- James Townsend
Your Q & A with Portland School Board Candidates
Back on August 17th, the Beacon made a call to our readers to submit their questions for local school board candidates. We recently sent the final list of 16 questions to the candidates, and now we are sharing the responses we received.
Voters within the Portland Public School District will vote for two seats available for six-year terms. The ballot will list four candidates for these two seats.
Of the four, Patrick Duff and Brian Pohl are current board members running for reelection. Diane Bissell and John Davids are the other two candidates.
We sent all four candidates these same questions on the same date, with the same deadline for responses. We only received responses from Duff and Pohl, and we are sharing those responses with you below. No responses were received from Bissell or Davids.
Patrick Duff
1. Please tell us about your employment and professional experience.
Upon graduation from college, my first employment was as an American Government and American History teacher at Muskegon Heights High School where I taught for four years. Upon receiving my master’s degree, I was employed as the assistant to the director at Muskegon Central Dispatch. While attending law school, I began teaching at Portland Public Schools in the PACE (Portland Adult and Community Education) program where I primarily taught American Government, American History, and Michigan History. I also taught at Lansing Community College, primarily teaching American Government and Business Law. Upon graduating and passing the State Bar in May of 1983, I began my law practice as a sole practitioner in Portland where I represented a number of clients in a variety of areas including estate planning, criminal defense, social security disability, and representation of children and parents. In 2005 I merged my practice with an Ionia firm becoming co-owner of the Law Firm of Duff, Chadwick and Associates, where I continue to represent primarily Portland area individuals in a variety of legal matters. I am a trained and certified mediator in the areas of domestic relations, civil disputes, real estate transactions, agricultural disputes, and special education. I have mediated over 500 disputes. My entire professional career has been dedicated to working with the youth. As a former teacher, coach, and attorney, the safety and well-being of all of our children is an absolute priority.
2. What is your educational background? Please include high school, college, graduate schools attended and degrees/certificates received.
I graduated from Muskegon Heights High School in 1971. In 1974 I graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in the School of Education. I received a Master’s of Public Administration Degree (M.P.A.) from Western Michigan University in 1978. In 1982 I received my Law Degree (J.D.) from Thomas Cooley Law School. After graduating from law school, I took additional course work at Lansing Community College, as well as graduate coursework at Michigan State University in the Labor and Industrial Relations Program.
While on the Portland School Board, I have continued my education through the Michigan
Association of School Boards taking over 70 courses. I have Master Board Member Award with specialties in Advocacy and Data Skills.
3. Do you currently have or have you had children attend PPS? If your child(ren) currently attends, what grade(s) are they in?
Both of my children attended Portland Public Schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade. My son, Eamon, graduated in 2017 and my daughter, Erin, graduated in 2019.
4. Why do you want to be involved in helping to set the policies and direction of PPS?
I have been involved in education as a teacher, coach, and school board member for nearly 50 years. I have always felt that education is about the kids. Whatever I can contribute to the policy and direction of the Portland Public Schools I will do with the kids in mind. Both of my children went to and graduated from Portland Public Schools. My wife and I took great interest in their education and their teachers. I feel my role as a school board member is my contribution to the community as a whole. By assisting in establishing the vision for our schools, we are aiding and strongly setting for the future of our own students and community.
5. Have you served on the board of any other companies or nonprofit organizations? If so, what were those companies/organizations and when were you in those roles?
I served on the Portland Planning Commission prior to serving on the Portland City Council. From 1995 to 2003 and again from 2005 to 2009, I served on the Portland City Council including the position of Mayor Pro Tem. Shortly after serving on the Portland City Council, I was on the board for the Portland Arts Council. I have served on the Portland School Board since August of 2011. I was in the Governmental Relations Board of the Michigan Association of School Boards from 2021 to 2023. Finally, I have been a member on the Portland Community Orchestra Board for the past 9 years.
