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‘Our school board election’ by KVEC’s Clive Pinder 

– A message from Clive Pinder, Host of CeaseFire on KVEC –

OUR SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.

School board candidates Angela Hollander and Kenney Enney.

A voice without a vote is like a bow without an arrow.

As you cast your vote for the local school board election here are some facts I discovered in my coverage of this election as host of a KVEC show – CeaseFire.

Voters have a clear choice between two candidates with very different policies and styles. While both accept the academic standards in the PRJUSD need improving, they disagree on issues relating to discipline, safety, and accountability.

Kenney Enney is a former US Marine. A self-confessed “disruptor,” he is not afraid to take on what he sees as vested self-serving interests and believes the ends justify the means. Angela Hollander is more collegiate. A former nurse and lifelong advocate for students and families, Angela focuses on the good things about our local public schools and promotes a more incremental and cooperative style.

Despite what is supposed to be a non-partisan apolitical appointment, both candidates have been overtly supported by politicized organizations. Enney accepted the support and endorsement of the SLO County Republican Party, Debbie Arnold, and The Lincoln Club. Hollander received the support and endorsement of local and statewide teachers’ unions, activists from the SLO County Democrat Party, and “Indivisible,” a national political movement formed to “defeat the rightwing takeover of American Government” with “bold progressive policies.”

Latest declarations show Enney has raised about $30,000 of which approximately 15% has come from groups affiliated with The Republican Party. Hollander has raised about $43,000 of which about 40% has come from Teacher’s Unions.

The SLO County Republican Party has strong and contentious opinions about the cultural and academic issues facing public schools but has no direct influence on the PRJUSD Board. Teachers’ unions have a direct interface with the board on issues relating to salaries and benefits, recruitment and termination, discipline, budgets, curriculum, and strategy (e.g. Charter Schools).

Enney believes that the PRJUSD needs systemic change. He believes that discipline, the security of students/teachers, and accountability are in jeopardy. Hollander acknowledges the importance of these issues and that they need close attention, although she suggests that they are less acute than portrayed by her opponent.

Enney is a vociferous critic of the PRJUSD superintendent and teachers’ unions, stating he “doesn’t trust the staff at all” and that he “wishes to start an insurrection” in public schools. Hollander has a history of working collaboratively with SLO County public schools.

Both campaigns have engaged unfortunately, and I believe to the detriment of our community, in negative attack campaigns. Enney ran ads implying that people who support Hollander are anti-US Marines and part of the “woke mob.” Hollander’s campaign circulated emails suggesting that people who support Enney are “white supremacists,” “Nazis,” and “holocaust deniers.”

Enney refuses to address students by their preferred pronouns, claiming enforcing this issue is a matter of school discipline and an infringement of the First Amendment. He objects and is prepared to mount legal challenges to state-imposed regulations that allow transgender students to use the changing facilities allocated to their identified gender, and requires any students that feel uncomfortable or threatened by the presence of transgender students to change elsewhere. I can find no explicit comments from Hollander on these issues.

Enney advocates for “parental rights” with the principle that, in the absence of any good reason to the contrary up to the age of consent, parents should be consulted about all material issues relating to their child’s academic, physical, and emotional welfare. Enney would be prepared to support legal challenges on this issue. Hollander, while a strong believer that parents should be involved in all areas of their children’s education, suggests a more measured approach determined by individual circumstances and state education code.

Enney is an advocate for charter schools within the PRJUSD. I can find no public comment from Hollander on this issue.

Both candidates have educated their children in private schools for some of their K-12 education.

Enney has ongoing legal action against various staff under the jurisdictions of SLO County and the PRJUSD relating to his removal from the board that resulted in this election which is estimated to cost the PRJUSD $490,000.

In conclusion, I believe we should all – no matter what our beliefs, values, or politics – respect, admire, and appreciate anyone who puts themselves forward as a public servant. It’s easy to be a keyboard warrior using social media to advocate for our point of view. It takes real courage and commitment to run for elected office.

We should honor that courage and commitment by voting. I hope my coverage of this election has helped you with that.

Clive Pinder, Host of CeaseFire on KVEC 920AM 96.5FM

 

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