Dave Miner earned re-election to Manatee County school board

As someone who has dedicated many years to public education in Manatee County as a SAC member and chairperson, I am disappointed in the Herald’s failure to endorse Dave “Watchdog” Miner for re-election to the school board. No other candidate has Miner’s level of dedication to the children of Manatee County.

Dedication can be defined as effort sustained over time. Unlike his opponents, Miner is not a newcomer to advocacy for public education. Neither of his opponents attended nearly every school board meeting for a decade before being elected to the board. Only recently did they begin attending meetings.

Unlike Miner, his opponents have not spoken up at the few meetings they’ve attended to suggest ways to improve education in Manatee County. If Ms. Misty Servia and Mr. Charles Conoley have ideas to improve our schools, why save them for the campaign trail?

Neither of his opponents can match Miner’s many years of opposition to high-stakes standardized testing. I have photographs of Miner standing in solidarity with Florida’s teachers outside the White House as they protested federal mandates for high-stakes testing. Campaign rhetoric is fine, but where were Ms. Servia and Mr. Conoley for the last decade on this issue?

Neither of his opponents have drafted legislation to assure that parents have the right to know about the testing administered to their children. I have photographs of Miner speaking to a Florida Senate committee about the “Truth in Testing — Parents Right to Know Act” he wrote.

Miner’s bill amended FS 1008.23 to assure that parents have access to all testing questions administered to their children as well as their children’s answers. This was way back in 2004.

Neither of Miner’s opponents can match his level of dedication to the children of Manatee County. He has earned re-election.

This story was originally published August 19, 2016 at 11:45 AM with the headline "Dave Miner earned re-election to Manatee County school board."