Update: The winners of the primary election February 17 were Tony Evers, the current deputy superintendent, and Rose Fernandez, Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families president. The spring election will take place April 7. To watch or hear the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Candidate Debate, tune in Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m. to Wisconsin Public Television (PBS) or Wisconsin Public Radio (970 WHA-AM Madison or 91.3 WHHI Highland). The debate will be co-moderated by WPR’s Shawn Johnson and WPT’s Frederica Freyberg.
MADISON — On Tuesday, Feb. 17, voters in Wisconsin will be going to the polls for a primary election to narrow down the candidates for the position of state Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Five people are running for this non-partisan position. Two will be chosen to face off in the 2009 spring election on April 7.
The current superintendent, Elizabeth Burmaster, is not running for re-election. The office has a four-year term.
Most citizens of Wisconsin consider education to be a priority, yet the turn-out for primary elections is often quite low.
The state superintendent is the chief education administrator for Wisconsin. The superintendent also holds positions on the boards of the state’s technical colleges and the university system, thus influencing education from pre-school through college.
The five candidates include: Tony Evers, the current deputy superintendent; Rose Fernandez, Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families president; Lowell E. Holtz, Beloit superintendent; Van A. Mobley, Concordia University professor; and Todd Price, National-Louis University professor. The only candidate who contacted the Catholic Herald for an interview was Mobley.
Value of all schools
In his position at Concordia University, Mobley prepares future teachers for positions in both public and private schools. He believes in the value of both kinds of schools.
“I believe both public and private schools should flourish,” he said. “They’re complementary.”
Mobley is a strong supporter of school choice, especially in Milwaukee. At Concordia, he has been involved in doing remedial work for graduates of the Milwaukee Public School System.
“The size of the district is detrimental to good work,” he said, saying he would break the district apart into smaller districts to enhance local control and participation.
Mobley said with the economic situation today, he would encourage more education to prepare students for jobs in the skills trades. “These job options are still available, they pay more, and students won’t incur a great deal of debt.”
Back to basics
Mobley also believes in “getting back to basics” in kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms. He said use of technology has “destroyed” some students’ skills. Text-messaging, for example, has affected students so much that many “can’t put coherent thoughts together,” he charged.“They need drills on the basics. There’s a place for rote memorization.”
Students also need “structure and a framework for creativity,” he asserts. In visiting schools, Mobley has noted some “disturbing” trends. He has found that classes don’t begin promptly. Schools are “shabby, dilapidated, and disordered.”
As a college professor, he tries to practice what he preaches. “I take role promptly as class begins. I eyeball each student. I reassure them that I care and something important is happening. I like to give kids a model for order.”
Controlling costs
Mobley supports continuing the QEO, in place since 1993 in Wisconsin, which caps teachers’ salary and benefit raises at 3.8 percent. He believes it is important to help control property taxes.
In his second term as a trustee in the Village of Thiensville, Mobley has worked to keep taxes low while providing efficient and effective services. Thiensville is one of the only municipalities in Wisconsin that is debt free, he said.
Mobley is active in the Lutheran Church. He and his wife, Dr. Susan Mobley, have two children attending public schools.
“Faith plays a big role in my life,” said Mobley. “I prayed before I ran for this office. Everything I do is shaped by my faith.”