Bedford school board candidate can ask tough questions

4/6/2011

Second of a series profiling Bedford school board candidates

TEMPERANCE -- Robyn Bush hasn't been a parent to quietly remain in the background as Bedford Public Schools officials grapple with its ongoing financial crisis.

The Temperance mother of two teenage daughters, one with special needs, has stood up at meetings to ask tough questions of school officials, including recently as officials grappled with closing an elementary school and redistricting students.

In 4 1/2 months Mrs. Bush could be one of the seven board members listening to complaints and opinions from concerned parents such as herself.

Last week she was one of three people to file the necessary documents with the Monroe County clerk to run as a write-in candidate for the Bedford Schools Board of Education, joining incumbent Mike Smith, whose name will appear on the ballot.

Also running as write-in candidates are Michelle Wyszczelski and Sally Dunn.

Mrs. Bush, 50, said that, if elected, she will work to make positive changes in the education of the 5,000-student district and get the school system's finances on track.

"If I am going to complain and criticize, then I have a moral obligation to work to fix those things that I don't like," she said. "Our goal at the end of the day is to have students graduate [from] high school who can compete globally. We need to save academics and improve the strength of academic programs."

She and Mr. Smith are running for two open four-year seats.

Most of Mrs. Bush's adult life has revolved around the military. She joined the U.S. Army in 1979 and eventually met her husband, Stephen Bush, who retired last year as command sergeant major of Special Operation Forces in the Pacific Theater. They moved to Temperance, where Mr. Bush grew up and the couple visited frequently because of family.

They have a 13-year-old girl who attends Temperance Road Elementary and a 15-year-old who is a student at the Monroe County Intermediate School District. They also have a 27-year-old daughter who lives in Maryland.

Mrs. Bush said the family moved constantly because her husband had 23 assignments over his 30-year career ranging from bases in Japan and Korea to Texas and Hawaii.

While in the military, Mrs. Bush said she got active in the military educational system, including efforts to implement reciprocity in testing for military children who move from state to state.