Board has divided Linn-Mar community

My name is Kevin Slaman and I am running for the Linn-Mar Community School Board. This Nov. 7, there will be four seats up for election. These are at-large seats and each Linn-Mar voter will have the opportunity to vote for four candidates.

I was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, graduating from Jefferson High School and on to the University of Iowa, where I graduated with a degree in physical education and coaching. I did substitute teaching and coaching in the Cedar Rapids area before moving to the Chicago area.

The financial service industry is where I have spent the majority of my professional career, accumulating over 25 years of experience. While living in northwest Indiana, I was appointed to the Board of Zoning and Appeals serving as the secretary of the board. From there, I was asked to join the Building and Planning Commission and served as the secretary of this board.

In 2014, I moved back to Cedar Rapids and married my wife Kathy in 2015. Little did we know what was in our future. In 2020, we became foster parents to our grandson and were granted permission to adopt him in September 2022. Our son will turn four this month and we now have to make decisions about his future education and where we school him.

Like many parents in the Linn-Mar district, we are not happy that this current school board has placed Linn-Mar in the national spotlight with its poor policy choices. It has divided the community, had to settle lawsuits, and has not been transparent. We have the third-highest tax base in the state. At the same time, our student-served count is less than it was in 2019 when these board members took office. Since 2019 more students have open enrolled out of the district than enrolled in.

Our student proficiency standards are worse now than in 2019. Next year, they will be asking the voters to extend a 10-year levy for over $40 million dollars.

I have municipal board experience, 30 years in the financial services industry, and an education degree. Also, I have been involved with local nonprofit organizations and served on my church board in Indiana and here in Cedar Rapids. I believe these experiences have provided me with skills to navigate the challenges faced by the board.

We can do better, be better for the students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers of Linn-Mar. I am asking for you to vote for Kevin Slaman on Nov. 7.

Kevin Slaman is one of eight candidates running for four at-large seats on the Linn-Mar school board.