06/02/2016
I have remained relatively quiet throughout this election cycle however I've come to a point as support appears to grow for one of my opponents that I feel I have to set things straight.
Dr. Elden Rice is running for a seat on the Meade School Board. The pertinent question is why is he running? Does he have a vested interest in the achievement, success and advancement of the students of the Meade School District?
Does Elden have any children attending school in the District? Elden has stated previously that he does not have a child attending school in the Meade School District. He has never had a child, grandchild, or any familial relation attend school in the Meade School District. He does have a child attending school in Rapid City, and he understandably does not want to transfer her to a new school district.
Does Elden have any direct connection to teachers within the district? Elden himself has stated that he does not have any relationship outside of being acquainted with any Meade School District teachers, support staff or administrators.
Does Elden have a basis of understanding in regards to the Meade School District financial situation, budgets, or utilization of the resident's tax obligations? Dr. Rice has not answered any question directly that have any relation to the District's financial obligations or to the tax payers' funds. He has yet to demonstrate any level of understanding of the District's budgeting, impending projects, or funding obligations including teacher pay. In regard to teacher pay, at the most recent forum hosted by the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce, he was entirely unaware that negotiations between the teachers and the District had reached an amicable and mutually beneficial conclusion well prior to the forum. He also erroneously believed that due to the 1/2 cent sales tax increase and the concurrent increases in teacher salaries that there would be a loss of employment through reductions in force in the Meade School District. This misrepresentation and scare tactic was refuted by Board Members as well as MEA representation in attendance at the forum. These examples of a lack of understanding demonstrates a blatant lack of knowledge in regard to the school financing process and is a sign of disrespect to the teachers in the District.
So these examples leave the question, why is Dr. Elden Rice running for a seat on the Meade School Board? The only plausible answer is that he is running to serve his own personal political agendas. Dr. Rice has a limited to non-existent understanding of our District, the students, teachers, administrators and support staff that comprise our District, the financial processes of our District, or the tax payers and voters that support and fund our District. In addition to this lack of understanding Dr. Rice has shown no interest in acquiring a true and accurate understanding of the District, instead stating an intention to impose his own will on to the students, parents, teachers and tax payers of our District instead of working with us to find an amicable solution. Whether you agree or disagree with his political viewpoints his intention to serve on the Meade School Board in no way is to serve the voters, tax payers, parents, students or employees of the Meade School District and is only to serve his own agendas.
On the contrary, I am running for many different reasons. I have three children currently attending school in the Meade School District and am a graduate of Sturgis Brown High School. I've had multiple family members attend and graduate from the Meade School District, my Father was a teacher in the District and my Mother was a Meade School Board member for six years. The success of our District is a personal matter to me as it is to my family.
Over the first three years that I have served I have overseen significant increases in teacher pay, helped to introduce updated technology in all of our schools, taken part in the sanctioning of soccer as a high school sport, and have worked diligently in involving and representing the rural schools in District wide discussions and budgeting processes, including pushing for Board Member tours of our rural school sites. I've considered each topic presented to the Board through the prism of what most benefits our students, not what benefits myself personally or fits in any personal political agenda.
There is much work left to do including seeing through with the construction of a middle school in Summerset in a financially responsible and well researched manner, expanding and growing our District's STEM curriculum with the guidance and support of our teachers and administrators, continuing to diligently provide a competitive wage for our teachers within the constraints of our tax payer provided budget, and continuing to include our rural schools in all District actions and thought processes to ensure that these students have every advantage and receive the same level of education that is provided to students in Sturgis and Piedmont.
When you go to vote on Tuesday please choose the three candidates that truly want to see our students succeed and grow as opposed to the candidate that is only concerned with his personal political agendas. I appreciate your support and your vote.