6. The PPSB manages a sizeable annual budget and is critically involved in long term financial planning. What is your financial background and how do you plan to help keep PPS spending resources wisely and for the purpose of serving the most students?
As an undergraduate student, I had extensive coursework in both accounting and economics. As a graduate student I had coursework in the budgeting process. In law school, I had coursework in accounting for lawyers.
I have taken coursework through the Michigan Association of School Board, which is specifically geared for the training of school board members. The coursework, as it pertains to budget and financial matters included: School Finance and School Budget; Advanced Finance; Budget Anatomy and Shortfalls; and Anatomy of Audit Report. Additionally, I have managed my law office since 1983 and currently, as co-owner of Duff, Chadwick, and Associates, meet monthly to review the finances of our company.
I am fiscally conservative. For over ten years I have served as the School Board Treasurer as well as Chairman of the Finance Committee. It is important to regularly evaluate the spending within our school district, which I do, as a member of the Finance Committee on a monthly basis. I feel the Portland School District manages its financial resources very well and has annually received the highest rating from independent auditors. By having a solid fund balance, we set up a future that bodes well for our students.
7. How many school board meetings have you attended in the last year? In the meetings you have attended, what are some of the recurring issues you have seen and how would you handle them as a board member?
Portland has two board meetings per month. I have attended all but two of those meetings in the past year. During the over 13 years I have sat on the Board, I have missed five meetings. Additionally, the Finance Committee meets once per month. I have missed one meeting during my tenure.
On an annual basis there are numerous meetings that come before the Board including but not limited to: school safety; alignment of curriculum; transportation (including busing); hiring and replacing teachers; school academics; school displacing matters; finance and budgetary matters; school purchases and spendings; professional development of staff; school programs; Board operating procedures; and legal issues. As a board member, I must remain cognizant that the role of a Board Member is limited to four items: 1) Policy making; 2) Hiring and Evaluating the Superintendent; 3) Planning, setting, and appraising goals; and 4) Approving and adopting the budget.
The day-to-day activities of the school are managed by the school staff. The board acts as overseers, largely to evaluate the Superintendent to ensure that issues which do occur are handled promptly and in a professional manner. As an example, there is a shortage of bus drivers throughout the state. The Board has inquired what the Superintendent has done to address that issue and the response is that aggressive measures, as much as can be done, have been taken.
8. What do you see as the board’s primary roles and responsibilities?
The School Board has four functions by law: 1) Policy Making; 2) Hiring and evaluating the
Superintendent; 3) Planning, setting, and appraising goals for the district; and 4) Approving and adopting the budget.
As a Board member, I have always felt that it is always about the students. Protecting and supporting all of our students cannot be undervalued. My approach as a Board member is to keep that first and foremost. Additionally, listening to and understanding the views of the parents, teachers, and administrators is also an important aspect of being a board member.
9. How important is it to you that PPS support LGBTQ+ students and make necessary
accommodations to allow them to feel safe?
The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution provides that all persons are entitled to equal protection of the laws. This is Constitutionally mandated and for good reason. Additionally, the Federal Government has provided specific protections under Title IX. Finally, each state under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution can provide even greater protections for the individuals of that State. As such, these students are Constitutionally and Statutorily protected.
It should also be noted that our school district is represented by a law firm that is knowledgeable in these matters. It is policy that if a legal matter arises, it is appropriate to receive a legally researched opinion as to the proper legal course of action.
10. Please describe your familiarity with the Michigan Revised School Code (MCL 380) and tell us what the duties and responsibilities of the school board are under that law.
Chapter 380, commonly known as The Revised School Code Act 451 of 1976, contains many sections (380.1-380.1853). As a lawyer, one of the areas that I am trained in is legal research. As a Board member my ultimate duties and responsibilities are: 1) Policy Making; 2) Hiring and evaluating the Superintendent; 3) Planning, setting, and appraising goals; and 4) Approving and adopting the budget.
