It looks like Wake County school board candidate Venita Peyton is going to have to rely on an online campaign in the absence of much campaign cash.
In a post today on her Outside The Box blog, Peyton writes that "the 2011 School Board race is shaping up to be a choice between two types of candidates: those for children and those for power." She rips into NCAE, the old school board and prior superintendents for "low student achievement and high dropouts for the past decade."
On her campaign website, Peyton explains her decision to not attend Thursday's District 4 forum sponsored by WakeUP Wake County, the League of Women Voters of Wake County and the Southeast Raleigh Assembly:
"1. Most candidates are asked from a given set of possibilities. No one asked: they simply TOLD me the format, when and where it will be held. Well, I disagree. First – my District 4 has the largest number of children bused across Wake County and some of the most unforgiving time. That’s important, because its unfair to parents who can’t attend. Why? Because they have children’s homework to contend with. And school projects. And preparing the whole family for the next day. Remember: some children are at a bus stop at 5:40 am.
Also – older taxpayers in my community head to bed before and after 8 pm. They don’t like to go out at night. So for both groups, a weekend would be better.
2. WakeUp has not performed anything of value to my District. For that reason, they are partnering with the Democratically controlled Southeast Raleigh Assembly. The ‘mediator’ or questioner is the League of Women Voters.
All 3 of these groups are 501(c)3 and ‘supposedly’ nonpartisan.
These group ‘get-together’ forums and questionnaires have been much too sterile. They repeatedly ask us all the same thing, without making my challenger answer questions about his voting record."
Peyton is the only one of the 14 school board candidates who has refused to attend a forum, according to Karen Rindge, executive director of WakeUP Wake. Rindge said two of the candidates have indicated they might not be able to attend but will try to participate.
In Peyton's absence, Rindge said the District 4 forum will likely become more of a community discussion in which people ask questions directed toward school board member Keith Sutton.
Comments
I hope she reconsiders. She
Wed, 09/14/2011 - 16:13 — VillageMentalityI hope she reconsiders. She is so far superior to Sutton.
Respect
Wed, 09/14/2011 - 01:45 — SDR256Venita Peyton is a respected voice of reason who has withstood an avalanche of chaos in her district. Thank you, Venita, for challenging political organizers on their motivations. The political parties are completely riveted by the political blood in the air. They can smell it. At the moment, they have no concern for the children. Ms. Peyton has long proven through her vocal record how committed to the children in her district she is.
With all due respect to Ms. V
Wed, 09/14/2011 - 09:30 — Dove314With all due respect to Ms. V, her reasons for not attending are a bit suspect given the same issue arises for all parents and taxpayers who may want to attend a BoE meeting. Why is a weekday evening meeting only an issue for a campaign debate but not for the real deal? Seems the people she is most letting down by not appearing are those she most wants to represent.
It would be nice to see her
Wed, 09/14/2011 - 06:29 — DrActualFactualIt would be nice to see her go to the forum and speak on her own terms. She would not be the first politician to begin to answer a question and then move to a different, unrelated topic that is deemed more important by the candidate and speak to that issue instead. I wish she would rethink this tactic and reframe the debate around what she feels IS important for her district. At least she would be able to direct the conversation to some of her talking points/issues instead of having Mr. Sutton dominating the entire forum which could be the result if she does not attend.
She should show her
Wed, 09/14/2011 - 06:19 — shank56She should show her committment to the children as a viable candidate and appear at the forum to show her concern for the children.
OT- Embezzlement at West Cary MS ?
Wed, 09/14/2011 - 01:08 — shank56See WRAL.com
$8000 reported missing as an "inside job" - PTA funds
Edited to add PTA
Embarassing
Tue, 09/13/2011 - 20:09 — shank56Ignored by her Republican Party (as a longtime member)
Ignored by the Democrats
So ignored, will not appear in public to answer questions as a viable candidate. Disappointing...
Why bother to run? I cannot vote for you but would like to hear your views.
embarrassing.
Tue, 09/13/2011 - 20:15 — toasted_tofuembarrassing.
EMBARRASSING- So Sorry
Tue, 09/13/2011 - 20:42 — shank56Shuttering at my missteak!!
???
Wed, 09/14/2011 - 07:24 — bpuli9999Just spelling problems or some deeper issues?