Families United for Education candidate forum, the morning after

The forum was held in the clubhouse at La Madera Golf Course.  The place was packed - kudos to the FUE and all their many hard workers.   Reporter Hailey Heinz and the Journal even covered the forum, link, albeit belatedly.

I can't immediately recall another time I've seen so many people so excited about the potential of a school board election.  The forum surrounded anecdotal input from FUE members, followed by their question.  There were opportunities for a number of community members to stand at the podium, express their concerns, and then ask a question.

There is never enough time at these things, for all the questions to be asked.  I am disappointed that one question never gets asked.  Candidates are never asked talk about their obligations as the senior-most role models of student standards of conduct.

"Don’t worry that your children never listen to you,
worry that they are always watching you." unk

If we really want students to grow into adults who embrace character and courage and honor, someone has to show them what it looks like.

If we really want students to grow into adults who hold themselves honestly accountable to higher standards of conduct, someone needs to show them what it looks like.

Do we really not care anymore about the example that adults set for children?  Is it ridiculous to expect school board members and superintendent's to lead by their personal example?

I was disappointed that the FUE didn't ask the candidates a question; a "yes or no" question;

Are you willing to hold yourself honestly accountable
to the same standards you establish and enforce upon students?

Will you create a mechanism over which you have no influence, wherein a complaint can be made regarding your conduct, and where complaints see due process?  A system that will hold you accountable even against your will.

Whatever else they are, these four will be elected to senior-most role models of the standards they establish and enforce upon students.  If one of them is elected school board president, they will become the senior-most role model for students, staff and the community.

By unanimous school board resolution, APS Student Standards of Conduct are the Pillars of Character Counts!, link, a nationally recognized, accepted and respected code of ethical conduct.  According to those standards, students are expected to be candid, forthright and honest, and that in their failure to do so, their good character is forfeit.

The school board removed a role modeling clause from their own code of conduct.  It used to read;

In no case shall the standards of conduct for an adult
be lower than the standards of conduct for students.

Is it time to put it back? or has role modeling grown passé?

All it takes to hold oneself honestly accountable to any standard of conduct, is character and courage.