As I was researching candidates for school board races I found Mike Dunn's website. MIke Dunn's tenure on the CVUSD Board has seen many controversies with him being at the center of some of the most contentious debates. From being accused of violating labor law to debates over the alleged gay agenda in health textbooks Mike Dunn has been a hero to some and a villain to others. He has been a polarizing figure and a favorite for media coverage because of it.

He took questions from my readers before and he admitted he was wrong to call an applicant for a job. His willingness to speak openly about his values and agenda have made him among the most vocal school board members in Ventura County.

I thought he would continue being a polarizing figure but with this screenshot from his website I am having my doubts:

If Mike Dunn earned the endorsement of Linda Parks I am thinking I should reexamine the conventional wisdom about him.

I am writing about SVUSD Board politics later this week. But what's happening with the election for your local school board?

Scott Lamp is amongst the many running for Conejo Valley Unified School Board. Like Besty Connolly, he contacted me to request taking questions from readers.

Click on continue reading to see his answers to questions from the union representing school board employees and from School Board Member Mike Dunn.

Click here to check out his website.

Here are my questions:

1. Will you seek or accept the support of a political party for your campaign?

2. What do you think about the process to fire a poor performing teacher? Do you think it is too easy, reasonable, or too hard to fire a teacher?

3. Have you attended many school board meetings?

4. What is up with that strange question about students leaving campus for nonemergency medical procedures that Mike Dunn asked in his questionnaire? Is that a problem in Conejo Valley schools? ( Click on continue reading to see the question and the response.)

5. What local politician do you respect for the work they have done for our community?

6. Did you see the recent ruling between Mike Dunn and the teachers' unions? What are you thoughts on it? To read the full press release look at the most recent entry about him.

Thanks Scott!

What questions do you have, readers?

The ordeal between Mike Dunn and the union that represents teachers is over with mike Dunn admitting his mistakes and the teachers' union dropping their complaint in return.

Click on continue reading for the press release.

Click here for a past entry where Mike Dunn took questions from readers. What is your favorite response that he posted?

With this maybe all the sides in CVUSD will get back to work.

( If I was on a board I would consider every school playing this on the last day. Maybe not.)

Is your local School Board interesting or boring? Would you rather have it the other way?

A maxim has been attributed to the Chinese as "May you live in interesting times". Read this interesting article for insight on the quote.

The top three school boards that attract the most political attention include Conejo, The County Board, and Camarillo.

To read an update on Camarillo schools click on continue reading. Otherwise consider this an open thread about local schools.

My suggestion: Instead of slagging people down tell us who you really want to run again for a school board seat or who you want to run for their first time as a school board member.

Nominate someone!

Conejo School politics for some reason have much more acrimony then the surrounding school districts. In the latest news Mike Dunn has been reprimanded for not following collective bargaining rules.

Is the board united on how to close schools? I have a feeling Mike Dunn will say only he stood up against the union and the rest of the board and if it was up to him the schools wouldn't be closing.

I have assumed the school closings are a done deal. Is that true?

Why is Mike Dunn such a lightning rod for conflict? I know his detractors blame him, but I wonder if his supporters believe he has anything to do with it.

In other news, the first page of this blog only posts so many entries at a time. When an entry falls off the first page the comments usually stop. But this entry on education funding has a high minded back and forth between two people I respect, Scott Blough and Marie Lakin. Too bad more online debates aren't as civil. Thanks Scott and Marie.

Click on this link to read their debate.

I spoke to Mike Dunn ( Member Conejo Valley Unified School District) tonight and he is interested in answering questions posed by readers about issues related to Conejo Valley Schools and the school board in an effort to explain his point of view about recent events.

Mike like many of us has a day job, so it might take him a few days to answer your questions so be patient.

I will delete off topic statements, people that distract the conversation onto random tangents, and people who are downright rude.

Using your real name makes you more credible but if you can't or won't that is fine too.

Mike, thanks for making yourself available to the public. Any other elected officials that are unafraid to take direct questions should send me an e-mail.

From what I hear Mike Dunn, the Conejo school board member frequently at odds with the rest of the board, was on the end of a 4-1 vote to censure him.

I was not there and I am hearing reports of all sorts of fun.

I am sure there are at least some you tube videos being floated around. If you have one, please post a link.

Anyways, what happened?

I spoke to Mike Dunn by e-mail to offer him a chance to guest blog and explain his point of view but he is upset at The Star and said he has been really busy lately.

( Just like Old Faithful Mike Dunn can be counted on to attract attention and make school board meetings interesting. )

I saw this article about School Board member Mike Dunn being attacked again for playing by a different set of rules again. In the past he was attacked for trying to negotiate the school calendar outside of the local union contract. And many of us remember the big eruption over a textbook that set marriage was a partnership between two people. I still say that is the correct definition. Marriage used to be a union between a man and a woman where the man had most of the power, but today we accept it as a partnership between two equals.

Does this type of activism make Mike Dunn a hero to the right? Do conservatives support him? Who is his base of support? Gallegly touts his support but is he popular with other elected Republicans?