Thank you so much for putting your heart and soul into the strggle for the fairness of the children in the school districts! As a person who just starts paying attention to this issue, I would like to share some thoughts with you.
Although we did not win, I feel uplifted by the significant progress of our election. Our candidates steadily gained more votes every year. This year Tony has gathered 7500 votes! He was short of only 352 votes to become the winner. You and your team have put out enormous organizing efforts, weekly email updates, YouTubes, letter writings, trainings, variety of leaflets and signs. More parents and students were more awared of the issues and took some dramatic action, such as the 800 rallied before the school board meeting. Many young students worked on the campaign, door knocking, canvassing, to the very last day of the election.
It is time to solidify all these gains and to begin the next campaign. Undoubtly volunteers, especially young students, would feel discouraged. They need to be encouraged by all the gains that they have made, to be energized to continue the struggle. I would love to join your struggle. In order to better our struggle, we need to examine and evaluate this election. Let all the volunteers express their observations, viewpoints and suggestions. What was our strength and what needs to be improved, in both practical terms and strategy making. What are other resouces in the community that we could tap into?
We are so close to victory, and we have learned how to proceed. If we can win 3 seats next round, we will have majority in the school board. Let the fire of compassion burn and burn brighter! Let us keep on organizing.
Thanks!
Nancy
Use this space to express your observations, viewpoints and suggestions about the East Ramapo Stakeholders for Public Education. What are our strengths and what needs to be improved? What other resouces in the community could we tap into?
