Ledger-Dispatch

By Bethany A. Monk (bmonk@ledger-dispatch.com) =

Several candidates running for state = and local=20 seats, attended the Amador Child Care Council's all-candidates = forum=20 Monday.

Photo by: Bethany A.=20 Monk
Amador County Unified School = District's four=20 candidates for three trustee positions debated a slew of hot topics = during=20 Monday's All-Candidate's forum at the County Administration=20 Center.

Incumbents Mary Walser and P.J. Karnaze sat on a panel = with Wally=20 Upper and Janelle Redkey during the evening's forum, sponsored by the = Amador=20 Child Care Council. Ledger Dispatch publisher Jack Mitchell moderated = the=20 event.

Several of the evening's questions came from audience = members, who=20 were invited to write their questions on sheets of paper provided by the = council. One question asked school board candidates which cuts they = would make=20 to balance the district's budget and whether they would include=20 layoffs.

All agreed that layoffs would only happen after a = thorough=20 examination of all other possibilities.

"I don't know what the = reserves=20 are; I don't know what the staff report says," Upper said. "But I will = say that=20 80 percent of the school budget is involved in salaries."

Making = cuts "is=20 not a very simple process," said Walser, current board president. The = board=20 would look at all programs and involve community members in the process, = she=20 added.

"I think it's important to think of teachers in this = instance,"=20 said Redkey, an Amador County deputy district attorney. "(Teachers) are = the ones=20 with our children every day. They're the ones who facilitate the = learning of our=20 children." She noted that she would listen to presentations and all = options=20 before making cuts in personnel.

"You have to look at = everything,"=20 Karnaze said, to see "where to shave and not hit the bone." He called it = "a=20 very, very difficult process."

When asked what they would do as a = school=20 board member to encourage after school recreational activities, = especially for=20 middle and high school students, all agreed that such programs are vital = for=20 young people and that the board should collaborate with other agencies = to keep=20 and create such programs. Upper said that the board should provide many = such=20 opportunities for students, but that primary obligation for such = programs falls=20 to the Amador County Recreation Agency.

When Mitchell brought up = the=20 topic of preschool, all candidates agreed that early childhood education = is=20 important and that the board should support it.

"What do you = think Amador=20 County should be doing in terms of planning for preschools for all = children?"=20 Mitchell asked.

Karnaze called preschool invaluable, adding that = "we have=20 to couple that opportunity with parental involvement" and not rely on = the=20 preschools alone. "It's educating parents on how to best educate=20 children."

"I also agree that preschool is extremely important," = Redkey=20 said. "Not only does it prepare students for the basics that they'll = learn in=20 kindergarten, but it also allows them to socialize. I think that's an = important=20 adjustment children in kindergarten need. I agree that there is also a = great=20 parent factor. ... Preschool is very important for the whole=20 family."

"Preschool is a good thing and the school board should = do=20 everything it can," Upper said, to encourage parents and collaboration. = "Having=20 said that, our target is K-12, and we're going to have to establish = priorities=20 in a priority of diminishing resources." He added that "preschool may = fly off=20 the agenda" in these challenging economic times.

"I agree with = everything=20 that's been said here. ... I believe that as a school board we can act = to help=20 preschool education," Walser said. "We can do that by contacting the=20 legislatures at the state office and at the federal level."

"We = can't=20 just think of ourselves as a K-12 only because we're getting the kids = already=20 coming in at 5 years old," she said in rebuttal to Upper's comment. = "They've got=20 to show some readiness to be in kindergarten so they can benefit from = the=20 kindergarten program. Education is lifelong."

All school board = candidates=20 said they support vocational education programs.

Bethany A. = Monk