It's Irritating
I've made my opinion about who to vote for to represent the public on the Seattle School Board. But now, after attending two forums and watching one on video (the NAACP/League of Women Voters), I want to add one thing that I find very irritating because two candidates are making statements that are not factually true in the context of what they currently do for a living.
Omar Vasquez, a candidate in District V, says over and over, verbally and in ads (like the ones on Facebook):
"As the only teacher in the race, I am running for Seattle school board so all students can reach their full potential.
He isn't. Chelsea Byers was a teacher. Herbert Camet was a teacher and Vasquez was a teacher.
Okay, if you were an average voter and read his campaign statement, what would you think? Yeah, you'd think he was a teacher and probably a K-12 teacher. He isn't. He is currently a lawyer who tutors kids.
Okay, so if you believe - as I do - that every parent is a child's teacher, then you may be a teacher.
If you used to teach and now tutor, are you still a teacher? Mr. Vasquez thinks so. But I think it terribly disingenuous to use that line "I'm a teacher."
It's weird because Chelsea Byers also says she's an educator. It's right on her campaign home page (you have to go to her "About" page to see what she really does). She was a K-12 teacher but now develops curriculum for the tech ed company so sure, still in a kind of education.
But she's not currently a teacher and she's not in K-12 education but I'm sure she wouldn't mind if people thought that.
Both these candidates want voters to believe that they are currently teachers and they are not.
Herbert Camet, on the other hand, is honest about his teaching background:
I find Byers and Vasquez' attempts to mislead voters disingenuous. It is fine to say you were a teacher and you do tutor students in your free time but don't say "I am a teacher."
It's that kind of fudging and fundamental dishonesty that is one more reason I could not support their election to the Seattle School Board.
Omar Vasquez, a candidate in District V, says over and over, verbally and in ads (like the ones on Facebook):
"As the only teacher in the race, I am running for Seattle school board so all students can reach their full potential.
He isn't. Chelsea Byers was a teacher. Herbert Camet was a teacher and Vasquez was a teacher.
Okay, if you were an average voter and read his campaign statement, what would you think? Yeah, you'd think he was a teacher and probably a K-12 teacher. He isn't. He is currently a lawyer who tutors kids.
Okay, so if you believe - as I do - that every parent is a child's teacher, then you may be a teacher.
If you used to teach and now tutor, are you still a teacher? Mr. Vasquez thinks so. But I think it terribly disingenuous to use that line "I'm a teacher."
It's weird because Chelsea Byers also says she's an educator. It's right on her campaign home page (you have to go to her "About" page to see what she really does). She was a K-12 teacher but now develops curriculum for the tech ed company so sure, still in a kind of education.
But she's not currently a teacher and she's not in K-12 education but I'm sure she wouldn't mind if people thought that.
Both these candidates want voters to believe that they are currently teachers and they are not.
Herbert Camet, on the other hand, is honest about his teaching background:
I am the ONLY candidate in this election who has any personal and professional experience working as a K-12 school principal, teacher, ESL/ELT training manager, and K-12 & ESL/ELT Curriculum Specialist in 10 countries worldwide for over 35 years.You'll note he says "experience," not that he is a currently a teacher.
I find Byers and Vasquez' attempts to mislead voters disingenuous. It is fine to say you were a teacher and you do tutor students in your free time but don't say "I am a teacher."
It's that kind of fudging and fundamental dishonesty that is one more reason I could not support their election to the Seattle School Board.
Comments
If a candidate supports charter schools...fine....just say so!!
Vasquez stated- at the LWV forum- that Blanford recruited him to run for school board.
Ah...hem.... charter schools are considered non-profit entities.
Beware of those selling snake oil.
I love kids, have a kid, volunteer in my son's class, and generally miss teaching on a lot of levels, but all of that doesn't mean I am STILL a teacher. I have another job now. It's not like, once a teacher, always a teacher. I WAS a teacher. Just like Vasquez & Byers, but I never get tripped up with the verb tense. It's called the past tense.
don't support Vasquez in public. Same old SEA.