August 20, 2009 11:04 am

Parents Not Politicians Launches Web Site

From a press release:

Board of Education Challengers Introduce Website

The four parents who earned the Republican Party’s nomination for the Board of Education today introduced their website: www.parentsnotpoliticians.com

Running as “Parents- Not Politicians”, Erin Halsey, Artie Kassimis, Steve Colarossi and Sue Haynie have each expressed their intention to improve communication between the Board of Education and the entire community.

The group contends that by encouraging greater public involvement in Board of Education meetings, attentively responding to constituent emails and phone calls and taking time to visit the schools, they will help guide decisions that will take into consideration the needs of students, families and the taxpayers.

Erin Halsey, Sue Haynie, Artie Kassimis and Steve Colarossi are the parents of eleven children currently enrolled in the Norwalk Public Schools. With the perspective gained by their years of being actively involved in their children’s educations, the group believes that they can provide “the leadership the Norwalk Board of Education needs, for the schools our kids, parents and taxpayers deserve”. To read more about their candidacy, go to: www.parentsnotpoliticians.com

Board of Education Candidates Erin Halsey, Artie Kassimis, Steve Colarossi & Sue Haynie
www.ParentsNotPoliticians.com
Parents Not Politicians (Brian J. Smith, Treasurer)

http://intensedebate.com/people/WeRock WeRock

Parents NOT politicians? Than why the stamp and why invite Moccia? Seems like a few people have caught the scent of the impending media frenzy. Cameras can be all revealing, harsh and not nesscarily photogentic. If the motovation is pure, need to ace the stamp and the mayor.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Publis Publis

Not sure what the big deal is here. As a practical matter, BoE candidates need to be nominated either by the RTC or the DTC. This group states they are RTC nominated.
http://intensedebate.com/people/WeRock WeRock

For those that missed it here is an encore especially for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPudiBR15mk
http://intensedebate.com/people/SteveColarossi SteveColarossi

Thank you, Publis.

Perhaps it is a question of semantics, but there is a difference between a citizen engaging in those activities which are “political” (such as running for public office) and one being a “politician” (meaning one who might pursue an agenda geared to electoral success and not necessarily the best interests of those who are to be served).

In my opinion, and I don’t presume to speak for our entire slate, there is a need for the Board of Education to be more responsive—to engage the entire community in soliciting their opinions about the educational issues that affect us all. Some politicians may be less likely to respond to emails for fear of alienating potential voters or out of concern of sharing an opinion before it’s been vetted by party-regulars. Parents (and this particular unaffiliated voter-candidate), however, tend to be more open to encouraging the direct and honest discussions we need to improve our schools for all children.