact: Shebra Evans is a member of the Board of Education.
Fact: Laura Stewart is not a member of the Board of Education and has never been a member of the Board of Education.

You're entitled to your own opinions, but you're not entitled to your own facts.

Friends of Stewart, we're tired of you on this thread. Enough.

DP. I'm not a friend of Stewart, but it's ridiculous to act like she's the incumbent. For people who want a change in membership on the BOE, Stewart is the only reasonable option in this race.

Agree. I don’t know Laura Stewart, but she’s not an incumbent and she’s not a crazy homeschooler. She likely has my vote (but will wait to watch the candidates’ forum to finalize my choice).

Laura Stewart is a buddy of Jill Ortman-Fouse. Voting for Laura Steward is like voting for Jill Ortman-Fouse.

Person A is a friend of Person B, therefore voting for Person A is like voting for Person B? Hoo boy.

Laura Stewart is a carbon copy of Jill Ortman Fouse and Lynne Harris. Shell be no better and no worse than them. So if voters want to run it back with Jill or double down on Harris is doing, they have their candidate.

No, they are actually 3 different people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Um...you haven't been paying attention to the BOE for very long, have you? It's just that Evans' social issues have been going on longer in public discourse and aren't as hot-button now.

When it comes to the kind of equity that applies to her base, you bet she gets staff bogged down whenever they haven't provided extensive presentations using tilted analyses to highlight the same political points for later use or haven't hit above the mark already. She's not going to lose that base, but you're alienating everyone else with your card play.

She's about the biggest rubber stamp they have on the board. Anyone wanting greater oversight/change would have to choose between Stewart's PTA bent and Mandel's right wing approach.

My guess is that PP’s equity goals are more aligned with Evans than Stewart. Which is fine- it’s good that both groups have their advocates.

And let’s be honest- it will be a bad look if the BOE is down to one AA member.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

Um...you haven't been paying attention to the BOE for very long, have you? It's just that Evans' social issues have been going on longer in public discourse and aren't as hot-button now.

When it comes to the kind of equity that applies to her base, you bet she gets staff bogged down whenever they haven't provided extensive presentations using tilted analyses to highlight the same political points for later use or haven't hit above the mark already. She's not going to lose that base, but you're alienating everyone else with your card play.

She's about the biggest rubber stamp they have on the board. Anyone wanting greater oversight/change would have to choose between Stewart's PTA bent and Mandel's right wing approach.

My guess is that PP’s equity goals are more aligned with Evans than Stewart. Which is fine- it’s good that both groups have their advocates.

And let’s be honest- it will be a bad look if the BOE is down to one AA member.

That PP was saying the reason they'd support Evans over Stewart was because they were afraid that Stewart would weigh down proceedings with social issues. That was a pretty hypocritical claim, given Evans' been doing that same thing while actually in office. If you're going to say, "I support A over B because B might do C," it would only make sense if A also didn't do C.

Then they played the card. Kind of bankrupt.

What level of proportional demographic representation makes sense to you? How does that work with only 7 seats? Should we have 3 or 4 be men? One Amharic-speaking? Presuming likely origin, would that even count for you as AA?

In broad terms, over the totality of elected positions, sure, we should hope to see us all reflected. Basic probablistic rules mixed with limited seats for any one elected body and diverse demography means that that isn't going to happen on a granular level like a 7-person BOE.

What makes sense to me is trying to get folks on the board that will do a better job of providing oversight to improve the system for our kids than we've had for a while. No rubber stamps, no defunding crusades. An issues-based choice, not a demographic one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Um...you haven't been paying attention to the BOE for very long, have you? It's just that Evans' social issues have been going on longer in public discourse and aren't as hot-button now.

When it comes to the kind of equity that applies to her base, you bet she gets staff bogged down whenever they haven't provided extensive presentations using tilted analyses to highlight the same political points for later use or haven't hit above the mark already. She's not going to lose that base, but you're alienating everyone else with your card play.

She's about the biggest rubber stamp they have on the board. Anyone wanting greater oversight/change would have to choose between Stewart's PTA bent and Mandel's right wing approach.

My guess is that PP’s equity goals are more aligned with Evans than Stewart. Which is fine- it’s good that both groups have their advocates.

And let’s be honest- it will be a bad look if the BOE is down to one AA member.

That PP was saying the reason they'd support Evans over Stewart was because they were afraid that Stewart would weigh down proceedings with social issues. That was a pretty hypocritical claim, given Evans' been doing that same thing while actually in office. If you're going to say, "I support A over B because B might do C," it would only make sense if A also didn't do C.

Then they played the card. Kind of bankrupt.

What level of proportional demographic representation makes sense to you? How does that work with only 7 seats? Should we have 3 or 4 be men? One Amharic-speaking? Presuming likely origin, would that even count for you as AA?

In broad terms, over the totality of elected positions, sure, we should hope to see us all reflected. Basic probablistic rules mixed with limited seats for any one elected body and diverse demography means that that isn't going to happen on a granular level like a 7-person BOE.

