About Me

 My name is Merrianne Geisdorf and I am a candidate for the Mesa Unified School District Governing Board. I am an accountant and have been a sole proprietor since 1981. My clients are primarily small businesses. I lived most of my life in Anchorage, Alaska. My husband and I moved here in October 2001 from Anchorage. We have 3 children and 11 grandchildren, and I am finally a very concerned citizen.

I know you hear this from a lot of candidates, but I am not a politician. I have been one of the silent majority for most of my life. 

I have become increasingly concerned about the direction our country is headed. Our current government seems to feel that our Constitution is irrelevant and passes laws that are not constitutional. I feel that we need to restore the Constitution to its rightful place as the guiding principle of our government. In that respect, I’ve also become concerned about what our children are learning in school – or more importantly – NOT learning. 

For over 200 years, the United States of America has been a beacon of light, hope and freedom, the land of opportunity. This is because of our Constitution, capitalism, the freedom to succeed and the freedom to fail. Our children need to know HOW and WHY our country came to be, how and why the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written, and what the guiding principles were behind those documents. Otherwise, they won’t understand why so many of us are upset with our current government. And they won’t understand WHY we need to get back to the constitutional principles upon which our country was founded. I believe we need to take back our country by educating our children about America.

I will ensure that American History from Columbus forward is taught in all elementary schools.  I will encourage “The Making of America” textbook be adopted as a history book. I have taken the Making of America seminar twice at the Heritage Academy, and learned more each time. We have an exciting history! Our forefathers fought - and died – to give us the freedoms we have enjoyed. Since then, our military men and women have fought and died to preserve our way of life. We have a proud heritage and our children need to know that. Sure, we’ve made mistakes along the way, but we’re STILL the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave!

Somewhere along the way, our education system got sidetracked. Now much of it is about being “politically correct.” That includes teaching that families are not just mommy and daddy anymore. They can also have two mommies or two daddies. Recently, the Helena Public School Board of Trustees faced a large and emotionally charged crowd as it considered whether to begin its sexual education curriculum in kindergarten! Or teenagers are sent home from school for wearing American patriotic shirts on Cinco de Mayo in California. I not only received a questionnaire from the Arizona Republic and the MEA, I also received one from Planned Parenthood!

A priority for public schools needs to be educating our children. Our teachers need to be allowed to do what they do best – TEACH – without so many restrictions. The schools have become more of a social entity and less of an educational institution.  We provide free breakfasts – during class time – with our teachers acting as waitresses! We also provide free lunches during the school year. And in the summertime, we feed the entire community. The schools are being asked to provide student and family counseling.

I would have voted no on the latest property tax increase proposal, especially coming right after the sales tax increase voted in. I don’t believe the schools need more money. I believe instead that the money needs to be spent more wisely.

My mission is to make sure Mesa schools are teaching our children and grandchildren to read and write properly, to think for themselves, to be proud Americans and future leaders. I will also do my best to make sure that money that is intended for the teachers and classrooms GETS to the teachers and classrooms and not to superintendents and administrators.

Whether you vote early ballot or on November 2, I would appreciate your vote.