No public stance on Measure S

March 6 will present our school district with a new reality, as the outcome of Measure S will have been decided by the voters of this community. If elected to the Burbank school board, I will be asked to make decisions based on either outcome. This is why I believe that the question of my support, as a candidate, deserves an answer that warrants more than just a simple yes or no.

If the measure passes, and if I am elected, I will be one of five people who is ultimately responsible for oversight of Measure S implementation. If it fails, I must be able to fully comprehend the reasons for its failure in order to best think and plan on how we move forward and do what’s best for the students of this district. That is why as a candidate I believe the most responsible position is to not take a position and to sit back and listen to the discussion and the decision-makers on this measure, and that is our community.

For those who would like to know my personal position on Measure S, please know that I do support its passage, as I believe that there are significant infrastructure needs that will only be addressed with additional support from this community, and Measure S will provide those resources.

But, as someone who, if elected, will be responsible for the needs of all students, no matter the outcome, I believe it is only the mature and responsible move to be prepared, and I believe that the best way for me to be prepared is to be an effective listener to the discussion that is currently happening in this community about this bond measure.

Steve Ferguson
Burbank

Editor’s note: Steve Ferguson is running for the school board of the Burbank Unified School District.