We’re doing our part in this fall’s school board election (on October 11!) by serving wine and cheese to folks in the neighborhoods of District 6. Mac Daddy and I are happily hosting an event in our home tonight for school board candidate Christine Kushner. We’re having a casual little meet n greet, not a $1000 a plate dinner party. That would be absurd since my table only seats eight. Then again, we could add four more to the kitchen table and rake in 12 grand. Hmmm…perhaps I should start rethinking how my political activism manifests itself.
This is our first time hosting such an event. We don’t have a grand showcase house that several hundred people can easily flit about in. We’ll have standing room, some wine, snacks, and a dog who will be fluctuating between whimpering and barking upstairs. Said dog will leave his share of dust bunnies so I hope no one wears black and sits on my couch. Our beloved Lark put the fur in furniture. But house stuff aside, we’re excited for our friends and neighbors to meet Christine. Never has a candidate filled me with such pride and hope.
For starters, Christine is smart. I like to surround myself with smart people in case folks buy into the whole flocking principle. I’m no dummy. Christine is also committed. She has been going to every school board meeting for months and takes copious, thorough notes, and distributes them to whomever wants to get on her list. She does this freely and expects nothing in return. I “met” Christine through these emails and wobbled like a teen girl meeting Shaun Cassidy when I stuck out my hand and introduced myself to her at a school board meeting. Luckily we had a mutual friend sitting between us so I didn’t appear as starstruck as I felt. I met her on a Tuesday and my heart stood still…
It’s silly to even compare meeting a local school board candidate to meeting Shaun Cassidy, but I’m vested here. I thought my 10 year old heart was vested in meeting Shaun Cassidy too but now I know better. I realize more than ever how much local politics, and the school system especially, mean to my community. I spent a lot of time stumping for Kerry and Obama with my friend Will. We were dedicated, even taking weeks off from our jobs to volunteer. I’ll do it again but also want to dedicate my energy to local issues. Our school system has been a flat out mess for over a year. Even Stephen Colbert featured Wake County schools in his satirical schtick. Apparently a board funded and puppeteered by Art Pope means “we the people” has been bastardized to mean “we the rich white people.” Sorry for the negative editorial here, but I’ve seen firsthand the damage the current board has done to our schools, our community, and our children. And yes, I mean OUR children. I’m vested here as a member of my community; this is not just about Bird and Deal.
Christine gets it. She values our community and understands the role our schools play in building a strong neighborhood, a thriving economy, and a secure future for our fair city. She values equity and equality. Christine will fight for our schools and understands that ACHIEVEMENT is the primary goal here. Achievement for everyone, not just the upper crust who have the luxury to buy it. She’s not running for personal political gain or to use the school board as training wheels for further political aspirations as some board members have proclaimed. She’s level headed. And did I mention how smart she is?
I’m voting for Christine because I believe she can work her magic on fixing our school system. And as a loyal former Shaun Cassidy fan, I believe in magic.
[…] voting for Christine Kushner. End of […]