Don’t fall for slates

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006

On Tuesday, Maryland will hold its General Election, and at the same time, citizens of Prince George’s County will have the opportunity to elect a new school board. We are supposed to have a nonpartisan board of education, which means ‘‘free from any party affiliation or bias.” But how can that be when the politicians interfere in the process? Watch your mailbox in the coming days — you will see the names of candidates they have selected and voted on for you. How many of these politicians have children in public schools? How many have attended PTA meetings? How many understand the challenges our schools are currently facing?

I encourage all of you, when you see these slates coming out shortly, to disregard them, trash them! They will be full of same rhetoric, nothing more and nothing less. Send the politicians a message — we are not going to stand for this! Do not allow them to elect the next board!

It is your civic responsibility as a resident of Prince George County to cast a ballot for the most qualified candidate regardless of party affiliation, regardless of race. Cast your vote for a candidate who is able to run on his or her own record, who exudes good character, who has a pulse on the county education system and who is professional, ‘‘parent friendly” and most of all, responsive.

Terence Lewis, Upper Marlboro;Sandra Pruitt, Mitchellville; Kevin Martin, Upper Marlboro; Jerry McLaurin,Fort Washington; and Dennis Smith, Glenarden, of People for Changein Prince George’s County