LAND O’LAKES — The seat isn’t officially open for another three years.
Hello. My name is John Tracy, and I am running for Pasco County School Board, in District 4. I am a firm believer in quality education. I would not have the opportunities that I do today apart from the training that I received in elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. I have a deep appreciation for education at all levels.
I believe that learning is something that continues beyond the completion of a degree. Our childhood education should give us the tools necessary to be students for the rest of our lives. Reading, studying, growing, and learning are skills needed by any productive member of society throughout his or her life.
Education has always been a focal point of American culture. The first schools of the colonial era, the compulsory education of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the formation of the Ivy League colleges in the 17th and 18th Centuries boast early American commitment to quality education. The organization and advancement of public schools by Horace Mann in the late 1800s and the efforts by educational innovators like John Hughes, Catherine Beecher, Booker T. Washington, John Dewey, Linda Thompson, and Jose Gutiérrez have all played a part in the educational system that we experience today.
The school board serves a vital function in Pasco County by ensuring that every child has access to a quality education that provides training and tools for a productive lifetime of learning. I believe that all children should be viewed as being equally important and valuable. That American spirit that offers everyone an equal opportunity should be fostered and encouraged in our schools. Of course, that does not mean that everyone will get equal results. Some will work harder than others. Some will have greater skills. Some will succeed and achieve and some will inevitably fail, but our goal should be to give every student the greatest possible opportunity to accomplish much in the school environment. I believe that the school board must be approachable and must encourage open dialog with parents, staff, students and the community at large. The school system serves the community, and thus, so does the school board.
As a father of two children, I know firsthand the desire to provide the best possible opportunities to the next generation. At the top of that list is an excellent education. Much of my life has been devoted to serving children, teenagers, and college students in one capacity or another. I have been a teacher, counselor, pastor, and friend to numerous young people through my work in schools, camps, churches, and music groups. I believe in the strength of the family and have a record of standing up for family values. As the President of the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County, I have stood and fought on the front line for family values.
President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
I believe that there is a battleground raging in our schools for the hearts and minds of our children. As a school board member I intend to protect the innocence and morals of our kids. I plan to work hard to see that the education they receive is historically accurate, excellent in quality, applicable in subject matter, and delivered in an optimal learning environment. Parents must know that their kids will be safe physically, intellectually, and morally. Students of every race, religion, and economic background should be confident that they will be treated equally by their administrators, teachers, and peers. Anything we can do to remove prejudices of any type will aid in a child’s success. A public school should not be a political stage, nor should it be a place to perpetrate religious and social dogma. It needs to be neutral ground. At the same time, all subjects, American history in particular, must be presented accurately without any attempts to soften or change factual information in order to reflect a differing political, social, or religious bias. Students should learn of our nation’s founding fathers and of our most important documents, like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, that assert and protect our freedom and make us unique in the world.
My goal as your District 4 Pasco County School Board Member is to be a man of integrity and honesty who works hard for families. In simple terms I am for God, Family, and Country. I believe in smaller government, fewer taxes, and basic freedoms. By working together we can continue to provide the kind of quality education for the next generation that has always fueled the American spirit. Will you stand with me for family values in Pasco County?
For America,
John Tracy
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Thanks to Tony Masella of www.OurTownFla.com for the great video footage and pictures of our July 23, 2009 Faith and Family Values Republican Club Meeting with Marco Rubio. He has posted video footage of the entire meeting on YouTube.com, including speeches by John Tracy and Marco Rubio, questions from the audience, and closing remarks by Carlos Saenz. The footage is broken into seven parts:
PART ONE:
PART TWO:
PART THREE:
PART FOUR:
PART FIVE:
PART SIX:
PART SEVEN:
Thank you to Ronnie Blair for an excellent recap in the Tampa Tribune on our July 23, 2009 Faith and Family Values Republican Club meeting. It was a great night, with the highlight being the speech from guest speaker, Marco Rubio, 2010 U.S. Senate Candidate. We really appreciate the good press coverage from the Tribune and the support!
To read the article, entitled “Rubio champions family values,” CLICK HERE
Thanks to Jodie Tillman, staff writer for the St. Pete Times, for a great article on July 22, 2009, featuring me and the Faith and family Values Republican Club of Pasco County. I really appreciate the support and exposure for the Faith and Family Club.
The article is entitled “Republican party endorses countywide faith and values club in Pasco.”
I love that title because it simply states the message that we are sending out from the Republican Party of Pasco County. As I have said repeatedly to various members of the press in the last few weeks, the Republican Party is the party that will stand up for the issues that Christians care deeply about. There are three groups of people that should always vote Republican: Christians, Gun Owners, and Veterans. You will not find a refuge in the Democratic Party if you represent any of those three. Now, I know that as soon as I say that, many will immediately scoff and utter the names of some of the party’s embarrassing examples of failed leaders. Further, I hear far too often, and even feel myself, the great disappointment with those in office who would call themselves Republicans, but not represent the historical party values. As a result, there is a huge movement of people that would abandon the Republican Party and form a new independent group of voters who are true to their values and morals. While I am very sympathetic to the frustrations with some of our elected officials, and can certainly relate to the motivations of these conservatives who are fed up with that see in Washington, let me say that desertion from the Republican Party is a grave mistake for Americans! Like it or not, there is not a day in the foreseeable future that a third party will have a chance at winning a major election. That is a fact. We must unite and rally as conservatives under the umbrella of the party that has stood, historically, for conservative values and moral principles. Splintering the conservative vote by dismissing the Republican Party will only hand over our country to the liberal left and contribute to our moral demise. Granted, there are a lot of guys in office who have an “R” after their names, who need to be kicked out because they do not represent what we stand for, but do not cave in to them by handing over the party and losing your power as a voter by alienating yourself. Now is the time for us to unite! Now is the time for us to make a stand! Now is the time for us to take back, not only the Republican Party, but also the United States of America! We must take it back, as conservative people who hold to our Faith and Family Values, from those who would depart further from morality. If we will not do it, who will? This is the real issue in America that is at the root of all of the surface problems that we are facing. Our government has no moral compass. Together, we can change that. Don’t leave us. Like never before, JOIN US!
