ENDORSEMENTS Making the Grade Two newcomers and five old faces top WW's picks for local school panels.

Every politican talks about how important kids are. During the past couple of weeks we've met with candidates who have actually put their money­or lack of it­where their mouths are. Listed below are our endorsements in the seven contested races for three local school boards. (Note: Although Deb Menashe's oponent in the Portland School Board Zone 7 race is on the ballot, he dropped out of the race.) None of these positions pays any money. None has proven a very good launching pad for political careers. So give these folks a hand. Better yet, give them your vote when the ballot arrives in your mailbox this week.   PORTLAND SCHOOL BOARD ZONE 1 KARLA WENZEL In her one term on the Portland School Board, incumbent Donna Jordan has proven herself a capable, if not stellar, player. But at a time when the board must embrace change, Jordan comes off as an ardent defender of the status quo. No one questions Jordan's commitment to kids, but we feel the challenger in the race, Karla Wenzel, offers a step up. Wenzel, a non-practicing lawyer who worked in the state budget office and as an assistant state attorney general, served on the Salem School District's Citizens' Budget Committee. This brash, ambitious mother of two strikes us as a highly motivated quick learner whose experience in Salem would give her a good start on the School Board.   PORTLAND SCHOOL BOARD ZONE 2 SUE HAGMEIER Incumbent Sue Hagmeier is possibly the brightest person on the board; she may also be the least effective. After winning the Zone 2 seat four years ago, Hagmeier has shown a lack of political and communicative skills in a position that demands both. She knows she has made some mistakes and vows to do better. Given her two opponents, we think she deserves a second chance. Although he won the endorsement of the Portland Association of Teachers, Len Freiser has done little to solidify his credentials since an unsuccessful run four years ago. The other candidate is Andrew Chilton, a smart young state public defender whose desire to help the sort of kids he represents in court is laudable, if a bit unfocused. Unfortunately, he simply has not done his homework, having failed to attend a single board meeting.   PORTLAND SCHOOL BOARD ZONE 3 MARC ABRAMS It's true that we've beat up on Marc Abrams in the past. But our criticism has been directed almost exclusively at Abrams' former role as chairman of the state Democratic Party. When it comes to the school board, Abrams, who serves as vice-chair, has been a solid voice for kids and parents during his first term, pushing for all-day kindergarten and after-school care. Along with chair Ron Saxton, he has been one of the most forceful voices on the board. Although his $7,500 contribution from the PAT raises questions, Abrams has showed independence from union backers. For example, he supported the Humboldt reconstitution, which PAT opposed. Despite his proven record, union backing and impressive political connections, Abrams may be the underdog in this race. Carolyn Sheldon, who recently retired after 30 years as a counselor and psychologist in Portland Public Schools, has vowed to spend $40,000 in her bid to unseat the incumbent. Sheldon boasts valuable experience with the district's inner workings, and her campaign has drawn widespread support. But we find her stand on the issues to be aimed at winning votes, not solving any real problems. She complains, for example, that board members are too focused on personal agendas yet couldn't point to a single case in which Abrams had exhibited such behavior. Sheldon is a worthy candidate, but she lacks the innovation and forcefulness that Abrams has already demonstrated.   MULTNOMAH EDUCATION SERVICE DISTRICT POSITION 5 JUDY CHAMBERS Who would have thought that an endorsement session for an obscure agency would result in an "Oprah moment"? But there we were, halfway through our session, when Alexander Hamalian, one of three candidates for position 5, burst through the door. While struggling to catch his breath, he announced that he was withdrawing from the race and throwing his support to Geri Washington. The two former foes embraced, and while Washington was still dabbing the tears from her eyes, he was gone, as quickly as he came. It was great political drama, but it wasn't enough for us to join the group hug. The incumbent in this race, Judy Chambers, is a solid, if not terribly flashy, workhorse on a board that provides regional educational services--from school supplies to immunizations--to eight local school districts. Chambers, who has served on the MESD since 1987, has 23 years of experience as a local-schools activist, which provides stability on a board that is often seen as a stepping stone to a higher office. Washington, too, has impressive activist credentials, as is evident by her list of prominent backers such as Erik Sten, Bev Stein and Avel Gordly. But she failed to demonstrate how she would translate her goal of breaking down academic barriers to a board that has little power to change policy.   MULTNOMAH EDUCATION SERVICE DISTRICT POSITION 6 RON CHINN If you need proof that life is unfair, just look at incumbent Ron Chinn. Here's a hardworking, likable, low-profile guy quietly doing a bang-up job on the board, and he draws three better-known challengers. The worst of the trio, by far, is perennial candidate Ron McCarty, a former Democratic state legislator who set new standards of incompetence while in Salem. He's joined by John Sweeney, a retired city parks supervisor who served on the MESD from '79 to '97 but didn't leave many fingerprints. The final challenger is Jim Davis, a local shoe-store owner, who, in a couple of previous electoral bids, showed spunk but not much substance. Chinn, on the other hand, has shown a lot of initiative during his first term, using his background as a high-tech sales representative on the MESD's technology committee to improve computer use in the classroom and the administration.   PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD ZONE 2 HAROLD WILLIAMS Harold Williams is the most visible member of the PCC board, a frequent presence on the Cascade campus and an eloquent supporter of the college's mission, particularly as it pertains to minority students. He worked hard to generate support for last November's $135 million bond issue. His opponent, Carole M. Smith, is a former Columbia County commissioner whose candidacy is based on the understandable desire to get PCC to take a more active role in serving new locations. She's an intelligent, well-informed challenger, but her focus on bringing PCC to St. Helens is a bit too narrow.   PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD ZONE 7 ED DENNIS By all accounts, incumbent Karen McKinney has served the board well for 12 years, but it's clearly time for a change. McKinney failed a crucial test last fall when voters in Washington County and part of Yamhill County didn't support PCC's bond measure. Though it's unfair to hold McKinney completely responsible for the vote, it's clear that Ed Dennis would bring some badly needed energy and political savvy to the board. Dennis, director of the Oregon Student Association, enjoys wide support among PCC students and faculty. The 30-year-old activist displays an impressive grasp of PCC's issues, such as funding, day-care and the heavy reliance on part-time faculty. His energy and experience are needed if PCC hopes to fare better at the ballot box. The third candidate in the race, teacher and community activist Pam Maher, doesn't have Dennis' energy and breadth of experience. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published February 17, 1999