Issues

What brings me into the race

Education A concern for public education and my background as an educator is a big reason behind my public policy stances.

• I saw data manipulated to make it appear as though there wasn't a teacher shortage (there is)
• I saw science, civics, and the arts seem to fall to the wayside as all that seemed to matter to the state were standardized test scores in two subject areas not including the three areas mentioned
• I saw teachers being evaluated based on the inappropriate use of student standardized test scores that were never designed to evaluate teachers.
  

The teacher shortage and proper focus and resourcing in schools are tied to funding. We have had unfunded mandate after unfunded mandate that are driven by unproven metrics rather than the communities schools are in.

Even while this is occurring, voucher schools and to a certain extent charter schools are not being held to the standard many in communities would expect from organizations receiving taxpayer money. For example, voucher schools are not required to report how they use voucher money; this shouldn’t be the case.

It is critical we have educators, parents, and community members involved in the process of educational policy-making in this state. These are the people that know best what is going on in their schools, and they are the ones that most have to deal with what happens in them. The solutions to these issues aren’t just tied to teachers, but also involve supporting other agencies like the Department of Child Services, where resourcing issues have been communicated.

Voting Rights

And these problems are tied back to a lack of civic engagement in the process and the barriers put in place to keep people from participating in the process. People deserve a choice on the ballot, and we need elections that allow the public to make sound and educated decisions on issues (gerrymandering, Electoral College allocation, and obstacles to voting are barriers to that). We need a government that listens to those closest to the issues being dealt with.

The Environment

Protecting the environment is a related moral responsibility, because when people have to deal with toxic air pollution or lead in their drinking water, they are unable to properly engage in the civics realm.

Ethics and Transparency

Everyone should have a voice regardless of wealth or background. We have many issues that are hard to untie: public education is important to developing civic understanding, but civic understanding and engagement are important to preserving public education. The importance of ensuring a democratic process impacts our ability to effect the moral issues that in turn impact the democratic processes. We need democracy to encourage ethics and transparency. When government officials use their offices for personal and group gain unchecked it creates uneven playing fields, which hinders the ability of all too equally participate in society and the democratic process.