School Board Referendum

haven't voted yet but definitely will vote YES... do I have to wait until I DO vote to do this poll?

haven't voted yet but definitely will vote YES... do I have to wait until I DO vote to do this poll?

No, vote before or after, the ultimate issue is that you do vote before then end of the primaries. Voting here does nothing if you haven't actually​ voted.

No, vote before or after, the ultimate issue is that you do vote before then end of the primaries. Voting here does nothing if you haven't actually​ voted.

gotcha.

here's some general info from Walton Co. website, for reference:

Primary Election - August 26, 2014 (7am - 7pm)

• Early Voting: August 16th-23rd, 2014, (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM) -Locations
• Registration Deadline: July 28, 2014 at 5pm - Details
• Candidate Qualifying: Qualifying Details
• Who Can Vote?: Voters who reside in Walton County and are registered before the deadline
• Where Do I Vote?: Voting Locations
• Voter Information: List of Candidates, Sample Ballots
• Turnout Statistics: Real-Time Voter Turnout

General Election - November 4, 2014 (7am - 7pm)

• 
  [*=left]Early Voting: October 25th-31st, (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM) and November 1st, (7:00 AM - 7:00 PM) - Locations
  [*=left]Registration Deadline: October 6, 2014 at 5pm - Details
  [*=left]Candidate Qualifying: Qualifying Details
  [*=left]Who Can Vote?: Voters who reside in Walton County and are registered before the deadline
  [*=left]Where Do I Vote?: Voting Locations
  [*=left]Voter Information: List of Candidates

Without all the shouting... What is this about?

Without all the shouting... What is this about?

There are those who believe the Superintendent of Schools should be appointed. The belief is that there is more accountability because the School Board can hire and fire that individual. That the Superintendent would have higher/more qualifications and would move us into a direction of more professionally run school system. These are just a couple of reasons that I will be voting yes.

On the other hand there are those that electing the Superintendent is how it should remain. They point to the numbers that puts our school district as an A school and believe that is through the leadership of the Superintendent. They believe there is accountability every 4 years. There is also the belief that by hiring you are taking the vote from the electorate.

I know that there will be more comments to follow and I am sure they will explain the reasons better than me.

Lots of info here www.kidsbeforepolitics.com, and take the time to read the superintendent referendum information here on SoWal, and on the Kids Before Politics Facebook page.

There are those who believe the Superintendent of Schools should be appointed. The belief is that there is more accountability because the School Board can hire and fire that individual. That the Superintendent would have higher/more qualifications and would move us into a direction of more professionally run school system. These are just a couple of reasons that I will be voting yes.

On the other hand there are those that electing the Superintendent is how it should remain. They point to the numbers that puts our school district as an A school and believe that is through the leadership of the Superintendent. They believe there is accountability every 4 years. There is also the belief that by hiring you are taking the vote from the electorate.

I know that there will be more comments to follow and I am sure they will explain the reasons better than me.

The hired/appointed Superintendent provides much more accountability. It also give the elected School Board members more authority. There are only a handful of counties in the U.S. that have elected Superintendents. Even in Florida, not all Superintendents are elected. The qualifications to run for Superintendent in Walton county are a joke. It is not taking away the vote from the electorate. School Board members are elected to serve the constituents. Anyone who has lived in other places know it is a better system. I will definitely be voting YES.

Would a hired superintendent, for example, be harder to get rid of? I'm thinking teachers unions/tenure /etc.

Would a hired superintendent, for example, be harder to get rid of? I'm thinking teachers unions/tenure /etc.

Well it would seems they would be easier to get rid of. Also they would not be tenured as they are, or would seem to be, an at will employee with a contract. Based on what I have read and what has been posted there is a cap on serverence. Also the Legislators took tenure away from new hire teachers, and before that I think they had to survive 3 years to obtain tenure. I do not know if Walton County Teachers negotiated tenure away or if they have a mix. Of course this is just my view as you asked. I tried to give you a non confrontational view as I try to see both sides.

Would a hired superintendent, for example, be harder to get rid of? I'm thinking teachers unions/tenure /etc.

yes very much so

this is all about letting the teachers Union have more say in who is superintendent

it's basically all they have left

Totally wrong answer.

The only way you remove an Elected Supt is through the Governor - person would basically have to be convicted of a major felony.

A "hired/appointed" Supt serves at the pleasure of the School Board that "hires them".

They normally have a contract with two separate termination clauses:

For Cause (felony,etc)
Without cause (pleasure of the Board)

Guess I know which side seaducer is on.

