Why did you decide to run for the School Board?
“I have lived here my entire life and completed all my schooling through the Sweet Home School District. I now reside in the Foster District, have two children currently attending Foster School and eventually the two other children who will attend Foster as well.
“All four will graduate from the Sweet Home School District in the future. I feel it is a good time for me to get more involved with what is happening in the School District.
“I have been working with children from grades one through eight the last 14 years as a Boys and Girls Club basketball coach. I do have hands-on experience dealing with children and their parents on an assortment of issues.
“Ultimately, I feel that I could make a difference in a positive way on the Sweet Home School Board, otherwise I would not be running as a ‘write-in’ candidate.”
What are your three top priorities, the top issues concerning School District 55?
“My number-one priority is to see that all children (K-12) succeed at what they do in school — Specifically, getting back to the basics of passing each grade and doing so in a satisfactory way.
“I have witnessed many children who have been ‘held back’ or ‘pushed through’ for one reason to the next. I would like to think that we as a School District could be more successful for our children. I believe we have the resources, but they are not being utilized in the most effective manner.
“This sounds like an extremely simplistic idea but I think we need to start refocusing on the fundamentals. Ultimately, the most important element is what is happening in the classroom.
“Allocation of funds would be another challenge of the district. With tax measures that are passed with the tagline ‘it’s for the kids,’ some often question how much really goes to ‘the kids.’
“Competition from charter schools is also a subject that should be addressed. Why are more and more parents taking their children out of public schools and enrolling them in charter schools?”
What can you do to address them?
“I like to be involved with my own children’s education. I can learn a lot about my children’s education by spending a day or two with them at school, which I have done. I have gone on field trips and just spent time in the classroom when I get the chance. I enjoy spending time in the classroom, so that is where I would probably start, visiting different classrooms and watching how they operate.
“The funding challenge would be different because I would need to sit down and research where funds are going and what programs they are being used for before I could make any educated decisions.
“Competition from charter schools is along the same lines as the funding challenge. This sounds like an easy answer, but this is how I would initially address these issues. I can’t sit here and tell you I can fix it all by waving my magic wand. These are serious issues that are being dealt with year after year and that will continue being dealt with.”
Lack of funding is consistently raised as a problem for public education. Is it a problem? If so what can be done about it?
“I don’t feel there is a lack of funding, but I feel we as a School District need to find out what programs are working the most effectively and concentrate on funding them. Having a need, issue or program then throwing money at it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be fixed or make it better.”
The School District has been asked to fund half of a police resource officer, but by election time, the question should be resolved for the 2007-08 school year. Do you support such a concept? Why? Are there other steps the district can take to minimize criminal and behavioral issues, keeping schools safe?
“This is a difficult question for me at this point.
“Two questions that need to be answered for me are, number one, is there a need? Number two, why is there a need?
“The reason I say this is that 13 years ago, when my wife and I graduated, there wasn’t a need for any type of police resource officer; but, as we all know, times have changed.
“My belief is that children do not exhibit criminal or behavioral issues overnight. Most of them start this type of pattern when they are young, and it only gets worse as they get older if there isn’t any positive influences that may intercede and hopefully change that course.
“I have been coaching kids for the past 14 years, so I believe I have some first-hand experience on this. Children that follow the rules and are being successful need to be encouraged. Children that do not want to follow the rules, whether it be criminal or behavioral issues, need to be handled in a different manner.
“Anyone that wants to engage in criminal behavior or make the wrong choices should be provided a chance to change. If that individual still decides to keep making the wrong choices then they will have to deal with the consequences, whether that is discipline or otherwise.”
Last year, the School Board considered a proposal to implement a “school-based health clinic” at the high school, ultimately turning it down. Do you support such clinics?
“I do not support any such clinic. As a parent, I am responsible for my children. It is neither the taxpayers of Sweet Home nor the Sweet Home School District’s responsibility to provide healthcare for my child. The responsibility solely falls on my shoulders. If a child isn’t receiving the proper healthcare from their parents, there are agencies and facilities that handle those kinds of situations.
From a high school student: How receptive would you be to suggestions from students? Would you “blow them off because they’re teenagers,” or would you see them as resources who have a perspective that adults in the school system may not have? Many seniors are 18 years old and will be eligible to vote in this election.
“That’s a very good question.
“Yes, I agree that 18-year-olds can vote in this election, but I don’t personally know of any paying property taxes. That is historically where the funds for the tax measures are being supplied from (our property taxes).
“It’s a hard pill to swallow when students are picketing for various tax measures at election time but they don’t consider the impact on where the money is actually coming from.
“With that said there are some teenagers that have excellent suggestions but I think that each idea needs to be weighed on its merit, resources needed, and likelihood of success.”
Editor’s Note: The question about the school-based health clinic was included because Linn County and Samaritan Health Services talked about a new proposal at some point. We were concerned about candidates’ positions on this issue should it come back before the district at some point.