Grosse Pointe Board of Education candidates Diane Karabetsos, Dan Roeske and Lois Valente appeared at a League of Women Voters forum Thursday at South High School.
Board candidates make their case
at League of Women Voters forum
The Grosse Pointe Board of Education has been one of the Pointes' most divided and contentious panels of late, but the League of Women Voters doesn't do division and contention, so Thursday's candidate forum at South High School was a polite, measured affair.
But differences among candidates Lois Valente, Dan Roeske and Diane Karabetsos asserted themselves anyway, and it became clear this slate fell on both sides of the divide -- at least on some issues.
When asked how they would have voted on a proposed Head Start program at Poupard Elementary, Valente and Roeske stated unequivocally they would have voted in favor of it. Karabetsos expressed support for preschool in general, but said she would support a "more inclusive" program that doesn't violate district policy -- the stated reason board members gave for denying the program.
Both Roeske and Valente stressed they had the support of the Grosse Pointe Education Association -- the teachers union. Karabetsos noted that while she's the only one of the three who has worked as a public-school teacher, she did not get their endorsement.
"I want to be an independent thinker," she said. "I hope some teachers will vote for me."
In other matters, there was strong consensus: All three oppose legislation to require the Grosse Pointe district to open its school doors to non-residents. All favored as much local control as possible. All agreed the so-called achievement gap -- the tendency of some groups of students to fall behind, particularly those from poorer backgrounds -- was a worrisome and growing trend in the district.
Both Roeske and Valente emphasized their role as parents -- each has three children attending schools in the district -- and Karabetsos mentioned her five sons, who all went through the district, leaving her with "time to serve."
Valente called for an an annual review of the district's strategic plan, to keep it current and responsive to a rapidly changing financial environment. She said her recent attendance at a board work session about the plan -- during which members discussed the nuances of words like "could" and "should" -- led her to believe the board needs to refocus on its mission to guide the district.
Roeske stressed the need to not only have the latest technology available to teachers and students, but to have adequate training to use it. He also mentioned the need to keep at-risk and special-needs students achieving.
Karabetsos emphasized many of the same issues from her unsuccessful campaign last year -- annual residency checks, reinstating informal board committees, and the need to look for money and help in new places, primarily grants and college students to help with tutoring in exchange for class credit.
All three expressed support for incoming superintendent Thomas Harwood, whose hiring last summer exposed the board's division. Valente said the process "could have been managed better," and that it was unfortunate "the most important decision they had to make" was so difficult. Karabetsos said Harwood was the best candidate and deserved to have the job.
The next League candidate forum is Oct. 11, and will feature candidates for the Grosse Pointe Shores City Council and mayor.
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Comments
Very one sided
I have to ask myself who wrote this article. It has been written to skew people to one side. Let's make sure we stick to the facts. Diane K is running for school board not because she has time on her hand. She is running because she knows that there are very important issues that need to be addressed in our wonderful town. And she is willing to work hard for us. And let us not forget that last year she lost by very close margins. This tells me citizens want a new look on things. Lillian Li
Not one sided
I just reread this article, and I find it to be quite accurate, having been at the League of Women's Voters debate in person. The debate was televised, and people can still watch it for themselves. I would encourage everyone to do so.
After a recent school board meeting, a current trustee whom I am not pleased with spoke to me about her stance on the Head Start issue. I strongly disagree with her position and remember our conversation clearly. I was stunned - STUNNED - that at the League of Women Voter's debate, Ms. Karabetsos answered the question about Head Start and early preschool intervention EXACTLY how the current school board member stated it to me just weeks before. It was almost verbatim. On this issue at least, Ms. Karabetsos did not demonstrate independent thinking (something she claims she can provide since she does not currently have kids in the district.)
My concern is not that she won't work hard; my concern is she did not demonstrate independent thinking. I don't want more of what we've had on the school board. Its time for positive change. My support goes to Lois Valente and Dan Roeske for Board of Education.
Ms. Karabetsos
A little frustrated and disappointed with Diane Karabetsos who repeatedly placed signs in my yard with out permission. When I contacted her several times, she didn't even apologize, just wanted to come pick up her precious signs. An apology goes a long way when you've gone so far as to call my real estate agent to ask for my personal contact information, invaded my privacy, and lied to get a couple of lawn signs back. Not too sure about the opponents, but her lack of character has not impressed me!
signs
I'd like to address a few misleading posts on the website. I received an Email about a misplaced sign from Heather Saban on Oct 9th. I emailed back asking for her address so that I could immediately remove any signs, I thanked her and left my cell number. She never responded back. I did not know her address and she is not listed in the phone book. After this posting I discovered the address in question on East Eight Mile was one that Mr Saban gave me permission to place my sign. It had previously belonged to a former family that I had coached their son,Owen, in TOPS.
Signs are put on people's property or business because they ask for them. To say my neighbors do not support me because of lack of signs is ludicrous. It is my neighbors that urged me to run again to represent them. It was also my neighbors' signs that were stolen last year shortly after they were put up. Because of the cost of signs, we decided to reserve more signs for busy streets with wider exposure.