As it pertains to MCL 380, I have reviewed many of its components. When it comes to my role as a School Board Member, the Portland School District has retained a law firm which represents our district in understanding the basic workings of the law as it pertains to our school district. When legal issues arise, such as those that may involve MCL 380, the matters are routinely referred to the law firm.
11. What constitutional rights, if any, do you believe are not being met by the current board and what will you do to "protect" those rights if you feel they are not currently being met?
I am not aware of any ‘constitutional rights’ which are not being met by the current Board. If by constitutional rights, one means due process rights under the 5th and 14th Amendments, the school has a detailed mechanism for affording parents, students, and teachers appropriate protections and the right to a fair hearing. This is constitutionally and statutorily mandated. The Board plays a minor role in this activity as the ‘process’ occurs within, for the most part, the administrative system of the school.
As a lawyer, I am well trained in the components of both the United States and Michigan
Constitutions. As a college instructor, I used the U.S. Constitution as a guide in teaching the course on American Government. The constitution is a skeletal document and has been interpreted over the years by courts and has been supported and clarified by legislation.
12. How familiar are you with the laws and regulations governing public schools?
As a lawyer, I am trained in how to research such laws and regulations. As a Board member, my role is somewhat limited. When legal issues arise regarding the laws and regulations governing public schools, our school is well-represented by a respected law firm. This firm appropriately researches issues that may arise concerning our public school and provides a legal opinion to our school board and school district.
13. What do you see as the top three challenges or priorities of the district?
First and foremost is school safety. Safety of the students, the staff, and any person under the district’s responsibility is a priority. Secondly, it is the quality of education of the students. We must ensure that all students receive the best quality education, that the atmosphere for learning is both appropriate and enjoyable whether it is college preparation or the trades. Finally, a fiscally sound school district is necessary. Without the necessary finances, the first two challenges are compromised.
14. How familiar are you with the curriculum being taught in our school district?
I am very familiar with the curriculum being taught in our school districts. From grade school through high school our curriculum is aligned. As a board member, it is my responsibility to be familiar with the course manual at PPS. I recently reviewed the course material. The manual consists of the basic required courses which all students must take to succeed educationally. Additionally, the catalog of courses offered as electives is similar to a college option.
The Portland curriculum provides for the basics: reading, writing, and arithmetic. The district then goes beyond this basic core requirement with opportunities for the students to explore and better prepare themselves for life after school.
15. How will you effect positive change to the educational framework for teachers and students at PPS?
Primarily by supporting them and having the trust that the systems we have in place will best assist our teachers and students as they confront the future. We must listen to concerns and suggestions brought forward by students, teachers, and parents. It is important to listen to the voices that make up the district.
16. Section 47 of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act requires that signs for candidates, “must display an identification that contains the name and address of the person paying for the matter.” If your campaign has distributed signs in the community, are they complaint with section 47 of this act?
I am very familiar with this section. If one were to look closely at my recycled signs, they would see under a coat of blue paint the identity of the committee responsible for those recycled signs. I have not paid for my signs this election as the signs are recycled.
A candidate is exempted from the Statement of Organization Filing Requirements who seeks a school board position in a school district with a pupil membership count of 2400 or less and receives or sends $1000 or less for the election.
Brian Pohl
1. Please tell us about your employment and professional experience.
I have been in education for over 25 years as a science teacher at P-W schools. I have taught every grade from 6th to 12th grade in (almost) every science subject.
2. What is your educational background? Please include high school, college, graduate schools attended and degrees/certificates received.
I am a graduate of Portland High School (‘94). I attended MSU for both my undergraduate degrees (secondary education and chemistry) and for my master’s degree (physical sciences). I have continued my education by taking courses and attending workshops in educational practice, school board coursework, and science related content.
3. Do you currently have or have you had children attend PPS? If your child(ren) currently attends, what grade(s) are they in?
