hard deadlines

Former School Committee member and current candidate for Town Council, Dave Croston, sent out this e-mail over the weekend and gave me permission to repost it here.

**PLEASE FORWARD**

As a parent, and not a candidate, I am very concerned about the School Committee race this Tuesday. As an endorsed Democratic candidate it is against the standard to speak out against our slate, but this morning I decided I must. I, personally, urge you to cast your vote on Tuesday for Sylvia Wedge and Terri Cortvriend and no one else. A no vote is better than a random vote! Sylvia and Terri have done a remarkable job in difficult transitory times — they deserve your support! Sylvia and Terri will continue to stand-up for our children and push our strained system as far as possible.

Over the past month I have come to disagree with two of the Democratic endorsed candidates — to a point I think the Committee was duped. While I am not on the Town Committee, I respect the majority of its members. Their endorsement of Angela Volpicelli and Marilyn King I simply can not support. When Sylvia, Terri and I ran four years ago, we attended School Committee meetings for almost one year prior to the election. We learned the issues and the ways of the School Committee, Angela and Marilyn have not.

Their answers to written questions for hard deadlines were incomplete and vague (at best), their answers at the PCC Forum surprising, and their answers at the Newport Daily News show shocking. Angela and Marilyn either lack the knowledge of the stress the System is under or they simply intend to reduce the growth of the school budget outright. The fact that they were and are against a Caruolo action tells me they are unwilling to stand up for our children. The use of broad platitudes and incorrect factual data in presentations is disconcerting and raises questions as to their intentions. School Committee members need to be open to change and the exploration of all options. Take it from someone who knows, the School Committee is the toughest elected position in Portsmouth.

Please consider carefully your vote on Tuesday. Most importantly: get out to vote, get your family out to vote, an help others. Please feel free to circulate this email.

Thank You and sorry for the intrusion!

Dave Croston