Welcome to our online chat with school board candidate Samuel Gould.

The chat took place on Monday, February 17, at 5:30 PM and is now closed, but you can read the full transcript on this page.

Moderator: Welcome, everybody, to tonight’s chat with school board candidate Samuel Gould.

Moderator: Let’s take our first question.

Question: Why should I vote for you for the school board?

Samuel Gould: The reason that people should vote for me is that I am already working on the problem with funding schools. As an educational advocate I plan to work to affect the legislators to fund education.

Samuel Gould: The Gould Plan proposes to work with corporations. I have a proposal that will go before the Board this week to secure immediate funding with the assistance of a local corporation which should provide two to five million dollards on a short term basis.

Samuel Gould: I know what to do to resolve the problems which we face as a school district. I have the determination and drive to see it through. The most important factor is that I care.

Jill: How do you propose the district balance its operating budget if the bond does not pass?

Samuel Gould: There is a corporation I am currently working with on a funding proposal that can realistically generate two to five million dollars in the next year, that’s a start. I also know that we must pressure the legislature to fund education. We must also work with the City Commissioners to tie in tax abatements with some type of funding for education. The tax abatements represent a significant loss of income to our school district.

A M: What do you see as the reason so many parents send their children to private school and home school?

¢ 6News video: School board candidates share ideas online

Samuel Gould: Teacher:Student ratio, more challenging curriculum, family environment, schools which reflect the attitudes and beliefs of the parents, and spiraling costs in public education make it more attractive.

Sara: what local corporation is going to give two to five million dollars to the schools right away?

Samuel Gould: I cannot give you the name of the corporation at this time because the proposal has to be approved by the school board in order for it to take place. I am not yet a memeber of that board and therefore can only tell you that a plan is in the works. The information should be available within the next few weeks. I have already spoken to the coporation’s CEO. Once the plan is approved by the board, I’ll be happy to give out the information.

Mad Dad: I sent four kids through South Junior High and I can’t believe they’re just now talking about replacing it. What do you think should be done about South?

Samuel Gould: Replace it, which should have been done years ago.

Question: What is your position on the teaching of creationism or “intelligent design” in school science classes?

Samuel Gould: I am personally for the teaching of biblical creationism in the public schools, alongside or as an alternative.

Rose: Have you seen Randy Weisman’s presentation? There aren’t many ways for schools to fund themselves. Is this 2-5 million from corporations a legal avenue for school funding?

Samuel Gould: Yes, it is legal for school funding. I have not yet seen Mr. Weisman’s presentation however I am not ignorant of the legal opportunities that are available for school funding. You can search nation wide on the internet about how many other school have confronted this same issue and how they have dealt with it, which is where we should have started some years ago.

Rob and Jamie: What are the consequences for our children if the bond issue does not pass?

Samuel Gould: If the bond issue does not pass we are facing two to four million in additional cuts so we are told. What we are not told is that the way the school district will be saving money through the bond issue is the operating funds from the closed schools, and the state will provide additional funds for new building projects. The state will also provide funds for increased class sizes.

Samuel Gould: The current School Board has banked on the bond issue passing. Infact it is in the 2002-2003 school budget. The Board knew that we were facing additional cuts last year. To this point they still have not given viable options to the bond issue. I propose us raising the funds locally so that we will not have to rely on the state and/or federal distribution of funds.

AM: Are you for the bond passing. I cannot support it. I see way too much waste.

Samuel Gould: I am not for the passing of the Bond Issue as it stands. I would support a bond that addressed every need for the district as well as future needs, according the growth projections. However, we are currently continuing to pay off the previous bond issue to the tune of five million dollars per year. That bond issue was short sited as we can see by the plans for South Junior High School. The current bond issue ignors future growth. If the bond issue for FreeStae/Langston Hughes had been all-inclusive we would not be voting on another one so soon, nor facing another one in the next few years as Lawrence grows.

Rose: In light of the budget crisis, how do you propose the district keep classes small? I want my child is a small class regardless of the school size.

Samuel Gould: The key is funding. The community can help by getting involved, selecting legislators who are pro-education, including the governor that will put education as a priority. This should also go nation-wide all the way to the President of the United States. We can assist the teachers in the classroom with volunteers in the classroom. The Lawrence community must make it clear that we want to keep our small schools and small class sizes, while making sacrifices to pay for this.

Moderator: We’ll take one more question.

Parent: Why $2-5 Million? Where did you get this number? Seems like an arbitrary number. How can one use private funds to fund public education? Wouldn’t private money raised for one district create inequities in education state wide? How can this be done.

Samuel Gould: This is not an arbitrary number. It is based upon calculations. Saying $2-4 million is simply rounding it off. I introduced my plans for raising these funds twice already in the interviews for my candidacy. It is not a mystery nor mythical. I have introduced it at every forum that we have had so far and will answer all questions regarding it tomorrow at the Quail Run forum. Using private funds could create an inequity among communities. Some would argue that we have a disproportionate formula already.

Moderator: That’s it for tonight’s chat with Samuel Gould.

Moderator: Thanks, everybody, for joining us. We will begin our next live chat with Eddie Lehman at 6:30. (In 10 minutes.)

Moderator: Please note that the next chat will be in another window/page.