CARE ENDORSES CHRISTINA GWOZDZ, PATRICIA FELTON-MONTGOMERY AND JOANN ORISCHAK FOR SCHOOL BOARD CARE, Citizens Advocating Responsible Education, has endorsed school board candidates Dr. Christina Gwozdz and Dr. Patricia Felton-Montgomery as well as incumbent JoAnn Orischak. “After personally meeting with all of the candidates and reviewing their responses to the CARE policy questionnaire, we strongly believe that these candidates represent constructive change and reflect the core values of CARE; that is, integrity, transparency and ethical behavior. These candidates will not perpetuate the status quo,” co-founders Richard Bisi and Rebecca Bass said in a statement today. CARE was launched in the aftermath of the nepotism scandal a year ago. According to Bisi and Bass, it was soon apparent that to effect change and institute real oversight, there needed to be new blood on the school board. There are four candidates seeking to replace Bluffton’s District 9 representative Laura Bush, who decided not to seek re-election. District 9 includes Old Town and its immediate surrounding area, portions of the Buck Island-Simmonsville neighborhood, Daufuskie and Myrtle islands, Palmetto Bluff and the area west of Old Town and south of S.C. 46 to the Jasper County line. Only one of the four, Bill Fletcher, supports the 1% sales tax increase, while the other three do not. “We eliminated Mr. Fletcher from consideration because of his pro-tax increase stance and carefully reviewed the experience of the other three candidates. Of the three candidates, we decided to endorse Dr. Christina Gwozdz because of her life experience as the mother of three boys who attended Beaufort County schools, her experience as a practicing physician and business owner of Palmetto Ear, Nose and Throat, and her experience serving on numerous boards. “Dr. Gwozdz would be a conservative voice on the school board and is willing to listen to the public,” Bisi said. “She has also demonstrated that she will do her homework and come prepared to school board meetings, ready to pose the tough questions.” In the District 6 race, which includes Sun City, Oldfield, Berkeley Hall, Eagles Pointe and Mill Creek, CARE noted that Felton-Montgomery has 40 years of educational experience, is opposed to the sales tax increase, and strongly believes that nepotism should not be part of the school district culture. She is also an avid supporter of transparency. Unlike incumbent Paul Roth, who was unanimously censured by the school board earlier this year for making derogatory remarks about fellow board members, Dr. Felton-Montgomery would be a well-qualified board member and respectful of both fellow board members and the public,” Bass said. JoAnn Orischak is running unopposed for the District 11 seat, representing the south end of Hilton Head Island. “She is a courageous reformer and one of three board members who have stood up to Superintendent Jeff Moss throughout the nepotism scandal. JoAnn believes in total transparency and is not willing to be a rubber stamp for the Moss administration. Her votes over the past four years have clearly demonstrated that she is not one of those ‘go-along to get-along’ board members,” Bisi and Bass said. CARE has decided not to endorse District 1 incumbent Earl Campbell who has served on the board for 25 years and is a staunch supporter of Superintendent Moss and the sales tax increase. “It was unfortunate that Caleb Brown withdrew from this race because we clearly need a change in this district,” remarked Bass and Bisi.