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Letter: School board candidate Dorian Baker comments on editorial 

Dorian Baker of Paso Robles

Dorian Baker

Editor’s note: This letter from Dorian Baker, a candidate for Paso Robles Joint Unified School Board of Trustees, offers comments on the editorial, “Local leaders offer advice on voting for school board candidates,” submitted by Jeff Railsback and other community leaders. 

To the editor,

It was with some amount of surprise, perhaps due to naiveté, that I read, and re-read your letter to the editor advising Paso Robles area voters which school board candidates would be “dangerous for our district, threatens the retention of key district personnel, and threaten the diversity of issues facing the district especially as it recovers from the impact of COVID-19”. While not using names, you identified your targets as those running as a slate. I am a member of that slate, and as such I know our motives are not those which you describe.

We (the four referred to as a slate) have no plans to vote as a block, nor to “threaten key district personnel”. I was amazed to learn that the twelve signers of your letter, referred to as “local leaders”, recognize some employees as “key district personnel”. Such a statement leads me to wonder which employees our “local leaders” consider to be the “key district personnel”. Implicit in that statement is that they see some employees as having greater value than others. I want to emphasize that we (The Force of Four) do not rank the importance of district employees, as we know all are vital. As a 25-year veteran of Paso Robles Public Schools, I never felt that anyone had such a hierarchy in mind, we were all valued and treated as such. Throughout my tenure with the district, the relationship was one of dignity and mutual professional respect. The loss of that dignity and respect, which was brought in, and often demonstrated by the previous administration is clearly still present, as evidenced by the use of those three little words…”key district personnel” in the letter which included the signatures of two current school board members.

A primary charge levied against us was that it would be dangerous to the district to elect us because we are “narrowly focused on addressing past financial issues that are already under control”. While I do not agree that the “past financial issues” are under control, I can’t help but wonder if some of the signers are worried about what might be uncovered if we are elected. Also, I’d like to ask the two current board members who signed the letter to comment on the imminent Grand Jury report regarding prior abuses.

The four of us are running on a platform of:

  1. Fiscal accountability and transparency. No deficit spending. Living within our means including putting some money aside to rebuild our soon to be once again depleted reserves.
  2. A quality curriculum based on local values with input from both parents and teachers. (We have a particular interest in addressing the areas of American History and Sex Ed. We need to select curricula that teaches the true American story of freedom, liberty, and excellence.)
  3. Enriching the student experience free from all indoctrination, intimidation, bullying, and applying the appropriate discipline for those who violate these tenets.
  4. Supporting our teachers and staff with the resources they need to best prepare our students whether they choose to start their career immediately out of high school or attend either a two year college or four year university, and, most importantly, life as responsible, independent and critically thinking productive citizens of the United States of America.
  5. Restoring the trust of our parents, students, teachers and staff so that morale, pride, and discipline which the District used to universally enjoy can once again help propel our students to greatness.

This is not the narrow focus they describe.

Aside from the warnings penned by the signers, which I described above, they did offer some valuable advice in how to select a candidate. I appreciate the unnamed endorsement, as I believe I fit their criteria to a T! While I do not agree that board members need to have children in the district in order to have skin in the game, they offer the following as suggested criteria for voters to consider when selecting a candidate for Paso Robles School Board:

  • Are they parents with children currently in the district? Yes, I am!
  • Do they have a background in education or community engagement? Yes to both, I do!
  • Do they bring a unique perspective that can add insight to the issues? Yes, I do!
  • Are they likely to communicate well with the general public? Yes!
  • Are they solution-oriented with experience in building consensus for decision-making? Yes!
  • Are they curious and willing to seek input and guidance from those with a clear understanding of the district in order to be innovative and community thought-leaders? Yes!

 

As an example of my ability to examine issues I offer my response above. As to my ability to build consensus, I offer my agreement with the writers by quoting the twelve local leaders: “it is vital that each board member arrive at their decisions as an individual board member after examining the issues while building consensus with those board members who may have differing opinions”. I further agree that block voting leads to poor governance and limited oversight.

To those who read this letter, if you agree with me, I ask for your vote for myself as well as Chris Bausch, Frank Triggs, and Jim Reed.

Thank you,

Dorian Baker
Parent of four Bearcats
Retired Teacher
Paso Robles Public Schools
Almond Acres Charter Academy


Editor’s note: Letters to the editor are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paso Robles Daily News or its staff. We welcome letters from local residents regarding relevant local topics. To submit one, click here.

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