Edgewood council member runs for state office

By Clare Jensen

The Signal
cjensen@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: August 14, 2008

If you know Edgewood City Council member Enid Duncan, you know she has a passion for education, and is an advocate for children with learning differences.

Duncan’s husband, Edward, is a dyslexic who grew up without proper education for his needs, and she has spent the past 18 years working extensively with her son, also dyslexic, who has overcome the hurdles of the educational system through alterative methods.

Duncan’s personal experience within her own family, and seeing the vast difference in an effective education for someone with a learning difference, is what sparked her interest in education several years ago.

Now, that spark has ignited into a flame at full force, as Duncan attempts to make changes at the state level.

She is running against 12-year incumbent Terry Bergeson, and four other candidates, for the chair of superintendent at the state office of public instruction.

She is running because she sees a need for change at the state superintendent’s office, and is committed to “restoring the original goals of education reform.”

Duncan views the heavy emphasis on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) as one of the biggest flaws in the state’s educational system today.

“WASL is an instrument that is saying, ‘if you don’t do this…you’re not good enough,’” she said. “We are attaching self esteem of the future generation to one single instrument.”

Duncan noted that more emphasis on elective courses, such as arts, music and vocational trades, have the ability to keep a child engaged and motivate them to do well in school.

Duncan has a broad educational background, and recently earned her master’s degree in education from Goddard College. She has extensive experience in teaching children with learning differences, something she became involved with when she was trying to help her son overcome his learning obstacles.

“I’m hoping that I can make a difference,” she said. “We have not provided the right medication [for struggling students] which is through a different curriculum.”

If she does not make it through this month’s primary, or win the general election, Duncanww plans to keep working with children in her community.

“What is important to me is that I can make changes for any child…whether it’s a lot of them, or a few of them. If I see the sparkle in their eyes, and hear their laughter – that’s what I enjoy,” she said. “I don’t have all the endorsements, or the political savvy – all I have is the heart.”

For more information about Enid Duncan and her campaign platform, check out www.EnidDuncan.com, or www.myspace.com/EnidDuncan.

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