Author Archives: James Ernest

What are your thoughts on the REAL questions?

Here’s the biggest problem for me personally in this campaign: how much time to spend on the real concerns, and how much time to spend countering distractions and disinformation? I think it’s necessary to do both, but a couple of people have suggested to me, in different ways, that I’m spending too much time onContinue reading “What are your thoughts on the REAL questions?”

What do you mean when you say someone is “speaking in code”?

Some critics of our schools, including some candidates for school board, speak in code. Speaking in code is an evasion and a subversion. It is an evasion in that people do it to avoid taking responsibility for that they are saying. It is a subversion because it undermines the usefulness of language.

How does our election relate to what’s going on elsewhere?

The contest is not between conservatives and liberals. It is between people who think school board is a place for jumping in with a political agenda to try to take over and make their ideology dominant, and people who think school board is meant to provide nonpartisan oversight of a vital local institution.

Why did the Caledonia Education Association endorse you?

Why did the CEA endorse you, Eric, and Mary Anne? The CEA gives its own reason in its own announcement: they regard us as pro–public education candidates. They are right. We are. My interpretation: This is not a trivial pronouncement, and it is not one that can be made by or about all candidates. IContinue reading “Why did the Caledonia Education Association endorse you?”

What is your position on the swimming pool?

Someone writes: Can you tell me the plans for the pool in the community? And your support or nonsupport for this? Thanks for writing. The Community Center (with pool) is currently scheduled to proceed. The special meeting of the school board on September 26 will be about deciding which bond items to press ahead with,Continue reading “What is your position on the swimming pool?”

Why don’t you have more signs up?

Anyone driving around Caledonia will see many signs for Brandow, Morris, and Nichols. You’ll see far fewer signs for VanGessel, Ernest, and Timmer. Some people speak to us with some concern about that. It’s understandable. But here’s the deal. First of all, we will put more signs up. Our own sense of timing was thatContinue reading “Why don’t you have more signs up?”