Dr. Radharaman Gargeya  has served on the Lincoln Sudbury Regional School Committee since 2007. He served as its vice chairman in 2008-09, and as its chairman in 2009-10. A software engineer by profession, he currently works in the private sector. Prior to that , he was a faculty member in computer science at Boston College , Merrimack College and also taught courses at Northeastern university.  He lives in Sudbury along with his wife Shailaja and  two talented children Ashwin and Yosha who who attended Sudbury public schools and Lincoln Sudbury high school. He also serves as one of the moderators for satsangs at the Metrowest branch of Chinmaya Mission, Boston.

He spoke to lokvani about his work at the school committee, the need for political involvement for South Asians  and shared ideas on reforming  public education in the US. You can check out his website at
https://sites.google.com/site/radhaforls/
and his facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Radha-Gargeya/347272216476

The L-S School Committee website is at http://www.lsrhs.net/community/schoolcom/schoolcomtemplate.html

What motivated you to become involved with the Lincoln Sudbury School Committee?
 
      My two children received excellent care and education at L-S. I view this as an opportunity to give back and serve the community that has given much to me and my family. That is why I ran for the L-S School Committee three years ago.

      L-S is in the forefront of high schools, as evidenced by its reputation and record with college admissions officers; its students' numerous accomplishments; and the way L-S responds to each student's needs. This is a testament to the support of our communities and the excellent service of the faculty and staff. I am passionate about L-S and its mission – a place that fosters creativity, originality and critical thinking.  

During your three year term what were your accomplishments?
 
      I would broadly classify my record in my first term under these categories: excellence, efficiency, communication and safety.

      My first term saw three of the toughest years at L-S, the last two due to the financial crisis of our times that cut across our state and country. Through it all, when faced with difficult choices, I am guided by the core educational mission. 

      For instance, in FY'09 we had to cut $1 million from our budget. I worked with the administration and fellow school committee members in how we approached the issue: we deferred necessary equipment, lab and textbook replacements; sought the financial help of parents with regard to athletics and activities; did a few other things – all with the goal of preserving as many faculty positions as possible.  

      The L-S School Committee negotiated a new contract which will reduce costs by $1.9 million over three years when compared to costs had the prior contract remained in place. In this contract, we controlled health care costs and instituted a performance incentive for senior faculty. 

      I am also a founding member of G4 – a first of its kind in the state of Massachusetts – an innovative collaboration between four school districts (Lincoln Public Schools, Subdury Public Schools, Lincoln-Sudbury High School and Wayland Public Schools). We are working to control costs, improve services and increase efficiencies.

      Communication between the school committee and the community is extremely important. I initiated the emailing of school committee meeting agendas to the parents and other interested parties. This has increased the awareness of the issues before our committee. I have taken the lead in improving the School Committee information available on our website. We continue to have regular presentations by L-S departments at the school committee meetings followed by policy discussions. In addition, over the past three years, I have been in contact with our state legislators, inviting them to school committee meetings and constantly emphasizing the needs of our community.

      Surveys conducted at L-S have shown a high percentage of students who have a trusting relationship with an adult in the high school, a key measure of safe schools. With the other members on the L-S School Committee, I am continuously attentive to the evaluation and continuing improvement of safety at L-S. 

What is the message that you used to motivate voters to re-elect you to office?
 
      The best any candidate up for re-election can do is to state his or her record and the plans for the future. The voters are the ultimate arbiters.

      So, I talked about my record and plans and answered any and all questions. The wonderful thing about voters in Lincoln and Sudbury is they engage you in serious and deep conversations about your candidacy, about the school and about the issues facing the school.

      If I may, I can once again broadly classify my plans in the same four categories: excellence, efficiency, communication and safety.

      I intend to support and monitor the performance of L-S administration, faculty, and student performance. I will continue to work to make L-S attractive to top teachers. As per state law, broadly speaking, a school committee sets policy and the superintendent implements policy.

      I will continue my work on the G4 collaboration. I will exercise vigilance over expenses. I will work with our legislators to restore state aid. The goals are to control costs where it is possible without sacrificing educational excellence, improve services, increase efficiencies and look for non-levy based revenues as much as possible.