My two oldest children recently graduated from Portland High School and are attending CMU in the science fields. My two youngest are currently enrolled in Portland High School and Portland Middle School.
4. Why do you want to be involved in helping to set the policies and direction of PPS?
To help with and stay informed about the school district. I believe it is important that there is a voice present that understands the current educational system and can help relate how changes we make at the Board level can impact the students and teachers at the classroom level.
5. Have you served on the board of any other companies or nonprofit organizations? If so, what were those companies/organizations and when were you in those roles?
At different times I have been an officer for the local Knights of Columbus, on the pastoral council at St. Patrick’s Church, and am the current president of the academic competition league for the smaller schools in our region.
6. The PPSB manages a sizeable annual budget and is critically involved in long term financial planning. What is your financial background and how do you plan to help keep PPS spending resources wisely and for the purpose of serving the most students?
The most impactful thing a Board member can do to maintain a financially stable school district is to ensure we have the right people hired and in place. Portland is one of the more financially stable schools in our area after decades of hard choices and calm heads at the helm. Our annual audits come back clean and our financial rating allows us to finance borrowing at a lower rate. This allows our district dollars to go farther and helps maintain a lower millage rate to run the district.
7. How many school board meetings have you attended in the last year? In the meetings you have attended, what are some of the recurring issues you have seen and how would you handle them as a board member?
I have attended all of the board meetings this year with a possible exception of one or two when conflicts have had me out of town. The record of my votes and attendance are recorded and available on the school website.
Most of our meetings deal with the predictable duties of running the district. Things that have changed in recent years include:
a) Attracting and retaining staff. There simply are fewer people for schools to compete over. Bus routes have been cut, teaching certification has become more flexible, retirees are encouraged to come back and resume their professions, etc. These problems are becoming more common and Portland needs to be one of the places that employees want to come to and stay at.
b) Our community is changing. Portland is growing but that growth brings challenges. The district has to be aware of the changes and adapt to help all our students and families where they are.
c) The rise of misinformation and internet rumors. People make decisions and form opinions based on the information they have. If community members get wrong or partial information this can become a struggle for the schools to communicate effectively.
8. What do you see as the board’s primary roles and responsibilities?
This is law and not an opinion based question. (The following is copied from MASB.org)
“Under Michigan law, a board of education has the ultimate responsibility for school district operations. Among other things, the Revised School Code gives each board of education general powers to:
● Educate students.
● Provide for the safety and welfare of students.
● Acquire and dispose of school property.
● Determine matters relating to school employees and contractors.
● Control the expenditure and receipt of school funds.
● Make joint agreements and cooperative arrangements.
Specific provisions in the Revised School Code also assign responsibilities to school boards in areas such as:
● Setting the curricula and courses taught in the schools.
● Employing a superintendent, other administrators, teachers and support personnel.
● Levying local taxes to run the schools and adopting a budget.
● Deciding whether or not to furnish transportation for pupils.
● Negotiating with employee unions regarding salaries and other conditions of employment.”
9. How important is it to you that PPS support LGBTQ+ students and make necessary accommodations to allow them to feel safe?
This answer would be the same no matter what adjective or descriptor you put before “students” in the question. Every student needs to feel our school is a safe place for them. Students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe and part of the community. Students can’t learn if they are constantly in ‘fight or flight’ mode. I cannot put this clearer than saying when you walk through the doors of my classroom you become ‘my kid’. I’m going to do my best to make you feel that way so that you can feel safe, welcome and are able to learn. I want the same for every child in PPS.
10. Please describe your familiarity with the Michigan Revised School Code (MCL 380) and tell us what the duties and responsibilities of the school board are under that law.
This is partly the same answer as question 8. The law is the law and we take an oath of office when you become a Board member. My knowledge of this law is by no means complete so it is important that you have people that advise the Board on the law. Portland board members are part of the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) and they provide constant opportunities for Board members to learn more. MASB sends out routine news bulletins about changes to the law that Michigan has implemented and is planning to implement.