To read Jodie Tillman’s article in the St. Pete Times please click HERE.
“Faith warrior urges others off sidelines.”
I had the privilege of being interviewed by Tom Jackson on WGUL AM860 on Saturday, July 18, 2009. I enjoyed talking about the Faith and Family Values Republican Club and sharing my perspective on the true need of our nation. You can listen to the interview, which is broken into two segments, by clicking below:
PART 1 John Tracy on the Jax Files
PART 2 John Tracy on the Jax Files
The Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County is honored to host 2010 US Senate Candidate, Marco Rubio, at the July 23, 2009 monthly club meeting. The event will take place at 7:00pm at Word of Life Conference Center in Hudson, Florida. We would love to see a large crowd assembled to hear Mr. Rubio speak on issues related to our Faith and Family Values. He is a passionate speaker, a family man, and one who is committed to conservative values.
Will you join us on Thursday, July 23? Will you also help us get the word out by inviting your friends?
For more information, including directions to the event, please visit our website at www.PascoFFV.org.
You do not need to already be a member of the Faith and Family Values Club to attend. The general public is welcome. We hope to see you there!
Thank you!
Friends,
Our family values, as people of faith in God, are constantly being attacked. That is why the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County is necessary. As the residents of Pasco and TampaBay, we need a place where we can find unity and rally together to influence our country! My hope is that these sentiments resonate in your heart and that we will see you at the next FFV Club meeting.
Our inaugural meeting on May 28 was a huge success! Randy Maggard of the Pasco Republican Executive Committee did an outstanding job at casting the vision for the start of our FFV club. Thank you so much to each of you who attended that first meeting, and thanks especially to those who have already joined the club! Together we can make a difference!
Our second meeting will take place this Thursday, June 25, at 7:00pm. The host location is Word of Life Conference Center in Hudson. Directions can be found on our website at: http://www.PascoFFV.org.
We have a great speaker scheduled. Terry Kemple, of the Community Issues Council, has years of experience leading on issues of faith and family. He will not only challenge us, but give us several opportunities to get involved through specific initiatives. You will not want to miss this informative session! For more information, please check out our website.
We need your help at getting the word out. Please try to think of five friends in your address book that you can forward this email to and invite them to attend our meeting.
We look forward to seeing you Thursday!
For America,
John Tracy
Thanks so much to Anthony Masella and OurTownFLA.com for featuring the inaugural meeting of the Faith and Family Values Republican Club of Pasco County. We really appreciate the support and exposure!
To view the post please CLICK HERE.
Do you feel lost in the political haze of our day? Do you wish there was a place to go where your voice would be heard, where your values would be appreciated, where you could make a difference in your community? Are you tired of politicians in Washington, Tallahassee, and even in Pasco County who constantly attack the values and morals that are so vitally important to your family? YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There are many who feel as you do. Let’s stand up for our values and principles in Pasco County! Let’s take back our county, our state and our country and make a difference! Let’s collectively demand that our voice is heard by those in office! Will you join us? It’s time to rally together to accomplish something great in Pasco County! Our values and principles are worth protecting. We need you in the Faith and Family Values Club!
For America,
John Tracy
For more information, CLICK HERE.
To view and JOIN our Faith and Family Facebook page, CLICK HERE.
Club Mission Statement:
Our mission is to promote and protect Judeo-Christian family values and principles by educating, assisting, and uniting the Republican Party of Pasco County to engage our community in the issues of the day.
Topics of Interest:
Religious Liberty
Sanctity of Life (Pro-Life)
Traditional Marriage and Family
Protecting the Innocence of Children
Separation of Church and State
Morality and Integrity in Political Leaders
Quality Education in Public Schools (including the faith and beliefs of our founding fathers)
Club Meetings:
Club meetings will feature member discussions on these and other related topics, guest speakers who passionately address them, and strategic planning to use our resources to influence Pasco County. The club meeting will take place on the fourth Thursday of every month.
FIRST MEETING: May 28, 2009, 7:00pm
LOCATION: Temple Baptist Church, 37253 Clinton Ave., Dade City, FL 33525
Activities:
Club members will be encouraged to join together and volunteer time to support the efforts of various organizations that exist to help and promote our stated areas of interest (examples: Red Envelope Campaign, volunteer at Crisis Pregnancy Center, The Run For Innocence, write specific letters to elected officials, etc.).
Membership:
The Club recognizes the following two classes of membership:
Active – Any registered Republican voter, who resides within the boundaries of Pasco County.
Associate (non-voting) – Any other registered Republican voter who does not qualify for Active status.
Dues:
The Club will not start collecting dues until the June, 2009 meeting. Prior to that anyone can attend for free.
The annual dues are $20 for an individual, Active or Associate Member, and $30 for a married couple, Active or Associate members, payable to the Treasurer upon becoming a member, and then yearly on or before January 31.
For more information contact us at: FaithAndFamilyValues@gmail.com or 813-310-5699
John Tracy, President
Carlos Saenz, Vice President
Jessica Larreau, Secretary
Jonathon Barnes, Treasurer
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