John (Jack) W. Bell
9371 Kiowa Trail
Chanhassen, MN 55317
612-270-2023
1) Occupation.  I am an attorney with a corporate law practice; I also do some business consulting, and I have other business interests. 
2) District 112.  My wife Bev and I have been residents in District 112 for 31 years.
3) Family.  Four adult children, seven grandchildren.
4) Interests.  I enjoy reading, golf, living at the lake (Riley), politics.
5) Candidacy.  I want to "give back" to the community.  I believe, with my background and experience in the United States marines (3 years active duty), law, business, politics, and my recent Master's degree in Educational Administration from the University of St. Thomas, I can make a positive contribution as a member of the school board.  I would welcome the challenge.
6) Books recently read:  Robert K. Greenleaf, Servant Leadership:  A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness (New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2002); and David Gergen, Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership - Nixon to Clinton (New York: Touchstone, 2000).
Books to read:  Edward Lazarus, Closed Chambers, The Rise, Fall, and Future of the Modern Supreme Court (New York, Penguin Group, 1999); and John Mortimer, The Third Rumpole Omnibus (New York: Penguin Group, 1998).
7) Luxury vs. Basics.  In my view, the "basics" in k-12 are reading, mathematics, history (United States history first, then world history), communications (speaking, writing in English first, then a second language), and technology; most everything else is "luxury."
8) School libraries for the general public?  No.  The mission of the taxpayer-supported school libraries is to support the k-12 teaching-learning needs of the students, NOT the general public.
9) Both evolution & creation?  Yes.  Both are legitimate subjects for teaching and understanding.
10) National Anthem.  Yes.  It is part of our heritage.