Guest column: Gianoulis presents real choice for Senate 8
We have a real opportunity in our upcoming election to do -- locally -- what the people and (some) of the politicians around the country have been talking about -- getting some new blood in our political process so we can start doing things differently and, begin seeing some real progress out of the mess we've gotten into.
In the Gianoulis/Thrasher Florida Senate District 8 race, we are presented with a real choice. On the one hand, we have a regular, good-ole-boy politician, John Thrasher, who believes he can do whatever he wants and the "common person" be damned. The perfect example was his high-handed attempt to push through Senate Bill 6 (a slap in the face to all educators) without consulting any of the concerned parties beforehand. St. Johns County, in his district, is the number one school district in the entire state, yet Thrasher never considered speaking with its superintendent, Dr. Joseph Joyner, before proposing his Senate bill. Joyner should have been one of the first people someone from our district would have consulted before proposing such a bill, because he not only leads the best district in the state, he was also Florida Superintendent of the Year in 2008 and president of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents in 2007.
This is not just bad for people in education, this is horrible for all of us who would like our elected representatives to actually represent us -- meaning consult us, hear what we have to say, and take our views and concerns into consideration before proposing bills or voting on legislation. I would urge voters to check out the below site, which I found when I googled the 2009 District 8 race to fill Jim King's seat.
http://politicsfla.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/examining-district-8-candida...
Deborah Gianoulis, on the other hand, really is a fresh voice with a fresh way of thinking.
I have been following her career for years when she was a TV anchor and was aware of her support for education and Character Counts! while I was a high school teacher and then Director of Staff Development in the St. Johns County School District.
Although I do not know her personally, I have heard her speak in public and truly believe that she will listen to us and pay attention to our views and concerns, reflecting on the wishes of the people (instead of her own desires and needs) before proposing or voting on legislation which affects us all.
I urge you to vote for Deborah Gianoulis to give Florida a fresh start to begin getting our elected representatives to actually start representing us again.
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