Tuesday, 4/8/14 is election day in Sioux Falls. There are two candidates for the one open position on the Sioux Falls School Board. The incumbent, Douglas Morrison, and challenger Roger Russell are on the ballot for this position.

Both candidates participated in the Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters Candidate forum. I want to share a couple of things I found very interesting from this forum.

• Mr. Morrison said that he believed there was some confusion about the new math curriculum being Common Core. He wants people to know that one has nothing to do with the other. It was time for a new math curriculum in the cycle of replacing curriculum. That just happened to coincide with the timing of the adopting of the Common Core. So, is he saying that we spent taxpayer money for new math curriculum that does not align to the new standards?

• Mr. Morrison also said that he wanted to make a commitment to listening to parents more.  As soon as the forum was finished, Mr. Morrison was quick to make an exit without talking with parents.

Both candidates also appeared on KSOO’s Viewpoint University with Rick Knobe. You can listen to both interviews at the following links.

 School Board Is Labor of Love for Candidate Morrison 

 Candidate Russell Preaches Citizen Input Wary of Common Core

You can find out where and when you can vote here.