Melinda A. Shain, 33, has launched a write-in campaign for a seat on the Gorham School Committee.
She and her husband, Christopher Shain, have a 2-year-old son, Thaddeus, and have lived in Gorham for a year. Quality of education drew them to Gorham.
“We moved to Gorham because we felt the school system is strong,” she said.
It marks her first bid for political office. She decided to run after reading that only two people submitted nomination papers. “I said that’s a shame. I’m going to run,” she said. “This is my opportunity to get active.”
She is a real estate development manager for Hannaford Brothers and she is an attorney, who graduated from the University of Maine School of Law. “Although I have never served in public office, I’m very interested in political matters and read voraciously to stay on top of national, state and local issues,” Shain said.
On the No Child Left Behind Act, she said its goal of accountability is reasonable. But several of her family members are teachers in other states, and she said there are problems in implementing the program. Some school systems are teaching for the tests, she said. She favors seeking “appropriate revisions” to the federal law.
With an eye on a “shrinking” money supply for budgets, Shain would look for other ways to pay for vital school programs besides raising taxes. She favors applying for grants to supplement budgets and developing volunteer programs for parents. “A lot of people care about schools and don’t know what to do,” she said.
Shain said her talents and background would be helpful in dealing with budgets. Her job involves negotiating multi-million dollar transactions, and she understands how small items can impact large school budgets. She said “cutting corners to save a penny” could ultimately cost more.
Shain said schools need athletic fields, but she said they don’t need to be fancy, especially when money is tight. She said athletics teaches sportsmanship and teamwork, but fields shouldn’t come at the expense of academics.
Shain said people don’t want to pay more taxes to provide more parking for a football game. “I don’t see adding pavement as a priority,” she said.
She opposes consolidation of school districts because she likes the benefits of local connections. She feared that communications between teachers and administrators would be lost in consolidating school districts.
Shain likes the idea of teaching civic mindedness and ethics. She praised the middle school’s trip to Washington, D.C., this year for eighth-graders, as it allowed the kids to see how government works.
She advocated more student involvement with the school committee. Also, she favored implementing appropriate attire. She advocated discussion forums and added that the kids should be included in talks. “Get them involved in the process,” she said.
She said school buildings must function and not distract from learning. “My priority is to make sure there is a safe environment for leaning,” she said.
Her goal is to get more involved in the community and to inspire others. “I can be a resource,” Shain said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
