Commentary: First there was Feet to the Fire; now there’s Toes to the Stove

Toes to the Stove is really an odd name for a forum unless you know about Feet to the Fire. Feet to the Fire is the election forum organized by the Daily Pilot’s Barbara Venezia and John Canalis and Voice of OC’s Norberto Santana Jr. It’s a forum in which they interview candidates for local offices, and they hold their feet to the fire, asking the hard questions. Get it?

So while I was sitting by the pool one day and looking at a large fire pit, I had the idea of having a school board candidates’ forum like F2F in which the candidates would sit around the fire, feet propped up, simply talking about the issues that face the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

We would make a video of it. In that way, voters would have a peek into what the candidates are thinking, how much they know about the schools, kids and who they are at their core.

It was a dream — and now it’s actually happening.

What should we call this new forum? Well, it is smaller. How about Toes to the Stove? It’s new and different, because in this strange election season, it will be candidates who feel strongly about kids and education, getting together and simply discussing ideas rather than arguing. Everyone thinking about kids.

There will be no fire pit, and actually no fire in rhetoric either. There will be panelists who will add their thoughts and direct the conversation.

The panelists are from different parts of the community: Patrice Apodaca, Daily Pilot columnist and author of “A Boy Called Courage”; Colleen Barney, attorney, a dedicated sprinter and one of the smartest people on the planet; Mariam Munoz, president of the District English Learner Advisory Committee; Cara Boyd, a teacher at Mariners Elementary School; and Eleanor Rebard, treasurer of the California School Employees Assn.

The challengers, Michelle Murphy (Area 2) Ashley Anderson (Area 7), Dee Dee Ruo Rock (Area 7), Michelle Barto (Area 5) and Gina Nick (Area 4) are expected to attend. Incumbents Karen Yelsey and Char Metoyer and candidates Paul Hillson and Bertha Rodriquez will not be there.

Toes to the Stove will be different from other forums in other ways as well. It is sponsored by Newport Mesa Community 4 Students and Hotties Pizza who, will supply guess what? Pizza and soft drinks, of course. The Darnell Wyrick Duo will perform before the forum begins, and then Wyrick will smoothly transition to moderator.

The topics have been given to the panelists, candidates and now to you: safety, Westside schools and money (school district finances) are it for the evening.

There will be a short period of questions and answers from the audience at the end.

Just to make it clear, Toes to the Stove is completely, utterly and totally unbiased.

C’mon down! It will be fun. I promise.

Toes to the Stove will take place Oct. 1 at Fairview Community Church, 2525 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa.