Vote or Quit Bitchin’ 2006
Local election coverage
Voters’ Guide: Portland School Committee District 1
Wife swapping in District 1?
By Chris Busby
The two-way race for the District 1 seat on the Portland School Committee pits newcomer Rebeccca Minnick against Mavourneen Thompson, a former state legislator, teacher and South Portland school board member married to current District 1 representative Otis Thompson, who has decided not to seek another term.
Thompson, 60, clearly has more experience in education and policy than Minnick, a 32-year-old environmental educator with Maine Audubon, but she’s also got a liability as a candidate – one that, for reasons unknown, hasn’t become much of a factor in this campaign.
The Thompsons live on Peaks Island, and though Mavourneen is against the island seceding from Portland, a solid majority of her neighbors feel otherwise. It’s quite possible Peaks will be its own town this time next year, and if that happens, should Thompson win this election, she’d either have to move to the mainland or relinquish her school board seat before her term is over. Minnick, a renter on Munjoy Hill, would be unaffected by secession if she wins.
District 1 covers the East End, Bayside, much of downtown, and the few remaining islands in Casco Bay still associated with the city.
Minnick is single. Her civic work includes service on the board of the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Association and volunteering with The League, formerly the League of Pissed Off Voters, a youth-centric political group that, despite Minnick’s involvement, has endorsed Thompson. Minnick has a bachelor’s degree in environmental geology from Hanover College in Indiana, and a master’s degree in environmental education from Antioch University New England, in New Hamspshire.
Minnick is also co-chair (with District 1 City Council candidate Kevin Donoghue) of the Portland Green Independent Committee. Thompson is a registered Democrat. Though this is officially a non-partisan race, and the school board a non-partisan body, there’s been palpable partisan tension between the four Greens and five Democrats currently on the board. For example, the votes during last year’s board caucus to choose a board chairperson and chairs for the board’s committees split along party lines, putting Democrats in the most powerful positions. If registered Green Stephen Spring wins re-election this year and either Minnick or at-large candidate Kevin Gardella is victorious, Greens will hold the majority of Portland School Committee seats for the first time in history.
Thompson is co-owner of Policy One Research Inc., an education and public policy research company. She and Otis have three grown children and two grandchildren, one of whom attends a Portland public school. Thompson has a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Eastern Baptist College in Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and is currently completing a certificate of advanced study in education and public policy at the University of Southern Maine.
When candidates have complained of unfair campaign practices this year, they’ve brought their grievances to Thompson, one of five members of the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. Perhaps not surprisingly, there’ve been no ethical issues in this campaign.
Here’s what the candidates said when we quizzed them on our Voters’ Guide questions. Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Should high schools have a system of ranking and weighted grades?
Minnick: “I don’t feel that weighted grades are the most appropriate policy for Portland. I do feel that excellence should be rewarded, but I feel that [the previous system] is an outdated policy, and I think it creates an inequity. The school board needs to create a policy that rewards students at whatever level they’re achieving at.”
Thompson: “I believe there’s a place for weighted averages, but there is some injustice involved in our current system.” Favors more study and public input in order to create a new system that “doesn’t create injustice and, at the same time, rewards students at the top ranks for taking those courses which require work and study during the summer.”
If consolidating elementary schools would save money but lead to an increase in class sizes, would you support consolidation?
Minnick: “I don’t support consolidation of neighborhood schools. I think we can save money by exploring other options,” such as through partnerships with other city entities (like the METRO bus system and the public library) and local colleges and universities. “I’d like to see consolidation of neighborhood schools as the last option.”
Thompson: “Currently, my understanding is Portland has a reasonable class size and tries to remain reasonable within [that area]. That’s very, very important. We also have some very small elementary schools. I would close an elementary school and consolidate if it meant saving programs. If it also meant destroying our reasonable class size, on average, throughout the system, then I would oppose it.
