Haas out of School Board race

His release:

Through a quirk of sorts in the law, the last day for getting off the ballot for school board without a court order, was January 17th or so, the day after filing closed and the ballot was certified. Schoolboard elections are governed by state law, munciple elections, city charter and ordinances, so last day to get off primary ballot was January 25th.
Ballots for General Election wont be printed until March 7th, day after the Primary.

In any case:
1. I thought I deserved the union's endorsement from my 8 years on the Board, having earned my chops, if that's the right phrase: GLBT rights Resolution and Sex and Health Education Resolution that passed, leading the fight against the taking of Waring School (for which Roberti sued me in a SLAPP/crap suit that was ulitmately dropped which no media reported), leading the settlement in 2005 of the teacher negotiations, the 9th Grade Initiative I initiated which earned us provisional instead of unaccredited in our accreditation review, suing Jennifer Joyce when she and the police wouldnt do anything about Vince Schoemehl's alleged assaults against board member (Amy, Veronica and I; personally, I think Amy or Veronica could have taken him; not sure about me), standing up to Bill Roberti, admittedly in too feisty a fashion at times, and so forth.

2. The union has never endorsed me for school board, the four times I've filed! (withdrew in 2006 for the good of the team), tho supported me for state rep last year, which meant a lot to me (I'm sure it had something to do with my friend, the voucher dog, I was running against).

3. When I asked them this time why they didnt endorse me (I was told the selections were made before the endorsement interviews - which I was sort of late for since I forgot while out campaigning for Alderman - which I take no offense at), after all the good I had done, I wont judge (which I say right before I judge), but one fool said to me , "we consider those things to be in the past". Duh, it's hard to run on things you did in the future. Plus it wasnt like they were done back in the 19th century!

4. In any case, I think the case can be made that I would have had as good a chance as the union endorsed candidates to beat the Slay dogs in a multi-candidate race, because of my favorable name recognition from my years on the schoolboard and other campaigns,
and I was tempted to stay in the race just to show them that and teach the union a lesson about the strength of my candidacy and the consequences of the ungratefulness of not going home from the dance with the one that brung you;
but I didnt want to take the chance that I was wrong, and it certainly may be true that the union-endorsed candidates would have a better chance with me out of the race, so once again (like 2006) I did the honorable and unselfish thing and have withdrawn from the schoolboard race; I'm pretty sure I dont have an obligation to withdraw from every schoolboard race the rest of my life where the union doesnt endorse me, but this election certainly is critical to the future of the district, as the Board needs 2 more votes to insure that it will decide to sue the state to block the unlawful and counterproductive (to education of our children) planned takeover of the stlouis schools.

5.Finally (more or less, sort of), I call upon the other candidates in the race who oppose a state takeover to join me in withdrawing from the race and supporting Jackson/Wessling. Dont be like that horse's butt (whose name I know but wont say) who stayed in the last election, got less than 10% of the vote, I believe, was a distant 5th and almost cost Downs and Jones their election.
You dont have, in my opinion, a rat's ass chance of winning, so if you really wish to help the kids, do the unselfish thing. If not, maybe you support a state takeover, or at least your actions belie your words.

6. Finally, as I say above, the time for actually getting off the ballot without a court order has passed. But such an order show be easy to obtain for cause, which we (other candidates) have. It shouldnt be expensive, especially if we join together. Even if we cant get off the ballot, just saying we're withdrawing and supporting Jackson/Wessling and stopping campaigning, will do lots of good.
Actually, the only one who has a chance to get off the ballot without a court order is me (I), as when I win my Alderman primary, I have to choose between the two offices to be on the ballot for in April, and of course will choose Alderman and then the election board will automatically remove me for schoolboard.