      I will work to see that L-S continues to expand its inclusive outreach to the entire community via multiple means – enhancing its current vastly improved website with even more comprehensive information, communicating regularly with parents and press, highlighting topics in depth on community TV, and meeting and listening frequently to all stakeholders.  

      Safety is enhanced by continuous and steady attention to each and every student. The administration, faculty and staff must be available so that individual student's needs – be it academic or otherwise – are met. This becomes harder to do as the student-teacher ratio keeps going up. But the effort must be made nonetheless. It is essential. L-S must continue the student surveys and diligently follow up on the findings and monitor the effort

Running for election is not standard practice amongst South Asians. What have been some of the things that you have learned from running for elections?
 
      When you run for election, no matter the outcome, you meet some very talented and knowledgeable people who care deeply about the issues facing a community. They are generous with their time in talking to you, questioning you, informing you, and challenging you. I campaigned at the two towns' transfer stations, at the town centers, outside the school during school events that occur after school hours, meeting people at 'coffee-with-the-candidate' events at houses and so on. I also wrote several responses to the local town newspapers (Sudbury Town Crier and Lincoln Journal), answered a question from the League of Women Voters and participated in a Candidate Forum, moderated by the League and carried on the community cable channel

      While it is an uncertain time for a candidate, a periodic election is the only way a community can give direction in addressing the issues facing that community. For a candidate, running for an election is simultaneously energizing and exhausting, hopeful and unpredictable, satisfying and humbling.

      Here at the town level, we have the purest form of democracy. It is our neighbors and fellow community members who voluntarily serve on numerous boards, committees, commissions, boards and task forces. I am inspired and motivated by seeing them work very hard for many hours bringing different perspectives to the task at hand. I absolutely love this facet of democratic self government in America.  

Do you think it is harder for you to run since you are South Asian?
 
      No. I am who I am. In both elections – my first run in 2007 and my recent re-election – the campaigns were spirited, contested and issue-based. In 2007, there were four candidates for two positions, and I received 58.5% of the vote. In the recent election, there were three candidates (the fourth withdrew after the last date for withdrawal, so his name was on the ballot) for two positions again, and I received 60.3% of the vote. Leaving aside the personal aspect, it is a remarkable tribute to America that anyone can take part at almost any level in running the affairs of the society.

      At my website, I have provided detailed election results, my responses to the newspapers and the League, endorsements, position statements, Canidates’ Night opening and closing statement and other information. I also have a Facebook page.

Education Reform is on the top on President Obama's agenda. What would be the three most important steps that the government can take to improve education?
 
      This is an important question. To do justice to this question, it requires a longer and thoughtful response. In the interest of your space and your reader’s time, I will be as brief as I can be.

      There are many experienced and expert commentaries on American education. This is just but one person’s opinion. I am by no means an authority on this topic.

     Education is the life-blood of a society. Everything else, I mean everything else, can be addressed if you have an educated society. Thomas Jefferson said it best:  "Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."  

      The first thing to recognize is that there is no single government nor should there be a single government that can prescribe an educational policy for the entire nation – particularly a nation as diverse and varied as USA. It ought to be the way it is designed to be – a collaborative endeavor between the federal and state governments and local schools – with appropriate and necessary checks and balances. At each level of government, you address these three issues, amongst many others, but at a different scope: enhancing competitiveness and innovation, closing the achievement gap between communities and securing adequate funding.  

 

Any other suggestions for our reader?
      It is presumptuous of me to offer suggestions to the accomplished readers of Lokvani. The only thing, I would say, if I could, is to get involved in your local communities in whatever area that holds your sustained interest, if your circumstances allow you. Towns - that is, your neighbors - welcome volunteers at all levels and in all areas for any amount of time one could spare. It could be in the areas of: health, outdoor activities, parks and recreation, schools, finance, libraries, technology, cooking shows on community TV, land conservation, energy, housing, community gardening, town clean up and beautification and so on and so forth. It is a win-win situation – you do something that you like and in the process, there is a chance that someone else might benefit too.

Thank you

Thank you very much for the opportunity to talk to you.

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