“I would not vote to close an island school, because that would be asking island [elementary school] children to do something that no other child in the city is expected to do.” That is, commute to school via ferry. “That would be entirely unfair to island kids. They’re a different animal, so to speak.”
Are you open to corporate sponsorship of school events or facilities, like athletic fields?
Minnick: “I wouldn’t say ‘absolutely not’ without learning a little more about the issue,” but added she “would be inclined not to support it.” Would see how community members felt about such a proposal.
Thompson: In South Portland, Thompson said she strongly opposed introducing the private, corporate supported Channel 1 education network into the school system. “If we, as a public school system, were to say yes to a private corporation, such as Coca-Cola, we’d be teaching young people that it’s OK to drink Coca-Cola. That’s not something we should support…. My instinct would be to be extremely cautious about moving in that direction.”
Do military recruiters have enough access to students?
Minnick: Yes.
Thompson: “I would not take steps to increase their access. I would, however, say everything we do as a school board should be to help children learn for their future.”
What, if anything, should be done to reduce the concentration of poor students in certain schools?
Minnick: “I have very mixed feelings about that question, because I come from a city where they have forced integration through busing. I saw kids getting bussed an hour across town to go to school, and then they’re in school with no one in their neighborhood. The best answer is not to take kids [out of their neighborhood].”
Thompson: “How I’d look at that is public education should support justice for all children. To the extent any of our policies would be creating injustice, we’d need to look at those very strongly. More specifically, it seems to me that coupled with efforts at educating parents toward what promotes a good learning environment, we would then give parents options to make choices as to where their children are going to be educated.”
Is harassment a serious problem in our high schools or media hype?
Minnick: “I read the article in the Press Herald online and read about 40 of the responses to the article. There was a girl who said the article did overlook a lot of the positives in the report [on harassment] and hyped the situation.” Plans to read the report and talk to students about it. “Kids should be able to go to school in a safe environment – one that’s both emotionally and physically safe. It needs to be addressed if [harassment] is a problem for even one kid.”
Thompson: “The culture of a school… is very, very tangible…. Students and teachers and administrators are going to be creating that culture, and where we see bullying or harassment or language that harasses, we need to put a stop to it.”
Should Portland high school and middle school students be encouraged to ride METRO buses to and from school?
Minnick: “Yes. I think it’s a great example of a partnership that benefits both the schools and METRO. It gets kids experience using alternative transportation.”
Thompson: “If METRO can provide the same services our school buses provide in terms of program, safety, accessibility and so forth to students, then I don’t think it makes any difference.”
Should foreign languages be taught at the elementary school level?
Minnick: Yes. But added, “I think, unfortunately, they’re cramming a lot of stuff into a short week, so you have to ask yourself how it fits [into the curriculum], though all the research shows: the earlier the better. Especially with all the diversity Portland schools have, it’s a skill everyone should have.”
Thompson: “Other good, area school systems provide this. The Portland School Committee had to make a very serious and painful cut when elementary foreign language was cut a few years ago. It’s indicative of our financial problems.” Would work to increase state funding so programs like this could be reinstated.
Is it acceptable for two or more school board members to discuss school policy outside official meetings?
Minnick: “I’ll be honest, it’s unrealistic to expect that’s not going to happen.” She added, “I think we need to be holding more public forums [like the gatherings in Lincoln Park], but with the whole School Committee. I don’t think [the current board] is doing enough to engage the public.”
Thompson: “I think that as board members, we are empowered with responsibility and authority only when we are in a duly publicized public meeting or public workshop, and that is where every board member should be open and transparent and should carry on the debate about issues.”
Should the phrase “under God” be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance?
Minnick: Yes. We have so many students in Portland schools that are not Christian…. Schools should be a place where everyone feels safe practicing whatever religion they have.”
Thompson: “I remember my students at Portland High told me one day they were not required to say the Pledge. I merely asked them to let me know ahead of time that you choose not to do this, and that’s your prerogative. Every school board member should be willing to work toward justice for all kids, wherever that debate leads us.”
