What a terrific letter
Pam’s letter to the editor encapsulates so many of my own thoughts on why I am Independent.
Click here to see Pam Pinheiro’s letter to the editor on 5 September
Being an Independent (or unaffiliated) does not mean I should check my own beliefs and values at the door, as some have publicly stated. It doesn’t mean I don’t have a right to my own own opinions and that one person’s opinions are more important and valuable than mine (because they said so). For me as a candidate, it means that I can decide how I want to conduct myself and run my campaign, free from being beholden to any one group and its platform.
DID YOU KNOW?…
A few years back (maybe more now), former SC member and current Town Charter Commission member Bob Jones asked that group to consider removing the political affiliation requirement for school committee candidates. As Pam stated, this would force voters to research the individual candidates rather than simply voting based on the letter next to their name. A subcommittee from that Commission took a vote and the idea was voted down. What a shame for our Town.
——————————————————————————-
I have been independent my entire life. I love being able to campaign in a way that works for me and my family. I have learned all about the other candidates. The incumbents are running as a bloc and their track record is out there. I have known Pam for a long time and have taken the time to get to know Sheri Kennedy for NK School Committee and Justin Kinnes and am really impressed by them and their ideas. I love how all the Independents have different views and that we don’t always agree on every single point, but we are respectful of one another…that is why I enjoy running with others who have diverse voices.
I encourage everyone who plans on voting to get to know each candidate apart from the letter next to their name. Take the time to research the candidates and all of the information that is available to the public about them. Reach out directly to them with questions or concerns you may have; don’t rely on hearsay or random information on the internet that anyone can post. On a School Committee, political party should have no bearing. After all, isn’t the goal to provide the best education for each one of our students?
I’m proud of my independence and to say that what you see is what you get. I haven’t changed one bit simply because I am now a candidate for school committee. In the words of another famous native, this Jersey girl is proud to say: “I did it MY way”.