Letter: Parents, not politicians

I was encouraged to read about the four nonpartisan candidates running for Carlisle Area School Board. Most impressive — Sue Bower, Stephen Brousse, Anne Lauritzen and Amanda Rudy are all parents, not politicians.

Stephen, a Carlisle graduate, is a father of two young daughters. He’s a member of the Mooreland Elementary PTO and active with youth sports as a volunteer coach. An engineer by trade, Stephen’s professional skills would be invaluable to the board as they embark on several major construction projects.

Sue lives in North Middleton and is a mom of two young sons. She’s a parent advocate for families of children with hearing differences. Her career as a small business manager makes her good at spotting great staff and eliminating wasteful spending.

Anne, a military veteran, lives in Dickinson Township and is the mother of two Carlisle graduates. She’s a leader in career development and works locally to connect high school students to post-graduation career opportunities.

Amanda is a mom and military retiree spouse. She’s a member of the St. John’s Episcopal Church preschool commission and active in the Bellaire Elementary PTO. She believes passionately in the importance of early childhood education and wants to see our schools offer a safe and supportive environment to all kids.

Individually, these four might be Democrats, Republicans or Independents, but they are running with the same four simple goals: put our students first, respect parents and teachers, responsibly manage our district’s finances, and unite (not divide) our community to provide the best education possible for our kids.

Bower, Brousse, Lauritzen and Rudy offer a refreshing and hopeful alternative to today’s bitter culture war politics. I encourage all Carlisle voters to learn more about these passionate parents at CitizensForCarlisleSchools.org, and to vote for all four in the May 20 primary.

Rick Galena

Carlisle