Jeffrey Taylor

I recently read a statement suggesting that the act of seeking consensus is a sign of weakness and represents a failure to speak up to avoid confrontation. I hold a more positive view of consensus builders. I believe that the process of building a consensus includes listening to a variety of ideas, assessing the arguments for and against those ideas, and then assembling a solution that can be supported by the members of the group. This process doesn’t require anyone to stay quiet, but it does require individuals to listen to one another respectfully and approach the conversation openly. Group members must critically assess all ideas with honesty. The problems faced by ACSD, and school districts across the country, are complex and no one will bring the solution to the table every time. That means that there will be times when our ideas are adopted, and other times that they are changed, or discarded. The ability to recognize that an idea is unworkable and requires change or rejection is not a sign of weakness.

For many years Cornwall relied on seven one room school houses to educate its children. As it became easier to travel longer distances, the town elected to build a larger school and close the small neighborhood schools. In the spring of 2020, the district temporarily shuttered all the schools in the wake of the COVID pandemic and shifted to a distributed/remote educational model. There are many ways to provide education. Depending on the context, one model may be more effective than another.

I am committed to a strong, vibrant community and to providing the best educational opportunities possible to all the students of the district. I live in Cornwall, but I have friends in every town in the district. They have children and our children, mine and theirs, all deserve to grow up in a school system that supports their diverse interests. I know that there are friends and neighbors that would like me to promise that I will never ever vote to close a school. I’m sure it will upset some, but I’m not going to make that promise. I don’t want to see any schools close, but I am committed to listen, to keep an open mind, and work to identify changes that will better support our teachers, students and communities at the elementary, middle and high school levels.