As a parent and a taxpayer, I want to know what is happening in our public schools so I can trust and support them. Jeff Thielman made public some less-than-perfect behavior by people who supposedly help set the educational, moral and behavioral guidelines for our youth. Jeff’s actions still anger some. He publicly apologized, many times, for how he disclosed what helearned; but not that he disclosed it. This is the type of transparency that we need, and for this I give Jeff credit and my vote.

Now, our situation requires not dealing with “could haves” and “should haves”; it requires dealing with what is, what can be, and what needs to be done going forward to improve our schools. Jeff will focus on the important plans for the future more than anything else.

For the past six years, Jeff Thielman has been one member of the School Committee that parents can count on to do the right thing for our children. In his professional work at Catholic schools and his work on the Arlington School Committee, he's focused on helping kids. He believes that every student in Arlington deserves a quality education. I’ve seen Jeff become visibly disappointed when a parent tells him that school doesn't quite work for their youngster. He's intervened for parents of special education students and worked to improve the process.  

During School Committee meetings, Jeff asks about budgets and policies and more; but what’sclear is that for Jeff Thielman, it is always "about the kids," which is why he is getting my vote on April 4.