After learning about my candidacy for a seat on the Malverne Union Free School District BOE, a friend asked me at the Malverne Facebook group (by invitation) about my platform. I knew the entire portfolio would be too long for the FB comments field, but I wanted him to see my view on just two current topics. I started writing, but realized that just these two related topics were already too long. I decided to post it here instead. This is what I was about to post on FB in my response.

This [FB] group knows about my website and can review my opinions with a click. I’ll summarize my views after I get questions from Newsday and Herald. One particular question last year, “What’s your opinion on CCSS?” opened for me gates to the multi-billion dollar education industry. It’s a puzzle. I like to connect dots. I’ll give you one—I learned about—the GEA. I suggested at the BOE meeting they explain the residents what it is about and organize a signature campaign. I’m glad the superintendent did. Now, it’s our task. The legislators understand the term “masses” and they want to surf with them.

To connect the dots (budgetary), I suggested the board to publish, after the budget reviews are finished, a ballpark sum of expenses related to the CCSS implementation since 2010. The CCSS was an order/mandate they received from Albany. The residents need to see the sum in order to put it in perspective with other expenses in the budget. Approximately half of those CCSS expenses are waste—not related to increasing students learning experience. That waste was incorporated to the package on request of the business lobby so they could benefit in later years using so called “private-public partnerships” to milk residents. For them, the public tie is fundamental.

The text above looks fine here, but it looked overwhelming in the FB comment field. Also, public outside of the FB platform will ask me the same question. Complete portfolio will be posted later. Subscribe to updates via email.