Anyone that has talked to Jen Falk knows she is refreshingly direct, open, accessible, involved, and responsive. I am a Republican and a Jen Falk supporter.

Jack, you NAILED it! I was similarly impressed with Jen Falk (and similarly underwhelmed with Dr. Murphy). I encourage everyone to get to know Jen - you can't help but not be impressed and realize she is the right person for the job!

I forgot to add this - I am also a Republican, but firmly believe Jen is the better choice.

I agree with Jack in this interview Mary Kay seems capable but in the 12 years I have known her to give a specific answer to any question. She seems to have no opinions at all. I have known Jen for several years our daughters went to school together. Jen will be a very positive influence on our district. She really does care about the district and will make the right decision for all concerned in the district. Jen is by far the best choice for our district.

As a grandparent when I hear that over half of our high school students are failing math only, and paying hundreds of dollars for tutors, something is wrong. These are good students in other subjects. Do other parents of kids have the same problem? Do we blame the county, state or federal government? Or could it be that this is a bad way to teach students math? And parents can’t help. Anyone else having this problem?

Sort of off topic, but why do people feel the need to say they are Republican or independent when they profess support for Jen Falk? What am I missing?

Hi Jack, great article - and yes my husband & I have been involved in the public schools for the past 18 years. Our frustration with the School Board has been years in the making - and I know we are not alone. The School Board is well known for it's wall of silence, for years of votes 5-0 'yes' with no input from anyone outside of a chosen 'inner circle', while our teachers are overwhelmed with huge classrooms, have not had a pay raise in years, Gwinnett Chamber/GCPS $$ deals come to light, and Wilbanks gets another fat contract with a raise in $$. We. Are. Fed. Up. The School Board seats should go to people who are best for our children - not Gwinnett County consummate insiders who disregard the community they are supposed to serve. We are Republicans - We are voting for Jen Falk - We KNOW it's time for a change.

Hi Jack,
You asked Amanda and Dana what specifically they found “non impressive” about MKM? I had the same reaction. So here goes. MKM, when I have actually spoken to her, is rehearsed, robotic and cannot directly answer a question - I see that as tell-tale signs of a seasoned politician. I was also not impressed but rather incensed after sitting through numerous GBoE meetings only to watch MKM bow to Superintendent Wilbank’s directives, ignore her constituents and do it as if she were a Stepford wife. She has been going through the motions for 16 years now and I don’t know that she has had a single original thought in that period of time. It certainly doesn’t seem so given hers and the GBoE voting record. Discussion is good. New thoughts are good. Opposing views are good. Working through pros and cons is a basic way to an equitable solution. If all decisions brought before the GBoE are rubber stamped by those who cannot or will not think for themselves, then what’s the point? I am not impressed by MKM. I am not voting for a “yes woman.” However, I have taken the time to get to know Jen Falk. I feel she is a candidate who will listen and intelligently, calmly and fairly a knowledge the concerns of all her constituents.

Jack-- My underwhelmed impression of Dr. Murphy is - (apparent credentials aside) 1.) she is uninformed - while polite in discussions - she can't adequately articulate the pros and cons of important public school topics such as IE2, charter schools to name a few. I can't go to her with questions about issues or policy. I'll always be referred to someone at the ISC. 2.) She is part of a board that voted unanimously on every item up for vote for over 5 years. While I don't want GCPS to act like the board of some other counties in Ga. - I DO expect them to have differing opinions about important matters and for there to be well thought out, well articulated and well documented discussion and debate about things. 3.) She does NOT support her constituents. She supports her other board members. 4.) She lacks analytic follow-up. In an article she wrote "thanking" the legislature for passing some educational law 10 years ago - she failed to provide any facts or documentation as to WHY the law was good or what it had accomplished. It could have been horrible legislation that should have been revoked. She simply thanked politicians for doing their job.
I can explain the partisan issue to you - and it has nothing to do with political maneuvering, as Jimmy suggests.

Everyone who wants any kind of improvement needs to vote for Jen Falk and you need to encourage your friends to do it as well. I have spoken with Dr Murply on several occasions and been present when she has spoken to others. To my recollection she has never given an actual answer or anything that resembles an answer. GCPS are at a critical point and if the school board and the county don't get together and get our class sizes and budgets under control it is going to be a disaster. Every elementary school in the Norcross High district is overcapacity and teachers are overburdened with too many students. (except for white castle). The Esplost is a waste and won't address any of our most critical issues. The current school board has no solution to this problem and to my knowledge are not concerned. Take a close look that the length of time the current GCSB members have been on the board. It looks to me like they need some term limits. I say vote them all out over the next few years. JEN FALK for DISTRICT 3.

My personal and professional dealings with both candidates started about 2 years ago. As I look at old e-mails from both women that were written long before they were candidates, I really believe Jack's first impression is absolutely correct. Dr. Murphy seemed like a very nice lady, but never really shared any original ideas or solutions. Ms Falk was very direct, approachable, and more concerned with finding real solutions to real problems. While I appreciate the time Dr. Murphy has given, I also believe that the future of Gwinnett County's children is much brighter in the hands of Ms Falk.