Q: Who is Duncan
Mathewson?
A: Duncan is a
35-year resident of Monroe County who is a husband and father of
7th grade 13-year old twins and a 10-year old in 4th grade. He is a
past community activist, youth advocate and
former substitute teacher and in-service curriculum instructor
in Monroe, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties where he was a
member of the UTD teachers’ union.
Q: Why is Duncan
running for re-election to the School Board?
A: This election
is not about the candidate - its about keeping to the School
Board focused on excellence, integrity, and leadership. Duncan is running
again to provide continuing leadership, a new vision and a new sense of
hope for the future for our children’s education. He wants
to continue good progress made over the last 4 years for
establishing budget reform and changes in how our schools are
run and how our kids learn in the classroom.
Q: What background
experience and professionalism does Duncan bring to the School
Board?
A: Duncan is a
retired professor from the Union Institute & University
with a Ph.D. in Education and a MA in Anthropology. Duncan has
been an educator for most of his adult life and a strong
advocate for school reform. He helped form the Educational
Coalition for Monroe County in 1997 and directed the long
fight in 2000-02 to save the Big Pine School annex from being
closed down by the School Board by converting it to a public
charter school - the first charter school conversion in South
Florida.
Q: What is Duncan’s
campaign all about?
A: Duncan is
running again on a "Straight Talk" campaign focused on an
open candid discussion about how we can make our schools
better. He is making only one promise - to doggedly work for a
consensus in order to find ways to give tax payers a bigger
bang for their buck without raising our taxes. As an
unyielding advocate for tax payers, children and teachers,
Duncan will patiently persevere to seek improvement in how our
public schools are run and how our kids learn in the
classroom. He wants safe, small, well-disciplined classrooms
with certified in-field teachers, and FDOE
"Best Practices" accountability.
Q: Who supports Duncan’s
campaign?
A: Duncan has
wide-spread support throughout the Keys from Ocean Reef to Key
West with many different groups of people from all walks of
life. Everyone who wants greater accountability, high
standards and expectations for all students, an increase in teacher
salaries without raising taxes, a restructured and transparent
budget and changes in the school culture are supporting his
candidacy.
Q: Why should I vote
for Duncan?
A: Duncan is
up-beat and optimistic about the future of our schools. He has
the experience, training and knowledge to be an advocate for
you whether you are a parent, guardian, teacher, or taxpayer.
As a fiscal conservative, he wants to bring better financial
control over the capitol and general funds thorough oversight about how our tax dollars are
used in the construction, maintenance and running of our
schools.
Q: How can I help
Duncan in the campaign?
A: Campaign
donations are needed to pay for radio and newspaper
advertisements etc. All types of volunteer work is needed to
help get the message out through district campaign teams.
Please contact in Key Largo - Norm Higgins: 451-
1248; Islamorada - Beth Kaminstein; Marathon
- Lower Keys - Key West -.
Above all else, Duncan Mathewson
wants to make sure Every
Child Counts! Visit Duncan's website: www.schoolscanwork.com
to find out more about his platform and how our schools can be
improved.
