NIAGARA FALLS — Want to get more involved in your child’s education? Are you frustrated with how much you pay for school taxes? Do you have a lot of free time and want to give something back and make a difference in your community?
The answer is simple: Run for school board!
Each year, we’re amazed to see a multitude of hot issues coming out of local school districts but hardly any new faces competing for open board seats.
Maybe the apathy is created by a feeling that one person can’t make a difference. Or perhaps people see some of the negative headlines coming out of some districts and don’t want to subject themselves to scrutiny.
Lew-Port School Board incumbent Mike Gentile is certainly an example of this. Despite feeling the district and board are moving in the right direction, Gentile recently told the Niagara Gazette he has no plans to seek a second term.
“I have no interest of putting my family through an election,” Gentile said. “Some of the things that are going on are disgusting.”
He’s right — school board elections in Lew-Port are usually more about politics and money than student achievement. Still, nothing is going to change unless more people come out to run. This May’s election in Lew-Port will have three seats up for grabs — that’s nearly half the board.
The Niagara-Wheatfield School District is much quieter than Lew-Port in terms of board controversy but all the goodwill rarely attracts any type of race for school board, which is a shame. Two board seats are up this year and we’re hoping that’s enough to attract some new blood.
As for Niagara Falls, there’s always plenty of issues that capture public attention — both positive and negative. Whether you’re a fan or a critic of Falls schools, why not bring that energy onto the school board where you could really enact change. Two seats are available this year, including the one currently occupied by 10-year board veteran Christopher Brown who has already said he won’t seek a third term.
So far, seven people have picked up petitions to run in the Falls, which is certainly a positive sign. Whether they all are on the May 18 ballot is yet to be seen.
We challenge more people to run for the open seats in Niagara Falls, Lewiston-Porter and Niagara-Wheatfield.
The more the merrier — especially when it comes to educating children.
Editorials
EDITORIAL: Wanted: BOE seekers
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CHEERS & JEERS: Feb. 10's best and worst of the week
As Ken Hamilton so eloquently puts it in his column on this page — the SPCA of Niagara would probably be in a lot better shape if everyone took care of their pets.
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EDITORIAL: U.S. has a lot of catching up to do in War of 1812 bicentennial
Almost 200 years after President Madison declared the War of 1812 there is a distinct lack of interest on this side of the border in commemorating that milestone.
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EDITORIAL: Times up for SPCA board
This is no time for subtleties or polite requests.
We are now demanding the resignations of the members of the board of the Niagara County SPCA. -
EDITORIAL: Niagara Falls ‘Can't Wait’ for this
Niagara Falls has always been promoted as a world-class destination.
Generations of honeymooners helped the city attain that coveted status, but that’s only a fraction of the people who keep coming from around the globe to enjoy the natural wonder here. -
EDITORIAL: SPCA off to good start
We were pleased to see members of the SPCA of Niagara’s board of directors take swift action and fire Executive Director John Faso on Monday.
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EDITORIAL: SPCA's Faso, board must go
There’s no question now that SPCA of Niagara John Faso must go — along with most or all of the agency’s board of directors.
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EDITORIAL: A good start for NFR
Thank you, Mr. Milstein
We are delighted to hear that long-time Niagara Falls landowner Howard Milstein is reaching out to one of our elementary schools and offering a helping hand. -
EDITORIAL: Time Warner is on thin ice
In a high stakes game of chicken between cable network MSG and the region’s largest cable TV provider Time Warner Cable, the only people losing right now are hockey fans the region over.
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EDITORIAL: Time to take action on SPCA
Although the dust still has to settle around the horrific complaints by a former employee of the Niagara County SPCA and others, we were discouraged to learn that the animal shelter is still struggling with a lack of leadership.
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EDITORIAL: The bus stops here — and let's keep it that way
The NFTA’s proposed cuts to local bus routes have the potential to really hurt the little guy, the rider who relies on the bus to get to work, to shop, to get to the doctor’s.
It just shouldn’t happen. - More Editorials Headlines
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