Hopefuls remember their days in school

One FUSD candidate talks about how things change, the other how they stay the same.

Published online on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006

Two candidates for a very grown-up job — Fresno Unified trustee — told stories from their school days to explain today's academic climate.

Sunnyside area incumbent Valerie Davis, 47, told a story about what's changed. Challenger Stafford Parker, 71, told a story about what's the same.

Davis attended Fresno Unified schools, and she taught in the district before winning a partial board term in 2004. Davis said she felt "nurtured and embraced" by her teachers, graduating from Bullard High School in 1977.

Davis said students in the district still get a good education, but they have challenges beyond those she faced. She said kindergarten students are expected to learn to read 130 words nowadays.

"It's tough being in kindergarten," she said. "That's the new 'first grade.' "

Parker, a retired redevelopment director who's married to a teacher, said he was born in Kansas City, Mo., and grew up working hard. He said students struggled academically when he graduated from high school in 1954, and students still struggle today.

The change, Parker said, came with 2001's No Child Left Behind Act. He said the tough law infused the public with an awareness of poorly performing schools.

"It was a wake-up call to all schools in America," Parker said.

Davis said she approves of the academic reforms already under way in Fresno Unified, and that the board should "continue supporting the work [Superintendent] Mike Hanson wants to do for this district."

"I feel he listens, he hears, and he is doing what he needs to do," she said.

Parker said he has only met Hanson briefly, but he liked the superintendent's "unvarnished" description of the academic problems in the district.

"I think we have to run a bully pulpit on his behalf and support that vision, but also hold him accountable on his results," he said.

As for other key issues, Davis said the district should expand vocational education, and she said district facilities need improvements.

"We're hanging on to a water polo team, and we only have one water polo pool in the entire district," she said.

Parker emphasized monitoring the district's financial health. He also said it's important that students have support from caring adults and that the district improves its technology to measure success or failure.

"We need to eliminate our mantra, our slogan, our past history that says we've always done it that way," he said.

The Area 3, Sunnyside High seat is one of four in Fresno Unified up for election Nov. 7. Voters living within district boundaries can vote in all four board races.

The seats are assigned to areas that are usually identified by the nearest high school, and candidates run in the area where they live. Terms last four years.