Do you have any relevant experience in an educational setting?

I was a high school track coach in California and have tutored students in Mathematics. I was also a Senator in my college’s student senate and sat on the finance committee. I received academic and athletic scholarships to attend college in Buffalo, New York and competed in Division 1 NCAA Cross County for 4 years.

What is your understanding of the District’s obligations to comply with federal and state education policies?

I understand that the School District has an obligation to local students, parents, and taxpayers to provide exceptional educational services. My obligation is to them and not the state or federal government.

How would you address the issues facing the District’s schools that you consider the most urgent?

We need to look at all government budgets and cut waste. We need to review education expectations and challenge our students to achieve more. We need to review any D.E.I. policies to ensure that we are hiring staff based on MERIT and not things like race and sexual preference.

I plan to audit the District budget and sit in a new classroom every week to see with my own eyes what kind of an education our future leaders are receiving.

What skills and experience do you bring to school board service?

I have owned and operated 3 small businesses which has taught me a lot about setting (and achieving) realistic goals and finding the most efficient way to utilize limited resources. Small business owners can’t just “raise taxes” to solve problems… they have to identify actual solutions by thinking outside the box while still working within their means.

I was also a semi-professional distance runner. My races were incredibly demanding — 30 to 60 mile footraces in the mountains. These journeys taught me how to plan for the worst while remaining positive and focused on a goal. I learned about staying the course even when things get tough, but also knowing when you need to stop and reevaluate where the current path will lead you.

What are your highest-priority goals if elected to the College Board?

My opponent has supported and defended the hiring of a sex offender who is now in charge of the GED program and has tutored minors through the college's "Upward Bound" program for local high school students. This is absolutely unacceptable and my highest priority would be creating a policy outlining the college's commitment to keeping students safe and protecting them from sexual predators.

We also need to review D.E.I. policies created by the current board and focus instead on MERIT based decisions so we ensure that we're giving our students the best we can offer, not just the most diverse.

How, if at all, would you redistribute resources between Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and programs to prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions?

I would focus more heavily on the trades and CTE programs because we have a greater need for those skills in Southwestern Oregon. There are others on the Board that will focus on the traditional 4-year college pathway so I hope to help bring balance to the conversation.

How would you respond to a parent who wants the district to limit access to or remove books from the library?

If the material fits the definition of “obscene” per ORS 167.080 (Displaying obscene materials to minors) then it probably needs to be removed. The Coos County Library District has a policy stating this and I believe CBSD should follow it.

If the material is not obscene but instead simply controversial then it should be handled on a case by case basis by balancing state laws and parental rights to the protection of their child from unwanted indoctrination. It’s one thing to provide access to diverse educational material and another to push an ideological agenda onto a child. Sometimes it’s hard to know the difference and I don’t believe there is currently a way to legislate this controversial subject. Ultimately it would be the board’s decision on these matters and I would encourage the parent to fight for what they believe in even if it’s something that I disagree with.

What do you see as the Coos Bay School District’s current strengths and the weaknesses?

We are very high on cost per pupil but low on average test scores and core competency. I believe everyone agrees this needs to change. I plan to sit in one classroom each week to audit the learning process and see where we can improve. From what I know, I believe the superintendent has the correct mindset and vision to achieve progress. Having the right leader is a strength. The three E’s (Enrolled, Employed, Enlisted) he speaks of are great graduation goals, but I would add a fourth: Effective. Our youth need to enter society as effective adults with effective life skills in whatever role they land in, even if that role is a traditional stay at home parent.

How much freedom should a teacher have in developing lesson plans, creating curriculum, and delivery of instruction? Why do you think Academic freedom is necessary or not necessary?

I believe educators should have the most freedom possible as long as they stay on topic. A math teacher should have the freedom to plan out how to get their students across the finish line as long as it is producing results. If they want to test a hypothesis on a new way of learning then I believe that should be allowed (maybe even encouraged) as long as it follows the scientific method of proving the hypothesis with data and results. However, a math teacher straying from the topic of mathematics and introducing irrelevant topics into the curriculum is not appropriate.

What is your position on vouchers for private schools?

I believe that the money should follow the child to whatever educational setting the parents feel is appropriate, including homeschooling.