Yesterday

Yesterday's primary elections offered a new chance to put new blood on the city council and make a education an important issue. That door opened and closed without anyone walking through.

Here seems to be why:

1) There was much dissatisfaction with the council in general, but there were to many "outsiders" running so that the opposition vote was split and the incumbents claimed victory. This is what happened with Alexander and Orange. In Orange's case there were be an automatic recount since he edged out Biddle by barely 1%.

2) Many of the challengers failed to connect to the larger audience. They had their core, but their platforms were separated and not interconnected leaving many voters confused.

3) There was low voter turn out. Of course this was to be expected given that it is a mid-year election (in DC not nationally obviously), but how many voters stayed home out of apathy? If we want to make our voices heard we have to get out and vote!!!

4) Finally, if the initiative to ban corporate donations to council candidates could get 10,000 signatures, and most or disgusted by this current council, why could we not force them out?  The answer? WE ARE DIVIDED

So, what does this mean:

1) Mayoral control of the school system will definitely continue.

2) The Committee of the Whole - by which we mean the Committee of None, a.k.a Kwame Brown - will continue to dictate the education agenda.

3) If we want to have a say about our public education, we must UNITE. New on the ground confirms that there is much public outrage over the state of education. Are we so divided that we have already lost?

4) We must strategize how best to continue the fight and make sure the voice of the people is actually heard on the City Council and that the Council answers to us, their constituents!!!