What makes sense to me is trying to get folks on the board that will do a better job of providing oversight to improve the system for our kids than we've had for a while. No rubber stamps, no defunding crusades. An issues-based choice, not a demographic one.

+1 exactly why I can’t get myself to vote for a rubber stamper like Laura Stewart. I wish district 4 had better choices between the incumbent and an extremist on the left and right.

[Anonymous]

Here’s what I see in District 4:

Evans and Stewart both have long track records and neither has shown a recognition of the deep management problems or an appetite for confronting leadership over mismanagement. On management, they’re the same. Both are progressive, but Stewart is a hard core partisan with a far-reaching agenda, and I don’t think that’s a good dynamic to have on the board. If Stewart came out with specific criticisms of the ways that MCPS has been mismanaged and articulated a commitment to focus on holding administrators and staff accountable for not following policy, I would overlook the partisanship and vote Stewart. Mandel is also a partisan, and I find many of her positions odious, so she’s out of the question for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Um...you haven't been paying attention to the BOE for very long, have you? It's just that Evans' social issues have been going on longer in public discourse and aren't as hot-button now.

When it comes to the kind of equity that applies to her base, you bet she gets staff bogged down whenever they haven't provided extensive presentations using tilted analyses to highlight the same political points for later use or haven't hit above the mark already. She's not going to lose that base, but you're alienating everyone else with your card play.

She's about the biggest rubber stamp they have on the board. Anyone wanting greater oversight/change would have to choose between Stewart's PTA bent and Mandel's right wing approach.

My guess is that PP’s equity goals are more aligned with Evans than Stewart. Which is fine- it’s good that both groups have their advocates.

And let’s be honest- it will be a bad look if the BOE is down to one AA member.

That PP was saying the reason they'd support Evans over Stewart was because they were afraid that Stewart would weigh down proceedings with social issues. That was a pretty hypocritical claim, given Evans' been doing that same thing while actually in office. If you're going to say, "I support A over B because B might do C," it would only make sense if A also didn't do C.

Then they played the card. Kind of bankrupt.

What level of proportional demographic representation makes sense to you? How does that work with only 7 seats? Should we have 3 or 4 be men? One Amharic-speaking? Presuming likely origin, would that even count for you as AA?

In broad terms, over the totality of elected positions, sure, we should hope to see us all reflected. Basic probablistic rules mixed with limited seats for any one elected body and diverse demography means that that isn't going to happen on a granular level like a 7-person BOE.

What makes sense to me is trying to get folks on the board that will do a better job of providing oversight to improve the system for our kids than we've had for a while. No rubber stamps, no defunding crusades. An issues-based choice, not a demographic one.

+1 exactly why I can’t get myself to vote for a rubber stamper like Laura Stewart. I wish district 4 had better choices between the incumbent and an extremist on the left and right.

And so you will be voting for...Mandel???

Or are you just putting her name in there in a negative light instead of Shebra's to try to swing things to that well established rubber stamper?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The other place Laura Stewart gets her talking points is from developers. The developers have managed to use enough liberal buzzwords to convince progressives that the developer’s agenda is aligned with a progressive education agenda. So rather than demanding that the County make developers pay more to support education, advocates like Laura Stewart supported cutting taxes for developers while increasing taxes on residents.

Seems odd that Stewart was so focused on this issue of switching the tax burden from developers to moco residents. Was she considering a run for county council and so needed the developers on her side for campaign donations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The other place Laura Stewart gets her talking points is from developers. The developers have managed to use enough liberal buzzwords to convince progressives that the developer’s agenda is aligned with a progressive education agenda. So rather than demanding that the County make developers pay more to support education, advocates like Laura Stewart supported cutting taxes for developers while increasing taxes on residents.

Seems odd that Stewart was so focused on this issue of switching the tax burden from developers to moco residents. Was she considering a run for county council and so needed the developers on her side for campaign donations?

No, it does not seem odd that she's interested in housing policy. It's a big issue in Montgomery County. I can't tell whether there is one extremely prolific poster on DCUM who really really really hates Laura Stewart, or several slightly less prolific posters who merely really really hate Laura Stewart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The other place Laura Stewart gets her talking points is from developers. The developers have managed to use enough liberal buzzwords to convince progressives that the developer’s agenda is aligned with a progressive education agenda. So rather than demanding that the County make developers pay more to support education, advocates like Laura Stewart supported cutting taxes for developers while increasing taxes on residents.

Seems odd that Stewart was so focused on this issue of switching the tax burden from developers to moco residents. Was she considering a run for county council and so needed the developers on her side for campaign donations?

No, it does not seem odd that she's interested in housing policy. It's a big issue in Montgomery County. I can't tell whether there is one extremely prolific poster on DCUM who really really really hates Laura Stewart, or several slightly less prolific posters who merely really really hate Laura Stewart.

Stewart’s interest itself in housing policy isn’t odd, but given her progressive views on education, I do think it is a bit odd that she comes down on the side of real estate developers rather than residents. Seems like she’d be more inclined to levy taxes on big business rather than forcing moco residents to pay more and subsidize their developments.