League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Butte County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Roger C. Steel Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Butte County Board of Education; Trustee Area 1

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Butte County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. In light of existing and anticipated budget cuts in every governmental service and shrinking tax bases, what are your ideas to keep education in our district the creative and productive experience our children deserve?

We must allow our teachers to have the freedom to be creative in their teaching and not just teach to scripted learning required by a testing climate. Lessons must follow state standards but individual teachers must have the freedom to bring in their own interests, creativity, and excitement to the lessons. The love of teaching from teachers will help motivate students to be successful.

Budget cuts must be made as much as possible away from the classrooms. As a Board member, it is my responsibility to support efforts to keep our schools creative and productive learning environments for students.

It is also my responsibility to ensure that the Butte County Office of Education provide fiscal support oversite and direction to Butte County districts and charters to help them develop balanced budgets that support student learning.

2. What are the key benefits and drawbacks to parents selecting schools for their children, including the relatively new phenomenon of charter schools?

Parents have the right and responsibility to select schools for their children that are positive places for them to learn and grow. It is important that parents are in a school they feel their child will be successful.

Parents need to be involved in the schools where their children are attending so they can support the educational programs and hold the school accountable to provide quality education. Parents that are involved in the school are important factors to the success of the schools and students.

Many charters can meet the needs of specific children and are beneficial to the child. A charter or non-charter school can have qualities that meet the needs and interests of individual students. What is best for the child should be a key questions when parents are selecting schools.

A drawback can occur when a parent selects a different school because it sounds good without investigating whether is really is best for their child. Sometimes schools are labeled as bad schools when in fact they provide an outstanding education to students.

3. Charter schools are public schools supported by taxpayer dollars. How should they be held accountable to the public? Should their governing boards be required to adhere to the Brown Act?

Charter schools are public schools and must follow the same fiscal accountability and transparency as all public schools. Since they are public schools, their governing boards should be required to follow the Brown Act as should all public agencies using taxpayer money.

4. There is widespread agreement –- and adopted learning standards –-affirming the role of the arts in a complete education. And yet, among schools and districts across the state, access to the arts is inconsistent or nonexistent. How should the state ensure that the arts have their rightful role in every K-12 curriculum?

The Visual and Performing Arts are an absolute necessity for a quality education to occur. I am saddened when I see the arts being taken out of our curriculum because of a school's primary interest in standardized testing or lack of funding.

The state and school districts should recognize the absolute need for the arts and include them as a priority in the state standards along with math, reading, and writing. Students learn differently and the arts help increase the capacity for learning.

The Butte County Office of Education should take a lead in promoting the arts in our county district schools by providing county wide activities and programs that promote the arts.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. References to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 12, 2012 20:23
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