Ms. Karabetsos, You have
Ms. Karabetsos,
You have MANY things wrong in your post, including my name which is not Heather Saban. My name was not in my email to you (intentionally) and I'm not sure who poor Heather Saban is, getting dragged into this, but that is not my name. The signs were placed in my yard located on a "busy street" TWICE with no permission from me or my husband. I did not respond to your email because you never apologized for putting them there in the first place, and I felt very offended by that. In your post, You also did not address the fact that you called the realtor on the sign in my yard and asked for my personal information which she did not give because it is clearly unethical to do so. She made it very clear to me also how rude and dishonest you were with her, insisting that you knew us and had permission to have your signs in my yard. What saddens me is even if I give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you thought you knew the property owners where we live, you never once apologized for the "misunderstanding" You just drove by to pick up your signs from our garbage and never bothered to explain TRUTHFULLY why they were ever in MY yard in the first place. An apology in your return email would have prevented all of this nonsense. What prevents you from simply admitting you were wrong to place them there and saying you're sorry?
Ms. Karabetsos
It is disappointing to me to see Ms Karabetsos lawn signs on empty unoccupied homes, empty " for lease" business property and even some operational bars in the city of Grosse Pointe and Grosse Pointe Park, when her own block, barely has any signs of support at all.
This kind of PR is not, I feel, in good taste from someone wanting to win a seat on the School Board. I am shocked to hear that she went so far as to call your agent. I guess she didn't learn the first time these tactics were not impressive to the community!
Ms. Karabetsos
It seems to me Ms. Karabetsos has a real issue with the truth. Ms. Karabetsos stated at the forum that she testified before the Senate Education Committee on the issue of school of choice. The fact is her testimony was emailed in and she was not present when her name was called to actually testify. What kind of example is it to our children to lie like this? Is this the kind of person you want on the school board?
Senate Education Committee Hearing
To accuse me of lying is a lie itself. At the forum and all public speeches, I said I went to Lansing and submitted testimony against Schools of Choice. I never said I testified. There's a difference.The Education Committee hearing on Sept 18th heard mostly those in favor of SOC. No one from Grosse Pointe, not even Superintendent Klein, was called to speak in this hearing.Afterwards I confronted the administrators and several senators about not hearing the speeches of those against open enrollment. What is important is I did not take "no" for an answer. They asked me to email my speech to be included in the minutes and the testimony of that day.What is important is taking the time to spend a day in Lansing and letting everyone know the point of view of our community against Schools of Choice!
Ms. Karabetsos
Just a little correction, Sept. 18th was actually a Sunday. There was no Sen. Ed. Committee meeting that day!
Ms. Karabetsos
At one of the schools PTO meeting I heard you state that you went to Lansing and testified before the Sen. Ed. Committee. I applaud you stance on school of choice. However, Dr. Klein and board member Gafa made several trips to Lansing and testified in person. Many in our community have emailed, called, written and even met with the senators on the Ed. Committee. It is your twisting of the truth that is quiet bothersome. It is my belief that this sets a bad example for our children.
League of Woman Voters forum for School Board
This was an interstesting and exciting debate, as well as one that exceeded my expectations. It is fairly well known I was quite put off by the previous election, as the level of accrimony, false testimony, the injection of personal attacks, etc, frankly soured me as to how far our community had declined.
This time around, however, we, so far, are seeing a someone polite interchange between three candidates for two slots. The debate itself was informative, clearly modern (for the most part) and one that showed that perhaps a job of this size is probably out of reach for one of the candidates candidate, but only based on skill set and thinking beyond 1980'a "out of the box" thinking--this board has "been there-done that, years ago. The video replay should make that point clear.
My point of view is larglely financially based, as my investment banking background, along with the help of ironman Christian Fenton, helped keep the school district's rating near the top back in the last late 207-2008 period. Some have suggested I was particularly harsh concerning one candidate last time, as a sitting trustee's character was called into question. To me it was a call to arms, as my municipal finance knowledge is quite esoteric. In addition, I have always thought personally attacking an opponent was always above board, in poor taste, particulary a boad member who had taken the time to formulate the charts and graphs necessary for an ordinary distict member to understand the total financial picture of the boad finances; i.e., transperency to the extreme.
Thankfully, this recent debate the other night was much more civil, and in line with the standards of conduct our taxpayers have come to expect. Most interesting, to me, was my introduction after the event to the very person that had proved mettlesom to me last time around. We had a pleasant chat (in my mind at least), and while my support is for the other two candidates for this trustee role is set in stone, I would like to think the community would consider for a library trustee-type community role or role to actively engage the elderly community we enjoy here. Yes, she has the time, but this one school trustee position needs a bit more than that time element, and therefor, I support Lois Valente and Dan Roeske for this election, with the understanding we find a role for Mrs K in a capacity with the neigborhood club, the war memorial, the elderly vote and education, as well as elderly utilization of our great community services. I offered her my help in understanding further the finances of the district, and I will do the same for anyone who asks me. I urge anyone to call or email me with questions to help them decide. I have worked closely as a municipal finace investment banker on many school transactions, worked with Mr. Fenton closeley (and we owe him a lo, as his job is seemingly impossible); glennmwatson@gmail.com or 313.969.7380