Portland Public Schools also use Thrun law firm to help us navigate the changing law and answer our questions when they arise. As a Board we are allowed to contact them directly with questions or request the Superintendent to do so with questions that we have.
11. What constitutional rights, if any, do you believe are not being met by the current board and what will you do to "protect" those rights if you feel they are not currently being met?
It is illegal for any Board member or governmental body (including schools) to not follow the US Constitution or the Constitution of the State of Michigan. The first thing a new Board member will do is take an Oath stating they will follow these laws. We do not have the option of denying anyone a right provided by either of these documents.
Terms like ‘parental rights’ and ‘constitutional rights’ are very vague when it comes to discussing issues in education. The confusion seems to arise when what one person thinks is a ‘right’ for them or their student starts to overlap with the ‘right’ of another student or parent. As a parent we have a multitude of choices for our children but not for someone else’s child. If there is confusion over this overlap for the Board we seek the advice of our law firm to find the best solution available to us.
12. How familiar are you with the laws and regulations governing public schools?
Please see my answers to questions 8, 10, and 11.
13. What do you see as the top three challenges or priorities of the district?
The priorities are the same as they have always been. Keep our kids safe. Educate and challenge our kids wherever they are in their learning to make them better able to succeed in a changing world. Find and keep the best people that we can to achieve those goals. Keep the district financially sound.
The challenges facing the district do change. The top three that I see currently are:
Keeping and attracting the people that will allow us to educate our community’s children.
Adjusting to change. Change in populations, law, technology, curriculum, etc. It is constant so we never get to say we are ‘done’.
Keeping the “noise” away from our schools. Politics, politicians, misinformation, conspiracy theories, agendas, personal vendettas, outside groups, etc. The noise is, at best, not helpful for us to achieve any of our priorities of helping our kids and, at worst, detrimental to the health and well being of our students.
14. How familiar are you with the curriculum being taught in our school district?
I am as familiar as someone who is not teaching or taking the class can be. Each curriculum change that PPS makes is done after a thorough research and implementation phase done by our staff members (teachers, curriculum directors, administrators). They keep the board informed of why they feel a change is needed, why they chose the new curriculum over the old and other options, and how the change is going once it has been implemented.
As an educator I am very familiar with some of the courses that are in my area but for curriculum outside of my field I rely on and trust the experts that we have in place to choose what they think serves our population best. As a parent I get to see those curricula as my own children take the courses, but this is only a partial view because I am not an active part of their classes.
15. How will you effect positive change to the educational framework for teachers and students at PPS?
As a Board member you share the responsibility of getting the right people in place. You then have to trust the process you have in place to implement changes as they are needed. You do need updates on the changes to see if they are having the result that you were hoping for. The challenging part is that it usually takes years to see the impact of your changes. If you are constantly changing you will never see the positive impacts you were hoping for in the first place.
16. Section 47 of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act requires that signs for candidates, “must display an identification that contains the name and address of the person paying for the matter.” If your campaign has distributed signs in the community, are they complaint with section 47 of this act?
As with some of the previous questions you have to trust the experts who inform you. When I asked for instructions from the county clerk they told me that finance regulations come in if you spend over $1000 on the campaign. Splitting the cost of materials between candidates did not change the amount you had to count because both names would be on it. I have purposefully stayed below this $1000 threshold.
I have no problem sharing that my family paid for our signs and have recorded all financial transactions as instructed by the Ionia County Clerk’s office. My ‘campaign staff’ is me. Anything on the ‘Brian Pohl for Portland School Board’ Facebook page is written by me and posted by me. My wife does proofreading for the postings. I did have a wonderful friend volunteer to design and provide the labor to cricut our shirts. Finally, some of our friends chipped in to cover the cost of some of the shirts. All total, we are still well below the $1000 threshold as instructed by the Ionia County Clerk’s office.
