It�s time to write a campaign brochures and I�m looking for a few good quotes. The search would not be quite so difficult if the quotes I were looking for were not quotes from me. I can write one-liners. What I can�t do is tell if the tone is right or really me. After writing a few of these things, they all sound silly or wrong to me. I just can�t seem to get the hang of this politician thing.

I probably need two quotes: one something lofty sounding about education and one about good stewardship. In other words, I need one for each of two audiences. I need one for those whose prime concern is education and I need one for those whose prime concern is taxes. I need both of them to reflect a cohesive (and, I hope, coherent) me and I don�t want either to be misleading.

I believe in giving kids the very best education that this community can afford under the current economic realities. I believe that investing in people is more important than investing in technological bells-and-whistles in the early grades but I also recognize that it is easier to come by technology grants than people grants. I believe in smaller size classes in the early grades but I am less convinced of their value as one goes higher in school, especially in those classrooms that operate on the �sage on the stage� model. I believe that individualization is good only to a point. At some point, there is a large value to kids learning to accommodate others and be patient and wait their turns.

On some hot issues, I am realistic and well-educated enough to know that there is not a really good answer. I view �tracking within separate classes� as a philosophical nightmare because I know that research suggests that it is better for the top group and worse for the middle and bottom groups. Talking about doing what is good for kids is not sufficient and we must ask, �Which kids?�

One I�m considering for the education audience is �Education is about the future. We need to make choices that not only express our wishes for our future but also actually shape that future.� I intend it to reflect my belief that good wishes are not enough but I�m afraid that it doesn�t really do that. I�m afraid it has no content at all. Another possibility is �Education today requires hard choices. Good research, listening, and thoughtful analysis are key to our children�s future.� That one probably says much more about me and has a bit more content.

The good stewardship group is harder to please but I�m realistic. They are the group that votes. Many of them want taxes cut. We�re slicing our budget but their taxes are unlikely to go down and I have no intention of suggesting that they will. I�m not much of a spendthrift with either my money or anyone else�s. I live in a small house because I don�t really need more. I drive an old balding van because it still runs (although I have doubts about how long that will last.) I did vote for changing our language arts textbook but it was time to get rid of the ones from 1956 because we couldn�t even replace damaged or lost copies anymore.

Perhaps I could try something such as �As we face difficult economic times, like many families, we must purchase as much education for our children as possible with the dollars available.� No, it�s too long and it doesn�t say what I really want to get at. I might try �Schools, like all other entities, must budget carefully and wisely. If we are not careful, the choices we make today will harm our economic future.�

Today is one of those days I�m very, very glad that this medium is interactive. I�m open to suggestions and criticisms. I have a guestbook. Please use it. I need your help.

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