Have you noticed how many positions in Florida County government, such as Walton County, are ELECTED positions and absolutely shouldn't be? The Superintendent of Education is at the top of that list, imo. You really need to be able to search for the right candidate for the job, inside Walton Co as well as outside, just like any good, well managed business. Electing your school board members is where your vote counts (some counties appoint those as well).

How many excellent candidates for a Walton County school leader are qualified to RUN an election and win? I don't think I want a politician who has to run an election to be in charge of our schools. Why that was ever the case is beyond my understanding. HIRE a professional educator who can spend 100% of their time on school leadership, and none of their time on an election.

Our schools are pretty good. They have the potential to be excellent - we have great teachers, great kids, and very involved parents. And I'm not talking about "A" level (that doesn't mean much) schools - which we are... I'm talking about a true model of education based on best practices. Hiring a leader is one step in that direction.

Vote YES for the kids.

Guess I know which side seaducer is on.

As usual you know nothing. All I stated was fact. Not my vote.

besides I live in Destin anyway, don't even vote in Walton.

besides I live in Destin anyway, don't even vote in Walton.

Obviously you have financial interests in Walton County that depend on support from Walton County elected officials.

besides I live in Destin anyway, don't even vote in Walton.

Which I already knew....

Which I already knew....

you must be the smartest Union Stooge there is to be able to read it directly below
my join date and above my post count, put yourself down for a hundred thousand
dollar bonus from the dues of those you pimp out

Obviously you have financial interests in Walton County that depend on support from Walton County elected officials.

If you mean, do I pay buttloads of property and sales tax in Walton, then yes.

If you mean, do I like anyone in office, or even know their phone numbers, or have
even an ounce of influence with them?, then once again it's a blatant lie told by
lazy simple minded people who can't rationalize the opposite opinion they hold.
face it just because you have been hand fed this pablum by the WCEA
doesn't mean anyone not eating it is somehow misunderstanding the issue

the vote is to expand the power of the union to appoint a super, nothing more

the vote is to expand the power of the union to appoint a super, nothing more

Maybe the Teacher's Union is strong where you live, but it is a mess in Walton County. It may as well not exist. If you believe they are running this show, think again.

Maybe the Teacher's Union is strong where you live, but it is a mess in Walton County. It may as well not exist. If you believe they are running this show, think again.

Quite the opposite, you should pay better attention.

As is the case of almost every Union these days they are totally impotent and facing extinction.

Which is why they are throwing all backs to the rows on this one.
The common voter folk of Walton county have been able to choose the super until this vote,
which hasn't always been a Union puppet of their choosing so they are desperate to garner
more than a one person-one vote ratio exactly because they are so few and impotent.

I don't blame them it makes good politics sense and any tiny victory must mean everything to them these days.



Just don't believe this Yes vote empowers anyone but the teachers union, because it's nonsense

As usual you know nothing. All I stated was fact. Not my vote.

I missed the fact you were stating. What was it? Where would I find information supporting it?

Quite the opposite, you should pay better attention.

As is the case of almost every Union these days they are totally impotent and facing extinction.

Which is why they are throwing all backs to the rows on this one.
The common voter folk of Walton county have been able to choose the super until this vote,
which hasn't always been a Union puppet of their choosing so they are desperate to garner
more than a one person-one vote ratio exactly because they are so few and impotent.

I don't blame them it makes good politics sense and any tiny victory must mean everything to them these days.



Just don't believe this Yes vote empowers anyone but the teachers union, because it's nonsense

My wife is a teacher in Walton County and you have not one clue. Not that you ever had, mind you.

Ok Bob Hudson, JDarg, JP Nettles, Teachers Aide, AndyA, WaltonParent, the gigs up, Seaducer is onto us. One of the few things I may agree with some of you on and we got caught by a novice. Where did we go wrong, oh where?

I have a name for you Seaducer, so if you would like to find out what it is lets meet.

I recently posted about how the NO crowd is trying to use the politics of fear in absence of facts. Seaducer's post is a classic example of exactly that. No facts presented. Just same old dribble... Be afraid, be very afraid, the teachers union has a devious plot to take over the world. This is the same union that got B--- h slapped during negotiations just a few months ago. Seaducer's statement is a joke. Same ole politics of fear and placing blame.

I am sick to death of people claiming teachers are solely to blame for bad education. If Chrysler builds a bad car, is the entire blame laid at the feet of the linemen? Of course not. Managers, designers, engineers, subcontractors ... They all take the hit. In education, the only blame goes to teachers. Let me say, I do not believe in tenure laws for public school teachers . Tenure was developed for higher education so that research professors could follow research where it lead them without fear of reprisal from administrators or donors. Public schools don't have the same role. All that said, the people who blame teachers the most ( it seems to me) are parents who think that their sole role in their child's education is to drive car pool when they have to.