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| Affiliation | Republican |
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| Name | Michael Wiles |
| Address | 203 East Welch Avenue
Columbus, Ohio , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
00, 1955
(69 years)
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| Contributor | Thomas Walker |
| Last Modifed | Thomas Walker
Oct 31, 2007 10:55am |
| Tags |
Married - Baptist -
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| Info | President of the Council of South Side Organizations and helped found the South High Alumni Association.
Wiles, 49, works for On Demand Storage (PODS), is married and has three grown children and four grandchildren. He lives on the South Side.
Age: 51
Residence: 203 East Welch Ave., Columbus
Web site: [Link]
Occupation: truck driver, PODS On Demand Storage LLC
Education: attended district schools; received high-school equivalency certificate
Experience: served on the Facilities Master Planning Committee in 1997; established South High School archives; former school PTA and Booster officer and several other school volunteer activities
Family: married, three adult children who attended Columbus schools
Religion: Baptist
Why he's running
I feel the parents, students and community are not properly or effectively represented by the current board of education and that the board lack strong productive leadership.
Have you run for public office before?
Lost campaigns for board of education in 2005, House of Representatives in 2006
What are the three biggest issues?
There are far more than three issues facing the Columbus City Schools; I feel that when the education of our children is at stake no issue is small. From start times to length of school day to the budget they will all affect the outcome. But if forced to choose only three:
• safety,
• performance,
• parent retention
What makes you the best candidate to address those issues?
I have lived in Columbus my whole life. Since 1993 I have volunteered in many capacities from field trips to facilities master planning. I know the ins and outs of the district. I am a regular workingman, a product of the CPS. My children went to CPS, and my grandchildren are attending CPS. I know the daily struggles and frustrations facing Columbus' working families because I live it and deal with it every day.
What do you hope to accomplish?
Make our schools safe, productive and responsive. To move the district from the 49th of 49 central Ohio district to No. 1. Raise the district from meeting only five state standards to meeting all state standards. In short, bring the Columbus City Schools back to what they once were, “the best.”
Financial Issues
Should the Columbus school district continue to hold spending increases to 3 percent a year?
No and they never did!!! They switched funds from column to another, they float expense as loans and God only knows what other kinds of creative bookkeeping trick they have come up with so the politicians can say they haven't REALLY broken that ill-conceived political promise. To set an arbitrary number without being able to forecast the future is reckless and poor management! Goals on the other hand allow for fuel price increases of over 60 percent, steel price skyrocketing because of supply and demand, etc. The difference with goals you must pay close attention, adjust, and inform. Promises, however, lead to panicked and irrational decision-making like cutting the school day and school days to the state minimum, selling buildings 25 percent less then market, and many other things we probably won't know until after the election.
In what areas should the district reduce spending? In what areas should it invest more money?
(Reductions:) Consultants & lobbyist fees to start with. Why do we pay administrators six-figure salaries to hire consultants to tell us how the district should be run? Maybe we should just hire the consultants in place of the administrators. Why do we pay someone to lobby on behalf of the district, isn't that the board members job? Transportation, pet projects, and I'm sure many other frivolous budgetary items once I'm able to evaluate the budget and finances.
(Increases:) Safety, length of school day, classroom Instruction, advance placement and arts programming.
The district might ask taxpayers to approve an operating levy and a bond issue in the next couple of years. Should the district seek these and should they be on the same ballot?
No, I would really need to be convinced that the current money is being spent wisely and have full disclosure before I would feel comfortable with asking the taxpayers for more money. If over a $1 billion budget isn't enough to educate the fewest number of students CPS has had in 60 years then how much is? As for the bond issue, the master plan on which it is based falls well short of what is needed, we have basically given 100 percent control over to the state on our projects even though they only provide 30 percent of the money, and the building parents and staff have too little say. No (they should not be on the same ballot), even if it were determined we need to ask for them I doubt that a case could be made to burden the taxpayers with a one-two punch like that.
Did the district close the right number of schools, too many or too few? Should closed schools be sold or should the district keep those properties for future use?
It's hard to say, the formula (if one was used) was flawed from the start. Again (decisions about keeping closed buildings) is hard to say, without knowing where the children live as opposed to where they go to school we can't really tell which building can be sold as surplus. But once that is determined then yes we need to sell surplus build as quickly as possible so they don't become eyesores and burdens on the neighborhoods.
Should nonclassroom operations, such as food services and busing, be privatized?
No, I'm not a big fan of outsourcing. (We have seen what happens when we hire private bus companies). I favor proper board direction and oversight on all things that come in contact with our children. I would suggest reconstituting many of the operations before outsourcing.
Classroom/climate issues
How can the district improve student discipline? Would uniforms help, and should they be mandated?
In 2001 I first proposed my PRIDE school concept (Personal Responsibility & Individual Discipline Education). It would eliminate “out of school suspension” instead student would report to this off-site school where (their) needs would be evaluated, taught self-discipline, proper conflict resolution, study skills, personal responsibility, etc. The student won't like this school but they will graduate and discontinue causing problems in their home schools. No, mandating (uniforms) would be a mistake (except for the PRIDE school). I would much rather the parents at each school decide for themselves. I believe that studies have shown they do work in many cases but not all.
How can the district better compete with charter schools?
Simply provide safe, effective, productive classrooms and education system and charters/vouchers will just fade away! No big fancy advertising blitz, shinny new buildings, or more expensive fad programs would be better then just plan old-fashion HARD WORK and REAL LEADERSHIP!
Should the district create more alternative programs and/or charter schools? What kind?
Yes, 126 of them. All achieving at high academic levels, accessible to every student in every neighborhood, with adequate funding, focusing on a well rounded academic education with arts, foreign languages at all levels, technology, and (Advanced Placement) courses specializing in whatever alternative programming the parents and community decides on.
Do residents trust Columbus City Schools? What should the district do to improve its public image?
No, how could they. CPS is run on the need to know Basis & the Mushroom Theory. The creative bookeeping is to the point I don't think even the board knows (or cares) the truth as long as they can keep their jobs. (To improve its image, the district should) Perform!!!
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