Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

I am a retired high school teacher and a fairly new resident of Manteca. Somewhat new to the community, I have not felt comfortable publicly endorsing a candidate running for any local office or position.  All that changed when I discovered that my former student, Alison (Kling) Ordner, is running for the Manteca Unified School District School Board, and sitting MUSD Trustee Wendy King endorsed another candidate in a Letter to the Editor of the Manteca Bulletin.

I suspect that in her role as a MUSD School Board Trustee, Ms. King is discouraged from officially endorsing any candidate running for a school board position.  I know this is the case in the school district where I taught. Therefore, I feel it is my duty to level the playing field by publicly endorsing Alison Ordner.  

Alison Ordner was a wonderful student and member of the high school newspaper staff which I advised.  I have come to appreciate her as an exemplary parent and devoted MUSD parent volunteer.  In fact, Ms King could have easily been describing Alison Ordner when she stated, in her Letter to the Editor, “I think it’s important for school board members to be active and participate in our schools’ activities.” 

Ordner is a parent of four boys (ages 7-14) and volunteers at August Knodt School when her schedule allows.  She also was the chairperson of a Science Camp fundraiser in which a car was the raffle prize.  Additionally, she is a member of the Weston High School Athletic Booster Club where she is working to sanction water polo as a competitive sport. 

However, more important than her countless hours as a parent and community volunteer is her passion for making a difference in the lives of her children as well as all children in the MUSD.  She is certainly the kind of person I would want serving on a school board in a district where I was not only a parent, but also an employee.

Linda Little

Manteca

Oct. 24. 2012