Many of my friends have been hounding me for years to consider running for the BOE. My response was, I have fought with the powers that be for most of my career, why would I want to do that anymore? In my 50+ years in education, I feel as if I have gained much insight as to where we have been and where we need to go. It appears that our school system is a crisis state at this time. Many of our problems come from a legislature that does not believe education is the key for West Virginia to rise out of the basement of US states. Currently, we face the ever-increasing financial dilemma of not having enough money to run our schools. Hampshire county school are faced with large layoffs this coming school year as we try to balance a budget that is unable to be balanced based on current demands. On top of the effects of inflation on every aspect of schools is the increasing drain of students choosing alternative forms of education. The amount of money the state is pumping into the HOPE program is staggering, this year alone almost $276,000,000 was added to the HOPE fund. Despite the fact that the HOPE program does not affect our SCHOOL AID FORMULA, it does create severe financial stress on the money reserves in the state. On top of this, the CHARTER SCHOOL program will cost the county over $600,000 out of our school budget this year. Am I silly enough to think I can change all this crazy behavior, “NO”. Do I think I can cause some change to the teaching atmosphere of today’s classroom, “YES”. I am sure some feathers will be ruffled, but that is the nature of change. We all know that something needs to change in the way we run our schools. I have an idea how to start!
Understand, if my children were currently in public school, I would be concerned. Students are becoming increasingly unruly, teachers are being asked to do the impossible on a daily basis, principals are being taxed to the point of exhaustion, lesson plans have become a major daily endeavor thanks to the state getting involved, teachers health care system is becoming less effective and to top all this off, our teachers are some of the lowest paid in the country! If that does not constitute some problems, I’m not sure what does.
Do I think I can rectify all these problems in 4 years? NO! Do I think I can have an effect on the system? YES! My number one goal is to create an environment where our teachers enjoy what they are doing and not have to go home in a state of shock! The state legislature, with their kicking the can down the road approach to financial planning has fostered the same poverty driven culture that developed during the coal era. Reduction of severance taxes for the extraction industry and lower income taxes have left scant amounts of money for anything. Sure, like anyone, I would rather pay less taxes, but I would prefer that we at least educate our children, they are the future!
Do you realize that many companies will not relocate to West Virginia because our schools are so poorly rated? How can we become a viable state rather than the laughingstock of late-night TV if we do not make the changes we need. We are one of the poorest states in the country and we elect billionaires to our state offices! How many of you realize that Joe Manchin and Jim Justice are owners of coal mines?
I am a teacher and student advocate! I will do most anything to further their cause! Lets make this a place where teachers come to teach rather than a place they want to leave. Yes, we do need to increase teacher’s salary but, I truly believe teachers will teach for less money if they are treated like professionals and made viable partners in the direction of education.
Hope to get your vote on May 12th!
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