There are three seats on the Morgan Hill Unified School District Board of Trustees but only two candidates who have earned our hearty endorsement.
Incumbent Bob Benevento and longtime community activist and champion Marty Cheek are outstanding candidates with the kind of qualifications that make it easy to check the box next to their names.
Unfortunately, the field falls precipitously off from there and with Amy Porter Jensen dropping out of the race even though her name will appear on the ballot, the choice for the third seat for voters is muddier still. Brenda Cayme didn’t show up for a forum and various interviews, while Rick Badillo and Steve Klem have demonstrated only marginal knowledge on issues.
The good news is that if Benevento and Cheek are elected, the district will remain in good hands regardless of who’s elected to the third spot.
What we like about Benevento and Cheek is, first, that they show up. Forums, district events, community happenings – you name it, both are visible and accessible. That’s important when you’re representing so many students and parents. When it comes to education, trustees hear it all and they should. In order to do that they have to be in community circulation.
Cheek, a single man with no children, has utopian ideas for the schools which will often collide with reality. But he’s a solution seeker who’s going to come up with creative ideas to at least try and make things happen. He’s energetic and truly passionate about Morgan Hill and that translates to a bottom line commitment to giving students the best educational opportunities. It’s a healthy optimism, the kind that’s needed in a budgetary world of difficult times for public schools. Cheek will have to learn how to prioritize and say, “No, that’s not atop the list right now.” But that’s a skill that will likely come with experience.
Benevento is a seasoned school board member appointed 22 months ago after a trustee stepped down in mid-term. He takes a measured approach to everything, is critical of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation and touts the district’s solid finances in tough times as evidence he should be given a full four-year term.
His answers to issue-oriented questions are articulate and thoughtful. He’s a small business owner who understands that throwing money at problems won’t necessarily solve them and he has a student in the district which provides a direct parent perspective.
Both endorsees are fans of Superintendent Wes Smith. Both are supportive of Measure G on the ballot, a $198 million bond measure to support facility upgrades. Both are deserving candidates who should serve the community well.
