So my fellow blogger, the perky Amherst School Committee member Catherine Sanderson (shown here working part-time for my competition), has kind of publicly painted herself into a corner.
She most definitely telegraphed her support for Steve Rivkin as a candidate for School Committee, and there are 2 open seats with 3 people running. But she very publicly stated on her blog that she would not endorse any of the candidates because she will have to work with them in the very near future.
Or maybe not.
My reliable sources tell me if Mr. Rivkin is the odd man out on 3/31 Ms. Sanderson (to her husband’s great delight) will resign her School Committee seat the very next day, April 1’st—no foolin!
So come on folks, let’s get working. Steve Rivkin for School Committee!
Yeah I know. he’s an Amherst College professor—of economics no less. But then, who would have thought that Catherine Sanderson, an Amherst College Professor of Psychology, could demonstrate such astonishing backbone?
I read it as she was not going to publicly endorse anyone - leaving it to the candidates (and others) to discuss their relative qualities.
ReplyDeleteWhich, of course, raises an ethical question about "bullet voting." In an election where you are allowed to cast two votes, you can cast two votes for two candidates or two votes for the SAME candidate by only voting for one.
It is simple math, reducing the total number of votes cast for other candidates helps your one just as much as a 2nd vote for him would. The left knows this and now everyone else does too.
And as to professors -- there are 500 professors at UMass and only about a hundred or so who are activists. One told an undergrad that he lives in Belchertown because it is quiet, when asked why he didn't just live in a part of Amherst where there aren't a lot of students, he replied that it wasn't the students that he was worried about...
I've never had an ethical problem with bullet voting
ReplyDeleteIf we lost Catherine on our School Committee, it would be a dark day for Amherst. Who else is willing to routinely stand up and ask the tough questions and not back down until she gets the answers?!
ReplyDeleteThose of you who routinely focus on the budget discussions of the Select Board might want to add viewing of/attendance at the School Committee meetings since they are the ones in charge of the majority of the budget dollars in Amherst! Anyone who is concerned with fiscal reality and/or transparency will like what she (and Steve) stand for.
Agreed!
ReplyDeleteThat is why I called Mr. Hayden on his "numbers are slippery things" remark at Monday's Select Board meeting.
As you well know, numbers only inform and the more informed people are the better.
But yes, you can use them any way you want (as in a "slippery" way).
Ms. Sanderson does her homework and stands by her decisions. A very refreshing change from routine here in the People's Republic.
The problem with the _Gazette_ article is that it appears that all three candidates agree with Sanderson.
ReplyDeleteAnd as to Economics professors, never forget that Education Reform is largely coming out of Schools of Education (where it should) but largely Schools of Economics. In some cases there are Departments of Educational Reform & Accountability being formed as part of the ECONOMICS school...
BTW, Amherst College provided the money to found Amherst's public schools.
ReplyDeleteYou're blog used to be interesting to visit. These days it's you and Ed (The voice of UMass) against the world. Too bad.
ReplyDeleteWell gee, sorry to disappoint you there Anon A_hole.
ReplyDeleteMy numbers are as good as they have ever been. And I do notice you still dropped by.
Sorry, Larry, but a photo of a shrub hardly cuts it, so I must agree.
ReplyDeleteJesus Christ Larry, you can give it but you can't take it. All they said was that your blog used to be more interesting. And you respond by calling him or her an asshole. Well guess what, a picture of a bush is boring. Why did you not take a picture of the tattered remains of our glorious American Flag that somehow keeps getting run up every morning? You're supposed to be some kind of great patriot, well there you go. Go get them Larry.
ReplyDeletei am an a-hole.
ReplyDeletewho am i?
who knows.
the same anonymous as the other anonymii? who know
(people who hide behind anonymous are in no position to stand behind their comments.)