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writer and a day phone number. Non-electronic copies must be hand signed. Send letters to the JN: 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield,
MI 48034; fax (248) 304-8885; e-mail, letters@the jewishnews.com . We prefer email.
'Hard-Working, Principled'
Board Member For FPS
Howard Wallach is one of the hardest
working, principled men I have ever
known. He volunteers in his community
as much as he works professionally.
While chairing the Anti-Defamation
League several years ago his commit-
tee volunteered countless hours to
Farmington Public Schools reviewing an
International Affairs class curriculum
to make sure the curriculum was appro-
priate, and presented sound teachings
for the students of Farmington Public
Schools. The class continues to be one of
the most popular.
Howard takes the time to learn and
research facts. He bases his decisions on
sound knowledge and has earned the
reputation as a mentor and leader with
every group he becomes associated with.
He has sat on negotiation teams, which
is unprecedented for a board member,
and has been an integral part of settling
contracts so the district could move on
with the business of educating children.
His knowledge of budget, finance,
policies and procedures is only a small
part of his experience that FPS needs to
continue to move in the direction of the
award-winning district that is the rea-
son many move into Farmington Public
Schools.
Rhonda Cherrin
West Bloomfield
'Hands-On Educational
Experience Unmatched'
I have known Professor Ginsberg for
decades, and I am impressed by his
integrity and professionalism. His
hands-on educational experience is
unmatched by any incumbents or, for
that manner, those running for a seat
on the Farmington School Board.
He has tutored neighbors' children in
physics and math at no charge. Professor
Ginsberg often has expressed his con-
cerns about the burden teachers bear
because their inputs are often ignored in
setting school policies.
Having been intimately involved in the
education of his autistic granddaughter,
he fully understands the frustrations of
parents of special-needs children when
dealing with the bureaucracy. He would
make the education of the student with
intellectual and/or developmental dis-
abilities a priority.
Even while co-founder and owner of
a high-tech company in Ann Arbor, he
continued to be involved in education,
being invited on two occasions to lecture
in South Africa.
Dr. Ginsberg is not an ideologue. He
listens to both sides. Then he uses his
scientific background to thoroughly
analyze the various inputs and data
before arriving at a final conclusion and
decision.
Dr. Ginsberg has been an outspoken
activist for educational excellence, as
well as American and Jewish values. He
deserves your vote on Nov. 8.
Lorelee Handelman
Farmington Hills
'Constructive And Active'
FPS Board Candidates
I am writing to enthusiastically
endorse the candidacies of Karen
Bolsen and Howard Wallach for re-
election to the Farmington Schools'
Board of Education. As the former
Superintendent of Schools, I had the
pleasure and privilege of working with
both of these outstanding public ser-
vants.
Both have also distinguished them-
selves as constructive and active mem-
bers of the community. Karen's longtime
service as chair of the Multi-Cultural,
Multi-Racial Community Council
did much to help Farmington and
Farmington Hills become healthy, diverse
communities.
Howard is a natural bridge-builder
who has established effective communi-
cations throughout the community.
These experiences and connections
will continue to enhance their effective-
ness as school board members.
our school district under their watch.
As a parent who worked tirelessly to
support FPS teachers and coaches in
pursuit of excellence for all children —
regardless of race, religion or ethnicity,
I am outraged by the repugnant epi-
thets hurled by Buck-Christian. It is an
affront she slandered Jews and gentiles
who voiced concerns about curriculum
restructuring. It is an outrage she libeled
parents who defended Jewish students.
When the FPS failed to send students
to the Holocaust Center, my husband
and I paid for the busing. When his-
tory courses failed to properly address
Holocaust education, I worked with a
teacher to bring in Holocaust survivors,
films and materials to educate the stu-
dents. When a course included biased
anti-Israel materials, we worked to
remove non-scholastic, hateful propa-
ganda. When a swastika defaced school
property, I prevailed upon the district
to issue a forceful condemnation. When
the district wanted to adopt texts inac-
curately portraying Judaism, we alerted
a leading local rabbi who interceded
to stop it. Such is not racism; that's its
moral response.
One has to wonder what really is at
play when FPS board members and their
proxies try to distract from their failures
by smearing parents and taxpayers advo-
cating for the best interests of all students.
Linda Stulberg
Bob Maxfield
Farmington Hills
Huntington Woods
Former FPS Board Member's
Letter A 'Slur Of Citizens'
How unseemly for former Farmington
School Board member Pamela Buck-
Christian to support the past president
of the ADL by engaging in baseless
defamation herself ("Wallach Has
Shown Great Integrity At FPS," Sept. 29,
page 61).
Buck-Christian's JN letter endorsing
Howard Wallach for the Farmington
Public Schools is a despicable slur of
citizens with legitimate objections to
the backroom sale of Eagle Elementary.
Buck-Christian doesn't even live in
Michigan nor was she at the FPS meet-
ing when an unprecedented number of
residents packed the boardroom to voice
their concerns.
Her charge of racism is absurdly offen-
sive, as brought to light by black candi-
date Angie Smith who, along with Prof.
Irving Ginsberg, is challenging Wallach,
and who have both publicly criticized the
underhanded Eagle transaction. It's a sad
indictment that school board members
would use the race card to deflect atten-
tion away from their violation of the
public trust and the dramatic decline of
A 'Kind And Hard-Working'
Leader To Guide FPS
I write this letter to refute the nega-
tive statements that are being written
regarding Howard Wallach and Karen
Bolsen and ask you to vote for Howard,
Karen and David Samson on Nov. 8.
I have known Howard both person-
ally and professionally for over 30 years.
He is a thoughtful, kind and hard-work-
ing man whose character is beyond
reproach. It is frankly inconceivable to
think that this unselfish man would do
anything that was not completely above
board ... ever.
Howard has served in leadership
positions with the Jewish Community
Council, the Anti-Defamation League,
Israel Cancer Association of Michigan
and on the boards of the American
Jewish Committee, Jewish Federation
and the Michigan Coalition for Human
Rights. His many leadership positions
are a testament to his skills, integrity and
fine judgment.
Regarding the sale of Eagle
Elementary, Howard as board leader and
president, acted properly. The decision
by the Oakland County Circuit Court to
Letters on page 6
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