Patch Candidate Profile: Robert Reese For ISD 197 School Board

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN — This fall, Mendota Heights, West Saint Paul and Eagan residents will vote in the local school board elections

Robert Reese is one of 10 candidates running for District 197 School Board in the Nov. 2 election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Are you running for School Board? Contact Morgan Reddekopp at morgan.reddekopp@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

Age (as of Election Day): 62

Position Sought: ISD 197 School Board Member At Large

Party Affiliation: Independent

Family: None

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education:

St. John's University, BS, Collegeville, MN
Des Moines University, DO, Des Moines, IA
Internship, Garden City Hospital, Garden City, MI
Residency, General Surgery, Meridia South Pointe Hospital, Cleveland, OH
Fellowship, Vascular Surgery, St. John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit, MI
Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery, SUNY-Buffalo, NY School of Medicine

Occupation: Physician and Surgeon, 29 years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None

Campaign website: None as yet.

Why are you seeking elective office?:

In 2021, 50% of ISD-197 students only, "partially meet, or, do not meet", grade level educational achievement. Without a strong educational base of education this means that 50% of ISD-197 students future hopes and dreams are at risk of being unfulfilled. This is unacceptable on every level. It is time to elect Board Members who will put a new perspective on all exiting policies and procedures that may have contributed to such disappointing results in student achievement. The goal in doing so is to assist each student to develop a love of lifelong learning to secure their future success.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it:

Disappointing student academic achievement. If elected to serve, my primary goal is to establish a Mission Statement for ISD-197. The purpose of a Mission Statement is to describe the primary reason why an organization exists, and is worthy of public support. A Mission Statement places accountability on the leaders of the organization. A Mission Statement acts like a rudder on a ship to help it sail efficiently to its intended destination. Currently ISD-197 holds no Mission Statement, and based upon the disappointing student academic achievement levels, ISD-197, as an organization, acts as a rudderless ship with little likelihood of reaching its intended destination, that being educational excellence. Secondarily, a review of all existing policies and procedures must be performed. Any and all existing policies and procedures that have not demonstrated measurable improvement in student academic achievement must be revised, or eliminated.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?:

1) Since I have not previously run for, or held, public office, I bring a new perspective to an organization that is struggling in its mission of educating our youth.
2) As a former Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery I possess a sound foundation in what is necessary to assist with improving current educational standards.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency):

I do not understand what you mean by "challenger". If elected to serve, I have one singular goal; Improve student academic achievement such that every student is afforded their best chance at achieving future success and realizing their individual goals and dreams.

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?:

Unfortunately, the management of COVID-19 has become political. When one combines politics with education the results are often disastrous. As a licensed physician in the State of Minnesota, and based upon the current science, all we need to do is perform simple bloodwork to check for T-cell immunity, which is now FDA approved. If present, there is no need for masking, vaccines, vaccine "passports", or distance learning. If absent, recommend masking until vaccination has been performed.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: None.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?:

Please refer to my answer above about "critical differences".

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"There is no 'equity' in the operating room. There is only preoperative preparation, and intraoperative excellence, that provides the patient with their best outcome". In similar fashion, pre-examination preparation, and intra-examination excellence provides each student with the empowerment of knowing that they are capable of learning, and succeeding. And that is a gift for each student that encourages them to develop a love of lifelong learning, and ensures their future success in life.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?:

No policy, none, should be enacted in any public school curricula without the full knowledge, consent, and support of the parents/legal guardians. Parents/legal guardians must be included in all aspects of their minor child's education.